Symptoms of low testosterone
Testosterone regulates the hair on the body and provides a heavier voice in men and greater muscle volume in men. Women also need the hormone to experience a normal libido. Deficiency of this hormone will also lead to a low libido in women. Women who are sensitive to estrogen-related breast cancer would do well to keep an eye on testosterone. Because it protects against breast cancer when it is caused by an excess of estrogen.
Lower libido
Spontaneous erections are less common as a man gets older. That is common knowledge. However, when there is a decrease in sex drive, it could well be due to lower testosterone levels. Thousands, even millions of men worldwide have this problem. Because men don't like to come out with such a problem, the number could be much higher than is actually thought.
When we have to deal with this as an older man, we can do little about it ourselves. It is a general process of aging. We can of course use supportive means to ensure that the testosterone will rise again. We can use herbs or we can use androgen. We must also pay attention to sufficient zinc and vitamin D. These two are closely related to the male hormone. A lack of zinc undoubtedly leads to a reduced libido and lower testosterone.
Getting rid of testosterone
Loss of testosterone is not always related to increasing age. Although the testosterone level does decrease with age, a (sudden) high deficiency is certainly not normal. It is even harmful to the quality of life. The two main causes for this are obesity and stress. They will both cause the aromatase to increase. That is the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. That way we get a wrong balance between the hormones.
This can make it difficult for us to get an erection. But also experience a reduced libido and have less muscle strength. So, to solve this problem, we must first and foremost lose weight. This can be done by doing strength training or by HIIT training. But that can also be done by eating healthier. That way we will restore the balance between the hormones. And the cortisol will start to drop.
Breast formation
Too low a testosterone level can lead to painful breasts and even the formation of female breasts. Loss of body hair and less need for shaves also indicate low testosterone levels. As a result, the testes can shrink which will eventually lead to erectile dysfunction. However, hot flashes can be the result of low testosterone levels.
Breast formation in men is a major problem as you get older. The hormone responsible for this is called prolactin. This will increase when the aromatase gets too high. And this at the expense of testosterone. Too much prolactin causes breast formation in men.
Weakened bones
Too low a testosterone level can also be noticed within the male body. The male sex hormone also has a major influence on the skeleton and muscle mass. When too low testosterone has been raging for some time, it can develop weaker bones. Which can eventually lead to osteoporosis. Testosterone also helps in the formation of red blood cells and regulates concentration and mood.
Going bald
Testosterone is of great importance in the formation and maintenance of hair growth in men. However, not on all body parts. Baldness, for example, in the vast majority of cases has to do with heredity and not with low testosterone levels. Although baldness can be caused by too high a DHT level. DHT is dihydrotestosterone and is produced from the testosterone. Men who have to deal with baldness can then, for example, use DHT inhibitors.
Overweight
Almost half of overweight people suffer from testosterone deficiency. In addition, overweight people are also more likely to suffer from diabetes. This increases the risk of low testosterone even more. As we have said before, being overweight will entail a lot of negativity. First there are the direct risks to our health. We are dealing with high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This in turn increases the risk of heart disease and possible heart failure. We also increase the risk of diabetes. But also an increased estrogen. Because a lot of testosterone is lost through the aromatase. Abdominal fat, in particular, increases the production of estrogen or female hormones.