Could you have low testosterone?
Testosterone is a hormone made by the testicles. It is important for a man's sex drive and physical appearance.
Testosterone
A testosterone test measures the amount of the male hormone, testosterone, in the blood. Both men and women produce this hormone. The test described...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCertain health conditions, medicines, or injury can lead to low testosterone (low-T). Testosterone levels also naturally drop with age. Low testosterone can affect sex drive, mood, and changes in muscle and fat.
Treatment with testosterone therapy may help reduce symptoms.
How Testosterone Affects Health
Testosterone makes a man look and feel like a man. In a man, this hormone helps:
- Keep bones and muscles strong
- Determine hair growth and where fat is on the body
- Make sperm
- Maintain sex drive and erections
- Make red blood cells
- Boost energy and mood
Causes of Low Testosterone
Beginning around age 30 to 40, testosterone levels may start to slowly decrease. This occurs naturally.
Other causes of low testosterone include:
- Medicine side effects, such as from chemotherapy.
- Testicle injury or cancer.
Cancer
Testicular cancer is cancer that starts in the testicles. The testicles are the male reproductive glands located in the scrotum.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Problems with glands in the brain (hypothalamus and pituitary) that control hormone production.
Hypothalamus
The hypothalamus is an area of the brain that produces hormones that control:Body temperatureHeart rateHungerMoodRelease of hormones from many glands...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Low thyroid function.
Low thyroid function
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland does not make enough thyroid hormone. This condition is often called underactive thyroid....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Too much body fat (obesity). Ask your health care provider whether you need a test called free testosterone.
Obesity
Obesity means weighing more than what is healthy for a given height. Obesity is a serious, chronic disease. It can lead to other health problems, i...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Other disorders, chronic diseases, treatments, or infection.
Symptoms
Some men with low testosterone do not have any symptoms. Others may have:
- Low sex drive
- Problems having an erection
Problems having an erection
An erection problem occurs when a man cannot get or keep an erection that is firm enough for intercourse. You may not be able to get an erection at ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Low sperm count
- Sleep problems such as insomnia
Insomnia
Insomnia is trouble falling asleep, staying asleep (usually through the night), or waking up too early in the morning. Episodes of insomnia may come ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Decrease in muscle size and strength
- Bone loss
Bone loss
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile and more likely to break (fracture).
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Increase in body fat
- Depression
Depression
Depression may be described as feeling sad, blue, unhappy, miserable, or down in the dumps. Most of us feel this way at one time or another for shor...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Trouble concentrating
Some symptoms may be a normal part of aging. For example, it is normal to feel less interested in sex as you get older. But, it is not usually normal to have no interest in sex.
Symptoms may also be caused by other conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. If any of these symptoms are bothering you, talk with your provider.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a long-term (chronic) disease in which the body cannot regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleTreatment Options
Your provider will likely have you get a blood test to check your testosterone level. You will also be checked for other causes of your symptoms. These include medicine side effects, thyroid problems, or depression.
Blood test
A testosterone test measures the amount of the male hormone, testosterone, in the blood. Both men and women produce this hormone. The test described...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleIf you have low testosterone, hormone therapy may help. The medicine used is man-made testosterone. This treatment is called testosterone replacement therapy, or TRT. TRT can be given as a pill, gel, patch, injection, or implant.
TRT may relieve or improve symptoms in some men. It may help keep bones and muscles strong. TRT seems to be more effective in young men with very low testosterone levels. TRT can also be helpful for older men.
TRT has risks. These may include:
- Infertility
Infertility
Infertility means you cannot get pregnant (conceive). There are 2 types of infertility:Primary infertility refers to couples who have not become preg...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Enlarged prostate leading to difficulty urinating
Enlarged prostate
The prostate is a gland that produces some of the fluid that carries sperm during ejaculation. The prostate gland surrounds the urethra, the tube th...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Blood clots
- Worsening cardiovascular disease
- Sleep problems
- Cholesterol problems
At this time, it is unclear whether TRT increases the risk of prostate cancer or symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cardiovascular risks are also unclear. However, based on inconclusive data, the FDA does warn of a possible increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Talk with your provider about whether TRT is right for you. If you do not notice any change in symptoms after treatment for 3 months, it is less likely that TRT treatment will benefit you.
If you decide to start TRT, be sure to see your provider for regular checkups.
When to Call the Doctor
Contact your provider if:
- You have symptoms of low testosterone
- You have questions or concerns about treatment
Reviewed By
Sandeep K. Dhaliwal, MD, board-certified in Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Metabolism, Springfield, VA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Morgentaler A, Zitzmann M, Traish AM, et al. Fundamental concepts regarding testosterone deficiency and treatment: international expert consensus resolutions. Mayo Clin Proc. 2016;91(7):881-896. PMID: 27313122 pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27313122/.
Swerdloff RS, Wang C. The testis and male hypogonadism, infertility, and sexual dysfunction. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 221.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration website. FDA drug safety communication: FDA cautions about using testosterone products for low testosterone due to aging; requires labeling change to inform of possible increased risk of heart attack and stroke with use. www.fda.gov/drugs/drugsafety/ucm436259.htm. Updated February 26, 2018. Accessed May 31, 2023.