How Aging Affects Testosterone and Muscle Mass in Men

Testosterone Therapy: Review of Clinical Applications

Authors of an older study from 2012 found that testosterone implants supported hair regrowth in some women receiving treatment for symptoms of sex hormone deficiency. Your provider will likely have you get a blood test to check your testosterone level. These include medicine side effects, thyroid problems, or depression. Beginning around age 30 to 40, testosterone levels may start to slowly decrease.

Conditions that affect how your hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland cause secondary hypogonadism. This is known as hypogonadotropic hypogonadism because there are low levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Those low levels cause decreased testosterone and sperm production. To summarize, many factors play a role in maintaining adequate muscle mass, but the most important are healthy testosterone levels, adequate protein intake, and proper exercise. Men can help build muscle mass by doing strength training exercises even if their testosterone levels are declining. If you are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, it’s always a good idea to reach out to your doctor and ask about getting your testosterone level checked.

Women may have a testosterone deficiency due to diseases of the pituitary, hypothalamus or adrenal glands, in addition to removal of the ovaries. Estrogen therapy increases sex hormone binding globulin and, like aging men, this reduces the amount of free, active testosterone in the body. The basis of Low T may be inflammation due to the other diseases present with Low T, or some men may have a genetic predisposition to low testosterone levels. Not all men with low levels will show the signs and symptoms of testosterone deficiency. Symptoms of low testosterone in men under 30 include erectile dysfunction, decreased libido or sexual activity, infertility, and hair loss. Men may also want to consider getting their testosterone levels checked as part of their yearly physical.

Reduced testosterone levels are quite common, with over a third of men over age 45 having levels below what is considered normal for their age. Men may notice symptoms of fatigue, depression or loss of facial and body hair. Beyond the decrease in muscle mass, lower levels of testosterone can also cause brittle bones, which increases the risk of fractures.

If your doctor can identify the source for declining levels—for instance, weight gain or a particular medication—he or she may first address that problem. So, before you call that low-T clinic or click on an outlandish ad for testosterone-boosting supplements, find out what’s at stake for your health. There are safer, more cost-effective options to restore youthful energy – and potentially reverse fertility loss from previous testosterone products. The risks and benefits of taking testosterone for many years are not known, because large studies haven’t been completed, yet.

If you are concerned about low-T symptoms, or if you’ve tried therapies that didn’t work, talk with your primary care doctor or urologist. Feeling better starts with a conversation about your needs, goals, and lifestyle. Personalized care from a board-certified urologist or male fertility expert is the healthiest way to get there. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which means you can’t verify what they’re made with or whether they’re safe, even if they come with a celebrity endorsement. Some testosterone supplements have been shown to cause health conditions such as erectile dysfunction and kidney failure. Testosterone replacement also affects metabolic parameters, with effects on cholesterol occurring in 4 weeks, peaking at 6–12 months, and blood sugar levels improving after 3–12 months. Everyone is different, so some people will see improvement in symptoms within a few weeks, while others will need more time to notice any changes.

This is why testing for low T should always involve a thorough physical exam and medical history to rule out other explanations for your symptoms. We will also make sure you are up to date on other age-appropriate screenings, like prostate or colorectal screening. Many testosterone formulations are available (Table 459,60 ), and no formulation has superior clinical effects. The selection of formulation requires discussion about administration route, adverse effects, and cost. Testosterone preparations are FDA Schedule III controlled substances that are subject to diversion and misuse.

Eating foods rich in vitamin D and zinc may help the body produce more male hormones. This could include beans, egg yolks, low-fat milk, oysters, shellfish, and tuna. On the other hand, testosterone is involved in many metabolic functions such as hemoglobin production, metabolic control, sugar, fat, and lipid metabolism; as well as bone mineral density. Energy in men is related to the quality of sleep, mood, and muscle mass. If a man has one testical (mairie-sornay.fr) or both testicles surgically removed, his body will produce less testosterone. Chemotherapy and radiation can affect testosterone production, too. If there is a problem with the pituitary gland, the testicles might not get the “message” to produce.

Exogenous testosterone therapy has been shown to interrupt normal spermatogenesis and can put patients in severely oligospermic or azoospermic states and should not be used in men trying to conceive. Normal sperm production depends on a functionally intact hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis with normal secretion of pituitary LH and FSH to support intratesticular testosterone production and spermatogenesis. The general trend indicated that higher doses of testosterone were more likely to result in azoospermia than lower doses, however a dose-response effect was not consistently seen. Be open with your doctor about your medical history, all prescription and nonprescription drugs you are now taking, sexual problems, and any major changes in your life.

These can include low libido, erectile dysfunction, depression, irritability, and reduced lean muscle mass. However, consistent hormone replacement therapy helps improve sex drive, ease symptoms of depression and increase energy levels for those experiencing low testosterone. Using testosterone therapy to treat normal aging is not a good idea. Suppose you don’t have a medical condition that could be causing your testosterone levels to drop. In that case, your doctor might recommend natural ways to boost testosterone, like losing weight and building muscle mass through exercise.