Low Testosterone American Diabetes Association Low Testosterone American Diabetes Association When your testosterone level is low, you may not be able to get or keep an erection. There are several effective therapy options for low testosterone. Your urologist should be able to provide you with a range of options and discuss what may work best for you, along with any potential side effects. But if you are noticing bald spots you haven’t seen before, are struggling to grow beard hair that used to sprout quickly or notice more thinning hair on your body than usual, it could be an indication of low testosterone. Testosterone is so much more than its reputation would suggest. You can be born with low testosterone or it can develop later in life, often from injury or infection. The effects — and what you can do about them — depend on the cause and at what point in your life low testosterone occurs. Some types of male hypogonadism can be treated with testosterone replacement therapy. It’s common to write off-road rage or men otherwise behaving badly as a sign of increased testosterone production. However, there are no studies that link male behavior to increased testosterone production. It simply isn’t a common occurrence for men to have too much naturally-produced testosterone hormone. A Clinical Principle is a statement about a component of clinical care that is widely agreed upon by urologists or other clinicians for which there may or may not be evidence in the medical literature. Expert Opinion refers to a statement, achieved by consensus of the Panel, that is based on members’ clinical training, experience, knowledge, and judgment for which there is no evidence. Low testosterone that causes symptoms usually is treated with testosterone hormone. In men, this hormone helps to maintain sperm production, control sex drive, and regulate muscle mass and bone health. The pituitary gland and the brain control the production of testosterone which is secreted through the testicles. Results of the trials assessing cognitive function, anemia, bone density, and cardiovascular health are forthcoming. However, the Testosterone Trials were designed to assess only effectiveness and not the risks of testosterone therapy, including prostate cancer or cardiovascular disease. During puberty, those levels are important for developing features in men like a deeper voice, facial hair, and muscle strength. But too much loss leads to hypogonadism, which is defined as testosterone levels below 300 nanograms per deciliter. A study published by the National Center for Biotechnology Information found that this is also the case when Vitamin D is taken as a food supplement. It examined the effect of Vitamin D supplements on healthy overweight men undergoing a weight reduction program compared with a group receiving a placebo. The study found that among the group receiving Vitamin D, circulating concentrations of testosterone increased significantly but remained virtually constant in the control group. In general, you would be diagnosed with low T if you have symptoms of hypogonadism and your levels fall below 300 ng/dL. If you do receive this diagnosis, you’ll be pleased to know that there are various remedies and treatments available. Apart from the natural decline with advancing age, there are specific conditions that can cause low testosterone in men of all ages, even in young men and children. Repeat measures can fluctuate % between tests, depending upon the assay utilized,24 however using 2 or 3 measures can reduce this variability by 30-43%, respectively. To minimize these effects, two morning draws for testosterone are recommended before any clinical intervention. To merely refer to injectable or gel testosterone formulations without differentiation does not impart complete and accurate information to the reader. For example, there are several testosterone gels (https://um.com.co/) available in 1%, 1.62%, and 2% formulations, each marketed under a different brand or generic name. Within this modality family alone, there are three different application sites, including upper body, thigh, and axilla, with four different dosing ranges for each gel. Low testosterone is a condition in which the testicles fail to produce the male sex hormone testosterone. According to the American Urological Association, about 2 men in every 100 have low testosterone. Thousands of articles on testosterone deficiency and testosterone therapy have been published over the past several decades. Patients on short-acting IM or short-acting SQ pellets (testosterone cypionate or enanthate) should have their testosterone measured after several cycles such that testosterone level equilibration has been achieved. The Panel recommends that this be completed no earlier than three to four cycles. While no data exist on the optimal timing of the blood draw within a cycle, it has historically been recommended that blood draws be conducted mid-cycle. The main driving force behind such a strategy is convenience for patients and clinicians, although such timing has no ability to define peak and trough levels. The child’s pubic hair, penis, and testes may not grow as much, and their voice may not change as much. Boys who don’t have enough testosterone may not be as strong or as durable as other boys their age, and their limbs may continue to grow out of proportion to the rest of their bodies. Because testosterone affects so many things, you may have signs and not even know it. The Division of Urology is an international leader in providing innovative, high-quality medical care. For men with low testosterone, Arnold Bullock and Dane Johnson, MD, offer the most advanced care available in a compassionate, respectful and responsive environment.