Overview
Low testosterone, or hypogonadism, is when the body produces too little of the main male sex hormone. It can affect energy, mood, sex drive, muscle, and bone health. It becomes more common with age but can also result from specific medical conditions, and it can often be diagnosed and managed.
Symptoms
- Reduced sex drive and fewer spontaneous erections
- Fatigue and low energy
- Low mood, irritability, or difficulty concentrating
- Loss of muscle mass and increased body fat
- Reduced facial or body hair
- Hot flushes and, over time, reduced bone strength
Causes & risk factors
- Natural decline in hormone levels with aging
- Problems with the testicles from injury, infection, or undescended testicles
- Conditions affecting the pituitary gland in the brain
- Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and chronic illnesses
- Certain medications and prior chemotherapy or radiation
- Sleep disorders such as untreated sleep apnea
Treatment & self-care
Diagnosis relies on symptoms plus blood tests, ideally measured in the morning and confirmed on more than one occasion, along with looking for an underlying cause. Management may include treating contributing conditions, lifestyle changes, and, in confirmed cases, hormone treatment supervised by a clinician with monitoring. Because therapy has risks and is not right for everyone, discuss it with a urologist or endocrinologist.
See a doctor urgently if
- You have persistent low libido, fatigue, or erectile difficulties
- Symptoms are affecting your mood, relationships, or daily function
- You have a known condition affecting the testicles or pituitary gland
- You are considering hormone therapy and want to weigh the risks and benefits