Here’s a quick survey. For every “yes,” scroll down and move on to the next question.
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Are you a man above thirty?
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Have you been waking up more often at night than usual?
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Have you noticed that you’ve been getting less bedroom action lately?
Still reading? If so, then you might be one of the many males facing low testosterone.
Typically, male testosterone levels drop by around 1% yearly after reaching thirty. However, some men experience a steeper decline than normal.
Are you worried that you might be among those who have low testosterone, or low T? See if you can identify with these common Low T indicators. Afterward, we’ll walk you through some treatment options.
1. Moodiness and Irritability
Try to do a mental count of the times you’ve felt “ticked off” in a single day. Have there been more instances of you blowing your top than you can count with both hands?
One sign of low testosterone is feeling more agitated or irritable than usual, even for no reason or provocation, for an extended period. A testosterone test can easily diagnose if your testosterone levels fall below the normal range (which is 300 ng/dL to 1,000 ng/dL, by the way).
But before heading to the doctor’s office, try to do the following:
- Keep a “mood” journal to keep track of your mood swings. Are your flareups progressively getting worse? Do you feel irritated and annoyed most of the time?
- Try to trace when your symptoms appeared. Did your mood swings only start rearing up recently, or has it been a few years?
2. Weight Gain
If you’ve been keeping track of your weight, check your weight record for the past 12 months. If you’ve gained weight, has it been a steady increase or did you just notice you’ve been packing on pounds in recent months? While weight gain doesn’t automatically mean you have low T, still it’s worth noting, as weight gain is one of the symptoms of low testosterone levels.
Another sign of reduced testosterone levels is having enlarged breast tissue, or gynecomastia. If you’re concerned about slow results despite your best efforts to lose weight, better schedule an appointment with your doctor.
3. Memory Loss
“Where did I park the car?” “What’s my e-mail password again?” “What was I supposed to get from the fridge?” Are you noticing that you’re becoming more forgetful lately? Maybe it’s not just age; check if low hormone levels could be the culprit by taking a low T test.
However, if you’re under 30 and suspect that your testosterone has taken a dip, some other underlying health condition (such as high cholesterol) or prescription medications could be the reason. Changing your lifestyle should help improve your situation.
In any case, if you’re worried about significant memory loss, schedule a consultation with your doctor.
4. Fatigue
Fact: Low testosterone levels affect more than 40% of men in their 40s and beyond. Do you think you belong to this demographic?
Another symptom of low testosterone is having low energy levels. If you constantly feel drained after work hours, inadvertently end up falling asleep even before bedtime, or feel like sleeping in most mornings, your testosterone levels might be below par.
Getting the answers you need, as well as the solution to your woes, is as simple taking a blood test, to check if you’re positive for low T.
5. Depression
Along with low energy levels and mood swings, low testosterone may also cause depression in men above 40.
In some cases, depression and low testosterone are co-occurring. That is, the depression—or even taking prescription medication to treat depression—could be causing the decline in testosterone levels. In cases such as these, it is vital that you continue taking your medication. Most men report that their depression gets better after getting started on hormone replacement therapy.
Depression is a hard topic to talk about, especially for men. However, the first step to taking charge of your mental health is to open up. Talk to a trusted doctor, who will then recommend a blood test and discuss treatment options.
6. Erectile Dysfunction
Part of maintaining overall physical wellness is having an active sex life. But if your sexual stamina has been waning as of late, it is possible that you have low testosterone. While erectile dysfunction can be caused by a host of other things—medications, steroid use, even insufficient blood flow to the penis—low T is all too often a common culprit.
There’s Life after 40
It’s a popular misconception that only women go through hormonal changes in their 40s (that is, menopause). However, male menopause—or andropause, as it’s more aptly called—is a very real physiological phenomenon.
The time in your 40s and beyond is a time of change, some of which you may not be looking forward to. However, it is still entirely possible to have the best time of your life in the midst of change.
Take charge of your health—and your life—by setting an appointment with your doctor and getting tested for possible low testosterone. You might be surprised at how much better you’ll feel after hormone replacement therapy. Other men who’ve gone through it have described it as like having “a second life.”
Got a Question? Worried you might have low T, or have questions about low T that you need answers to?
Getting help is just a click away. Click here to schedule a free phone consultation with Dr. Tatiana Fleischman. Ask questions and share your concerns. Let’s talk how we can get you back on track.