Low testosterone (low T) treatment & testing

Testosterone is a male sex hormone that is crucial to development, especially during puberty. Low testosterone - also known as male hypogonadism - occurs when the testes do not produce enough testosterone, resulting in a hormone deficiency. Low testosterone causes different symptoms, depending on the person and their age.

• Low sex drive
• Erectile dysfunction
• Depression
• Fatigue
• Infertility
• A decrease in muscle mass and strength
• A decrease in facial/ body hair
• Osteoporosis (decrease in bone mass)
• Development of breasts

Low testosterone may be present at birth or develop over years. Genetically male fetuses may experience underdeveloped genitals as a result of low testosterone. Young males with low testosterone may experience delayed puberty or underdevelopment during puberty unless the condition is treated.

Age is a common cause of low testosterone. After the age of 30, a man’s body begins to produce less testosterone. Over time, this leads to a gradual reduction in testosterone levels. Nearly 40% of men over the age of 45 experience low testosterone levels.

- Injury to the testicles

- Chemotherapy

- Pituitary disorders (such as a pituitary tumor)

- Klinefelter syndrome (a condition in which a man is born with an extra X chromosome)

- Kallman’s syndrome (the abnormal development of the hypothalamus gland, which regulates hormone production)

- Hemochromatosis (too much iron in the blood)

- Liver failure

- Kidney failure

- Inflammatory conditions (such as sarcoidosis or tuberculosis)

- HIV/AIDS

- Medications (such as opioid pain medication or hormone replacement drugs)

- Anabolic steroid use

- Obesity

- Alcohol abuse

Low testosterone is usually diagnosed with a blood test. If you are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, speak to a health care provider to discuss whether or not you should be tested for low hormone levels.