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What Causes Low “T” Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism)

A man lying on the floor with a few cardboard boxes on him
a clinical form to diagnose Low Testosterone levels
Low Testosterone

Why causes low testosterone? Injury, radiation, chemotherapy, and prostate cancer can affect testosterone levels. 

Testosterone naturally starts to declines at age 30 and continues to decline by 1.6% per year. As men age, It becomes more prevalent. By the time men are in their fifties about 12% of men have low testosterone. About 19% of men in their 60’s have low testosterone and the older men get the lower testosterone levels.

The American Urologic Association states that a low testosterone level is 300 or less. We often see symptoms in men with levels between 300 – 450 or less. It is important to screen testosterone levels in the 20’s and 30’s so that we have baseline levels to compare to men get older. 

Low Testosterone Causes:

Fatigue

Low ambition

Loss of muscle mass

Decreased sexual desire

Loss of body hair

Weight gain

Depression

Erectile Dysfunction

Moodiness/Irritability

How Common Is Low “T”, Testosterone

Low testosterone level is common in 40% of men aged 45 years or older. Testosterone levels fluctuate during the day and can be affected by (BMI) Body Mass Index, certain medications, and infections.

Chronic illness and infections can cause an issue with testosterone production. Lyme disease, fungal infections, mold exposure, and autoimmune diseases lower testosterone levels. This often takes time even after treating the infections to get the testosterone levels back up and in some cases the levels never get back to normal. It is important to seek treatment for these chronic conditions early on and treat the underlying issues to limit the long-term effects.

What Causes Low “T”, Testosterone

Medications

Diabetes

Chemotherapy

Pituitary Gland Issues

Alcohol Abuse

Estrogen Dominance

Inflammatory Conditions

Obesity

Sleep Apnea

Anabolic Steroid Use

Trauma (head)

Sports Injury

How Is Low Testerone Level Diagnosed?

Low testosterone is diagnosed by collecting a morning blood test to measure the testosterone level. It may take several blood tests to determine low testosterone since these levels change throughout the day. The highest level of testosterone is in the morning. Often times it is requested to draw blood at 8 a.m.

How Is Low Testosterone Level Treated?

Low testosterone, is treated with testosterone replacement therapy, which can be given in several different ways.

Intramuscular injection or IM

Testosterone patches, creams, gels, or oils

(Oral testosterone supplementation is not recommended or FDA approved)

Turn up your testosterone

What Are The Benefits of Testosterone Replacement

Body fat loss

Increased bone density

Improved mood function

Improved sexual functional

Increased cognitive function

Increased muscle mass

Ready To Get Started?

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