Mister, do you feel that recently, you are having fewer spontaneous erections, making it more difficult for you to get or maintain one, along with a lower sex drive? Do you also feel tired, fatigued, and depressed more often than before? For all you know, your testosterone levels might be low! Although the only way to tell whether you have low T or not is a blood test (anything lower than 300ng/dl is considered low). Here are eight warning signs that you should look out for, which might help you decide whether you need to get your testosterone levels checked or not!
- Erection problems: This is one of the most obvious signs of low testosterone. Low T makes it challenging to get and maintain an erection. This is because your T hormones stimulate the penile tissues to produce nitric oxide, which leads to a chain of reactions, ultimately leading to an erection. So, if the hormone levels are too low, you may not be able to get an erection.
- Low sex drive: Like erection issues, this is also one of the quickest ways to get an idea that your testosterone levels might be low. Along with low sexual appetite, men may even masturbate less and have fewer erotic dreams or fantasies. This is because the part of your brain that is involved with sexual desire is packed with testosterone receptors. Thus, with low T, turning on naturally becomes a problem.
- Reduction in size of testicles: If your testosterone levels hit a low, then you might notice a reduction in the size of your testicles. You also might find your scrotum to be feeling softer.
- Difficulty sleeping: Are you recently facing difficulties in sleeping, including not getting a sound nights’ sleep? Well, the culprit could be your low testosterone. As per studies, men with low T had lower sleep efficiencies along with nocturnal awakenings. It can even cause sleep apnea, which is a severe sleep disorder causing a person to stop breathing temporarily! This can disrupt your sleep, making you feel tired, fatigued, and irritable.
- Reduces bone mass: Testosterone plays a vital role in producing and maintaining bone tissues and bone volume. Once your testosterone levels fall, your bone breaks down faster than the body can rebuild it. This often leads to porous bones, making them more susceptible to fractures and breakage.
- Weight gain: Weight gain in men can be one of the symptoms of low testosterone. This is because testosterone plays an important role in metabolism. As per studies, men who took medication to severely lower testosterone levels to treat prostate cancer ended up gaining weight rapidly along with increased body fat. Also, looking at it the other way, studies have linked increased levels of testosterone to weight loss. For example, in a German observational study which was published in 2013, it was found that men who took testosterone supplements for five years, not only lost an average weight of 36 pounds but could also reduce their waist size by around 3.5 inches!
- Memory loss issues: Low testosterone has now been linked to memory loss. As you age, your testosterone levels naturally dip. This low T now seems to be the root cause of loss of memory in some men, as per recent studies. This is because the receptors of testosterone are located in the brain’s memory centers. With not enough T-hormone, your brain cells might not be able to function well. As per a study, it was found that testosterone deprived men could grasp new information but could not process or store it as compared to men with normal testosterone levels.
- Muscles shrink: Testosterone also plays an important role in the development of your muscle mass. While a reasonable amount of testosterone helps put your body in an anabolic or muscle building state, low amounts of it put the body in a catabolic state. In this state, instead of building muscles, the body starts breaking down the muscle tissues. Thus low T for a few weeks can lead to a loss in muscle mass.
Medically reviewed by Rishabh Verma, RP
