Common signs
- Lower sex drive, and erectile difficulties such as fewer morning erections
- Persistent fatigue and low energy
- Losing muscle and strength despite training
- More body fat, particularly around the middle
- Low mood, irritability or trouble concentrating
- Less body and facial hair and, over the long term, lower bone density
None of these is specific to low testosterone. Poor sleep and sleep apnea, thyroid problems, depression, alcohol, some medications and excess weight can all cause the same symptoms. That is why symptoms alone are not enough to diagnose it.
How low testosterone is diagnosed
With blood work done properly:
- In the morning. Testosterone is highest early in the day and falls through the afternoon, so the test is drawn in the morning.
- More than once. One low result is not a diagnosis. The American Urological Association uses a total testosterone below 300 ng/dL on two separate morning tests, together with symptoms.
- With a wider panel. Other markers help explain why testosterone is low and set a baseline before anything changes.
When it is worth getting tested
If several of the signs above have lasted for months, it is reasonable to check. It is also worth a proper evaluation before starting testosterone from an online service, and if you have a condition linked with low testosterone, such as type 2 diabetes or obesity.
What to know before starting TRT
- Fertility. Testosterone therapy lowers sperm production and can cause infertility. If you want children in the next few years, say so at the start, because it changes the approach.
- Monitoring. Treatment comes with ongoing lab work, including testosterone levels, red blood cell counts, which can rise, and PSA.
- It is usually long term. If treatment stops, symptoms generally return.
- It is not a cure-all. If something else is causing your symptoms, testosterone will not fix it. That is what the evaluation is for.
Talk it through with us
Every plan at Elite Medical Aesthetics starts with a consultation. Read more about Men's Hormone Health, or use the form below and we will call you back.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Whether a treatment is right for you depends on your own health history and an evaluation with a licensed provider.