Many men and some women are concerned that they have low T cells, and they want to know what they can do about it. Most men begin to experience the symptoms of low testosterone between the ages of 50 and 60, but this phenomenon can begin as early as the age of 30. At this age, many men are also noticing that they aren’t as interested in sex as they used to be, so they believe that it is because they are growing older. According to Dr. Jason Hedges, testosterone only decreases every year by about 1%, so this cannot account for the sexual dysfunction that men are experiencing.
A woman’s testosterone levels have dropped by 50% by the time that she is 40 years old.
The Role of Testosterone
After the testes develop in the embryo, they begin to produce testosterone and other male sex hormones in about the eighth week. This is when the baby begins to develop male external sex organs. The female fetus also has the ability to create testosterone, but this will be in smaller amounts.
Testosterone becomes a focal point in males during puberty. At this time, the hypothalamus sends signals to the pituitary gland to produce more of the releasing hormones. These releasing hormones stimulate the boy’s testes to release testosterone into his bloodstream. When this occurs, many pubertal changes begin to happen.
By age 13 or 14, the prostate and seminal vesicles begin to produce semen under the direction of testosterone. Testosterone also causes underarm hair to grow and facial and chest hair to appear. Their voices become deeper and increases in muscle mass cause them to gain weight. In both boys and girls, the sex hormones cause a prominent sex drive to arise.
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Symptoms of Low T
The symptoms of low T include the following:
- Lower sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction
- Less body hair
- Less muscle mass
- Tiredness
- Depression
- Less beard growth
Subtle Symptoms of Low T
The following subtle symptoms of low T may also be symptoms of another condition:
- Not being able to focus at work
- Poor performance at work
- Having a hard time finding your words
- Memory loss
- Less strength, endurance and energy
The Importance of Testosterone to a Man’s Sexuality
When testosterone is low, men do not experience sexual desire as much as they once did. As a result, they may decline to participate in sexual activity. The remedy for this condition is to administer testosterone therapy or TRT. Then, the man begins to feel as sexually aroused as he had in the past, and he also starts to have sexual fantasies again.
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Symptoms of Low T in Men
- Low sex drive
- Loss of strength
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Memory loss
- Difficulties concentrating
- Depression
- A lower sense of well being
- Erectile dysfunction
- Anemia
- Osteoporosis
- Weight gain
- Gynecomastia
- Infertility
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Causes of Low Testosterone in Men
Several medical causes are lowering testosterone levels for men. For example, if a man’s testes have been injured or infected, the result can be low testosterone. This can also be the result if he received chemotherapy for cancer or a tumor of the pituitary gland. Alcohol abuse and cirrhosis of the liver have been known to cause low testosterone levels as well.
Other medical conditions are also responsible for low levels of testosterone, including sarcoidosis, Kallman syndrome and Klinefelter syndrome. Being obese or experiencing an extreme weight loss lead to low testosterone levels along with type 2 diabetes if it is left uncontrolled.
Severe hypothyroidism, a head injury, anabolic steroid use or exposure to radiation also cause low testosterone levels.
The Importance of Testosterone to a Woman’s Sexuality
A woman’s adrenal glands secrete testosterone, but they are not secreting as much as a man’s adrenal glands. Women are producing much smaller amounts, but this doesn’t mean that women have a lower sex drive because of it. The fact that women don’t need as much testosterone as men do only means that women can function well with smaller amounts of testosterone. As a matter of fact, testosterone is more important for a woman’s sex drive than her own ovarian hormones are.
Symptoms of Low T in Females
The following are common symptoms of low T in females:
- Less bone density
- Dryness of the vaginal area
- Irregular menstruation
- Problems with fertility
- Weight increase
- Decrease in sexual desire
- Decrease in sexual satisfaction
- Disturbances in sleep
- Tiredness
- Weakness in the muscles
- Feeling sluggish
- Depression
Causes of Low Testosterone in Women
The ovaries produce a lot of a woman’s testosterone. During perimenopause and after menopause, the ovaries are no longer producing as much testosterone, so her testosterone levels naturally decrease at this time. The common belief was that a woman’s sex drive naturally diminishes after menopause, but research is showing us that after menopause, women have a lower sex drive because of their lower testosterone levels.
If a woman’s ovaries are surgically removed, she may experience a loss in her testosterone levels at that time. Sometimes, the adrenal glands are not working as efficiently as they should be, so there is a lower output of testosterone for this reason.
After menopause, some women take medications for hormone replacement therapy. In this instance, the hormone they are replacing is estrogen. Estrogen prevents the production of testosterone, so hormone replacement therapy with estrogen may be the cause of a woman’s low testosterone levels.
The loss of testosterone can also be because of an underactive pituitary gland. This is known as “hypopituitarism.”
Testosterone Therapy
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above and are interested in our safe testosterone therapy, call us at (305) 682-1818 to make an appointment today. You are also welcome to contact us if you have questions about age related low testosterone and the treatment we can offer you. Contact us today.
References:
- https://www.urologyhealth.org/urologic-conditions/low-testosterone
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15603-low-testosterone-male-hypogonadism
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322663#diagnosis
- https://www.webmd.com/men/features/low-testosterone-explained-how-do-you-know-when-levels-are-too-low#1
- https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone-in-women#causes
- https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone-in-women#treatments
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15603-low-testosterone-male-hypogonadism
- Human Sexuality in a World of Diversity by Spencer A. Rathus, Jeffrey S. Nevid and Lois Fichner-Rathus.
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