Testosterone of the male sex hormone produced by the testicles. This hormone is necessary for sexual development and muscle building. Testosterone is also produced in females but at a very low amount. During puberty, this male hormone helps in developing male features such as a deeper voice, muscle strength, facial hair, etc. Men require testosterone to make sperm. This hormone is necessary for sex drive and building muscle and bone mass.
If a man is dealing with a low testosterone level, he will face certain changes in his body appearance and energy level. The level of testosterone production decreases with age. Usually, after the age of 45, lots of men face low testosterone levels. But several other factors can result in low testosterone levels. A person can also face low T issues in his late twenties or early thirties. Getting a low T treatment Connecticut will help in increasing the testosterone level and managing the body mass and energy.
Causes of Low Testosterone
The testosterone level in men decreases with age naturally. But there are lots of other factors that can reduce the production of testosterone.
Testicle injuries: Any type of injury in the testicle can affect the production of testosterone production.
Obesity: Obesity is one of the most common reasons behind low T problems.
Cancer treatments: Treatment like chemotherapy and radiation often has side effects. In men, cancer treatment often reduces the testosterone level.
Stress: When a person is under stress due to work or family, the body may start developing less amount of male hormone.
Alcohol misuse: Drinking lots of alcohol can also lead to low T.
Certain medications: There are certain medications that lower the production of testosterone in men.
Other than these causes, a person can get low T due to certain illnesses like AIDS, kidney diseases, autoimmune disease, metabolic syndrome, cirrhosis of the level, infection, etc. Some of the risk factors for developing low T issues are diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis.
What are the symptoms of low T?
When a person is dealing with low T, his energy level reduces. The muscle and bone mass are also reduced and people also start facing certain mental issues like stress and depression. A person may face lots of problems due to low testosterone levels.
Decreased muscle mass
Testosterone hormone aids in increasing muscle mass. If the testosterone level is less, you will notice a decrease in muscle and bone mass. With testosterone therapy, the hormone level will increase and the person will notice an increase in muscle mass.
Low sex drive
This male hormone is necessary for sex drive (libido). Libido decreases when a person grows old. But a person can also get libido problems in their late twenties or early thirties due to low testosterone.
Difficulty in maintaining an erection
Testosterone is necessary to achieve and maintain the reaction. This male hormone tells the brain to release nitric oxide that triggers a chemical reaction to achieve the erection. When a person is dealing with low T, he starts getting difficulty getting an erection before sex. He may also get issues with spontaneous erections. This problem can also occur due to several other reasons.
Hair Loss
Baldness is common in men in their late early forties. Balding problems can occur due to heredity. Another factor that can lead to baldness is low T. When the testosterone level is low, a person can lose body and facial hair.
Increased body fat
When the testosterone hormone level reduces, males can experience increased body fat. They may also develop gynecomastia that enlarges breast tissues. This condition occurs due to an imbalance between testosterone and estrogen level.
Affected memory
With age, cognitive functions also start declining. Some theories show that cognitive functions often get affected due to the lower amount of testosterone production.
Smaller testicles and penis size
The body needs testosterone hormone for penis and testicle development. When the testosterone level is low, a person can face issues like a smaller penis or testicles.
Mood changes
When a person is dealing with a low testosterone level, he can experience mood issues. This hormone not only affects the physical body but can also affect mental peace. The person starts overthinking or may face stress issues.
Top therapies to increase testosterone level in men
When the body is unable to produce adequate amounts of testosterone, the doctor may suggest certain therapies. There are different ways to increase testosterone levels.
Transdermal: These are available in the form of creams, gels, and patches. These medicines show their effect for about four days. For better results, cover it with a tight dressing after applying. Apply the gels or creams to the skin which is dry and doesn’t have any cuts or scratches. Don’t wash the area until you apply the gel again. After applying the gels, wash your hands properly.
Injections: Injections are a good option to increase the testosterone level. The medicine is ejected under the skin or muscle. For long-acting medicine, they usually inject it into the muscle. You can get these injections weekly or monthly.
Oral: The oral or buccal dose needs to be placed above the incisor. The medicine looks like a simple pill but it shouldn’t be swallowed. It shows the effect for about 12 hours. However, there can be some side effects of oral medicines.
Intranasal: These are available in the form of a gel. The person has to pump the dose into the nostril usually three times a day.
Pellets: The doctor will place testosterone pellets under the skin. It is a kind of small surgery where the doctor will give a shot of local anesthesia and then place the pellets inside the fatty tissues under the skin. This treatment can maintain testosterone level for about 4 to 6 months.
Natural medications
Testosterone therapies or TT can have lots of side effects like headache, itchy skin, swelling, pain, bruising, etc. Other than these TTs, there are also some natural medications to increase the testosterone level in men. These types of treatment do not have any side effects and increase the testosterone level naturally.