4 Questions to Ask About Low Testosterone

After you turn 30 years old, every year after your level of testosterone will begin to slowly dip (if you are a male) on average at a rate of 1 percent per year. This decrease in testosterone levels is normal, and a natural result of aging.

Due to testosterone levels affecting many functions within the body, the decrease in testosterone levels can bring on significant physical, as well as emotional changes in a male. These issues that can occur include:

• Sexual function
A decrease in testosterone directly affects the libido, as it will decrease, including fewer erections, infertility, and a reduced desire for sex.

• Physical changes
Many physical changes can occur if you have low testosterone. Testosterone is necessary for males as it helps with the creation of body hair, increased muscle mass, and overall masculine form. If you have a decrease in your testosterone levels, you will begin to notice the following:

• Added body fat
• Loss of muscle mass and strength
• Fragile bones
• Decrease in body hair
• Swelling within the breast tissue
• Hot flashes
• Fatigue
• Cholesterol metabolism effects

• Sleep disturbances
Low levels of testosterone can also have a major effect on your sleep, as well as your sleep patterns. Low testosterone will contribute to a decrease in the amount of sleep you are achieving each night, as well as sleep apnea.

• Emotional changes
Low levels of testosterone can have a major effect on your emotions. It can lead to high levels of depression and severe sadness. This condition can cause many to suffer from memory and concentration issues, as well as experience, lowered self-confidence, and motivation.

• Other issues
While each symptom listed above can result in lowered testosterone levels, it is a normal side effect of aging as well. Getting a physical, and having blood work completed will aid in knowing if you need to be worried, or if you are within normal range.

Testosterone is what normally offers the sex hormone, which if it is affected, can provide negative symptoms. These may include erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, and reduced bone mass.

If you begin to notice any of these signs or symptoms of low testosterone, it is best to contact our clinic, American Male Medical, to book your appointment. Long-term neglect of low testosterone can lead to your symptoms becoming worse. Signs and symptoms to look out for when it comes to low testosterone include:

• Issues with your erections
• Hair loss
• A decrease in bone mass
• Decrease in your testicle size
• Decrease in the amount of semen you are producing
• Issues sleeping
• Low-sex drive
• Diminished muscle mass
• Hot flashes
• Reduced energy levels
• Body fat starts to increase.
• Common mood swings or mood changes

Low testosterone is not always able to showcase signs and symptoms. Some may only find out they have low testosterone after a routine physical exam and blood tests. To correctly diagnose low testosterone, our physicians will often perform a full physical exam while also taking your symptoms into account if you show any. Our physicians may also request that you have blood tests done, as well as other tests completed to get results from other signs indicating low testosterone.

Your testosterone is measured by nanograms per deciliter, which is ng/dL. The American Urological Association has mentioned that a man’s testosterone should have a minimum level of 300 ng/dL. Anything lower than this is an indication that the patient has low testosterone levels.

When it comes to testosterone levels as men age, their testosterone levels are supposed to peak during a male’s teenage years, which often occurs around when they are 18 or 19, before they naturally begin to decline.

Normally acceptable levels of testosterone can be found in males as early as infancy, and this is due to its being responsible for the development of the male reproductive system.

Children: Within the first few months of being born, a male baby will produce an average of 75 to 400 ng/dL. By the time the male child has reached the age of 10 to 11, the testosterone levels should have changed to between 7 and 130 ng/dL.

Early Teens: Males between the ages of 12 and 13 years old will often have testosterone levels of between 7 and 800 ng/dL, and then jump once the male early teens turn 15 to 16. Then it averages between 100 and 1,200 ng/dL.

Late Teens: Males between 17 and 18 years old should have testosterone levels of between 300 and 1,200 ng/dL.

Adults: Males are considered adults by the age of 19, which is when they should be showcasing levels of testosterone anywhere between 240 and 950 ng/dL.

If you want to confirm that your levels of testosterone are within the normal range for your age, contact American Male Medical today to perform a blood test to review your results. We have convenient locations to serve you. For more information, please Contact or request an appointment online. We serve patients from Lewisville TX, Sherman Oaks CA, Irvine CA, Nashville TN, Carrollton TX, Flower Mound TX, Los Angeles CA, Tustin, CA, and Oak Hill TN.