Should i treat low testosterone

You should ask your doctor or pharmacist about these side effects and watch for them while you are taking TT. Some of the side effects are as follows:.

Remember that each person is unique, and each body responds differently to treatment. However, there is no strong evidence that TT will help memory recall, measures of diabetes, energy, tiredness, lipid profiles, or quality of life.

You will need routine checkups to see that your testosterone level stays normal. In patients who are stable on TT, total testosterone and certain other lab tests should be checked every months.

If you are overweight, try to work on keeping your weight within recommended ranges. Increasing physical activity may help you lose weight and also may help increase testosterone levels. When you go to see your doctor, you may be a bit nervous. It will help if you make a list of the most important things on your mind.

Here are some ideas:. Read the latest issue of Urology Health extra, the Urology Care Foundations patient-focused magazine. This web site has been optimized for user experience and security, therefore Internet Explorer IE is not a recommended browser. Thank you. Urology A-Z Low Testosterone. What is Low Testosterone? These symptoms or conditions may accompany Low-T: Low sex drive Fatigue Reduced lean muscle mass Irritability Erectile dysfunction Depression There are many other possible reasons for these symptoms, such as: opioid use, some congenital conditions medical conditions you are born with , loss of or harm to the testicles, diabetes, and obesity being overweight.

See your doctor if you have any of these symptoms. Why Testosterone Therapy TT? How Common is Low Testosterone in Men? Some persons are born with conditions that cause Testosterone Deficiency TD such as: Klinefelter syndrome Noonan syndrome Ambiguous genitalia when the sex organs develop in ways that are not typical looking Some men may develop Low-T because of conditions like these: Damage to testicles by accident Removal of testicles because of cancer Chemotherapy or radiation Pituitary gland disease leading to hormone deficiency Infection Autoimmune disease when the body makes antibodies that attack its own cells Basically, if your testicles keep making less testosterone than normal, your blood levels of testosterone will fall.

Many men who develop TD have Low-T levels linked to: Aging Obesity Metabolic syndrome high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and belly fat Use of medications such as antidepressants and narcotic pain medications Men with certain health problems also tend to have low testosterone. These are symptoms seen together of increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels Hair pattern, amount, and location Gynecomastia enlarged breasts Whether testicles are present and their size Prostate size and any abnormalities Testing Your doctor may order these blood tests: Total testosterone level.

This test should be done at two different times on samples taken before noon. Testosterone levels are lower later in the day. If you are ill, the doctor will wait until you are not sick because your illness may cause a false result. Luteinizing hormone LH. This test is done to help find the cause of a Low-T level. This hormone controls how you make testosterone.

Abnormal levels may mean a pituitary gland problem. Blood prolactin level. If your prolactin level is high, your doctor may repeat the blood test to make sure there is no error.

High prolactin levels also may be a sign of pituitary problems or tumors. Blood hemoglobin or Hgb. Before doing this test, your doctor will look for other reasons for low Hgb such as climate level like climate altitude , sleep apnea, or tobacco smoking.

The following also may be done to help with further diagnosis: Follicle stimulating hormone FSH. This test is to check for sperm-making function if you want to have children. You may also need to have semen tests. These tests will be done before any hormone therapy. Estradiol hormone test is done if there are breast symptoms.

HbA1C blood test may be done for diabetes. MRI magnetic resonance imaging of the pituitary gland Bone density tests. Karyotype Chromosome tests. This blood test will help check for thickening of the blood. Blood thickening may cause blood clots. If you are at risk for heart disease, your doctor will follow you more closely when you are on TT. It also is important to make health changes to decrease the chances for heart and blood vessel disease.

Your doctor will watch you for signs and symptoms of improvement. Any changes will likely appear within three to six months of treatment.

If your total testosterone blood level returns to normal and you still have symptoms, it is likely that there are other reasons for your symptoms. Your doctor may stop TT and try to find out what else might be the problem.

How Do I Take Testosterone? Here are some details about the five different methods: Transdermal Topical. There are topical gels, creams, liquids and patches. Topical medicines most often last for about four days. They absorb better if covered with an air- or water- tight dressing. Apply liquids and gels, creams or patches to skin that is dry and without cuts or scratches.

In order to know whether testosterone levels are too low, a normal level has to be established. This has been a challenge for clinicians. However, according to a press release from the Endocrine Society in January , results from a recent study have helped to refine the definition of normal ranges for testosterone levels in men. Testosterone levels in men usually peak around the age of 19 years.

After the age of 30 years, these levels begin to naturally decrease in all men. However, for some men these levels become abnormally low. These abnormally low levels can cause symptoms. Symptoms of abnormally low testosterone can be bothersome.

Some symptoms can have an impact on your quality of life. These symptoms can include:. If your doctor thinks your symptoms are related to abnormally low testosterone levels, they can test your levels. A testosterone test measures the amount of testosterone in your blood.

If your doctor wants to test the hormone levels in your blood, they will most likely specify a time of day for your test. Hormone levels are highest in the morning.

Therefore, this test is often performed in the morning between a. Your doctor may have your levels tested more than once. Your doctor may ask you to stop certain drugs before your test. Certain drugs can affect your testosterone levels. Include both over-the-counter and prescription drugs. Testosterone home-testing kits are also available from companies such as LetsGetChecked. They use your saliva to test your hormone levels.

You can purchase a test kit online from LetsGetChecked here. Causes of low testosterone levels include:. Testosterone plays an important role in women. However, levels are naturally lower in women than in men. However, levels that are too high may cause unwanted symptoms. These include:. Testosterone levels in men decrease a little naturally with age.

However, in some men, these levels can be too low and cause unwanted symptoms. For women, levels of testosterone that are too high, rather than too low, are more concerning. Symptoms of high testosterone in women may be an indication of an underlying condition that needs to be treated.

You can connect to a primary care doctor in your area using the Healthline FindCare tool. A testosterone test may be performed if a person has symptoms of a low or high amount of the hormone. Find out what the blood test means and who it's…. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Healthy Lifestyle Sexual health. Products and services. Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age Considering testosterone therapy to help you feel younger and more vigorous as you age?

By Mayo Clinic Staff. Open pop-up dialog box The influence of testosterone in men Close. The influence of testosterone in men The male hormone testosterone plays an important role in the development and maintenance of typical masculine physical characteristics, such as muscle mass and strength, and growth of facial and body hair.

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Please try again. Something went wrong on our side, please try again. Show references Qaseem A, et al. Testosterone treatment in adult men with age-related low testosterone: A clinical guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. Male hypogonadism adult. Mayo Clinic; Gilbert K, et al. Gaps in patient knowledge about risks and benefits of testosterone replacement therapy. Synder PJ.

Approach to older men with low testosterone. Accessed Feb. What is low testosterone? Urology Care Foundation.