The Importance of Sunscreen
As we spend more time outdoors during the warm summer months, it's important to protect our skin from the harmful effects of the sun.
Five Signs You Could Be Suffering From Low Testosterone
Men are living longer these days. The average life expectancy is more than 76 years, and if you reach age 65, you can likely count on an additional 18 years. That’s great news until you realize that you could be living more than two-thirds of your life with significantly less testosterone than you started with.
Around the age of 30, your body slows down its production of testosterone (T), the hormone that makes men men. Your levels gradually decline at a rate of about 1% per year, which has a huge impact on your “manliness.”
Take heart, our team at Southwest Family Medicine Associates in Dallas, Texas, can help you live through middle life and your golden years with gusto. But don’t rely on social media influencers for medical advice — trust our expert physicians and medical practitioners to get to the bottom of your low-testosterone issues and restore balance to your body and your life.
Five signs you have low T
As testosterone supply wanes, men experience a range of symptoms, and no two guys feel it in exactly the same way. However, there are five main categories of symptoms that tend to be fairly common among men with low T.
1. Sexual changes
Testosterone drives your sexual desire. Whether you see, taste, smell, touch, or hear something that puts you in the mood for sex, you can thank testosterone for piquing your interest and helping you act on it.
If you find that you’re less interested in sex than you used to be, or not even interested at all, it may indicate a low level of testosterone.
Even if you have the desire, low T can thwart your ability to carry through with the act of sex, as erectile dysfunction is one of the classic signs of low testosterone.
Libido and erections aside, low T can still cause sexual problems in the form of infertility. A healthy sperm count counts on a healthy testosterone level.
2. Body changes
As a young teen, when puberty hit and you experienced a flood of fresh testosterone coursing through your veins, you also saw the effects — one of which was stronger muscles. It stands to reason, then, that a loss of testosterone would reverse this classic male trait.
Low T can decrease your muscle mass and make your body feel soft and weak. You may gain weight even though you haven’t changed your diet or activity level, and you may get the dreaded “man boobs.” Technically called gynecomastia, the development of excess breast tissue in men is typically linked with low T.
3. Energy changes
Low testosterone messes with your energy levels and can leave you feeling fatigued and unmotivated. You may find yourself taking naps more often, exercising less, and forgoing the activities you once loved. Sleep quality may be contributing to the problem as well, since low T can make it hard to get a good night’s rest.
4. Hair changes
Balding is a complicated issue and has a lot to do with genetics, medications, and overall health. But what happens if your whole body is going bald? In this case, you’re not dealing with male pattern baldness, but low testosterone.
Imbalanced hormones make your facial hair come in thinner and sparser. You may also lose hair on your legs, under your arms, and in your pubic area.
5. Mood and mental changes
Low testosterone doesn’t stop with physical changes. It also wreaks havoc with your mind. Many men with waning testosterone levels get irritated quickly over minor problems, are impatient, and have trouble concentrating.
These mood problems can lead to more serious mental health conditions, such as depression and anxiety.
Help and hope for low testosterone
Before we recommend a treatment for your low T, we conduct a thorough diagnostic exam and testing to verify the problem and determine the root cause. It could stem from another health condition, an injury, or even a medication, so it’s important to find out the underlying reason.
The good news is that treatments are safe, effective, and quick-acting. We can restore your testosterone levels through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, injections, pellets implanted just under your skin, or typical creams.
To find out if low T is behind the changes you’re seeing in your body, mind, and mood, schedule an appointment with one of our specialists at Southwest Family Medicine Associates today by calling or using our online booking tool.
You Might Also Enjoy...
How NightLase® Can Help With Snoring
If your snoring wakes up everyone in your household, you need help — and so do they. Find out how a simple laser treatment can have everyone within earshot sleeping like babies.
How Laser Therapy Can Help Decrease Vaginal Dryness and Increase Sexual Pleasure
You know what collagen can do for your face — imagine what it can do for you “down there.” Here’s how you can boost collagen, tighten your vagina, and have the better sex without medication, injections, or surgery.
Why Do I Still Get Acne, and How Can I Get Rid of It Without Medication?
Zits and pimples are classic teen problems, so why do you still have to deal with them as an adult? Learn about the many factors involved in adult acne and an effective, drug-free way to get rid of it.
GREAT! More Things To Take
Deciding whether to take dietary supplements and which ones to take is a serious matter – I’m not even exaggerating!
Ditch the Drugs: Deep Laser Therapy Naturally can Alleviate Back Pain
Are you struggling with pain and feel like medications are your only option? It’s time to explore laser therapy, a drug-free solution that treats pain by healing your body on a cellular level. Keep reading to learn more.