Testosterone – Everything You Need To Know About Male Sexual Hormone

You will listen to the name testosterone when we talk about male sexual hormones. It is a hormone present in not just human males but also animals. The human testicles perform the task of producing the testosterone hormone. A female also notices the production of testosterone in their body through ovaries but in negligible amounts. It is only to maintain the hormone balance in the body and have no significant tasks. But in a human male, it plays crucial tasks in the body.

In the male body, the production of testosterone increases after they hit puberty. In some kids, puberty hits at an early age of 9 years, and in some people, it begins at 16. Due to the increased production of testosterone, a person will notice a maturity in the reproductive organs. Along with that, various changes in the body will also appear due to testosterone, like the growth of muscles and bone, deepening of voice and appearance of hairs on the face and pubic area (under arms and around the primary sexual organ). Some people also develop thick hair growth on the chest and back due to testosterone levels. After 30 years of age, this testosterone hormone production starts to decline.

The main reason why everyone gives so much importance to the testosterone hormone is its relation to sexual activity. The mood to have intercourse and the sexual drive of the person depend on testosterone levels, along with a few other factors. In this blog, you will get every necessary information about testosterone and low testosterone levels. If you stick to the end, you will also find a suitable way to tackle the issue of low testosterone levels. So, let’s get started without any ado.

Male Sexual Hormone -testosterone

Some Interesting Facts About Testosterone

There are a few interesting facts about the testosterone hormone that you must know-

  • The testis and ovaries are not the only producers of testosterone. An adrenal gland in the body produces testosterone in both males and females. This gland is present above the kidneys.
  • Women’s bodies also testosterone contribute to the sexual drive. But if the levels increase, their bodies will start showing manly traits.
  • Testosterone is an androgen that helps produce sperm in the body. With lower levels of testosterone, the sperm count also decreases.
  • Testosterone also plays a vital role in fat distribution in the body of a male.
  • Women need a little bit of testosterone in their body because it is a precursor of a secret hormone which ensures the proper menstrual cycle of women.
  • Testosterone also helps a person with the production of red blood cells. The hormone stimulates the bone marrow to increase its production.

Testosterone Levels With Regards To Aging

As we have studied above, testosterone production levels will increase when a person hits puberty. Till the age of 30, the body requires a high level of testosterone. After that, the production of this hormone slows down in the body. As the age of the person increases, the production of hormones also decreases. It is a natural process, but still, the hormone is sufficient so that a person can have a satisfactory sexual life. In case you want that the levels of production remain constant, then you should make a change in your diet. You should add food to your diet after 30 that boosts testosterone production. You can discuss it with your physician and ask them for advice if you want.

Low Testosterone Levels

According to the studies performed by different institutions worldwide, the average testosterone level in the body is 350 nanograms per deciliter and higher. If your body has testosterone above 350, then it is normal. But in some people, the levels of testosterone are deficient. Their body has a low testosterone level below 350 nanograms or even 300 nanograms per deciliter. This situation is known as testosterone deficiency syndrome or lower testosterone.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone Levels

When the testosterone levels in the body of a male start decreasing, they start showing the following symptoms. Here is a list of issues that indicate that you are a patient with lower T levels-

  • With the decrease of testosterone in the body, the sex drive starts to decrease.
  • A person suffering from Low-T issues will start noticing a gain in weight. It happens because testosterone is not present in the body for balancing your body mass.
  • The moodiness of a person starts increasing. In lame language, we can say that a male starts noticing mood swings due to lower testosterone levels.
  • The self-esteem of a person with low-T issues decreases. They don’t feel confident from the inside. Due to this, their libido levels might also decrease.
  • A person’s bone density decreases, and they become thin with every passing day.
  • Depressing thoughts also appear in the body of people who have low T-level issues.
  • The concentration power of a person who has a low-T level also decreases.
  • You will also see a loss of body hair with a decrease in testosterone levels.

If the testosterone levels increase in a female body, they will show symptoms of menstrual irregularities and masculine features. Their clitoris starts to grow, and the size of the breast reduces. Along with that, some common issues of oily skin and acne also occur in their body. Such females are at risk of uterine fibroid and should consult their physician as soon as possible.

What Might Low Testosterone Levels In Body Indicate?

When a person has low testosterone levels in the body, it can also be due to some chronic health disorder. The lower T levels might indicate a few issues like-

  • AIDS can be one of the reasons behind the low-T levels.
  • When a person has a kidney disorder, then it can also disrupt the levels of testosterone in the body.
  • A person suffering from alcoholism can also notice that their testosterone levels decrease.
  • The lower testosterone levels might also indicate cirrhosis the level.
  • The Klinefelter syndrome can also lead to a decrease in testosterone levels in the body.
  • The low levels of testosterone in the body also indicate Noonan syndrome.
  • Low testosterone levels also indicate that your sex organs are developing in a way that is different from typical looks.
  • it can cause erectile dysfunction problem

So, if your reports show that you have low-T level issues, you should also check your body for these issues.

Reasons For Low Testosterone Levels

The following can be the reasons why the testosterone levels in the body of a person are low-

  • In a few cases, accidents can cause damage to the testicles. It can lead to lower production of testosterone in the body.
  • If you are undergoing the process of chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer, your testosterone levels decrease.
  • Disease in the pituitary gland can also affect the levels of different hormones, including testosterone.
  • Autoimmune disease, in which the body starts attacking the testicles, can lead to low-T levels.
  • Obesity is becoming one of the biggest reasons behind the lower testosterone levels in the body.
  • Ageing of a person naturally decreases the testosterone levels in the body.
  • If you are suffering from any issue like high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or diabetes, your testosterone levels might decrease.
  • People who are using anti-depressant medicines will notice a low-T issue. The same thing happens in the case of narcotic pain medicines.

How To Diagnose The Low Testosterone Levels

To diagnose the issue, the physician will first notice a few factors and their levels in the body. Those factors are –

  • The pattern of hairs in your body, their amount and location. You have an issue if the hair is less and has an improper pattern.
  • Size of prostate and if it is causing any abnormality in the body.
  • They will check your BMI and waist circumference. The chances of a Low-T issue are high if both are high.
  • The physician will also physically test your testicles and their position in the sac. If they find an abnormality, then there can be a severe issue.

Blood testosterone test

In this process, the physician will take out some blood from your body and check testosterone levels in the blood. If the levels are between 300 ng/dl and 1100 ng/dl, they are normal. For females, the value is 15-70 ng/d. If the value is higher or lower, you should visit the physician as it can be a severe issue. Generally, 90% of people who are suffering from the issue of testosterone imbalance suffer from low-T levels. Rare cases are of high T in human males. For taking this test, you should choose a time before noon. After that, the levels are lower as compared before. Apart from that, don’t get tests done if you are sick.

LH Hormone test

The luteinizing hormone is the precursor of testosterone in the body. The primary purpose of doing this test is to check whether the issue is because of the pituitary gland.

Blood prolactin test

The physician will cross-check the LH hormone test with this test if it indicates problems with the pituitary gland. In this case, if the amount of prolactin in the blood is high, it is confirmed that the pituitary gland suffers from some infection. In this case, the physician will treat the pituitary gland first and check the blood testosterone levels.

Follicle-stimulating hormone

The physicians perform this test to see whether the process of semen production in the body is working correctly or not. If the process is improper, the chances of low-T levels are very high.

Chromosome tests

A chromosome test checks your DNA sequencing to see whether the low-T disorder is chromosomal. On this basis, the physician will decide the treatment a person goes through to increase testosterone production.

Treatment For Low Testosterone Levels

If you are diagnosed with the issue of lower testosterone levels, then you have to undergo some treatment. Following are two treatments the FDA approved for the issue of lower testosterone levels. You must go through the details of both treatments properly to decide which will be best for your body.

Testosterone Supplements

In this form of treatment, the physicians are going to advise you with a supplement that tends to increase the levels of testosterone in the body. A commonly suggested supplement, in this case, is methyltestosterone. The physician will check the levels of the issue in your body and decide the supplement dose for you. You should follow all the guidelines the physician will provide to you regarding the use of supplements.

But some people report that the liver metabolizes this supplement at a very high speed. Due to this, most physicians try to suggest the second form of treatment above this because of the risks of liver toxicity. If the physician finds no good reason to use the supplement, they recommend you go for testosterone therapy.

Testosterone Therapy

In this method, a person needs to intake testosterone in the body. There are five basic ways through which physicians can proceed with this therapy. The physician will check your body properly and then decide which therapy will be best suited for your body. All the five different methods are-Transdermal

In this type of therapy, a person has to apply the testosterone cream, gel or liquid on the skin and cover it properly so that there is no contact with air. We can compare it to a band-aid because you must apply it once and then leave until it’s time to take the next dose of testosterone. If you want the applied cream or gel to absorb properly in the body, then you should take the following steps.

  • It would be best if you properly wash the area before you apply the cream and dry it. If you apply it on a wet or dirty surface, it will not work correctly.
  • It will help if you wash your hand every time before and after application to save the body from contamination.
  • It would help if you kept the area covered for 3-4 days as per the physician’s suggestion. This way, the process of absorption will be fast.

Injection

There are two types of injections that are available for people who have low-T levels. The first one is a short-acting injection which is inserted under the skin. The second type of injection is long acting injection which will be inserted into your muscles. According to the levels of issues in your body, the physician decides you need an injection at how many times a month. The number can vary from once a month to once a week also.

Oral therapy

In this therapy, the physician will provide you with a Sildenafil Citrate packed in a patch. According to a physician, you should not chew and swallow this dose. All you need to do is place that drug above your canine tooth. In 12 hours, the dose will completely dissolve, and your testosterone levels will increase. It is least preferred because of its side effects. Also, some people swallow the medication by mistake, impacting the whole working process.

Intranasal therapy

In this therapy, a person needs to use a pump to insert testosterone inside the body. The pump will enter your nostril one by one, where you must pour gel from testosterone. According to the physician, a person must use the pump twice or thrice a day. People who have respiratory infections should not depend on this method.

Pellet therapy

It is a unique therapy in which the physician will place a pallet on your upper buttock. The physician places the pallet by numbing your upper buttock with the help of anaesthesia. With the help of a small cut, they place the pallet inside fatty tissue under your skin. Once you get this surgery done, then you can enjoy high testosterone levels in your body for the next 3-6 months based on testosterone in your body. If possible, the physician can also insert multiple pallets inside your body. For this, they must check how well your body accepts the pallet.

What happens after treatment?

After the treatment, the physician will monitor your body at regular intervals. They will check whether that treatment suits your body or not and how well it works in the body. The physicians also recommend you improve the fundamental reason for lower testosterone levels. If you are obese, you should work towards getting lean, and if the issue is due to diabetes or cholesterol, you must change your eating habits.

They will also suggest you live a stress-free life full of happiness and physical activities. If you follow all of these tips by your physician correctly, then the dosage of your therapy will keep decreasing. Along with that, you will notice a natural increase in testosterone levels in your body, due to which you can once again live treatment free and enjoy your sexual life. Also, in your diet, you must add food items that boost testosterone naturally, like-

  • Fatty fish
  • Avocados
  • Berries and Pomegranates
  • Dark and leafy green veggies
  • Eggs
  • Cocoa Products

Disclaimer:

At Medzpills, it is our mission to provide consumers with the best possible, scientifically-backed, and expert-reviewed information. Parry Stone, an expert in the field has reviewed this article, but we caution you that it should not be treated as a substitute for the advice of a qualified medical professional. It is a source of knowledge, potentially helpful in understanding health conditions, lab tests, medications, side effects, drug interactions, warnings, alerts, and more. To ensure the best experience and outcome, we strongly encourage you to consult with your doctor and discuss any concerns or questions you have about a particular disease or medication. Our services are meant to supplement, not replace, the invaluable relationship between doctor and patient.

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