Early Signs of Low T Most Men Overlook

Testosterone (T) is an androgen, a type of hormone that endows you with many of the qualities you associate with your manhood. That includes your muscles, your erections, and your body hair.

But as you age — or if you undergo any kind of extreme stress or health condition — your T levels can plummet. And when they do, many of the qualities you associate with your physical and emotional health take a nosedive, too.

The longer you neglect your T levels, the more symptoms you’re liable to develop. In fact, age-related drops in T are sometimes referred to as “andropause,” which is the male equivalent of menopause.

Charles Ripp, MD, Fran Gorman, DNP, and our medical experts at Gorman Medical, PC offer hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to get your T levels back to normal or even optimize them. You can restore and maintain your T with hormone replacement therapy at our offices in Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek, Colorado.

What are the earliest signs of low T that you might be missing? Read on to find out if low T’s behind your low-level complaints.

Low T is easy to miss

As with many health conditions, low T (aka hypogonadism) can come on so slowly that you don’t even notice it’s happening. Your T is low when your testicles don’t produce enough of that important androgen.

You may have even investigated whether your T was low before, and maybe your provider told you that you were in the “normal” range. But normal may not be normal for you. It isn’t normal, if you have symptoms that degrade your quality of life.

Your gym sessions aren’t productive

You may notice that it takes more effort than it used to when you hit the gym or the track. Maybe you can’t bench press like you used to. Or your reps with resistance training or your times when running or cycling have flagged.

A key sign that your T’s low is poor performance at the gym. This may be due to the fact that your body’s having trouble building (and even maintaining) your muscle mass. You need testosterone to build muscle. And you need muscle for strength and endurance.

Another sign that you suffer from hypogonadism is the appearance of a frustrating roll of fat around your abdomen. Low T and low muscle mass combine to slow down your metabolism. That means you can’t burn fat as efficiently. Even if you don’t change your diet, you start to accumulate fat, particularly around your middle.

The bedroom’s not so hot, either

Poor performance in the romantic department is a big warning sign that your body struggles without enough T to power your libido or your erections. Before you hit puberty, you probably weren’t that interested in sex. And, as your T drops back down again, that same disinterest may creep back.

You could suddenly lose interest in your longtime romantic partner. And you don’t have fantasies about anyone else, either.

Or, your libido may be strong enough to initiate a romantic encounter, but you can’t follow through. Either you lose your erection or you can’t orgasm. Or the orgasms feel weak or disappointing. You need T to attain and maintain your erections and achieve strong orgasms. 

You just don’t feel ‘right’

Maybe you’re having trouble remembering daily tasks. Or you just have a persistent feeling of dread, sadness, or anxiousness. Maybe nothing seems worth doing anymore. You may have a sense of hopelessness or impending doom.

Conversely, you’re in a heightened state of irritation. Everyone and everything irritates you, and you may even have angry explosions.

Low T affects how well your brain works. You may have trouble with focus, memory, and emotional regulation.

You’re tired but can’t sleep

In addition to a dampened mood and low libido, you may feel like you have to struggle just to get through your regular routines. You may have a general sense of fatigue or tiredness that has nothing to do with your level of activity.

To make matters worse, when you hit the sack, you don’t get any relief or refreshment. In fact, you may toss and turn all night, wake up frequently, or wake up too early. Low T can also cause nocturia, a type of urinary incontinence that makes you wake up multiple times a night to pee.

You don’t have to take it

Once upon a time, men and women had to accept dwindling hormone levels and diminished capacities that go hand-in-hand with that down-shift. But those days are over. Hormone replacement therapy gets your T levels back to what’s normal for you.

Would you like to reverse the low T trend and the symptoms that go along with it? Call our nearest office or use the online form to book an appointment today for a low T evaluation and HRT.