When does testosterone start to decrease in men?
Men’s testosterone levels can steadily decrease by up to 2% every year after age 30. Many men start to notice significant effects of testosterone depletion in their 30s or 40s. While there’s no doubt that low testosterone is frustrating and upsetting, there’s good news: the Primary Medicine of Sherman team can help with low testosterone replacement therapy.
What are the symptoms of low testosterone?
Low testosterone can cause several symptoms, including:
- Low libido
- Difficulty achieving erection
- Hair thinning and loss
- Chronic fatigue
- Decrease in muscle mass
- Weight gain
- Decreased bone mass
- Depression
Symptoms may be quite mild at first, but before long, low testosterone can cause problems serious enough to impact your life.
What causes low testosterone?
While it's normal to lose testosterone with age, there are also other potential causes. This may include:
- Trauma to the testicles
- Cancer-related testicle removal
- Chemotherapy or radiation treatment
- Autoimmune disease
Regardless of the reason, replacing testosterone generally takes the same path. Through testosterone therapy, you can often resolve all the unpleasant symptoms and feel young and healthy again.
How does testosterone replacement therapy work?
There are several options for testosterone replacement. To determine your current testosterone levels, Dr. Hernandez, Brittany Brown, NP, or Julie Thomison, NP, will start with a blood test.
The different types of testosterone therapy include oral pills, adhesive patches, injections, implanted pellets, and topical gels. If you have significant testosterone depletion, you’ll likely need an option that stays in your body to keep your testosterone levels consistent.
Depending on the method of testosterone replacement you choose, you may need to commit to daily use. For example, you need to apply gel or take pills every day. With implanted pellets or injections, Dr. Hernandez or a member of his team typically performs the procedure on-site at Primary Medicine of Sherman.
How long until testosterone replacement therapy takes effect?
It depends on how low your testosterone levels are. Everyone responds to testosterone replacement differently, but many men start to notice their unpleasant symptoms receding in anywhere from a few days to several weeks.
Once you’ve achieved ideal hormone balance, you’ll feel like yourself again. You can trust the Primary Medicine of Sherman team for help, so click the online scheduler or call the office nearest you to book an appointment now.
