Testosterone deficiency is one of the most common hormone-related problems faced by men today. But while most of the signs and symptoms it manifests are familiar enough to identify, some aren’t so well-known. So if you think your T’s are below their optimal level but aren’t too sure the symptoms you’re going through indeed point to it, here are nine to check out:
Less Competitiveness
Testosterone plays a significant role in a male’s aggression and competitive behavior. For example, various studies have suggested that single men who have never had a relationship before have lower testosterone levels than their more experienced counterparts. This difference may be since men who had been in a relationship before are somewhat in a more competitive state than those who are still single. In any case, these studies show that testosterone levels in men vary depending on the number of competitive activities (i.e., courtship, sports, etc.) present around them: the more opportunities for you to be more competitive and aggressive, the more testosterone your body produces.
Chest Pain
Angina pectoris is chest pain usually caused by lack of blood flow to the heart; it’s usually a precursor to coronary artery disease, a common type of cardiovascular illness. But while angina is generally associated with heart-related disorders, it’s also a subtle sign that indicates low testosterone levels. Low T’s are tied with an increased risk of having coronary artery disease, with some researchers claiming that testosterone is a natural vasodilator that helps repair coronary arteries in the body. In short, low amounts of the male sex hormone decreases your body’s ability to heal its cardiovascular facilities, leading to chest pain at best and heart diseases at worst.
Unrisky Behavior
Men whose testosterone is spiking through the roof tend to behave riskier and more foolhardy. Take extramarital sex for instance. Men oozing with androgen hormones are more likely to have an affair than their meeker, low-testosterone-having counterparts. This may be due to the higher reproductive urges, as well as the men’s enhanced competitiveness, brought about by the hormone. Men with higher testosterone levels also tend to make riskier decisions in business and finances. In fact, a paper from the National Center for Biotechnology Information discusses how up to 57% of the males taking up MBA courses in the U.S. choose risky careers in finance.
High Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a fat-like substance found in your bloodstream that helps your body produce healthy cells. However, too much of it can cause plaques to form in your artery walls, reducing blood flow and causing severe cardiovascular problems. Furthermore, a 2013 study showed that your testosterone levels could affect the amount of cholesterol your body has, with the scientists claiming that decreased T’s can lead to lower amounts of HDL cholesterol (the good one), which you need to get rid of the LDL cholesterol (the bad one).
Romantic Feelings
Falling in love has a strange effect on human testosterone levels in that it increases for females while it decreases for males. According to research, these changes manifest themselves during the first years of a couple’s relationship when differences in behavior between the sexes are temporarily minimal, and would gradually tone down after time passes and the honeymoon phase of their relationship ends. Men who have lower androgen hormone levels are also noted for being more devoted and faithful in a relationship than those with spiking testosterone amounts. This indicates that commitments such as marriage can cause your testosterone levels to wane, although it hasn’t been appropriately proven yet.
Osteoporosis
Weakening a person’s skeletal system and causing bones to break, osteoporosis poses a significant threat to countless men and women worldwide. One of its known causes is hypogonadism or abnormally low testosterone levels. This doesn’t mean that you will contract osteoporosis at some point in your life, though! Although testosterone levels in males do tend to decrease as they age, it doesn’t necessarily cause the disease; for that to happen to you, your T levels must drop dramatically and suddenly. In any case, medications and therapies such as the Erectile Dysfunction Treatment of KC Medical can help boost your testosterone and decrease your chances of having osteoporosis, although long-term benefits of doing this have yet to be determined.
Improved Parenthood
Becoming a father can lower your testosterone levels somewhat, suggesting that decreased amounts of the male hormone correlate with the level of paternal care men give their offsprings. Aside from exhibiting a nurturing behavior and displaying compassionate emotions, the parenting styles of men with low T’s are also distinguishable from those with more androgen hormones in that they can better empathize with their children, improving offspring survival as well as increasing the parent’s reproductive fitness.
Cognitive Dysfunction
Cognitive abilities, like testosterone levels, decline as men get older, although hard evidence is yet to be produced regarding the two’s relationship. However, a paper observed that prostate cancer patients undergoing chemical castration suffered from cognitive dysfunction due to their currently decreased androgen hormone levels. This observation was also seen on Alzheimer patients as well as on people with mild cognitive impairments. Through further research, the thesis concluded that low testosterone levels could reduce your cognitive skills, and substituting the male hormone with something better can improve it significantly.
Being Unfair
Sexual hormones can affect your ability to be partial or impartial, too! Recently, an experiment was conducted to see how people would behave if they were to give out or receive a certain amount of money. Both fair and unfair money offers can be made by the givers, while the receivers can choose whether or not to accept them; if no agreement is reached, neither party gets the cash. The study shows that men with artificially enhanced androgen hormone levels are more amicable and objective than those using placebos, indicating that lower T’s in men makes them act more unfairly towards others.
The Takeaway Testosterone plays an essential role in your overall health. It helps men produce sperm and red blood cells, it affects bone and muscle mass, and it helps men store fat among others. Thus, it’s crucial that you maintain an optimal T level― and watch out for any signs of the symptoms above whenever you can!
Author’s Bio:
Hodge Racter knows a lot about testosterone replacement therapy, having undergone the procedure himself.
