The testosterone hormone is a steroid hormone that is essentially present in all mammals and other vertebrates. The secretion of the hormone though is different in different mammals. Testosterone is present in both, males and females but testosterone in males is produced in 10 times more than that in females.
Testosterone plays a major role in the physiological, biological and sexual health of males. It is the hormone that makes them essentially male and that is why low testosterone in men is a time for the warning bells to ring out. This condition is also known as Hypogonadism.
Causes of Low Testosterone in Men
Low testosterone or hypogonadism can come about due to several reasons. These are some of the causes of low testosterone:
- Sometimes during the first or second year of a male child’s birth, the testes fail to travel from the abdomen into the scrotum thereby becoming damaged and cannot produce normal amounts of testosterone.
- If there is any external or internal injury to the scrotum and hence the testes, then it results in low testosterone in men.
- Aging is one of the most common factors that leads to depleting levels of testosterone in men.
- If a man suffers from Klinefelter’s Syndrome (Instead of an X and Y chromosome, he has an extra X chromosome which leads to abnormal production of testosterone among other things.) it can lead to low levels of testosterone.
- Mumps in males can lead to inflammation of the testes which can damage the normal production of testosterone.
- Chemotherapy or radiation given for testicular cancer.
- Tumor in the pituitary gland.
- Any other brain disorders.
- Other external factors like substance abuse, drug abuse, alcoholism, smoking, and other illnesses like burning.
Treatment of Low Testosterone in Men
The only way on how to treat low testosterone in men using external methods is to use the Testosterone Replacement Therapy, which comes in the form of skin patches, gels, oral medications, injections, Testosterone Buccal System (a tablet that releases testosterone into the body over a period of 12 hours).
Before undergoing the testosterone therapy, speak to your physician.
The other option of increasing testosterone naturally is to correct one’s lifestyle – eating right, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol, and avoiding smoking.
Low testosterone in men can come about due to varied reasons and disorders and leave in its wake a lot of damage. That is why it is necessary to prevent it by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. And if one is diagnosed with it, then make sure to speak to your physician about it and learn of ways on how to increase testosterone. It is definitely not something that should be avoided.
