The problem is that symptoms vary from one man to the next, making it hard to know exactly whether you have low T or not.
But don’t worry – you can use this checklist to assess your symptoms and fix the issue with our list of fixes and cures.
Low testosterone is a concern for many men.
From the age of thirty, your hormone levels can begin to drop by around 1-2% per year. And if you don’t catch it, you’ll end up with hypogonadism – clinically low testosterone levels.
It’s important that you identify the symptoms quickly so you can put a cure in place. Because not only does low T decrease physical performance, it also has a drastic effect on your health too.
In this article we give you our expert low testosterone symptom checklist. And tell you exactly how you can cure this disorder for good…
During your late teens and throughout your twenties you were the epitome of a confident, healthy man.
Your physique was lean, strong and muscular, and your energy levels were off the chart; both at the gym and in the bedroom.
Self-assurance and assertiveness oozed from every pore and the drive and motivation you had to succeed was unrivaled.
But as you hit your thirties, things started to change.
You began to lose that get up and go you were well known for, and your lean frame soon became weaker. Belly fat started to develop and the vigor and energy you relied on started to disappear.
Normal, health T levels for a man should fall between 300-1,000 ng.dL.
It’s such a wide range as it takes into account all ages, lifestyles and backgrounds (both genetic and environmental).
But as soon as your hormone concentrations toward that 300 ng.dL benchmark, the problems begin.
Some called it the male menopause, others call it the andropause. Clinically though, low T is referred to as hypogonadism.
According to the HIM study, as many as 40% of men aged 45 or over suffer from symptoms of low testosterone [1].
Low T can actually be caused by different mechanisms:
Low T isn’t just about losing a few seconds from your 100 yard dash or a few pounds off your max bench press.
It has a drastic effect on your health.
There are a wide and diverse number of symptoms related to low testosterone. Some you may already suffer with, and others you may not.
You should use these as warning signs.
The more of these symptoms you have, the more at risk you are of severe low T side effects. The cause of low testosterone can be varied – and so can the specific symptoms you may suffer.
Low energy
Mood disturbance
Changes to body composition
Reproductive health
Reduced sex characteristics
Co-morbidity
You are more likely to have low T if you suffer from heart disease, obesity, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or diabetes
To diagnose low T, you’ll need to get a blood test from your health practitioner.
The test is usually performed early in the morning as your T levels fluctuate naturally throughout the day. It’s just a way of standardizing the results.
Blood is taken from a vein in your arm.
It’s fairly quick and painless, and definitely worth it if you ticked a few symptoms from the checklist and you think you’re at risk of low T levels.
Your results usually take a few days to come back.
The good news is that low T isn’t so much to do with age as it is lifestyle.
In fact, one important research paper showed that it wasn’t aging as such that lowered hormone levels in men, but health status – obesity, smoking, drinking alcohol and a lack of exercise [2].
And that’s a good thing.
Because with some small modifications you’ll be able to put the brakes on low T and reclaim the physical and psychological attributes that made you a lean, strong and confident man all those years ago.
The link between obesity and low T is very strong.
Studies show that as body mass from excess fat goes up, T levels go down [3].
Fat cells moderate both testosterone and estrogen (yes, men have this hormone too). If body fat levels go up, so does an enzyme called aromatase – the precursor to estrogen production.
And higher female hormone levels destroy testosterone.
A healthy diet is the key to all aspects of wellness and longevity – and that’s the same for hormonal health too.
What you might not know though is that some nutrients actually stimulate the production of testosterone and can fight back at both primary and secondary hypogonadism.
Eggs and salmon are high in vitamin D3 – a potent T boosting vitamin that also helps with muscle loss and heart health. Getting around 3,000-5,000 IU per day has been shown to boost testosterone levels in both athletes and overweight adults [4].
Foods that are rich in zinc have also been shown to cure low T. So focusing your attention on beef, shrimp, oysters and pumpkin seeds is a must.
Finally, dairy foods provide you with D-aspartic acid.
This amino acid and building block of protein is one of the best T boosting nutrients out there, and has lead to significant increases in testosterone, seminal count and improved sperm motility [5].
You can also get these important nutrients in a testosterone boosting supplement such as TestoFuel. It’s packed with premium-grade ingredients and provides an important cure for low testosterone.
Being fit and active is a great way to lose weight and build fitness.
Strength training is the number one way to optimize hormone levels and build slabs of muscle that elevate both your health and confidence.
Strength training supports your body’s anabolic processes such as protein synthesis and growth hormone production.
Men that lift weights regularly show protein synthesis rates that are 55% higher than men that don’t [6].
Aim for full body workouts that use moderate to heavy weights for 6-15 reps. Keep rest times to 1-2 minutes and focus on bigger lifts such as deadlifts, squats, presses and pulls.
Having low testosterone puts you at risk of developing a number of metabolic, vascular and cognitive illnesses. It’s correlated with weight gain and muscle loss and has a drastic effect on your libido and energy levels.
There are a number of symptoms you need to look out for if you think your hormone levels might be on the decrease. These range from reduced strength, stamina and energy levels, to hair loss and reduced sex drive.
Because low T is an issue related to lifestyle, you can put measures in place to fix it. The cure involves testosterone boosting nutrients and a healthy, active lifestyle.