8 Signs You Suffer From Low Testosterone

Hair Loss

If you are experiencing male pattern baldness or other balding issues, it could be genetic. If your father lost his hair early in life, you are over twice as likely to experience the same condition.

However, low testosterone can also have an effect on hair loss. If you feel you are not genetically disposed to losing your hair but are balding anyway — and if you find that you are losing body and facial hair as well — it could be a sign of low testosterone.

Fatigue

Do you find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning or that you need a nap later in the day? Some men with low testosterone notice an overwhelming sense of fatigue.

Fatigue can occur during certain parts of the day or linger throughout the day and present as sluggishness, lack of motivation, or just an urge to go back to bed even if you got plenty of sleep the night before.

Loss of Muscle Mass

Do you find you spend more time in the gym and are getting fewer results? One telltale sign of low testosterone is loss of muscle mass.

Prior to actually noticing a physical reduction in muscle, you may experience muscle weakness or find that you just don’t have the stamina you’re used to when you work our or perform strenuous activities.

Increased Body Fat

When testosterone lags, estrogen often picks up the slack in the hormone department. When estrogen increases, men not only lose lean muscle mass, but they’re also likely to gain fat — especially in the belly and chest areas. Some men will even experience gynecomastia, or enlarged breast tissue.

Though an increase in exercise and a change in diet can help, you may find it difficult to lose all the fat through these changes alone if the cause is low testosterone.

Low Sex Drive

Are you feeling less than amorous in the bedroom? A lowered sex drive is a classic sign of decreased testosterone. Amount of sex drive varies widely from person to person and there are a number of factors other than low testosterone that can have an effect on it.

If you’re feeling particularly stressed at work, for example, or going through relationship problems, it’s natural to experience some reduced sexual urges. If not much else has changed in your life and you still feel your sex drive isn’t what it used to be, however, it could be a sign of low T.

Changes in Mood

Have you been accused of moodiness lately? If so, it could be a sign of low T. Testosterone plays a key role in regulating moods and those who have a sharp drop in the hormone can experience what’s known as “andropause” — or male menopause. Symptoms include increased irritability, inability to cope with stress, mood swings, and, in some cases, bouts of depression.

Sleep Disturbances

Considering that fatigue and loss of energy are a few symptoms of low T, many men wish for nothing more than a good night’s sleep to help them feel refreshed again. Unfortunately, if your testosterone levels have plummeted, you may also find it difficult to get the restful sleep you need.

Since testosterone helps regulate sleep cycles, those suffering from low T can experience insomnia, sleep apnea, waking in the middle of the night, or a decrease in the deep REM sleep our bodies need to rejuvenate.

Erectile Dysfunction

Whether or not your sex drive has suffered due to your low testosterone levels, you may find that you are unable to get or maintain an erection as you’ve done in the past. While many men feel this is just a sign of aging, it can affect men still in the prime of their sex lives — especially if they have low T. Testosterone stimulates receptors in the brain to produce a molecule called nitric oxide which is a key component of an erection. When testosterone levels drop, erections can become much more difficult to attain.

If you experience any of the above signs, you may be suffering from low testosterone. It’s worth a conversation with your doctor to see if you should get your hormone levels checked and see if low-T therapy may be right for you.