You might not realize the important role testosterone plays in your health and well-being until your levels drop low, leaving you feeling less like yourself. This tiny hormone can have a big impact on everything from your sexual health and function to your moods and energy levels.
At Houston Family MD in Houston, Texas, Dr. Ranjit Grewal diagnoses and treats low testosterone to help minimize low testosterone (low T) symptoms and restore your vitality.
Here’s a closer look at five effects of low testosterone, as well as what to do about them.
Testosterone allows your body to increase muscle mass, and lean muscle tissue promotes weight control. So if your muscle seems to be diminishing as you gain stubborn fat, low T may be the culprit. Even working out at the gym may not produce the results you’re used to.
Low testosterone can also lead to low energy, as well as ongoing fatigue — regardless of how rested you may be. Low T can also fuel insomnia, making these matters worse. Some of these effects may stem from your loss of muscle mass related to testosterone decline.
While the link isn’t well understood, normal erections depend on testosterone. So when your T levels decline, you may develop erectile dysfunction (ED), meaning you struggle to achieve or maintain erections during sex.
Testosterone deficiency is also linked with chronic conditions that contribute to ED, including obesity, heart disease, and type 2 diabetes.
A range of factors can influence your libido, including your testosterone levels. Believed to play a primary role in physical arousal, testosterone — or lack thereof — can influence your sexual desire in other ways, too.
When low T causes fatigue and sleep loss, you may not have the energy for sex. And both ED and unwanted physique changes may fuel poor body image, causing performance anxiety or self-consciousness to stand in the way of your desire.
Given that stress is another major libido tanker, frustration about any of these symptoms may worsen these effects.
Reduced bone mass is a natural part of the aging process. That said, low testosterone could accelerate the process, leading to bone weakness and poor density.
It’s no surprise, then, that research has linked low testosterone with a heightened risk for osteoporosis and fractures.
If Dr. Grewal determines that you have low testosterone levels, he may recommend testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Available in injection, oral pill, and patch forms, this treatment can effectively restore normal testosterone levels and reduce the symptoms bothering you.
To learn more about low T or find out if you’re a good candidate for TRT, call our office or schedule an appointment using our online booking feature.
