Low Testosterone in Men

Testosterone plays many roles in maintaining both physical and mental health by increasing energy, preventing fatigue, maintaining normal sex drive and increasing strength of structural tissues in males. Levels of this hormone commonly decline in a man's 40s, potentially causing health problems.

Heart Disease

• A risk of developing heart disease is linked to men with low testosterone. A cascade of metabolic changes ensue when testosterone levels decline such as increasing body weight, cholesterol, and insulin resistance, all of which are known factors for cardiovascular disease. Another important factor is that the heart is a muscle; testosterone is essential for building and maintaining muscle mass throughout the body.

Osteoporosis

• Testosterone deficiency proves to be the most common cause of osteoporosis in men. Bone mass is in part dependent on the hormone estrogen. Men convert testosterone to estrogen, so a deficiency in one causes a deficiency in the other, leading to reduced bone mass. An estimated 2 million men have osteoporosis, and bone fractures occur in up to a quarter of males over 50; bone injury can be especially devastating and cause long term disabilities, and the elderly are prone to complications.

Depression

• Studies show that hypogonadal men (those with low testosterone levels) were diagnosed with depression more often than those with normal hormone levels. The connection is believed to be the effect of testosterone on the bioavailibility of the neurotransmitters noradrenaline and serotonin in the brain. Another reason for a depressive disorder may be the fact that these men are more fatigued, have smaller and leaner muscles, and lower libidos than when they were younger, reminding them that they are aging.