Testosterone
Testosterone is a male steroid hormone, plays a vital role in puberty and fertility. It affects the sexual desire of men. Not just sexual desire, but it affects several other factors in the body as well. Testosterone hormone is found in both men and women, affects the body fat, muscle mass, bone density, red blood cell, and mood of men.
Testosterone, the hormone responsible, makes a man different from women. The hormone is responsible for the development of the external genitalia in men. Men have a higher level of testosterone than women in their bodies. It also affects the physical strength and body hair growth of men. The levels of testosterone constantly change according to the need of the body. Between 300 to 1000 ng/dl testosterone levels considered normal. If the testosterone level goes under the minimum level, several health problems occur.
Importance of Testosterone
Testosterone does a lot more than just promoting sex desire in men. It is also called a sex hormone. This hormone is responsible for bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, and producing sperm. Testosterone is responsible for building male sexual characteristics. It is testosterone that makes the men stronger, bigger, and faster than women. Testosterone is also responsible for the production of sperm. Without sperm, a man can never make a woman pregnant and be a father. In other words, we can say that testosterone is the main power source of men.
Symptoms of Low Testosterone Level
The levels of testosterone constantly change in the body of men. The production of testosterone decreases as men age to the older adult. In most men, the production of testosterone starts to decrease at the age of 30. And as the men get older with time, the production of testosterone decreased, the normal life cycle of testosterone in men’s bodies. However, sometimes the testosterone level decreases due to a medical condition in men. According to a study, 40 percent of men have abnormally low levels of testosterone. When the testosterone level decreases abnormally, these symptoms can be noticed;
- Body and facial hair loss
- Low sex drive
- Decreased muscle mass
- Erectile dysfunction
- Growth of breast in men
- Low sperm count
- Depression
- Obesity
- Fatigue
- Poor energy level
How to Increase Testosterone
There are two ways of increasing testosterone levels. First is by changing the lifestyle and diet, and second is a medical treatment. Several foods help in increasing the levels of testosterone in the body. There are some exercises too that can help in treating decreased levels of testosterone. There are several medical treatments also available like testosterone boosters and testosterone replacement therapy. It depends on the situation of a particular case that which method should be the right choice.
Lifestyle and Diet Changes that Helps Increasing Testosterone Levels
There are several diet and lifestyle changes that can be very useful in increasing testosterone levels. If the testosterone levels are not too low, these methods can be very helpful.
- Maintain Weight
- Sleep 8 hours daily
- Drink coffee two times a day
- Take vitamin D supplements
- Exercise daily
- Add nuts and beans in your diet
- Eat zinc
Boosters and Medications
There are a lot of different boosters and supplements available in the market that claims to be testosterone boosters. Some herbal supplements are also available in the market. Some of these products are very effective, like Testogen. However, if the situation is very serious, then these boosters might not work. In such serious situations, one has to go for some other medical treatments like Testosterone Replacement Therapy.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)
Medical science has progressed so much that nothing is impossible today. With the help of advanced medical science, lower testosterone levels can be fixed with the help of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). This therapy is used to treat people with abnormal levels of testosterone. But just as this therapy has its benefits, it also has some side effects as well. Sometimes the side effects of this therapy can be life-threatening, so it is highly recommended that one should not go for this therapy without consulting with the doctor.
Types of Testosterone Therapy
Testosterone therapy can be done in four ways. There are four different options available in medical science to complete this therapy. Different methods are used in different cases. The four different methods to complete this therapy are;
- Skin patch: There is a patch called Androderm. Androderm is worn on the arm or the upper body of the patient once a day. It increases the production of testosterone in the body.
- Gels: Testosterone therapy can also be done by applying the gel on the body. There are two gels’ Androgel’ and ‘Testim’ used in this therapy. The patients have to apply these gels once a day. Application of the gel helps testosterone directly absorbed in the body. There is one more gel named ‘Natesto’ applied inside the nose by the patient once a day.
- Mouth Patch: Mouth patches are also used to perform this therapy. A mouth patch named ‘Striant’ is applied to the upper gums in the mouth of the patient twice a day. This patch continuously releases testosterone.
- Injections: Testosterone can also be injected directly into the body. This method of Testosterone Replacement Therapy is the most effective but also the most costly.
Benefits of Testosterone Therapy
The benefits of testosterone therapy are different for every other man. It is impossible to predict what effect it will make on a certain person. However, there are some common benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy that can be seen in almost every person;
- High energy level
- Increased sex drive
- Better erections
- Better muscle mass
Side Effects of Testosterone Therapy
There are many side effects of testosterone replacement therapy. Some of the side effects are not so serious. The most common side effects of this therapy are itching, rashes, and irritation at the site where the therapy is applied. These problems disappear with time. But this therapy also has some major side effects. These side effects can be fatal sometimes. Some of the serious side effects of this therapy are as follows;
- Liver problem
- Heart attack/Heart Problem
- Blood clots
- Prostate tumors
- Sleep Apnea
Conclusion
There is no doubt that testosterone is the most important hormone of the human body. Testosterone level decreases and increases according to the body’s requirement. It is completely normal. The testosterone levels of men decrease with age. But sometimes the levels of testosterone can be abnormally low, often happens due to some medical conditions like ‘Hypogonadism.’ The treatment for low testosterone is available. Apart from testosterone replacement therapy, many other methods can help in increasing the testosterone level. Because the side effects of Testosterone Replacement Therapy can be fatal, sometimes, increasing testosterone levels naturally should always be the wiser choice. By making small changes in lifestyle and diet, testosterone levels can be increased easily. However, in some cases, it becomes mandatory to get therapy. Getting therapy without a doctor’s advice can be life-threatening. Therefore, this therapy should always be done after the doctor’s advice.