After age 30, most men begin to experience a gradual decline in testosterone and low testosterone symptoms are varied. Low testosterone results in a variety of sexual effects as well as serious health concerns as you will see below.
Decreased Libido
Testosterone plays a key role in libido, not only in men, but also in women. When there is low testosterone symptoms, the sex drive decreases as well.
Depression
According to a study conducted by the University of Washington in Seattle, men with low levels of testosterone were four times more likely to suffer from depression, as diagnosed by researchers of this study. This two year study was published in 2004 and involved 278 men age 45 and over.
Low Energy
Low testosterone symptoms makes you feel tired. Doctors are finding low testosterone consistently linked with low energy, although many other conditions should be ruled out. It should be noted that lack of sleep (which also causes fatigue and low energy) also lowers the testosterone.
Decreased Height
Since testosterone plays a significant role in bone strength, it is no surprise that low testosterone levels are associated with slightly reduced height. Beside loss of height, back pain may also occur and both issues are related to osteoporosis induced by low testosterone.
Decreased Endurance
Testosterone is important in muscle mass and strength, and therefore decreased endurance and loss of muscle volume while keeping the same levels of exercise can be a sign of low testosterone.
Erections are not as pleasurable as before
A decrease in testosterone levels correlates with a feeling that sexual intercourse and erections are not as pleasurable or strong as before. While the quality and duration of the erection may or may not be affected, the pleasure may be significantly diminished.
Other Health Issues
Testosterone levels can increase the likelihood of developing other health conditions, particularly obesity, type 2 diabetes, and thyroid issues. Low levels of female hormones are well known to increase the risk of heart problems. In the recent years, researchers also found that a similar phenomenon occurs in men as well. Therefore, if you had been diagnosed with these conditions you should also check the blood levels of testosterone.
Decrease in Ejaculate
Low testosterone correlates with a low volume of ejaculate. Thus, if you notice this problem, you should check the blood levels of this hormone. The average volume of semen produced at ejaculation is 2 to 5ml. Lower volumes of ejaculate may occur after very frequent ejaculation while higher volumes are noted after prolonged abstinence.
Decreased size of the testicles
Low levels of testosterone can sometimes cause a decreased size of the testicles and sometimes there is an associated feeling of numbness in the area. The normal adult testis varies from a man to another, but generally it measures approximately 2 to 3 cm in width and 3 to 5 cm in length.
Erectile Dysfunction
This is probably the number 1 reason for a man to suspect low testosterone. Erectile dysfunction is the inability to get and maintain an erection that is sufficient for sexual intercourse. It is estimated that half of all men between the ages of 40 and 70 will have it to some degree.
There are many different treatment options for men with low testosterone. If you are experiencing any of these low testosterone symptoms, get your testosterone blood level checked right away.
References:
http://www.drlauraberman.com/sexual-health/sexual-desire/10-symptoms-of-low-testosterone#/slide-11
http://www.sonoguide.com/smparts_testicular.html
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/menshealth/facts/semenandsperm.htm
http://www.shapefit.com/andropause-facts.html
http://www.mensfitness.com/training/pro-tips/lack-of-sleep-can-lower-testosterone
http://www.webmd.com/depression/news/20040203/low-testosterone-cause-depression
http://men.webmd.com/features/low-testosterone-explained-how-do-you-know-when-levels-are-too-low?page=2
