Hormone imbalances are a serious health condition that has to be addressed at the earliest opportunity. If, for example, you have low levels of the hormone testosterone in your body, you will encounter various problems if it is not dealt with right away. You can suffer from impaired physical, sexual, mental, and reproductive functions, and live a low quality of life.
Facts on Testosterone
Testosterone is a type of hormone that is naturally produced by the human body. In men, it is produced by the testicles, and exists in great amounts, while in women, it is produced by the ovaries and adrenal glands, and is found in smaller amounts.
If you are a man, testosterone is behind some of the most important processes and functions that your body carries out throughout your lifetime for optimal health.
Below are examples of the roles of testosterone in a man’s sexual health:
Development of the male genitalia
During the fetal stage, testosterone facilitates the growth and development of the penis and the testicles. And, during puberty, it promotes the increase in size of the male genitals too.
Sex drive
Testosterone aids in keeping a man’s sex drive high. The more testosterone there is in your body, the more fun and pleasurable times you can experience in the bedroom.
Sperm production
The quality of the sperm is integral in one’s fertility. If your testosterone levels are right, you should not have any problems producing enough amounts of sperm that have excellent structure and motility for fertilizing eggs for reproduction.
In addition to these, testosterone helps in a man’s physical and mental development, including:
Growth of body hair
Once you hit puberty, your testosterone makes sure that you grow facial hair, pubic hair, and other body hair.
Deepening of the voice
Young boys who enter puberty will also develop deeper voices, thanks to testosterone.
Bone and muscle strength
In order to grow bones and muscles that are strong and healthy, testosterone is necessary.
Distribution of body fat
Testosterone helps manage the distribution of fat in the body to prevent the risk of obesity, high cholesterol, and other health problems.
Better mood and mental health
Many studies have found that men with low testosterone levels displayed increased occurrences of anger, depression, anxiety, stress, irritability, and other negative behavior.
Normal Testosterone Levels
Keeping your testosterone levels within the ideal or normal range is important because there are many health issues that can arise once your testosterone levels dip.
To find out how much testosterone there is in your body, you should go to a clinic and take a testosterone level test. With just your blood sample, the medical facility can get a reading of your body’s testosterone levels, and help you figure out what to do if you have low testosterone.
Normal testosterone levels vary in men and women per age group. Check out the data below to know whether your testosterone level test results are considered normal or not:
Men
- Puberty stage (around 10 years old to 14 years old): <7 – 1,200 nanograms per deciliter
- 15 years old to 16 years old: 100 to 1,200 nanograms per deciliter
- 17 years old to 25 years old: 300 to 1,200 nanograms per deciliter
- 25 years old to 29 years old: 257 to 1,081 nanograms per deciliter
- 30 years old to 49 years old: 201 to 993 nanograms per deciliter
- 50 years old to 59 years old: 170 to 918 nanograms per deciliter
Women
- Puberty stage (around 10 to 14 years old): <7 to 75 nanograms per deciliter
- 15 years old to 18 years old: 20 to 75 nanograms per deciliter
- 19 years old and above: 8 to 60 nanograms per deciliter
An adult male has to have testosterone levels that are between 270 nanograms per deciliter and 1,070 nanograms per deciliter, and an adult female between 15 nanograms per deciliter and 70 nanograms per deciliter to be classified as having normal testosterone. If your testosterone level test result returns a lower number, it means you have low testosterone.
Causes of Low Testosterone
There are several things that can cause decreased testosterone levels in the body. Some of the most common ones are:
- Injury to the testicles
- Pituitary tumors and other types of tumors that impair hormone production
- Infection of the testicles
- Liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases
- Intake of certain drugs and prescription medications
- Aging
Treatment for Low Testosterone
What should you do to fix your low testosterone levels? For positive results, it is best to consult your doctor to know what possible treatment options there are available for your testosterone problem.
Testosterone supplements
These are also sometimes called testosterone boosters. They come in different forms, and they can increase your testosterone levels shortly after intake or application.
- Injections – These are used to directly inject testosterone into the bloodstream.
- Skin patches – These are applied on the skin to allow testosterone to be absorbed by the body.
- Gels – These are rubbed on the skin to introduce more testosterone into the body.
- Tablets – These are taken orally to add more testosterone to the body through the gums.
Testosterone foods
These are a natural way of increasing the testosterone in the body. Some good examples are:
- Beets – These contain high amounts of boron, which is a mineral that can raise free testosterone levels in the body.
- Broccoli – This is a very nutritious vegetable that contains indole-3-carbinol, which is a substance that gets rid of the estrogen called estradiol, resulting to an enhancement in testosterone production.
- Garlic – This is rich in allicin, which is a substance that decreased your body’s cortisol production, resulting to increased testosterone levels.
- Olive oil – This is loaded with healthy fats and can aid in boosting your body’s testosterone levels.
Lifestyle change
To solve your low testosterone problem, you should start living a healthy life by quitting drugs, smoking, and excessive alcohol drinking. You should also strive to be more physically active by exercising regularly and finding ways to better manage your stress and mental health.
