What Are The Signs and Symptoms of Low Testosterone?
How low testosterone could be affecting you
Many of you have probably heard about low testosterone, or “low T” as it’s sometimes referred to. Testosterone is an important hormone that both women and men produce in their bodies at varying levels. This hormone does a lot more than just build muscle, it can affect energy levels, sex drive, sleep and weight. Here are some things to watch out for, and signs that you need to get your levels checked by a professional.
Common signs of low testosterone
Low testosterone can have a variety of symptoms that can be confused with many other health conditions. Since testosterone plays a role in so many different functions in your body, low levels can cause a range of problems in ways you might not even expect. Here are some of the more common signs of low testosterone:
Fatigue: One of the most common signs of low testosterone levels is feeling constantly tired, also called fatigue. If you feel tired, even when you’ve gotten enough sleep, then low testosterone could be playing a part. Be sure to let your doctor know you’ve been feeling tired so that they can see if hormones or another health condition might be causing it.
Low libido: If your sex drive has dropped off, low testosterone could be a culprit., So addressing potential issues with testosterone is an important part of a workup for low sex drive.
Erectile dysfunction: While ED has many causes, such as certain cardiovascular diseases, low testosterone can also affect your ability to maintain an erection..
Muscle mass loss: If you’ve noticed your muscles are weaker or less toned, despite regular exercise, low testosterone might be to blame. Since testosterone is a major player in muscle growth, low testosterone can cause loss of muscle mass.
Weight gain: Though weight gain has a multitude of different causes, low testosterone can be one of them. All kinds of lifestyle and hormonal imbalances, including low testosterone, can lead to weight gain (especially around your belly).
Mood changes: If you’ve noticed that you’ve gotten more irritable, sad, or moody, keep in mind that low testosterone has been linked to mood changes and feelings of depression. Speak to your doctor about your mood changes and they can help you to determine if the cause might be hormonal.
Sleep issues: Sleep problems can be caused by many things such as caffeine intake, sleep apnea, stress, and more. Low testosterone has also been linked to impaired sleep, particularly in older men.
Poor concentration: If you feel like you can’t concentrate like you used to, or feel like there is a constant fog in your head when you’re trying to focus, low testosterone could be the root cause.
Who is at risk for low testosterone?
While low testosterone can affect anyone at any age, there are some things that up your risk or make it more common to have in certain groups of people, including:
Men over 45
People who are overweight or obese
People with type 2 diabetes
People with chronic medical issues like sleep apnea or kidney disease
High stress levels
When to see a healthcare professional about testosterone levels
If any of the above sound familiar, then it’s a good idea to speak to a healthcare professional about your hormone levels. Simple testing can check for hormone issues as well as any other underlying conditions that might be contributing to your woes. The sooner you can figure out what is causing your symptoms, the sooner you can get on a track of treatment to correct the issue and get on the road to feeling better.
Treating low testosterone
The good news is that low testosterone can be easily treated. Once you have confirmed that your levels are low, your healthcare provider can prescribe you both lifestyle changes and medications that will bring your testosterone levels back to normal range.
