Should I care about Low Testosterone?

Asked by: Eric Mack

Low testosterone can have real and important health effects, especially on a man’s sex life. Men with low testosterone may have trouble getting and keeping an erection. The erections they do have may come less often and not as strongly as before. A man’s desire to have sex (libido) also decreases as testosterone drops.

What should I do if my testosterone is low?

Testosterone replacement therapy involves taking prescribed testosterone medication in the form of pills, patches, and gel that you apply to your skin. Testosterone therapy can also come in the form of injections.

Can low testosterone go untreated?

If low testosterone goes untreated, you will experience negative symptoms, but you will also put your body at risk. Adequate testosterone levels are important not only for daily life and regular bodily processes and functions, but they’re also important for protecting the body from age-related diseases.

What is a dangerously low testosterone level?

Deficiency means that the body does not have enough of a needed substance. Syndrome is a group of symptoms that, together, suggest a disease or health condition. The American Urology Association (AUA) identifies low blood testosterone (Low-T) as less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).

What causes low testosterone in 20s?

But we’re beginning to see more men in their 20s with low-T at the UT Southwestern male urology clinic. Sometimes low-T is caused by medical conditions, such as genetic diseases or past chemotherapy or radiation therapy. More often, symptoms can be linked to sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, anxiety, or depression.

Can you live a long life with low testosterone?

Researchers found men with the lowest testosterone levels had the highest mortality rate, followed by men with the highest testosterone levels. Overall, men with circulating testosterone levels between 9.8 to 15.8 nmol/L range tended to live the longest.

Is low testosterone permanent?

Is low testosterone permanent? You don’t have to live with the symptoms of low testosterone forever. There are many lifestyle changes and treatment options available to help raise your testosterone levels to normal levels.

How common is low testosterone?

How common is low testosterone? Low testosterone affects almost 40% of men aged 45 and older. It is difficult to define normal testosterone levels, because levels vary throughout the day and are affected by body mass index (BMI), nutrition, alcohol consumption, certain medications, age and illness.