Characteristics and signs of decreased testosterone levels in men

As we get older, testosterone levels in men also decrease. The hormone testosterone decreases can threaten sexual function. However, it is possible that you experience excess testosterone. This is what is known as a hormone disorder. Check out the full explanation of the testosterone hormone disorders that can occur in men below!

Causes of hormonal disorders in men

Quoted from the Urology Care Foundation, testosterone is a sex hormone produced in male testes.

The function of testosterone is to help the formation of sexual organs when baby boys are experiencing growth.

At puberty, the hormone testosterone is important for enhancing physical development from male to male.

Why? Because, with the hormone testosterone, boys can have more body hair, muscles, and a heavier voice.

Then, male sexual function is also influenced by the hormone testosterone. This is because testosterone also has a function to produce sperm in the body.

Testosterone is produced by the gonad glands in the testes. The level of testosterone production produced by these glands peaks when a man enters his late teens, or around 18 years of age.

From early puberty to adulthood, what can happen is a disruption in the male hormone testosterone.

The following is an explanation of the causes of hormonal disorders that can occur, such as:

1. The hormone testosterone is less or low

As you get older, it is normal to experience a lack of the hormone testosterone or low testosterone levels in men.

In addition, there are causes for hormone disruption or reduced testosterone in men. This includes injury to the testicles as well as chemotherapy radiation to treat cancer in the genital area.

Low testosterone can also be caused by pituitary gland disease, and drugs that affect these glands such as steroids.

This can have a big impact, especially on sexual life related to male fertility or infertility problems.

Hormonal disorders such as deficiency or low testosterone can cause erection difficulties.

Erections may become less frequent or become weaker than before.

The characteristics & symptoms of testosterone deficiency

After the age of 30, men will experience a periodic decrease in testosterone levels. It shouldn't cause any significant physical changes or decrease in libido.

However, it is still possible and can be hindering if you are planning a pregnancy.

Here are some symptoms of a male hormone testosterone deficiency or disorder, such as:

• Low sex drive.
• Difficulty maintaining an erection or impotence.
• The volume of semen is too low.
• Tires more easily and affects physical activity.
• Hair growth on the body begins to decrease or baldness.
• Weight gain and fat accumulation.
• Loss of muscle mass.
• Bone layer thinning, triggering osteoporosis.
• Experiencing erratic mood swings.

There are also signs or symptoms that cannot be seen immediately, so it is necessary to consult a doctor or perform a fertility test. This is to find out the levels of testosterone in your body.

How to treat low testosterone?

Usually, the way to treat testosterone hormone disorders in men on this one is to do testosterone replacement therapy.

Then, most men with low testosterone will be prescribed gel testosterone to rub on his arm or shoulder.

Another method is to receive a muscle injection or other treatment that slowly releases testosterone into the blood.

If you have prostate cancer, it is possible that you should not undergo therapy to increase testosterone because it can increase cancer growth.

When you reach the age of 40, it's a good idea to go to your doctor to get checked for low testosterone.

In addition, any symptoms that are suspected of being hormonal disorders in men due to low testosterone must be watched out for and treated as soon as possible.

The relationship between low testosterone and hypogonadism

Being a hormone disorder, hypogonadism is a condition when the male body does not produce enough sexual hormones.

This can occur during fetal development, before puberty, or during adulthood.

2. Excess testosterone

Please note that men do not only have the hormone testosterone. But also the hormone estrogen so that sexual arousal, sperm quality, and male fertility are well controlled.

Another cause of hormonal disorders in men that can occur is when the hormone testosterone is excess. When this condition occurs, boys can experience premature puberty.

Here are some of the effects that can occur when men experience excess testosterone, such as:

Oily and spotty skin

In fact, excess testosterone can cause skin to become oily and break out.

This is caused by high levels of DHT (dihydrotestosterone) which increases the production of oil sebum, a thick substance that can clog pores on the face.

When the pores are closed, bacteria will build up on the skin and cause inflammation such as acne.

Hair loss

One of the things that can happen to excess testosterone in men is a symptom of hair loss or even baldness.

Generally, the symptoms of this hair loss will start from the knots of the scalp. Then will continue to fall off any of the temple hair and will continue as a whole.

The testicles constrict

In simple terms, when the brain stimulates excess testosterone in the body, the brain will assume it all started from the place where testosterone is produced, namely the testicles.

Furthermore, the brain will shut down the production of LH (Luteinizing Hormone), which is useful in telling the testes to produce testosterone.

Therefore, hormonal disorders in men cause the testicles to shrink or change in size.

Excess red blood cells and hemoglobin

If you experience excess testosterone in the body, one of the effects is an increase in red blood cell levels and hemoglobin levels.

In older men, an increase in red blood cells can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

The increase in red blood cells in the blood due to excess testosterone can be reduced by lowering the replacement dose of testosterone.

Another thing that can be done is blood donation which aims to reduce the level of blood cells in the body.

What are normal levels of the hormone testosterone in men?

Normally, men have 300-1000 nanograms / deciliter of the hormone testosterone in the body. Meanwhile, the lowest tolerable value is 270 nanograms / deciliter.

This testosterone range is important for diagnosing and providing effective treatment and preventing hormonal disorders in men.

In addition, many other diseases can be tested with hormone measurements.

You need to do tests to find out the levels of the hormone testosterone in the body. The test will be done in the morning between 7 and 10.

If you do not have certain health problems but the results are not normal, further tests are needed. This is because hormone levels can change from day to day.

A simple test to find out hormonal disorders in men

Try doing this simple test on a partner. Ask the following questions.

1. Has libido been decreasing lately?
2. Do you feel weak and lethargic?
3. Have decreased physical endurance and strength?
4. Has the height decreased?
5. Do you feel the enjoyment of life decreases?
6. Do you feel irritable or irritable easily?
7. Is the erection not strong enough?
8. Is there a decrease in the ability to exercise?
9. Are you often sleepy and fall asleep after dinner?
10. Is there a change or decrease in work performance?

If the answers to numbers 1, 3, and 7 are "yes", then you should or suggest your partner to check testosterone levels.

This is necessary to find out whether you have hormonal disorders in men or not.

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