Low Testosterone

low testosterone urology

What is Low Testosterone?

Low testosterone is also known as “low T,” hypogonadism, and hypoandrogenism. Beginning around the age of 30, testosterone levels in men often start to decline. This can result in a variety of symptoms ranging from fatigue, difficulty with exercising and gaining muscle, weight gain, decreased sex drive, and erectile problems. Testosterone, in spite of its popular image as the sex hormone, is more complicated than we think. It is essential for normal functioning and development of the male body.

Symptoms of Low Testosterone

If you experience any of the following symptoms, it is possible that you have hypogonadism, also known as low testosterone or “low T.”

  • Low energy or fatigue
  • Low sex drive or libido
  • Difficulty with erections (erectile dysfunction)
  • Weight gain or increase in body fat
  • Difficulty exercising
  • Decrease in muscle mass
  • Memory changes
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Symptoms of depression
  • Decrease in motivation, initiative, and self-confidence
  • Loss of armpit or pubic hair
  • Decrease in height
  • Low sperm count
Symptoms of Low Testosterone
Testosterone and Infertility new jersey urology

Testosterone and Infertility

Oftentimes, infertility and low testosterone go hand in hand. In the appropriate patient, raising testosterone levels with medication (e.g. clomiphene citrate, anastrozole, hCG) can help improve sperm parameters. Be wary that testosterone replacement will actually cause sperm counts to decline, something that many patients are not appropriately counseled on when they are prescribed testosterone by another provider.

Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

Testosterone can cause prostate cancer to grow. This has led to a concern that testosterone therapy could cause prostate cancer or cause recurrence of prostate cancer in men who have previously been treated. However, studies have now demonstrated that raising testosterone to normal levels does not cause prostate cancer nor does it cause recurrence of previously treated prostate cancer.  We would not want to prescribe testosterone medication if you have active prostate cancer that has not yet been treated. Men who are 40 or older and are on testosterone replacement therapy should be regularly screened for prostate cancer with prostate exams and PSA blood tests.

Testosterone and Prostate Cancer

Treatment Options for Low Testosterone

Testosterone therapy can be a safe and effective way to treat symptoms of low testosterone. Individualized, long-term testosterone therapy has been shown to improve bone density, stabilize mood, normalize body fat and body muscle, increase energy, and increase libido. Low testosterone can be treated with testosterone replacement therapy or with medication that helps your body make more testosterone on its own. These are some of the treatment options that we prescribe:

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