Alternative treatments are available and generally safe, but some are used "off label," meaning they are not officially approved for this purpose but are supported by medical studies and guidelines. TRT can be appropriate for men with documented low testosterone and bothersome symptoms who haven't responded adequately to lifestyle interventions. Conversely, symptoms might be due to other medical conditions, medications, lifestyle factors, or psychological stressors. A man might have testosterone in the "normal range" but still be symptomatic if that level is significantly lower than his baseline. You can't reliably distinguish between normal aging and a significant drop in testosterone without proper testing and a systemic approach. The emotional symptoms can actually be more disruptive to daily life than the physical ones, yet men are less likely to seek help for these concerns due to stigma around men's mental health.
Some of the side effects of low testosterone—such as sexual dysfunction and weight gain—can bring on the blues. Excess body fat can, through a complex interaction of hormones and enzymes lower testosterone levels. When your testosterone levels drop, your body turns catabolic instead, breaking down muscle tissue instead of building it up, Dr. Werthman says. If low T is truly to blame for what you're feeling, many of the health side effects of low testosterone can be reversed, or at least improved, with testosterone therapy. One of the biggest worries about declining testosterone levels is the chance that sexual desire and performance will be affected. Medical intervention can increase testosterone levels or help you manage specific symptoms.
In addition to these, having too-high testosterone levels put you at risk for health conditions including cancer, cardiac complications, and irritability (9). While levels below 300 ng/dL are considered clinically low total testosterone, McDevitt says that symptoms can appear even in a healthy range. McDevitt says she sees older men who live a healthy lifestyle in their fifties who have the testosterone levels of a man in his thirties. A combination of age, genetics, and pre-existing medical conditions determines your testosterone levels. But determining normal testosterone levels by age?
For example, did you know that testosterone is a key player in prostate cancer? When you think of testosterone, what comes to mind?
The likelihood of sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) and diminished muscle strength rises as testosterone levels naturally fall with age; however, research indicates that testosterone therapy may mitigate these effects in older men, enhancing physical performance, sexual drive, and muscle mass . Keeping those caveats in mind, in one study (2) of healthy adult males between the ages of 40 and 70, researchers observed these normal total testosterone levels. The research paper provides a thorough summary of the selection criteria and covers testosterone's effects on depression, vascular endothelium, muscle strength, bone health, and sexual function (Figure 1). In addition to having significant effects on health and illness, these hormonal changes are necessary for preserving physiological balance; one particularly significant time of hormonal change is during puberty, when a rise in sex hormones, such as testosterone, promotes the growth of secondary sexual traits like increased muscle mass, body and facial hair, and a deeper voice . These advantages include better vascular function, mood, muscle strength, bone density, and sexual health in healthy men.
A "feedback loop" closely regulates the amount of hormone in the blood. They travel from one organ or another place in the body, usually through the bloodstream, and affect many different bodily processes. Learn all about the sex hormone here, including its primary benefits. What's more, testosterone plays other important roles in health and disease that may surprise you. For more information about the relationship between Hone and the medical practices, click here.
Cindy is a freelance health and fitness writer, author, and podcaster who’s contributed regularly to Runner’s World since 2013. Experts think it may thicken the blood, making a clot more likely. You might not know you’re anemic unless you have blood work done at your doctor’s office, though. If you have low T, you might lose body and facial hair, too, Dr. Nall says.

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