TestoFuel Blog : Make Gains & Pack on the Muscle
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen family and is produced in the testes. It is responsible for providing men with masculine characteristics such as hair growth and voice deepening, as well as muscle mass, bone health and improved body composition.
T production increases dramatically during the onset of puberty – as a means of triggering male traits, and starts to decrease after approximately age 30. After that, levels start to slowly dip at a rate of around 1 percent per year there onward.
A decrease in testosterone is a natural result of aging, and to a degree something that you should expect, but some men suffer from low T much earlier than that – drastically affecting their health and well being.
So what are the symptoms of low T and can you naturally increase your hormone levels?
In this article you will learn:
Testosterone helps maintain a number of important bodily functions via two categories of effects:
Production of this hormone increases dramatically during the onset of puberty and starts to decrease after approximately age 30. For each year after that, levels in men starts to slowly dip at a rate of around 1 percent per year.
A decrease in testosterone level is a natural result of aging, however if you’re levels drop too low, too early, you may suffer from a number of health related side effects leading to early andropause.
Normal T levels should fall between 300-1000ng/dL with low testosterone, often referred to as ‘low T’ or ‘hypogonadism’, defined as a total level of 300mg/dL or below.
Statistics from the HIM Study (Hypogonadism in Males) [1] suggest that almost 40% of men aged 45 or over suffer from hypogonadism. Unlike the female menopause, which is an inevitable process, not all men suffer from the effects of low T as they age.
But what are the symptoms of decreased T levels? Read on to find out…
There are a number of reasons why your T levels might have decreased. These causes can be split into either primary or secondary mechanisms.
Primary hypogonadism is caused by a problem in the testes. It typically means that you are not producing enough male hormones even though your testes are receiving messages from the brain to do so.
Causes of primary low T might include undescended testicles, liver or kidney diseases, surgical complications and genetic or autoimmune illnesses such as Addison’s disease or Klinefelter syndrome.
Secondary hypogonadism is where the testes do not receive messages from the brain to produce enough hormones – these areas of the brain are called the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.
Causes of secondary low T include inflammatory diseases, pituitary disorders or tumors, rapid weight loss and infections. Obesity can also be a cause of this type of hypogonadism.
Even though the mechanisms behind each of these causes are different, what remains similar are the symptoms – read on to find out how low T may affect you…
Key Point: Low T is caused by either primary mechanisms that affect the testes, or secondary mechanisms that affect the brain.
Hypogonadism is characterized by low serum testosterone levels. According to work published in the International Journal of Clinical Practice [1], low T causes a constellation of signs and symptoms that may include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, decreased volume of ejaculate, loss of body and facial hair, weakness, decreased bone density, decreased lean body mass, increased body fat, fatigue and anemia.
Many of these symptoms co-exist. Here is a breakdown of the most common ones:
As male hormone levels decrease the incidence of depression increases. For example in a study conducted on hypogonadal men [2], 21.7% were diagnosed with depressive illness in comparison to 7.1% of men with consistently normal T levels. You may also find that your mood is up and down and that you may also feel anxious at times.
Commonly, men with low T suffer from a range of sexual health side effects. These can include erectile dysfunction, low or absent sex drive, decreased volume of ejaculate, less rigid erections and infertility [3]. Additionally, you may even notice reduced growth of your penis and testicles. Essentially there is a regression in sex characteristics.
With reduced T you can expect changes in body composition – with a loss of muscle mass and a drop in metabolism it is common to add fat mass, particularly around the middle – often referred to as ‘central fat’. As T levels decrease, your bone health will reduce, as well as your energy – you may begin to develop abnormal, breast-like tissue – referred to as gynecomastia, and you may even begin to lose your hair.
There are a number of illnesses that are associated with low androgen levels – these include an increased frequency of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular as well as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [4].
It is common to experience a loss of concentration and memory as T levels decrease. Lower androgen levels have been associated with the prevalence of mild cognitive impairments as well as Alzheimer’s disease [5].
You may notice that your motor skills – coordination, balance and so on – affect your ability to complete complex tasks, so you may notice that your skill levels in the gym suffer.
Key Point: Low testosterone symptoms include negative effects on your mental, sexual, physical and cognitive health.
Testosterone is a hormone produced in the testes and is responsible for providing men with masculine characteristics. It promotes increases in muscle mass, strength and bone health, whilst maintaining a favorable body composition. T Levels naturally increase with the onset of puberty, but begin to decrease slowly from around the age of 30 – although not all men will feel the negative effects of ‘low T’.
Just like women go through the menopause, some men will suffer from hypogonadism, which is a condition where your T levels decrease to a point where your health can be effected.
Low T can have a negative impact on a man’s physical, sexual and cognitive health with a range of symptoms occurring as levels decrease – these include:
Luckily for you, low T is a curable condition, and with modifications to your diet and lifestyle you could be back on the path to a full recovery.
When it comes to improving testosterone effectively you need to go for ingredients that are not only proven to work, but are safe.
As a gold standard supplement, TestoFuel contains ingredients that have been shown to work time and time again. Including active ingredients such as oyster extract and magnesium this is the best product you can choose to improve your low T symptoms.
By using TestoFuel you’ll have the ability to support:
TestoFuel is ideal for improving your performance both in and out of the gym, and helping you attain that all-important muscular physique.
