Testosterone is the male sex hormone. It also defines the bone density, quality blood circulation, controls insulin levels, and metabolism. Oft-times, a lower level of testosterone can be experienced when men reach approximately at the age of 50s. This happens due to a decrease in the level of testosterone naturally with time.

But, men of younger age also experience a lack of testosterone. There might be numerous reasons for it to take place in the body, like medical issues (chemotherapy, metabolic disorders), history of harmful synthetic substance overdose, excessive estrogen, and other lifestyle and medical choices.

How to diagnose lower testosterone levels?

Most commonly, it starts at the age of 30 and gradually starts decreasing with each passing year. The most recurrent symptoms are listed below. Some of the specific symptoms of lower levels in testosterone are:

Lack of sex drive -- Testosterone is a prime factor for sexual desires. Low sex drive (libido) eventually occurs with age, but early lethargic sexual behaviour is an indication of the lower level of testosterone.

Erectile Dysfunction (ED) – Testosterone helps in proper blood flow in the penile tissues, which helps in erection. Erectile dysfunction is a condition where a man finds it hard to have a correct and more prolonged erection. The lower level of testosterone leads to the deficient functioning of the penis.

Reduction in quality and volume of semen – Substandard levels of testosterone reduces the quality and quantity of the sperm. It happens due to an imbalanced hormonal reach in the testicles.

A decrease in Muscle Mass and Increased Body Fat – the Reduced level of testosterone decrease the amount of muscle mass as well. The capacity to create new muscle fibers and tissues are lowered in a person with low testosterone as compared to someone with the proper hormonal flow.

Decrease in Bone Density -- Decrease in the level of testosterone leads to thinning of bones as it doesn’t supply an adequate amount of nutrition that our bones require to grow. Testosterone levels are the deciding factor in making or breaking the volume of our skeletal system, and the lack of it makes our bones vulnerable to fractures.

Poor Energy – Since it has to do a lot with overall body functions, testosterone also keeps the body energized. You can experience fatigue, dwindling strength, and mood of movement with a decreased level of testosterone.

Furthermore, some of the general symptoms of lack of testosterone are:

Confusion and Short-Term Memory and Lack of Focus – You might have experienced that you entered in a room with an agenda to do something, and then you suddenly got distracted and forgot what you were about to do. The frequent occurrence of such cases signals low testosterone. Diminishing levels of testosterone hamper the ability to think and respond to stimuli. The mind wanders from the work at hand.

Reduced Endurance Levels – the Subsiding amount of testosterone do hamper the metabolism of a person and forces the body to endure much lesser as it used to before.

Reduced Productivity Levels – Lack of testosterone causes a man’s body to be less productive due to lack of energy. The desire to work hard moderately depreciates as the days pass by.

Symptoms of depression, Irritability, and Mood Swings – Testosterone also helps in stabilizing and mind, and a reduced level of testosterone always increases our anxiety levels. This switches our negative mode on, and most often, we are sluggish and curse our state of life, thus leading to depression and mood swings.

These symptoms are general and also denotes an association with other diseases. If you find one or more of these symptoms to be frequently occurring in your body, consult a doctor for better diagnosis.

It can be controlled as proper treatment, and a better lifestyle has proven to increase testosterone levels.

Medically reviewed by Rishabh Verma, RP