Testosterone is a very important steroid hormone for men in building muscle mass, reducing weight, increasing their energy and stamina, and in keeping their sex drive up. So, if you are experiencing a low energy, poor sex drive, gain in weight and difficulty in achieving the muscles you’ve been working on, maybe you have a low testosterone level. You need a testosterone booster.
Symptoms of Low Testosterone
As man ages, his testosterone production drops. However, aside from aging, some other factors affect your level of testosterone. For instance, testicles injury, and chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer can adversely affect testosterone production.
Aside from this, chronic diseases like AIDS, kidney disease, alcoholism, and cirrhosis of the liver can also reduce testosterone production. You should also avoid stress because it is another factor that can drop your testosterone level.
When a man’s testosterone level drops, you can easily notice it because it manifests in several symptoms like:
- Mood swings
- Weight gain
- Increased belly fat
- Loss of muscle mass and strength
- Low sperm count
- Poor erections
- Decreased sex drive or libido
- Fatigue and lack of energy
- Diminished self-esteem
- Bones become thinner and more vulnerable to fracture
- Hair loss
- Inability to sleep
- Memory failure
- Difficulty concentrating
- Reduced intellectual agility
- Less interest in the surroundings
- Depression or social withdrawal
You may also want to read our article on Testosterone Boosters for Women.
Why Check Your Testosterone Level?
According to the National Institute of Health, the normal range of testosterone for men is between 300 and 1,000 ng/dl. If you are unsure if you have a normal testosterone level, you better ask your doctor about it.
Too high or too low testosterone level is unhealthy. Abnormally high levels of testosterone could mean that you have adrenal gland disorder or cancer of the testes. Meanwhile, unusually low testosterone levels could be a sign of pituitary gland problems.
The pituitary gland sends a signaling hormone to the testicles to produce more testosterone and a low testosterone level could mean that your pituitary gland is not working properly. Check out the causes of low and high testosterone level below.
Causes of low testosterone level:
- Delayed puberty
- Testicular trauma due to alcoholism or mumps
- Hypothalamic disease
- Pituitary disease
- Noncancerous pituitary tumor
- A number of genetic diseases like Klinefelter’s syndrome, Kallmann’s syndrome and myotonic dystrophy may also affect your testosterone levels.
Causes of high testosterone level:
- Early or precocious puberty
- Hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid
- Anabolic steroid
- Congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- Androgen insensitivity syndrome
- Testicular tumor
- Adrenal tumor
How To Prepare For A Testosterone Level Test
If you are planning to get a testosterone level test, you should be aware that certain drugs could affect the results. Thus, if you are taking any medication or over-the-counter and prescription drugs be sure to tell the doctor about it. The doctor may ask you to stop certain drugs before you take the test.
The type of medications that may affect this test includes:
- Androgen therapy
- Steroids
- Anticonvulsants
- Barbiturantes
- Clomiphene
- Estrogen therapy
For the testosterone level test, the healthcare provider will draw blood from you and the doctor will send it to a laboratory for testing. When the results are available and it shows higher or lower than normal testosterone level, the doctor will analyze it. He will determine any underlying medical condition based on your results and discuss it with you.
It is important that you check your testosterone level to better understand your body’s condition and reaction. Checking your testosterone level is a great way to assess your overall health and behavior. For instance, poor testosterone level will make you moody, fat and less energetic.
Meanwhile, having too high testosterone levels is associated with being aggressive or risk-taking behaviors like getting involved in sexual, injury risk and criminal activities. Remember that too low or too high testosterone level is unhealthy, so check your testosterone level.