Low T or low testosterone is a condition where the testes are unable to produce the required amount of testosterone. In men, testosterone is necessary to maintain and develop several things like muscle mass, sexual features, bone density, maintaining RBC level, sexual and reproductive functions. About 40% of males over the age of 45 face Low T problems. Several factors can result in Low T problems like age, medications, illness, etc.
Symptoms of Low T in men
Low sex drive
Testosterone is necessary for libido in men. In most men, sex drive reduces as they age. But if a person is facing low T problems, he may face an immediate drop in his sexual desire. Testosterone plays an important role to maintain the sex drive in men.
Issues with erection
Testosterone is also necessary to maintain an erection. Indeed testosterone alone does not cause erection in men but it stimulates receptors. This receptor asks the brain to produce nitric oxide. Nitric oxide triggers some reactions that cause an erection. If a person is facing low T problems, he will face issues in getting erections before or while having sex. He may also be unable to get spontaneous erections. But low T is not the only cause that can cause problems in erections. Several factors like thyroid problems, obesity, diabetes, smoking, alcohol abuse, stress, anxiety, etc can also result in erection issues.
Reduced semen volume
In men, testosterone is vital for semen production. Semen is a fluid that increases the motility of sperm. Due to the low T, the man will notice a reduction in semen volume during ejaculation.
Fatigue
Men with low testosterone levels will get fatigued. The energy level also decreases with low T. This problem occurs when you are facing low T problems due to less sleep or stress.
Hair loss
Several body functions depend on testosterone levels. If the testosterone is low, men will face issues in hair production. As you know balding is a sign of aging in men, but it can also occur due to low T. If a person is dealing with low T, he may face loss of body and facial hairs also.
Increased body fat and loss of muscle mass
Low testosterone also results in increased body fat. It occurs due to the development of gynecomastia or enlarged breast tissue. Several studies show that this occurs due to the imbalance between estrogen and testosterone in men. Testosterone is necessary for muscle building. Due to low T, the muscle mass is also reduced. But testosterone only affects muscle mass; it may show no effect on function or strength.
Mood changes
When a person is facing low T, he may face lots of mood changes. Testosterone affects the physical body as well as the mind. Low testosterone levels may lead to mental problems like depression, lack of focus, irritability, etc.
Low bone mass
Low bone density is common in women due to Osteoporosis. But in men, low bone mass occurs due to low. Testosterone is necessary for bone strength. When a person is facing low T, he may have lower bone volume. People with low T are prone to easy bone fractures.
Weak memory
Age causes lots of changes in person. With aging cognitive functions and testosterone level starts declining. Some theories show that low T can affect memory. If a person is facing low T in his early age like late 30s; his memory may also start weakening.
Smaller testicle size
When the body is releasing less amount of testosterone, the testicle size will also get reduced. Your body needs testosterone to develop a penis and testicles. Due to low T, the person may face smaller testicles and penis as compared to normal size.
Low blood counts
According to some research, a person may get anemia due to low T. When a person uses medication or treatment to increase testosterone level his blood counts also increase. Anemia can cause lots of issues like lack of concentration, sleeping problems, leg cramping, abnormal heart rate, etc.
What can cause low T in men?
The most common and natural factor that causes low T is aging. The formation of testosterone starts declining after the age of 30 by 1% every year. However, there are lots of other factors that can result in low T in men, such as:
- Injury
- Metabolic disorder
- Chemotherapy
- Dysfunction of the pituitary gland
- Alcohol abuse
- HIV/AIDS
- Several medications
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Inflammatory conditions
- Obesity
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Klinefelter syndrome
- Kallman syndrome
- Anabolic steroid abuse
- Pubertal delay
- Trauma
- Radiation exposure
- Congenital defect
- Type 2 diabetes
Several other medical conditions can lead to low T in men.
Treatment options for low T in men
Testosterone boosters
Lots of supplements are available in medical stores that are known as Testosterone Boosters. Their makers claim that these supplements can increase the testosterone level in men. If you see any symptoms of low T then you can use these testosterone boosters.
Testosterone replacement therapy
Several ways are available to perform testosterone replacement therapy. Intramuscular injections are provided every 10 to 14 days. A person can also use testosterone patches that can be applied to different body parts like arms, buttocks, abdomen, etc. Lots of testosterone gels are also available these days. You have to apply the gel every day to the dry skin on the arms and upper back. A person can also go for a pellet implant. Testosterone replacement therapy will improve sexual function, mood, mental health, etc. But there are also some side effects of testosterone replacement therapy such as acne, swelling in ankles, breast enlargement, smaller testicles, skin irritation, etc.
Natural medications
A natural low T treatment New York can help in improving the testosterone level in men. These medications not only increase the testosterone but also fight the causes of low T. Natural medications show results slowly but provide good treatment for a longer time. Another merit of using natural medicine is that these remedies are fully safe. The person won’t face any type of harmful side effects after using natural medications for low T.
Eat healthy diet
Your diet is also responsible for managing testosterone levels. Take a good amount of protein and carbs to improve testosterone production. Get enough sunlight as vitamin D also helps in increasing testosterone formation. You can take multivitamins and mineral supplements to improve body function and testosterone level.
Exercise and meditation
Regular exercise is necessary to maintain testosterone levels. As you know, obesity can cause low T. Exercise will help to reduce weight and promote health. Meditation can help a lot to release stress. Low T can occur due to stress and depression. Do meditation for about 20 minutes a day. It will manage stress and treat your low T condition.