Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men – FortuneHerald

Testosterone levels decline naturally with age, typicallyfrom the age of 30 years old. However, testosterone levels are declining, whatis normal now, was abnormal a few years ago. Thresholds for treatment are loweringas the normal range is skewed to represent what is normal now, it reflects asick society.

Its important to recognise the symptoms of low testosterone, its important to address possible reversible causes. The aim of life should be to lead a productive life, full of adventure, full of calculated misadventure. It should be rich; it should be colourful. It is a journey and you are in the driving seat. It might sound flouncy, its supposed to, what Im trying to highlight, it the importance of hormonal health in mental well-being. Its not the be all or end all, but low testosterone is associated with low mood, anxiety and depersonalisation. Depersonalisation is a state where you are present but not involved, merely a passenger, without a true or appropriate perspective. An element of mental illness is always a presenting symptom.

Mental illness is a spectrum, much like mental well-being,it can be mild, moderate or severe. Lack of drive and determination iscommonplace, men often describe lack of enjoyment (anhedonia) in things theirformer selves would enjoy. It can bework related, but often its an unsettling disconnect with family and friends.They are not themselves.

Cognitive decline is another alarming symptom. Men often usethe phrase brain fog to describe the lack of clarity of thought. Fogginess ora blanket descending over their thoughts accurately puts into words what isdifficult to describe. It can be as trivial as forgetting where you put yourkeys, but it can be troublesome short-term memory loss and an alarming drop inmental aptitude and sharpness.

Fatigue is vague but debilitating. Men have often soughtanswers and solutions to no avail. A good nights sleep is a rarity despitebest efforts and good sleep hygiene. Perhaps worsened by night sweats from lowoestrogen, but a perceived good nights rest is not met with a refreshedfeeling in the morning. A healthy diet does not reward you with an abundance ofenergy, irrespective of whether food is fuel.

Libido or sex-drive is often flagging. Alongside this comes erectile dysfunction,but the two can be independent. Testosterone is the male sex-hormone, but itsrole in overall health has often been trivialised as a result of thisassociation.

Physical symptoms such as weight gain, loss of muscle mass,decreased bone mineral density etc are less frequent presenting symptoms. Theyshould not be dismissed, one of my patients has osteoporosis as a result of lowtestosterone and is awaiting spinal surgery.

Know your body, know the symptoms of low testosterone.Address the fundamentals of health, lifestyle, nutrition and exercise. Stoplooking for quick fixes, build from the foundation upwards to make changesustainable.

Dr Robert Stevens MBChB MRCGP Dip.FIPT

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Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men - FortuneHerald