Many of us know that men with low testosterone are vulnerable to low libido and struggle to maintain their muscle mass.
However, low hormone levels can cause more injury than just problems in the bedroom or at the health club.
Counselors are now raising awareness of low testosterone, commonly known as ‘male menopause’, and its debilitating effects on men’s well-being.
Testosterone is a male sex hormone produced primarily in the testicles. Testosterone receptors, however, are distributed throughout the body.
It helps maintain bone density, fat distribution, muscle mass, facial and body hair, sex drive and sperm production according to Mayo Clinic.
University of Wisconsin estimates to show that low testosterone affects about 12% of men in their 50s, 19% in their 60s, 28% in their 70s, and 49% in their 80s.
A man’s testosterone range is often highest in his 20s and naturally declines with age.
The upper range for testosterone should be between 300 and 1200 ng/dL.
When men reach their mid-thirties, testosterone drops by at least one percent over 12 months.
However, males can become impoverished at any age.
The experts at DailyMail.com have revealed the ten essential warning indicators below:
Testosterone peaks in late adulthood, around age 20, but declines by about 1% each year after age 30.
Experts told DailyMail.com that signs of low testosterone include low sex drive, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, hopelessness and weak bones.
Low intercourse drive
“Testosterone is the main driver of human libido, or sex drive,” Dr. Helen L Berney, director of male sexual and reproductive health at Indiana University.
As a result, men have no real interest in intercourse or masturbation.
Low libido is one of the most common symptoms of testosterone deficiency and is one of the most important Dr. For Bernie sufferers.
This is because there are androgen receptors, the place where testosterone binds, in the components of the mind that are needed. Without testosterone, there may be nothing to indicate pleasure.
Erectile dysfunction
“For a man to have an erection, you need testosterone,” said Dr. Bernie. “If you have very low testosterone, it’s very difficult to get an erection.”
Although increased blood flow to the penis is necessary for an erection, testosterone can also be vital because the penis has receptors in erectile tissue, often called the corpus cavernosum.
“Erectile tissue in people with low testosterone can atrophy or become less healthy,” DailyMail.com informed Dr. Bobby Nayari, a urologist at NYU Langone.
As a result, blood flow to the penis becomes much less conscious sexual stimulation, he said. A lack of testosterone can also make drugs like Viagra much less effective.
Lack of libido due to low testosterone can also cause erectile dysfunction.
Depression
Low testosterone can wreak havoc on your mood, Dr. Najari said.
Similar to intercourse, androgen receptors are located in several components of the mind, along with the amygdala, which processes anxiety.
However, further analysis is needed to know this relationship.
“We know that there are androgen receptors that are centrally located in the brain,” said Dr. Najari. “But the exact mechanism behind the symptoms is less understood.”
He mentioned that other components of high testosterone can cause despair, reminiscent of poor sleep or thyroid problems.
dr. Helen L. Burney, director of male sexual and reproductive health at Indiana University (left), and Dr. Bobby Najari, a urologist at New York University Langone (respectively), pointed out a number of long-term negative effects of low testosterone on well-being. with memory problems, diabetes, fatigue and despair
Memory problems
As with despair, androgen receptors can cause poor recall. These receptors are found in the hippocampus, the part of the mind responsible for research and remembering, in addition to the brain that controls consideration and reasoning.
Not having enough of the hormone to bind to these receptors can cause forgetfulness, Dr. Bernie said.
Not having enough of the hormone to bind to these receptors can cause forgetfulness.
Fatigue
“Testosterone is the main driver of our motivation and energy levels,” said Dr. Bernie.
Testosterone is a circadian hormone, meaning it is highest in the morning and gradually declines throughout the day.
It may also be a type of androgenic hormone, a steroid that suggests it keeps us energized.
As it decreases, males with low ranges may be more dehydrated during the day than males with regular ranges.
“Men with chronically low testosterone have lower energy levels. They’re going to be drained,” Dr. Burney mentioned.
Reduced muscle mass
Testosterone promotes muscle development and has been shown to suppress fat storage. When the ranges are low, muscle mass starts to say no, Dr. Bernie mentioned.
Inside study from Japanmen with low levels of free testosterone—the amount of the hormone not bound by receptors—were two to three times more likely to lose muscle with age than men with regular ranges.
This is because muscle mass is replaced by adipose tissue, often called body fat.
Strength training will help restore this misplaced muscle.
Increased stomach fat
Extra fat, especially around the stomach, could very well be a sign of low testosterone, Dr. Najari said.
This is because adipose tissue replaces lean muscle mass.
A assessment in obese men found that low testosterone levels specifically increase abdominal fat deposits.
“One of the most common causes of testosterone decline in men as they age is simply increased adipose tissue, which breaks down testosterone,” said Dr. Najari.
Fat cells produce aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen. Estrogen then causes additional fat to be deposited in the stomach, in addition to the breasts, hips and thighs.
Weak bones
“In men, testosterone is converted to estrogen,” said Dr. Najari. “And we know that in both sexes, estrogen is involved in maintaining bone health. So men with lower testosterone levels also have lower estrogen levels.
This causes the bones to thin or break down. It can also cause osteoporosis, a condition caused by weak or brittle bones.
Initially, the condition may have no symptoms, but as it progresses, it can cause back pain, stooped posture, fractures, and loss of height. Mayo Clinic.
diabetes
Testosterone is related to insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps the body store sugar for energy.
“Insulin depends on testosterone, so in order for insulin to work properly, you have to have testosterone in your body,” said Dr. Bernie.
When insulin is disrupted, it leads to poor glucose management, leading to excess blood sugar and diabetes.
2016 study in the journal Diabetes care found that a testosterone agent can reduce insulin resistance in diabetic men with low testosterone levels.
Heart disease
Some analyzes suggest that low testosterone can lead to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, cardiac arrest, and stroke.
Research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, Circulationfound that men with low testosterone levels had a higher risk of dying from coronary heart disease than men with normal ranges.
It could also be because testosterone opens the blood vessels towards the center, allowing blood to move extra freely.
Dr. Bernie mentioned that the hyperlink between testosterone and coronary heart disease is controversial among consultants.
Although some studies have suggested that the testosterone drug could increase the risk of coronary heart attack and stroke, she pointed to an analysis revealed in the last week. New England Journal of Medicine. This study found that testosterone did not increase the risk of antagonistic heart events in men with low range.
