A new study has found that four out of 10 middle-aged men might have low testosterone levels. This would make declining testosterone levels not just a risk factor when a man ages, but also, in fact, a common health problem with certain side effects that he will have to face and deal with.
Reported in the International Journal of Clinical Practice, a study came back with a stark finding — of 2,162 men who visited their doctor, 867 of them had clinically low levels of the important male hormone. That translates into a whopping 39% and it is a signifier that we should not treat this is a minor issue any longer.
What put the men at greater risk of low testosterone (a.k.a. “hypogonadism”) included high cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and diabetes. The biggest risk factor, however, was obesity. With this last problem, men were twice as likely to have low testosterone.
There are many symptoms that come along with this condition. First off, a male’s sex drive might drop off dramatically; as well he may experience more difficulty attaining an erection. A man might also notice that he no longer awakens in the morning with a slight erection, which is a normal occurrence. Men may lose their muscle strength and muscle mass as well.
Psychological changes are almost a given with this type of condition. Any of the following will flow from hypogonadism: depression, general lack of energy, irritability, mood swings, overall weakness, insomnia, decreased work performance, and less enjoyment in life. This condition can also cause a man to have an overall passive attitude toward life and sex in particular. Negative effects on mood are almost inevitable, leading to erectile dysfunction, high anxiety, and memory loss. Plus, just like women in menopause, men will tend to have more frequent bone fractures and weakness due to osteoporosis. To top it all off, their risk of heart disease is also raised.
This makes perfect sense, as studies have found that testosterone is like a shield against both of these common diseases. This is a big point: Low testosterone puts a man at greater risk for a range of serious circulatory conditions such as hypertension, clogged arteries, atherosclerosis, and heart attacks.
How do we treat it? Don’t assume you have low testosterone — get it checked out and confirmed. This is crucial, because most of the above symptoms can be normal for any aging male. Testosterone therapy in the form of anabolic steroids exists, which you can take advantage of, as well as testosterone replacement. (Nobody at risk of prostate cancer should ever take part in this type of therapy.)
Of late, natural choices for dealing with this condition have came to the market, including a skin patch that releases the hormone into the body. There are also gels, creams, and “pellets” that are placed under the skin for four months, releasing testosterone at given times.
Men will have to work with their doctors to discover what’s best for them and to weigh the pros and cons of attempting to treat low testosterone, which is now more common than ever before.
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Tags: memory, obesity, prostate cancer
