Low testosterone: Symptoms, causes, and treatment

Low testosterone: Symptoms, causes, and treatment

Herpes zoster is caused by the same virus that causes chickenpox. After you have had chickenpox, the virus that caused it remains in the body of nerve cells. Sometimes after many years, the virus becomes active again and causes herpes zoster. Hypogonadism is a common condition in the male population, with a higher prevalence in older men, obese men, and men with type 2 diabetes.

Testosterone plays a crucial role in stimulating sexual desire. One of the most noticeable symptoms of low testosterone is a decline in libido or sex drive. A reduction in your testosterone levels can lead to decreased sexual need and activity, which may negatively affect relationships and your overall quality of life. It may be possible in these cases to have testosterone levels return to normal levels after treatment or lifestyle change. In these cases, your healthcare provider may recommend treatment such as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

If patients achieve target testosterone levels, but do not feel that they have sufficient improvement in their symptoms, clinicians should question whether testosterone deficiency is the etiology of their symptoms. There is no utility in continuing testosterone therapy in men who achieve target testosterone levels without symptom improvement. An exception can be made if patients do not have symptoms but have documented BMD loss. In this clinical scenario, an argument can be made to continue testosterone therapy.

Since testosterone normally decreases with age, your doctor can help determine whether your symptoms are water retention from testosterone low testosterone and whether you could benefit from treatment. Whether symptoms related to low testosterone are detected, as well as if they have reached 40 years of age, the patient should preferably see an andrologist, which is a urology subspecialty that focuses on men’s sexual and reproductive health. Something to keep in mind, and in contrast to women’s menopause/climacteric, is that while any man can experience a drop in hormone levels, it doesn’t happen for everyone, compared to women who will all reach this stage of life.

1) Baseline hematocrit should be performed at the time of repeat blood work after a medication for increased endogenous testosterone replacement has been started (such as SERMs, anastrazole, or HCG). If it is normal at that time, then it is rechecked every six to twelve months while the patient is on the medication. This test measures the percentage of red blood cells in the bloodstream. Elevated levels of testosterone can increase the hematocrit in some men, which can increase their risk of developing clotting problems, such as stroke or heart attack.

Experts don’t know for sure if taking testosterone affects the risk of prostate cancer. Your doctor may recommend regular exams and blood tests to check for problems. About 2 to 4 weeks after starting testosterone therapy, patients need to return for a checkup. If results are satisfactory, further assessment is recommended every 6 to 12 months.

The evidence from studies isn’t clear about whether taking testosterone lowers or increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, or blood clots in the veins. Among testosterone’s main functions are sexual desire, producing and maturing sperm, having good erections, reaching orgasm and making it pleasurable; all this in the sexual sphere. On example is Klinefelter syndrome, when a genetically male child is born with an extra X chromosome.

SERMs and anastrazole are generally safe to take over the course of several years with proper monitoring. There are some concerns about taking these medications for decades as there really is just not good long-term safety on these medications for men. The data so far shows that clomiphene is safe to take for an intermediate length of time in a study of 400 men taking the medication for up to 7 years. Data beyond this time window for clomiphene is not currently available, as are studies on long term tamoxifen and anastrazole use. One potential concern is for men who have very low estradiol levels from taking anastrazole due to the potential risk of bone health and osteoporosis.

To keep your loved ones safe, always wash your hands after applying testosterone and cover the application site. The method you choose may be based on your preferences or may be determined by your insurance company. When the testicles don’t make enough testosterone, it’s called testosterone deficiency syndrome.