Understanding Low T
Why your hormones can wreak havoc as you age
Human beings go through many changes as we age, and the process doesn’t get much easier as time goes on. From puberty to menopause, hormonal changes can make it feel like you don’t know your body anymore. Though anti-aging treatments can help you adjust to the fluctuations of advancing years, it also helps to understand what causes them.
Testosterone production in men naturally reduces with age, but low levels of this hormone can sap your energy levels, weaken your sex drive and negatively impact your health. If you have low testosterone, commonly referred to as low T, it can seriously inhibit your quality of life, leading to the many symptoms for which you may have sought anti-aging therapy.
What is Low T?
Testosterone is one of the most crucial hormones for men; it’s the fuel in the male engine. It helps your muscles grow during puberty and keeps them strong as you age. It causes your voice to deepen and chest hair to grow. It stimulates the production of sperm and keeps men interested in sex throughout adulthood.
Testosterone has a set level of production that your brain and body work together to achieve. When testosterone levels fall, your brain instructs your testes to produce more, but this signaling system is not infallible. When it fails, or when testosterone levels drop too far with age, it can result in a condition called hypogonadism that can cause a litany of problems, including diminished sex drive, erectile dysfunction, depression, fatigue, hair loss and weight gain. Low T can even be linked to high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease.
Some of these problems can affect even relatively young men, as testosterone levels begin to decrease at around age 30. Though people often misattribute these symptoms to the natural effects of aging, some men end up suffering from an almost nonexistent interest in sex. This condition and the many other symptoms caused by low T are not inevitable parts of aging.
Diagnosing and Treating Low T
If you think you may be suffering from low T, a blood test can help to determine whether or not your testosterone levels are normal. In addition to aging, there are a number of different conditions can contribute to your chances of having low T:
- Obesity
- Infection
- HIV or AIDS
- Type 2 diabetes
- Testicular injury
- Testicular cancer
- Hormone disorders
- Liver or kidney disease
Sometimes, the cause of low T is unknown, while genetics and use of certain medications may also play a role. Testosterone treatment is often recommended for men who do not experience any of the symptoms of low T as well, as declining testosterone levels will reduce your bone density and increase your risk of fracture.
A decline in testosterone levels as you age is to be expected, but you don’t have to suffer through the symptoms of low T. With anti-aging in Rochester and the dedicated team at Waller Wellness, you can find out if low T is the root of your problems and get on the way to better health.
