Low testosterone facts, depending on who you ask you can get a host of varying answers. The reason for the confusion is many medical experts have relied on theory rather than delving into solid information, but fortunately, the low testosterone facts are not hard to find if you’re willing to take a look. More importantly, once we understand the low testosterone facts, we can then treat it and avoid this often debilitating condition. Let’s take a look at the low testosterone facts, determine fact from fiction and leave you with nothing but the truth.
How many men suffer from low testosterone?
This can be a difficult question to answer as there are several varying opinions. Recent studies have shown 1 in 4 men over the age of 30 suffer from low testosterone, which would mean millions upon millions of men suffer in the U.S. alone. However, some physicians state that lower testosterone levels are simply a part of age, and when age is taken into account what’s low for one man is not low for another.
The Truth: When it comes to the low testosterone facts, the truth is simple to understand. In order to maintain the benefits of the testosterone hormone, your age does not play a role. Testosterone plays a role on our physical, sexual and even mental wellbeing, and to maintain the benefits it requires a set amount. When we age our levels naturally decline, but regardless of age, if our levels go too low we will lose those benefits. If you suffer from any of the common low level symptoms, and millions upon millions of men do, it’s time to have your levels checked. Your symptoms could be due to another factor, but the odds are strong they’re due to low testosterone and there’s no reason to live that way.
Is Testosterone Dangerous?
Many physicians will let their patient suffer from low testosterone due to a fear of the primary male hormone. This is due to testosterone officially being an anabolic steroid; in fact, it is the primary anabolic steroid. While we naturally make testosterone, and essentially so, many physicians are petrified of it, they see the use of exogenous testosterone as not worth the risk. Many doctors believe the use of exogenous testosterone will increase the risk of heart attack, prostate cancer, stroke and even alter the individual’s personality. However, if this is a hormone we naturally make can those fears be true?
The Truth: Testosterone is a hormone we all make, and when we take testosterone exogenously (provided outside the body) the human body knows no difference. The human body cannot distinguish between naturally produced testosterone and testosterone provided exogenously. There is no difference in the hormones structure, its molecular makeup or how it functions in the body regardless of where it came from, the testicles or from a bottle. More importantly, the low testosterone facts show that suffering from low testosterone is far more dangerous than the use of testosterone could ever be.
Men who suffer from low testosterone are far more likely to develop Alzheimer’s Disease. This has been proven by numerous studies; in fact, according to the National Institute of Health its been proven that for every 50% increase in free testosterone, this will decrease the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by 26%. One of the more ground-breaking studies was done in 2010, where 53 men over the age of 55 were studied. None of the men suffered from any dementia. 1 year later 47 were found to suffer from some form of dementia, 10 developed Alzheimer’s and all of the 47 had low testosterone.
Men who suffer from low testosterone are more likely to have diabetes. The low testosterone facts are simple, low levels of the primary male hormone will decrease the individual’s metabolic rate and increase his body fat. Excess body fat is a good way to lead to Type 2 diabetes, especially when we take into account abdominal fat.
Other important low testosterone facts in this category also include increasing the risk of heart disease and even prostate cancer. It’s often been said that prostate cancer is associated with the use of testosterone, but this too has been proven false. In fact, thanks to Dr. Abraham Morgantaler, we now know that men with low testosterone are far more likely to develop prostate cancer. In the U.S. 1 in 7 men develop prostate cancer. However, in men who are on TRT less than 1% develop prostate cancer. From the New England Journal of Medicine “there appears to be no compelling evidence at present to suggest that men with higher testosterone levels are at greater risk of prostate cancer or that treating men who have hypogonadism (low testosterone) with exogenous androgens increases the risk. (2004)
Important Low Testosterone Facts – Effects
- Men with low testosterone will lose muscle mass. Our lean muscle tissue is supported by testosterone, and when our levels fall so does our lean muscle tissue.
- Men with low testosterone will lose strength. Our strength is largely supported by testosterone, and when our levels fall so does our strength.
- Men with low testosterone will have less energy. Testosterone is imperative to the body’s ability to recover and repair. When levels are low, there isn’t an adequate amount of the hormone to repair the body, the body has to work harder to repair and rejuvenate and this can leave the individual feeling tired and lethargic.
- Low testosterone can severely damage your sex life. Many men suffer from erectile dysfunction and/or a decreased libido. Often, compounds like Viagra or Cialis are prescribed and the erectile dysfunction goes away, but this does nothing for the individual’s desire for sex. In most all cases, such sexually related issues are due to low testosterone and optimizing levels will remedy the problems almost every single time. When it comes to the low testosterone facts, this is one many physicians often ignore as they have not separated the two issues, erectile dysfunction and libido.
False Low Testosterone Facts:
- Men with low testosterone are prone to rage an aggression: When it comes to the low testosterone facts, this one is absolutely false. There is no evidence or data to support this claim; in fact, men with low testosterone are generally more irritable. Nearly all low testosterone studies have shown optimizing testosterone levels improves the individual’s disposition.
- Testosterone will make you lose your hair. If you have optimal or low testosterone or even high testosterone, hair loss is determined by genetics. If your testosterone levels are pushed too high and you are predisposed to male pattern baldness, you may lose your hair faster, but you were going to lose it anyway. If you are not predisposed to male pattern baldness, you will not lose any hair regardless of the amount of testosterone you’re using. For the low testosterone patient, he should lose hair at the same rate on therapy as he would without therapy. However, some studies have indicated that low levels may speed up the rate of loss if they are ignored.
- Testosterone use will cause permanent infertility: The use of exogenous testosterone can cause a man to lose fertility; however, it is by no means a guarantee. Many men have no difficulty fathering children while on testosterone therapy. Further, by adding in the natural hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG), fertility is not only protected, it is dramatically improved. The use of HCG will work in all men who suffer from secondary hypogonadism, but for those who suffer from primary hypogonadism it will not work, but such men are normally infertile to begin with.