Signs That You May Have a Testosterone Deficiency

For both men and women, the effects that their reproductive hormones have on their overall health and wellness can be surprising. In fact, it’s usually only when these hormones are in decline that you appreciate their influence. Such is typically the case with hypogonadism, or low testosterone, which affects between 4 million and 5 million men in the United States.

As specialists in endocrinology, Dr. Sean Nikravan and our team understand the role that hormones play in the human body and the consequences that come with a deficiency. In this month’s blog post, we take a closer look at hypogonadism and the symptoms that may signal low testosterone.

Understanding your testosterone levels

Most men have testosterone levels that range between 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL) and 800 ng/dL, so any measurement that falls below 300 ng/dL qualifies as hypogonadism.

Many things can affect testosterone levels, starting with age. From the moment you pass through puberty and on into your 30s, you enjoy the highest levels of testosterone. Once in your 30s, your production of testosterone may drop by about 1% a year, a loss that you likely won’t notice at first.

As you age, however, this continual decline in testosterone production can add up, which is why many men begin to feel the effects in their 60s and beyond, In fact, by the time men reach age 80, average testosterone levels dip to 200 ng/dL.

Of course, age isn’t the only driver of hypogonadism. Injury to your testicles, certain cancers, infection, and inherited problems can also lead to low testosterone production. It’s worth noting that the incidence rate of these conditions affecting testosterone is quite low compared to age.

Signs of low testosterone

If you develop hypogonadism, you may encounter a wide range of issues, including:

• Low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Fatigue
• Loss of muscle mass
• Problems with memory and cognitive function
• Moodiness
• Gynecomastia (enlarged breast tissue)
• Hair loss

If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, and they’re largely unexplained, it’s time to come in to see us so we can measure your testosterone levels.

Treating low testosterone

If we find that your testosterone levels are lower than where they should be, the good news is that treating hormone imbalance is relatively easy. Through hormone replacement therapy (HRT), we can bring your testosterone levels to within normal range.

How we administer replacement hormones varies and depends upon your preferences. We can deliver HRT through oral medications, injections, topical gels, and transdermal patches.

If any of the symptoms of hypogonadism sound familiar, we invite you to contact our office in Newport Beach, California, so we can figure out whether low testosterone is to blame and get you started on a remedy.