I need to know if I have low testosterone. My mental and physical performance has worsened a lot lately and I am worried.
Anonymous, 52 years old. Madrid.
Following this royal consultation that came to Not long ago, this post came up with the intention of clarifying this doubt and other related ones.
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The hormone testosterone in men
While the testosterone is one of male hormones which is present in both men and women, the truth is that this hormone is the one that defines the more typically masculine characteristics such as body and facial hair, deepness of voice, musculature, or sexual function.
Every man needs to have a good testosterone level to have a healthy life from a physical, sexual and mental point of view. But the truth is that Testosterone levels decrease with ageAlthough this decrease is gradual, it affects each man in a different way, decreasing his production at different rates.
And although this decrease may be natural and harmless, it can also be responsible for certain ailments and diseases that must be treated at their source: hypogonadism.
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How to know if you have low testosterone
When the testosterone level is lower than normal, moving away from its optimal value and causing problems in the man who suffers from them, it is called hypogonadismBut how do you know if your testosterone level is lower than normal?
To know your testosterone levels accurately, it is essential to perform a testosterone test. testosterone analysis in which all the usual parameters of a blood test are taken into account, and also the male hormonal profile. This must include, as a minimum:
- Testosterone
- free testosterone
- Basal FSH
- LH hormone basal
- Progesterone
- Beta-estradiol
But if, for whatever reason, you have not yet had your tests done, we recommend that you pay attention to the following symptoms:
- tiredness and fatigue
- Irritability, anxiety and even depression
- Loss of sexual desire
- Erectile dysfunction
- Less resistance when practicing sports, it takes longer to see results
- Low concentration
- Mild memory loss
- Increase in abdominal fat
What is the hypogonadism?
El hypogonadism It is a specific medical condition characterized by a testosterone deficiency, and is diagnosed, as we have already said, by performing a complete blood test on the patient, including a hormonal profile.
Long-term, Hypogonadism may increase the risk of osteoporosis and other diseases. In addition, it can seriously impair a man's quality of life. affecting your sexual, physical, emotional and mental performance.
What are the causes of a low testosterone?
Keys to knowing if you have low testosterone:
El testosterone deficiency This can be due to a number of reasons, including a disease affecting the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus, a problem with the testicles (surgery, injury, etc.), infections and liver and kidney diseases, or simply the passage of time. Once the diagnosis of low testosterone has been confirmed, a specialist doctor can prescribe the replacement treatment that best suits your results, carrying out check-up tests to monitor your levels.
If you wish, we put at your disposal un testosterone test Free so you can assess your current status:
How to treat low testosterone
The answer to these symptoms mentioned above is not pills or any other generic remedy, as French specialist Dominique Fradin-Read mentions. She adds: Testosterone levels in the body are largely a response to lifestyle, including diet, exercise, stress, and environmental exposures.. That is, Once we encounter a problem of hormonal deficiency, the change of behavior in each of these dimensions is vital to correct, not just cover up, the low levels of this hormone..
The advice, then, from Fradin-Read, and much of the medical community, includes eating and sleeping well, managing stress, and having sex frequently. Also of great importance is the ability to make intelligent, informed decisions about the testosterone hormone (and all the systems related to it), as this may be the key to total, holistic well-being for men of any age.
To treat low testosterone levels, it is important to pay attention to these factors:
Lifestyle
Diet
Processed foods, high fat, refined carbohydrates and industrial baked goods are the worst ingredients for a healthy lifestyle. To produce the hormone in sufficient quantities, the body needs to get the right amount of protein. in your diet.
On the contrary, good and healthy fats, such as those found in avocado and olive oil, will provide a better basis for hormone production. omega-3 They are especially useful because they help regulate some of the hormonal receptors.
Sugar and sweets promote the production of female hormones, and they also create a lot of insulin resistance. Therefore, as a man, they will negatively affect your ability to produce testosterone.
Alcohol, of course, will also affect your ability to produce and maintain testosterone levels. This is because alcohol consumption stimulates an enzyme in the liver that converts testosterone into estrogen.
Exercise
As you probably already know, Exercise increases testosterone in the body, but for this measure to be effective, it will be necessary to have an adequate program. The most advisable thing is to do some cardio to get rid of body fat, and complement with strength training to increase muscle and therefore increase testosterone. You may be interested in reading Testosterone and Sport.
Stress
A persistently elevated cortisol level can affect your body's ability to produce testosterone.
When you allow stress to build up, You are forcing your body to prioritize cortisol over testosterone.In addition, stress is related to adrenaline, which makes it difficult to fall asleep, which results in the problem of generating adequate testosterone levels.
Dream
Men produce testosterone while we sleep and it is known that Men who work night shifts are at higher risk of low testosterone For two reasons:
- Because they don't sleep at night, when the body should really be producing most of its testosterone.
- Because working the night shift means they are not exposed to enough daylight. This means their bodies do not produce enough oxygen. Vitamin D, which is also very important for the production of testosterone..
La Lack of sleep, is also a determining factor when it comes to understanding the growing number of cases of low testosterone in young men. You may be interested in reading: Testosterone and Sleep.
Hormonal disruptors
Endocrine disruptors such as parabens and pesticides, can alter the normal hormonal action of your body by binding to hormone receptors, particularly those of testosterone.
Although workers who encounter these chemicals on a daily basis are the ones most at risk, today We are all exposed to pollutants in the air, in our food and in our personal care products.
Medical therapies
Replacement therapy (TRT) is recommended for male patients when their body has lost the ability to produce enough hormone on its own. Or in other words: patients with hypogonadism.
Men undergoing this therapy will need to be monitored; blood tests should be done several times a year to closely monitor their health status as well as levels of testosterone, estrogen, red blood cell count, and other values that could be influenced by the treatment.
In the hands of a specialist doctor, Testosterone replacement can be hugely beneficial to a man's health while presenting minimal risk.However, if done poorly or without proper monitoring, it can have extremely harmful effects. Uncontrolled testosterone levels can also produce unpleasant symptoms such as aggression, impatience, mood swings, high blood pressure and an increased risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and blood clotting.
Reservation your first medical consultation now
and discuss your case with one of our medical specialists, no strings attached.
Good follow-up is vital.
This article is suitable for informational purposes only, even if advised by doctors and healthcare professionals. This article is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment, and should never be relied upon for specific medical advice. If any, the opinions expressed in this article are the opinions of the expert and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Doctor T Clinics.
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