What is testosterone?
You’ve probably heard of testosterone, but how much do you really know about it? Testosterone is the main sex hormone in men, but it is also found in smaller levels in women. In men, testosterone is made in the testicles and is responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics. In women, it is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands.
Importance of testosterone
Testosterone is classed as an androgen and plays a very important role in male growth and development. During puberty, an increase in testosterone levels helps to ensure the proper development of the penis and testes, supports the growth of body and facial hair, and the production of sperm.
Testosterone is also linked to an increase in height, enlargement of the prostate gland, and also affects bone and muscle mass, how men store fat in their body and in red blood cell production.
Finally, it’s worth knowing that testosterone levels can affect a man’s mood, with too much testosterone linked to aggression and temper, and low testosterone levels linked to low moods and even depression.
What causes low testosterone?
Men are often surprised to learn that testosterone levels peak at around the age of 20-25 years old. After this, it naturally starts to decline at a rate of around 1% per year.
Nevertheless, there are other things that can also affect your natural testosterone production and lead to low testosterone levels. These include:
- Injury to the testicles
- Side effects of medicines, such as from chemotherapy
- Testicular cancer or other types of cancer
- Low thyroid function
- Problems with the hypothalamus and pituitary glands (which are responsible for hormone production)
- Being overweight or obese
This list isn’t exhaustive and if you think you may be suffering from lower testosterone, we recommend you speak to your doctor to try and determine the underlying cause.
Testosterone deficiency symptoms
Some men with low testosterone don’t experience any noticeable symptoms. Other men do experience symptoms of low testosterone, but don’t necessarily associate them with this issue and so overlook them.
Some of the most commonly reported symptoms of low testosterone include:
- Low sex drive
- Weight gain
- Decreased in muscle size and strength
- Bone loss
- Low sperm count
- Increase in body fat
- Disturbed sleep schedule/insomnia
- Low mood and depression
- Poor concentration/brain fog
