Low levels may make it harder to achieve or maintain an erection9, though other health factors can also contribute. A drop in testosterone can contribute to an increase in body fat, especially around the stomach6. A drop in levels can lead to thinning or loss of hair on the face, chest, or body over time. Low testosterone can directly affect your sex drive (libido)2. If you have low testosterone, hormone therapy may help. Your provider will likely have you get a blood test to check your testosterone level. Treatment with testosterone therapy may help reduce symptoms. Certain health conditions, medicines, or injury can lead to low testosterone (low-T). This is mostly dependent on factors such as age and underlying medical conditions. TRT can be very important for helping teenage males with hypogonadism experience typical masculine development. A good first step is increasing activity levels and maintaining a healthy diet in order to reduce body fat. With low T, you may have difficulty achieving an erection before sex or having spontaneous erections, such as during sleep. Testosterone plays a key role in your sex drive or libido. This article uses the terms "male" and "men" to maintain the specificity and accuracy of the research. It’s typically produced by the testicles in people assigned male at birth. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. We include products we think are useful for our readers. Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School. As men age, testosterone levels naturally decline - but stress, lifestyle, and certain health conditions can cause levels to drop faster than expected. But hormone replacement therapy helps improve sex drive, symptoms of depression and energy levels. It's normal for testosterone levels to decrease with age. Most testosterone levels tests involve a blood draw in a medical setting. For males who have gone through puberty, the test is mostly used for symptoms of low T levels (testosterone levels which are too low). You may need this test if you have symptoms of abnormal testosterone levels. Low testosterone means you don’t make enough of the hormone testosterone. The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. If you have questions about your results, talk to your provider. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is often the first-line treatment for low testosterone levels in women. Millions of American men use a prescription testosterone injection or gel as forms of testosterone replacement therapy (often referred to as TRT therapy) to restore normal levels of the manly hormone. Understanding albumin, SHBG, and testosterone levels can help you and your healthcare provider determine whether symptoms may be linked to high or low testosterone. (Testosterone levels under 20 ng/dL in women 50 and older are typically considered low.) It’s also important to check sex hormone binding globulin, or SHBG, because if it’s high, "any exogenous testosterone we give someone is just going to be bound up," she says. Hall scheduled an appointment with a specialist, and in 2024 started testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)—receiving regular small doses of the hormone that’s almost synonymous with male health. In addition to these, having too-high testosterone levels put you at risk for health conditions including cancer, cardiac complications, and irritability (9). A combination of age, genetics, and pre-existing medical conditions determines your testosterone levels. If you think you may have a medical emergency, immediately call your physician or dial 911. SingleCare Services, LLC is the marketer of the discount medical plan organization including its website, singlecare.com , with its corporate office located at 99 High Street, Suite 2800, Boston, MA 02110. Towers Administrators LLC is the licensed discount medical plan organization with its administrative office located at 4510 Cox Road, Suite 111, Glen Allen, VA 23060. This program does not guarantee the quality of the services or procedures offered by the providers. Having too much naturally-occurring testosterone is not a common problem among men. Testosterone levels are too carefully controlled by the brain for that to occur. But having high cholesterol doesn't mean your testosterone will be high.
