Male testes produce a crucial hormone called testosterone that has a very important role in the well-being of men. Hypogonadism, commonly known as low testosterone or ‘low T’ is a common yet worrying complication in men. Yes, your level of testosterone naturally declines with age. According to the Urology Care Foundation, men lose 20% and 30% of their testosterone levels at the age of 60 and 70 respectively. But the problem begins when men start to lose their testosterone level prior to that age.
Why Men Should Worry About Their Testosterone Level
Testosterone is actually the hormone that is responsible for transforming a boy into a man. All types of physical development including (but not limited to) male sex organs, the growth of public & genital hair, bone density, beard growth, muscle building, and voice deepening are triggered by the release of testosterone. For proper physical as well as psychological development testosterone is a must-have hormone.
Without the optimum level of testosterone in the bloodstream, a male’s brain will not get the positive signal that triggers his libido and works to promote a feeling of general well-being and a happy mood. Testosterone also stimulates the sebaceous glands which in turn controls the oil content of the skin. At the same time, this hormone boosts the presence of minerals in bones and stabilizes the body’s immune system. Sperm production including the quality & quantity of sperm is another vital function of testosterone.
A man’s sex life is solely dependent on the testosterone hormone. Low testosterone levels will decrease your sex drive while causing trouble in keeping an erection. Often it is the hidden cause of premature ejaculation. Furthermore, low T will cause you to put on extra weight through the enhancement of body fat and a reduction of muscle mass. This redistribution of fat will cause that dreaded large bellies and gynaecomastia, known as ‘man boobs’. You will feel lethargic and some men feel depressed and find it difficult to concentrate when suffering from low T.
What Causes Testosterone To Decline?
Age-related Testosterone Decline
The normal range of testosterone lies between 300 ng/dL to 1050 ng/dL. This wide range suggests that one man can have nearly 3 times more testosterone level than another and both will be treated as normal. However, the headache-causing truth is men start to lose their testosterone levels as they age.
Studies reveal that from the age of forty, testosterone level starts to decline in sales by around 1% every year. The amount of free testosterone (that is not bound in the blood to SHBG (Sex hormone binding globulin) in the bloodstream actually creates more frowning in the male’s forehead. During the ages of 25-75, healthy males tend to lose 30% of their total testosterone level and free testosterone level declines even more significantly. [1]
The biological process of testosterone production is a complex chain of action that is regulated by the Hypothalamic Pituitary Gonadal axis. The hypothalamus secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) that stimulates the anterior pituitary to secrete luteinizing hormone (LH) along with follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). LH then stimulates Leydig cells in the testes to produce testosterone. As a man’s age progresses the total process becomes slower due to the poor signaling function of the hypothalamic and anterior pituitary glands. Moreover, some testosterone becomes inactivated in the liver and is also excreted by the kidneys.
Diseases That Can Cause Low Testosterone
Hypogonadism
Clinically the term is known as Late-Onset Hypogonadism (LOH) or Andropause when the volume of SHBG increases resulting in the decline of the amount of free testosterone. [2] This disease is regarded as one of the major reasons for a decline in testosterone levels.
LOH is further subdivided into Primary Hypogonadism & Secondary Hypogonadism depending on congenital abnormalities or acquired disease.
If testicular abnormality causes lower testosterone production then it is termed as primary hypogonadism. This can be caused by chemotherapy or infection and characterized by elevated Luteinizing Hormone.
If any disorders like tumors, genital or congenital conditions distract from the normal functioning of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis then secondary hypogonadism occurs in men. This complication is characterized by a lower-than-normal level of Luteinizing Hormone.
Diabetes
Low testosterone levels and type-2 diabetes frequently go hand in hand. Studies reveal that men with type-2 diabetes are twice as likely to have low testosterone as men without diabetes. When men have reduced insulin sensitivity from consuming lots of carbohydrates and sugar the body can’t use insulin properly. Consequently, glucose builds up in the blood without being absorbed by the body. This is in fact named type-2 diabetes. According to a study published in 2013 in the journal BioMed Research International, it is found that low testosterone is directly linked with insulin resistance regardless of age and body weight. [3]
Obesity
Obesity, usually believed to be linked with heart disease, is associated with low testosterone levels in a male. Several medical studies proved that obese men, even at a young age suffer from low testosterone levels. In measuring obesity Body Mass Index is used which is actually a function of height and weight.
Thyroid Dysfunction
Low functioning of the thyroid gland (Hypothyroidism) is related to low testosterone levels. Malfunction of the thyroid gland results in decreased production of luteinizing hormone which primarily stimulates the testes to produce testosterone. So it is understandable that if the thyroid gland doesn’t work properly this will result in low testosterone levels in men.
Bad Lifestyle Choices That Can Lower Your Testosterone
- Nicotine greatly reduces the level of testosterone in men’s bloodstream. So if you are a chain smoker you should quit immediately. Quitting smoking helps men to increase their physiological activity which in turn boosts testosterone production.
- Consumption of highly processed foods which basically contain trans-fat and various preservatives can negatively affect men’s testosterone levels. Try to avoid these processed foods as much as possible.
- Poor sleeping habit results in lower levels of testosterone in healthy young men. A study conducted by the University of Chicago in 2011 showed that men who were subjected to only 4 hours of sleep suffered from a drastically lower level of testosterone than average men. [4]
- In this hustling & bustling world, people live a stressful life. Continuous exposure to stressful conditions elevates the level of the catabolic hormone, cortisol. This hormone breaks down growth hormone which translates into a lower testosterone level.
- Men who are deprived of sexual intercourse for a long period of time will experience a low level of testosterone. According to medical findings, regular sexual intercourse will hold the testosterone level at a normal range for men aged between 55 to 75. One should keep in mind only safe sex is recommended.
Learn more about how a bad lifestyle can reduce your testosterone levels and natural ways to increase your T levels.
Health Effects of Low Testosterone
Dropping levels of testosterone will not merely cause a sexual problem. Rather, it is associated with some more complications including (but not limited to) weight loss, bad mood, and poor concentration level. Sometimes these are unconsciously overlooked by most males. However, it is vital to know some common health effects of low testosterone.
- Low sex drive: The sex drive (libido) in men is totally dependent on the volume of testosterone. Males suffering from ‘low T’ will experience a drastic drop in their willingness to have sex.
- Erectile difficulties: Yeah, it is true that testosterone alone doesn’t cause an erection but it heavily stimulates the receptors of the brain that triggers the erection during sex. People with low testosterone will face a less-than-sufficient erection or no erection at all during sex.
- Low semen volume: Semen is a milky fluid that helps the mobility of sperm inside the vagina. Testosterone plays a vital role in the production of semen. Men with ‘low T’ will have a low volume of sperm during ejaculation.
- Hair loss: During puberty genital and pubic hairs are the outcome of testosterone secretion. Beards on the face and body hair are also the outcome of testosterone. ‘Low T’ will cause sparse facial or body hair and balding in the male.
- Loss of muscle mass & bone density: Men suffering from ‘low T’ will experience lesser muscle mass and muscle strength because testosterone is a hormone vital to building more muscle mass. Likewise, low testosterone levels will accelerate the thinning of bone which is medically known as osteoporosis.
- Redistribution of body fat: Low testosterone level alters the distribution of body fat. As a consequence, more fat is stored in the stomach resulting in a swollen abdomen or stomach. Sometimes it may cause ‘gynecomastia’ which is known as enlarged breasts in males—more commonly ‘male boobs’.
- Weakness & depression: Many physiological processes are closely related to testosterone volume. Hence, ‘low T’ symptoms include mental instability, depression, and decreased ability to concentrate.
There are some non-specific health effects including sleeping problems, lethargic feelings, etc. which are believed to be associated with low testosterone levels.
What Can You Do If Your Testosterone Is Low?
The truth is if you really know that your testosterone level is low and can identify the cause behind it you are in a position to reclaim your manhood. The first step is to make changes to boost your testosterone naturally. You might also be a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy, although it is much preferable to avoid exogenously (i.e. not from your body) testosterone if you can.
Increase Your Testosterone Naturally
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References [ - ]
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Feldman, H. A., Longcope, C., Derby, C. A., Johannes, C. B., Araujo, A. B., Coviello, A. D., … McKinlay, J. B. (2002). Age trends in the level of serum testosterone and other hormones in middle-aged men: Longitudinal results from the Massachusetts male aging study. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 87(2):589-98. DOI: 10.1210/jcem.87.2.8201 |
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Allan, C. A. & McLachlan, R. I. (2012). Testosterone deficiency in men. Diagnosis and management. Australian Family Physician, 32(6):422-7. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12833767 |
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Rabijewski, M., Papierska, L., Zgliczyński, W., & Piątkiewicz, P. (2013). The incidence of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in type 2 diabetic men in Polish population. Biomed Research International, 2013:767496. doi: 10.1155/2013/767496 |
4. |
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Rachel. L. & Eve, V. C. (2011). Effect of 1 Week of Sleep Restriction on Testosterone Levels in Young Healthy Men. JAMA, 2011;305(21):2173-2174. Doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.710 |
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