The Symptoms of Low Testosterone

What are the symptoms of low testosterone and how can this knowledge help me? The symptoms can range from small, barely perceptible changes in attitude to overwhelming and sometimes devastating shifts in desire and habit. Knowing this can help you find treatment and drastically improve your quality of life.

Some of the most noticeable effects of a drop in testosterone are decreased libido and weaker erections (for men), but not all the symptoms of low testosterone are related to sexuality.In addition to changes in sex drive and endurance, other common symptoms include:

• a lack of energy
• reduced interest in once-favorite activities
• decreased athletic performance
• frequent mood swings

The cumulative result of these many symptoms can lead to a major personality shift. These symptoms can combine to transform a once vibrant, active, energetic person with a very positive outlook on life into a weak, tired, and highly irritable individual.

Testosterone is a hormone that controls a variety of physical processes in both men and women. When this important component of the human body disappears, it is difficult for the body to carry out many important functions like mood regulation, sexual arousal, and the creation of new muscle tissue.

The disruption of these crucial biological processes makes it difficult for the afflicted person to function as efficiently as he or she once did.

For example, because testosterone is an important part of building new muscles, a person who has suffered a drop in this crucial hormone will be likely to experience unprecedented physical weakness. Body composition may also change as muscles diminish and bodily fat increases.

These are two common symptoms and for every other biological process that relies on testosterone, there are similar problems that arise when the hormone becomes unavailable.

Learn how to treat the symptoms of low testosterone here.

Most people who suffer from decreased testosterone levels are men over the age of forty, but there are also large numbers of women and younger men who suffer every day from the symptoms of low testosterone without realizing that their mood swings, apathy towards sex, or general lack of energy are related to a drop in the level of testosterone in their bodies.

The Food and Drug Administration estimates that between four and five million American men suffer from testosterone deficiency, but a majority of these men don't seek treatment, in part because few people know enough about the symptoms of low testosterone to recognize them when they appear.

Experts believe that only between ten and fifteen percent of these men are likely to seek treatment to combat the symptoms of their waning testosterone levels.

To further complicate matters, a drop in testosterone is often misdiagnosed as psychological depression, as these two problems share a number of symptoms. Many sufferers never visit a medical professional to find relief, but even of those who do look to doctors for help, not all of them get the aid they need.

In some cases, a patient who seeks help for these symptoms will be told that his or her sudden difficulties are a normal part of the aging process, and to some extent this is true.

Testosterone levels naturally begin to go down as soon as an adult man reaches about 30 years of age; at that point, this vital hormone decreases about 2% per year thereafter.However, the aging process affects different people in different ways, and some men and women experience a much more rapid and uncomfortable drop in testosterone than others do. When this happens, the symptoms of low testosterone can be so intense that they verge on unbearable.

Learning about the symptoms of low testosterone can help you determine if your own aging experience is par for the course, or is worthy of medical attention. If you suspect you may have low testosterone levels, let your doctor know what you are experiencing. A blood test to measure your levels of this hormone can be done to find out a more definitive answer.With the help of a medical professional, you can manage your symptoms of low testosterone and maximize your chances of once again living a vibrant, passionate, and enthusiastic life.