5 Signs You May Be Suffering from a Testosterone Deficiency

Testosterone is a tiny chemical messenger (hormone) that plays a substantial role in your overall health. While shifts in testosterone are common and normal with age, a severe drop, known as testosterone deficiency (TD) can lead to a range of bothersome symptoms.

If testosterone levels in your blood read at less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL), you meet the criteria for TD. Thankfully, effective treatment can help turn it around.

At Next Direct Primary Care in Cincinnati, Ohio, our experienced medical team specializes in bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) for customized therapy that reverses your imbalance. For men, we offer testosterone therapy.

Let’s delve into five common signs of testosterone deficiency to look out for and take seriously.

Sexual changes

Lots of factors can make sex less appealing or feasible, including low testosterone. If your levels have dropped significantly, you have difficulty achieving or maintaining erections — also known as erectile dysfunction (ED).

And when your body isn’t responding the way you’d like it to during sex, it’s easy to feel self-conscious or even avoid sex altogether. Low testosterone may also lead you to feel in the mood less often, regardless. 

Low or anxious moods

Testosterone is best known for its role in sexual health, but the hormone influences your emotional well-being, too.

Low testosterone can fuel anxious and depressed moods, as well as social withdrawal, irritability, and mood swings. These symptoms may stem directly from the chemical changes or as a byproduct of other symptoms — feeling anxious about your reduced sex drive, for example.

Fatigue and feeling unmotivated

Normal testosterone levels help keep you energized so you can go about your daily life with ease. So when your levels drop, your energy and motivation might as well.

Low testosterone levels may leave you feeling exhausted all the time, even after a good night’s sleep. Meanwhile, you might develop hot flashes and night sweats, which interfere with daytime energy and nighttime rest. And the tiredness that results could worsen your sexual and emotional symptoms.

Bone and muscle loss

Without sufficient testosterone, you can end up with weaker bones and less muscle, given that the hormone allows you to build and maintain bone and muscle strength.

Even if you work out normally, your muscles may appear smaller. And if you’re fatigued and tired from low testosterone, you may not have enough gusto to work out anyway. 

If your bones weaken significantly, you could develop osteoporosis and a high risk for fractures.

Body hair loss

Declining testosterone levels interfere with hair growth on your body. As a result, you might notice less hair on your chest, face, and armpits. Your public hair may thin out, too.

Body hair loss from TD tends to happen gradually and slowly, often over the course of years.

We treat women too

The focus of hormone replacement in women traditionally centers on estrogen replacement. However, estrogen replacement carries the potential for serious side effects like blood clots and cancer. A safer and more effective alternative treatment is the replacement of testosterone.

Androgen production, including testosterone, in women declines steeply in the early reproductive years. A woman of 40 has half the mean plasma total testosterone of a 21-year-old. Symptoms of low testosterone can include a diminished sense of well-being, dysphoric mood (sadness, depression, anxiety, and irritability), fatigue, decreased libido, hot flashes, bone loss, decreased muscle strength, changes in cognition and memory, and insomnia. Often, these symptoms occur before the cessation of menstruation.

Replacing appropriate testosterone levels in women can be highly effective in both pre and post-menopausal women. Studies show women who’ve undergone testosterone replacement therapy report significant relief in symptoms, including hot flashes, vaginal dryness, fatigue, memory loss, irritability, weight loss, and more. 

If you’re showing signs of low testosterone, call our office to schedule an appointment or email us through our website. If you’re diagnosed with a hormone imbalance, we can determine if you’re a good candidate for BHRT.

*Individual results may vary