Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age

Low testosterone in women: Signs, causes, and treatments

Low testosterone can lead to a reduction in this volume, which can make the bones more susceptible to fractures. However, as low testosterone causes a decrease in mass, the function and strength of the muscles do not diminish, according to a 2016 review. There are several effective therapy options for low testosterone. Your urologist should be able to provide you with a range of options and discuss what may work best for you, along with any potential side effects. Some doctors may prescribe testosterone off-label to females to improve libido, but this use has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). People assigned male at birth and people assigned female at birth produce testosterone, but this article focuses on symptoms of low testosterone in people assigned male at birth.

This crucial hormone also affects other health and lifestyle factors. Low testosterone levels can be tested using blood, urine, or saliva. In men, the most studied method to test for low testosterone levels is blood lab testing. We sometimes use urine testing and never use saliva because we have found it to correlate poorly with symptoms.

Our TRT doctors provide a comprehensive diagnosis to create a personalised, sustainable treatment plan that delivers real improvements. The process begins with an at-home finger-prick blood test, measuring four key biomarkers, including total and free testosterone levels. You’ll receive your results within 48 hours through your MANUAL account.

However, if testosterone levels are low, the brain may not receive the signal it needs for a man to achieve an erection. Alternatively, a man may experience erections at random times, like while he’s sleeping. Low testosterone is an often overlooked but common challenge for men. Testosterone is the powerhouse hormone responsible for many male characteristics.

It’s designed to help you and your doctor identify the presence or severity of suspected low testosterone symptoms, guiding you toward the right course of action. Likewise, lower testosterone levels could cause elevated cortisol levels, worsening the body’s stress responses, and raising the risk of anxiety. For example, testosterone helps to regulates metabolism and energy production – so when levels drop, energy levels also come down with it. Testosterone therapy might seem like the ultimate anti-aging formula. Yet the health benefits of testosterone therapy for age-related decline in testosterone aren’t clear.

Instead, talk to your doctor about different ways to treat your illness so you can find one that works for you. Before starting TRT, patients should know they will have to do it for the rest of their lives. When you take testosterone supplements, the amount of testosterone your body makes on its own goes down. Testosterone helps make bone tissue and keep the volume of bones.

It is therefore advised to see a healthcare professional for medical workup. If low testosterone symptoms bother you, speak with a healthcare professional. TRT is a lifelong treatment, so your testosterone levels may drop if you stop treatment. We can evaluate your symptoms and order a simple blood test to check your testosterone levels.

Hypogonadism hampers the ability to produce normal amounts of testosterone due to a problem with the testicles or with the pituitary gland that controls the testicles. Testosterone replacement therapy, in the form of injections, pellets, patches or gels, can improve the signs and symptoms of low testosterone in these men. Testosterone levels generally peak during adolescence and early adulthood. As you age, your testosterone level gradually declines — typically about 1% a year after age 30 or 40. For older men, it’s important to determine if a low testosterone level is due to normal aging or if it is due to a disease (hypogonadism). But we’re beginning to see more men in their 20s with low-T at the UT Southwestern male urology clinic.

Suppose you don’t have a medical condition that could be causing your testosterone levels to drop. In that case, your doctor might recommend natural ways to boost testosterone, like losing weight and building muscle mass through exercise. Testosterone is a hormone produced by testicles in people assigned male at birth. Testosterone can affect many aspects of life, including appearance, sexual development and sex drive (libido). A small amount of testosterone is also produced in people assigned female at birth, however this article focuses on low testosterone in males.