5 Signs You May be Suffering From a Testosterone Deficiency

While it’s a hormone that’s present in both sexes, testosterone is a vital sex hormone in men. But it also manages a number of other responsibilities in the male body. This hormone causes your body to mature through the dropping of your testes, the deepening of your voice, the regulation of mood, and the growth of facial hair. Testosterone also promotes bone strength, muscle strength, libido, and sperm production. 

Testosterone deficiency syndrome, also known as low testosterone (Low-T) or androgen deficiency, is a condition where your body doesn’t produce enough testosterone to function properly, leading to several problems that can affect your personal life.

Residents of the Chicago, Illinois, area looking for ways to deal with low testosterone and a variety of other medical conditions can get help from the team of physicians at Michigan Avenue Primary Care.

Low testosterone affects anywhere from 10-40% of men across the globe, so it’s important to know the signs to look for. Let’s explore this by examining the causes of testosterone deficiency, what signs to look for, and how it may be treated.

Causes of testosterone deficiency

While testosterone levels lower as you get older, numerous causes can lead to this condition. These include hemochromatosis ( a metabolic disorder that causes too much iron in your body), pituitary gland dysfunction, alcohol abuse, cirrhosis of the liver, HIV/ AIDS, chronic renal failure, uncontrolled type 2 diabetes, and a history of anabolic steroid abuse. 

Weight issues such as obesity or extreme weight loss can also contribute, and trauma to your testes can cause low testosterone as well.

Signs of testosterone deficiency

Here are some signs you may be suffering from low testosterone:

1. Low sex drive

Lack of testosterone directly affects your interest in sex, leading to low sex drive and little to no desire.

2. Erectile dysfunction

Tied to your sex drive, testosterone also aids in getting erect. A lack of it makes erections more difficult, which can also lead to depression and lack of interest.

3. Loss of strength

Testosterone helps your body build muscle as you develop into a man, so less of it leads to a loss of strength.

4. Thinning body hair

During puberty, you start growing hair in many areas of your body where it didn’t grow before due to an increase in testosterone production. When your body produces less of the hormone, your hair gets thinner and decreases overall. 

5. Infertility

Lack of interest and an inability to get an erection make sex difficult, resulting in difficulty producing sperm and reducing your chances of having children.

Methods of treatment

Testosterone replacement therapy is the common treatment for testosterone deficiency and there are many ways it can be administered. This therapy can be done using intramuscular injections every 10-14 days, testosterone patches, daily testosterone gel application, or pellets applied under your skin. 

Testosterone replacement therapy can also help improve bone density, mood, sexual function and libido, mental sharpness, and muscle strength.

Testosterone deficiency can deeply affect your personal life, but help is available. If you spot any of the above signs, make an appointment with the physicians at Michigan Avenue Primary Care to get help. Call our office today or book online anytime.