As a normal part of aging, men begin to experience lower levels of testosterone around age 40. The decrease in hormones can cause symptoms that take a considerable toll on your life, which may prompt you to seek hormone replacement therapy.

Symptoms

You may suspect you have low testosterone if you have ongoing changes in your mood, low libido, and fatigue. Changes in your body composition can also occur. This may be less noticeable if you are not physically active, but less testosterone causes you to lose muscle mass and makes it harder to put on muscle. These symptoms can be attributed to many different conditions, some of which are acute problems. If these problems become chronic, speaking with your doctor can help determine if low testosterone is the problem and rule out other conditions. Erectile dysfunction is another symptoms associated with low testosterone, but it can also be a separate condition.

Testing

Your doctor will want you to have routine screenings to determine if any of your symptoms could be caused by other conditions. In addition to standard blood work, they will test your testosterone level. Some indicators of other problems that may show up in your blood work are low thyroid hormones, anemia, nutrient deficiencies, or other hematological abnormalities. Low thyroid hormones, or hypothyroidism, can easily contribute to feeling fatigued, depressed, and cause weight gain.

Anemia is less common in males, but can cause you to feel tired. Low levels of vitamin D are also associated with fatigue. Hematological abnormalities, such as changes in red or white blood cell counts or their shape would be another problem that could show up in blood work and explain your symptoms. If the only problem your doctor notices is low testosterone, they may recommend treatment if your hormones are abnormally low for your age.

Treatments

Low testosterone is easily treated with hormone replacement. Before starting hormone replacement, your doctor will want to make sure any chronic disease are well-controlled to reduce the risk of side effects. Although oral testosterone exists, testosterone is rarely prescribed as a pill. You and your doctor can determine the best method for administering testosterone. For example, a skin patch could be the best option in the beginning, while you are determining if hormone therapy is the right option. Once you are established on the right dose, an implant could be easier since it works for an extended period.

Hormone replacement is an option for men who have disruptive symptoms associated with low testosterone. For more information about this service, contact companies like LEVELUPT.