Low Testosterone Low T: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Growth Hormone Deficiency Symptoms in Children and Adults

It is also important to note that some of these, for instance fatigue, depression or anxiety may be non-specific to low T and maybe due to lifestyle factors. There are many symptoms of low testosterone in men, including flagging energy levels, low libido, weight gain, and hair loss. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, consider getting your testosterone levels tested. A 2021 study in 5,888 men found that people with low testosterone levels had a higher risk of developing anemia. This condition occurs when you have low levels of red blood cells, which are responsible for carrying oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body. Leading a sedentary lifestyle may exacerbate testosterone declines in men as they age, according to a 2024 review published in Frontiers in Aging.

One way to be certain if you think you have low testosterone is to have a blood test. Different types of blood tests are used to determine whether you have low testosterone and, if so, what has caused it. These include a total testosterone level blood test, a luteinizing hormone blood test, and a prolactin blood test. It’s common for testosterone levels to decrease with age, but some men experience a significant drop, leading to noticeable changes in both body and mind. Gynecomastia is more common in men over 60 since that age group is more likely to have low testosterone levels and increased body fat (another factor that may contribute to developing gynecomastia). Lastly, men with low T often experience low energy levels and feelings of fatigue.

Hormone therapy is a standard treatment strategy for combating prostate cancer, as it works by depriving the cancer cells of testosterone. One key sign that hormone therapy isn’t working is a continuous rise in PSA blood levels despite a very low blood testosterone level, specifically one that is less than 50 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). One factor is that the genetic makeup of prostate cancer cells can change over time, allowing them to produce more androgen receptors (binding sites for testosterone). Christopher Wolter, MD, is an assistant professor in urology at Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona. In the past, low T was typically treated with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). The American College of Physicians updated its clinical practice guidelines in 2020 to counsel that TRT should only be prescribed to men for sexual dysfunction. Generally, total testosterone levels below 300 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter) may indicate low T, but it’s nuanced.

As part of the faculty, he completed a medical education fellowship and received a certificate in innovation in curriculum design and evaluation. He was the fellowship director at the Center for East-West Medicine and led courses for physician fellows, residents, and medical students. Justin Laube, MD, is a board-certified integrative and internal medicine physician, a teacher, and a consultant with extensive expertise in integrative health, medical education, and trauma healing. Wolter completed his undergraduate and medical education at the University of Illinois. He then completed his urology residency at Tulane University in New Orleans, followed by a fellowship in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive urology at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.

Your doctor will likely test for growth hormone deficiency if you or your child has characteristic signs. You may only develop some of these symptoms if you have growth hormone deficiency. It’s also possible to develop some symptoms that aren’t included in this list.

He currently serves as the director of urologic education for the preclinical and clinical rotations for the Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine Phoenix, Arizona, campus. According to Bailey, there is not a single reason for the drop-off, but rather a number of culprits that have come together to cause this systemic issue. Though « environmental and behavioral influences appear to be key drivers of the overall decline, » he says. As listed above (see Causes and Risk Factors of Low T), many conditions, such as obesity or heart failure, relate to or potentially contribute to low T.

If you’ve been feeling unusually down or irritable, it’s worth exploring whether low T is playing a role. As men get older, declining testosterone levels are as inevitable as death and taxes. Around the age of 30, men’s T levels start to dwindle by about 1 percent a year. But for some men, that drop is more of a cliff dive than a steady downhill.

But by and large, he says this lack of movement and nutrient-dense food leads to low T by contributing to fat mass, obesity, and metabolic dysfunction, which are linked to lower testosterone levels. Aside from changing your lifestyle habits, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can be used to treat low testosterone. This can be administered in different ways, such as having injections, applying a gel on your skin, taking medication, wearing patches, using a nasal gel, and having pellets implanted under your skin. This will be determined by your symptoms, medical history, and any medications you may be taking. Be aware that once you start TRT, you need to continue it indefinitely.

Some men lose focus, become more irritable, or even report feelings of depression. The difficulty to achieve or maintain an erection may not be entirely due to low T, though. Erection difficulties are linked to a variety of health concerns, such as diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and thyroid issues. For congenital hypogonadism, testosterone replacement therapy often helps prevent problems related to delayed puberty. Your hypothalamus and pituitary gland normally control the amount of testosterone your testicles produce and release.