Men urged to watch out for warning signs of 'silent' body change many 'overlook'

A doc has highlighted the signs and symptoms of a hormonal wellness information that galore men whitethorn not realise they have, contempt it being communal among millions worldwide. Dr Bhavini Shah, a wide practitioner astatine LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, says debased testosterone tin beryllium easy overlooked arsenic it often mimics different wellness conditions.

Testosterone levels emergence during puberty, aiding boys successful gathering musculus spot and processing assemblage hair. It's besides indispensable for sperm production. However, aft reaching 30, men typically acquisition a earthy diminution successful testosterone levels. The grade of this alteration tin alteration from 1 antheral to another.

Some men support higher testosterone levels compared to their peers, portion others whitethorn person little levels. Generally, older men thin to person reduced testosterone levels.

Research suggests that around 2-5% of men globally whitethorn acquisition testosterone deficiency, with estimates showing one successful four men implicit 40 person debased testosterone. It's challenging to find the nonstop fig affected, arsenic definitions of 'low' testosterone tin differ, reports Surrey Live.

Not everyone with debased testosterone volition grounds wide symptoms of deficiency, meaning it tin easy get overlooked. The Mayo Clinic besides says that a batch of individuals are unaware that they person debased testosterone levels due to the fact that regular investigating isn't communal and the symptoms tin often beryllium rather vague. The session adds that a humor trial tin measurement testosterone levels, but tests aren't routinely performed.

The (female) menopause

Dr Shah explains: "Menopause affects women and radical who menstruate, occurring erstwhile a abrupt driblet successful hormone levels causes menstrual periods to stop. It usually affects women betwixt 45 and 55 but tin hap earlier."

"There are implicit 30 recognised symptoms of menopause. Those impacting intelligence wellness tin see anxiety, temper swings, and trouble concentrating. Hot flushes, trouble sleeping, and changes successful assemblage signifier are communal carnal symptoms. For women, symptoms of menopause tin past for months oregon years, and immoderate symptoms, specified arsenic associated pain, tin proceed aft your periods person stopped."

Low testosterone explained

However, Dr Shah notes that immoderate symptoms of menopause overlap with those of debased testosterone successful men. When immoderate men scope their 40s oregon 50s, they whitethorn acquisition intelligence and carnal symptoms specified arsenic depression, nonaccomplishment of enactment drive, and erectile dysfunction.

She clarifies: "Unlike menopause, which happens suddenly, men acquisition a dependable diminution successful testosterone. From astir the property of 30 to 40, men's testosterone levels trim by astir 1% each year. This is wherefore the NHS discourages the usage of the word 'male menopause', arsenic it falsely suggests symptoms are the effect of a abrupt driblet successful testosterone successful mediate property – erstwhile this is untrue."

An NHS connection connected its website clarified the misconceptions astir 'male menopause,' saying: "The 'male menopause' (sometimes called the andropause) is an unhelpful word sometimes utilized successful the media. This statement is misleading due to the fact that it suggests the symptoms are the effect of a abrupt driblet successful testosterone successful mediate age, akin to what occurs successful the pistillate menopause. This is not true."

LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor conducted a survey which highlighted a important deficiency of nationalist cognition astir 'male menopause' oregon debased testosterone symptoms among UK adults. They discovered that though 95% were acquainted with 'menopause', conscionable nether fractional (49%) were alert of 'male menopause' and akin terms.

Additionally, portion a important bulk (84%) could specify menopause, little than fractional had the aforesaid knowing of antheral menopause. Awareness of menopausal symptoms was precocious astatine 92%, but lone 40% could place symptoms related to 'male menopause'.

Common signs of debased testosterone

Dr Shah noted that debased testosterone doesn't needfully pb to conspicuous symptoms. Nevertheless, assorted signs tin suggest debased testosterone levels, including:

• Mood swings and irritability

• Symptoms of depression

• Loss of musculus wide and reduced quality to exercise

• Fat redistribution, specified arsenic processing a ample belly oregon 'man boobs' (gynaecomastia)

• A wide deficiency of enthusiasm oregon energy

• Difficulty sleeping (insomnia) oregon accrued tiredness

• Poor attraction and short-term memory

• Loss of enactment drive

• Erectile dysfunction

• Decreased beard and assemblage hairsbreadth growth

Sometimes, individuals acquisition unexpected waves of warmth passim their body, which tin pb to sweating oregon a flushed appearance. You mightiness besides brushwood nighttime sweats, wherever the perspiration is much intense, and during these moments, you whitethorn consciousness chilly alternatively of warm.

These symptoms tin disrupt regular beingness and wide happiness, making it indispensable to place the basal origin and find imaginable solutions to code it. If you're disquieted you person signs of testosterone deficiency, talk to your doctor.

The NHS says assorted manner factors oregon intelligence problems tin beryllium liable for galore of these symptoms. Erectile dysfunction, debased enactment thrust and temper swings tin sometimes beryllium the effect of stress, slump oregon anxiety. Other imaginable causes of the 'male menopause' include:

• Lack of sleep
• A mediocre diet
• Lack of exercise
• Drinking excessively overmuch alcohol
• Smoking
• Low self-esteem
• Cancer treatment
• Injury to your testicles
• Certain medicines, specified arsenic immoderate painkillers and antidepressants
• Genetic conditions, specified arsenic Klinefelter syndrome

In definite situations, erstwhile manner choices oregon intelligence issues don't look to beryllium the cause, the signs of 'male menopause' could stem from hypogonadism, a information successful which the testes nutrient small to nary hormones.

Treating and managing debased testosterone

Your doc whitethorn initially urge immoderate manner adjustments to assistance alleviate your symptoms. This could impact boosting your carnal activity, adopting a nutritious diet, managing stress, ensuring you get plentifulness of sleep, and cutting backmost connected intoxicant oregon smoking.

If these modifications don't bring alleviation and humor tests bespeak debased testosterone levels, your doc mightiness notation you to a hormone specialist, besides known arsenic an endocrinologist. Dr Shah says that if your ain assemblage does not marque capable testosterone and you person symptoms, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) whitethorn beryllium recommended.

"This tin travel successful the signifier of injections oregon topical gels," she added. It's important to person a treatment with your specializer to find if testosterone replacement therapy is close for you. NHS information shows an expanding request for TRT, with prescriptions rising by 22% successful 2023. In 2024, the NHS spent implicit £13.5 cardinal connected Testosterone.

She further explained: "It's worthy noting that TRT isn't conscionable prescribed to men experiencing symptoms of debased testosterone, it tin besides beryllium recommended arsenic a attraction for women who person a debased enactment thrust during menopause, and trans men arsenic portion of their transition. Like astir medications, TRT carries immoderate risks."

"Side effects whitethorn see accrued appetite, value gain, acne, excessive sweating, and temper changes. Taking testosterone tin besides thicken your blood, and whitethorn summation your hazard of bosom attack, changeable and humor clots. It tin besides origin an enlarged prostate oregon different prostate disorders."

"TRT tin besides impact sperm accumulation which could interaction your fertility. If you are considering having children successful the future, you should sermon this with your endocrinologist earlier starting treatment."

Risks with non-prescription testosterone

Dr Shah besides warns against taking testosterone unless it has been prescribed by a doc owed to the associated risks with TRT. Anabolic steroids oregon testosterone boosters are manufactured drugs that mimic the effects of testosterone.

"There is simply a inclination among gym-goers for taking this addictive, synthetic signifier of testosterone, believing they tin summation musculus wide and alteration fat," she cautioned. "But taking anabolic steroids carries superior wellness risks."

"It is amerciable to merchantability testosterone without a medicine successful the UK - and for bully reason. The perchance life-threatening risks associated with taking testosterone mean it should lone beryllium prescribed by a doc aft cautious consideration. Regular monitoring including humor investigating is required to surface for adverse broadside effects."