Understanding low testoterone or Low T
Understanding when and how to treat symptoms of low testosterone, or Low T, should involve an experienced and thorough health care provider. At NAU, we see patients with low testosterone levels at all ages and for a number of different reasons.
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is a vitally important hormone for men from conception to very last days of life. In addition to maintaining muscle mass and energy, testosterone plays a central role in maintaining sex drive, maximizing erectile function, and stabilizing bone density.
What is Andropause?
Andropause (also known as low testosterone or Low T) is the term given to lowered testosterone levels that some men experience as they age.
Andropause can begin to affect men in their mid-thirties and is estimated to affect more than 25 million men in the United States. Despite its frequency, however, less than 10% of symptomatic med seek or receive treatment. Andropause can have a slow onset and most men believe that its symptoms are a normal part of aging.
- The most common symptoms of low testosterone include:
- Decreased sexual desire
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decline in energy
- Diminished strength
- Abnormal semen analysis
- Decreased lean muscle mass
- Altered mood
- Hot flashes
- Osteoporosis
- Insomnia
Diagnosing and treating andropause is about more than making men ‘feel better’ as they age. It can also have an impact on how long a man lives. Low testosterone has been identified as a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Early identification of men with low testosterone can lessen the health impacts of these associated diseases. Replacing testosterone in patients with andropause has been shown to improve their overall sense of well-being, improve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s, improve control of blood sugar in diabetics, improve control of cholesterol levels, and improve overall metabolism.
