Many men suffer from symptoms related to low testosterone levels without realizing. Many times, the wrong tests are ordered and men have been told that their testosterone level is fine when actually they have low testosterone levels. This happens because it is important to test not only for the testosterone level, but also for the level of testosterone that it usable or “bioavailable” to the body.
Men with low testosterone can have symptoms ranging from anxiety, depression, weight gain, poor motivation, decreased libido, and a lost sense of well-being. Low levels can make it difficult to enjoy a high quality of life, but also significantly increase the risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and even death. Many men suffer needlessly because their testosterone levels have never been checked. If you are a male with any of the symptoms listed below, you may be a candidate for naturopathic medicine testosterone replacement therapy.
In fact, research has shown that average testosterone levels in men have dropped 1.2% per year or about 17% overall in two decades. This is most probably a result of the increased levels of environmental toxins, pesticides, plastics, and xenoestrogens in the environment.
Low Testosterone Effects
- Anxiety or nervousness
- Backache, joint pains or stiffness
- Depression, low sense of well-being
- Decreased intensity of orgasms
- Decreased effectiveness of workouts
- Erection problems during sex
- Fatigue, tiredness, feeling of low energy
- Feeling of being over-stressed
- Irritability, bad temper, anger
- Heavy drinking, past or present
- Loss of concentration, or memory
- Loss of drive and ambition
- Loss of physical fitness
- Loss of morning erections
- Loss of sex drive or libido
- Relationship problems with partner
- Stiffness and pain in muscles or joints
Benefits of Testosterone Replacement
- Decreased aging of the heart and circulation
- Decreased anger, irritability, sadness
- Decrease brain aging
- Decrease risk of heart attack an stroke
- Decrease risk of diabetes risk
- Decrease body fat
- Decreased risk of Alzheimer’s and dementia
- Decreased risk of prostate cancer
- Decreased osteoporosis
- Decreased symptoms of depression
- Increased circulation of blood to the brain
- Increase in lean body muscle
- Increase in muscle strength
- Increased circulation of blood to the brain
- Increase in lean body muscle
- Improved energy levels.
- Improvement in mood and well-being
- Improved intelligence and memory
- Improvement in libido/sexual performance
- Improved quality of sleep
Research on Testosterone Replacement
1. Bringing testosterone from low normal to high normal lowers the risk for heart disease by 60%.
A. Elisabeth Hak, Jacqueline C. M. Witteman, Frank H. de Jong, Mirjam I. Geerlings, Albert Hofman, Huibert A. P. Pols, Low Levels of Endogenous Androgens Increase the Risk of Atherosclerosis in Elderly Men: The Rotterdam Study, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 87, Issue 8, 1 August 2002, Pages 3632–3639, https://doi.org/10.1210/jcem.87.8.8762
2. Low testosterone linked to long-term risk of death in relatively healthy adult men. This study is another major report linking testosterone deficiency in relatively healthy men with increased death from all causes over time.
BMJ-British Medical Journal. “Low testosterone linked to heightened risk of early death.” ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019212921.htm (accessed March 18, 2022). https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/10/101019212921.htm
3. Two-year study of the effects of low dose testosterone on men’s libido. 82% of men noticed improvement compared to less than 10% in the control group.
Cunningham, G. R., Stephens-Shields, A. J., Rosen, R. C., Wang, C., Bhasin, S., Matsumoto, A. M., Parsons, J. K., Gill, T. M., Molitch, M. E., Farrar, J. T., Cella, D., Barrett-Connor, E., Cauley, J. A., Cifelli, D., Crandall, J. P., Ensrud, K. E., Gallagher, L., Zeldow, B., Lewis, C. E., Pahor, M., … Snyder, P. J. (2016). Testosterone Treatment and Sexual Function in Older Men With Low Testosterone Levels. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 101(8), 3096–3104. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2016-1645
4. In one of the largest studies of its kind, this study shows a decline in American men’s testosterone levels during the last 20 years. The decrease is not related to normal aging or to health and lifestyle factors known to influence testosterone levels. Testosterone concentrations dropped about 1.2% per year from 1987 to 2004, or about 17% overall. The downward trend was seen in both individuals and the entire population over time.
Travison TG, Araujo AB, O’Donnell AB, Kupelian V, McKinlay JB. A population-level decline in serum testosterone levels in American men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Jan;92(1):196-202. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-1375. Epub 2006 Oct 24. PMID: 17062768. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17062768/
5. Dihydrotestoerone reduces prostate size.
Carson C 3rd, Rittmaster R. The role of dihydrotestosterone in benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology. 2003 Apr;61(4 Suppl 1):2-7. doi: 10.1016/s0090-4295(03)00045-1. PMID: 12657354. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12657354/
6. Testosterone Improves Sexual Function, Mood, Muscle Strength and Body Composition Parameters in Hypogonadal Men. Subjects did not exercise, yet their lean body mass and fat mass improved. Improvement was correlated with serum level of testosterone obtained. Study showed that these benefits were not, however, obtained with testosterone patches (which are too weak for most patients).
7. Testosterone supplementation increases working memory in men.
Janowsky J et al., “Sex Steroids Modify Working Memory.” Journal of Cognitive NeuroscienceVolume 12Issue 3May 2000 pp 407–414 https://doi.org/10.1162/089892900562228
8. Testosterone Prevents Mental Decline in Aging Males. This study provides a longitudinal assessment of serum free testosterone concentration which was able to predict memory performance and cognitive status in elderly men.
Moffat SD, Zonderman AB, Metter EJ, Blackman MR, Harman SM, Resnick SM. Longitudinal assessment of serum free testosterone concentration predicts memory performance and cognitive status in elderly men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002 Nov;87(11):5001-7. doi: 10.1210/jc.2002-020419. PMID: 12414864. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12414864/
9. Testosterone replacement reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s Disease by preventing the production of beta amyloid precursor proteins.
Gouras GK, Xu H, Gross RS, Greenfield JP, Hai B, Wang R, Greengard P. Testosterone reduces neuronal secretion of Alzheimer’s beta-amyloid peptides. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2000 Feb 1;97(3):1202-5. doi: 10.1073/pnas.97.3.1202. PMID: 10655508; PMCID: PMC15568. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10655508/
10. Testosterone levels correlate with improved cognitive function. Testosterone replacement provides the levels of testosterone needed for this improved function.
Anne M. Kenny, Sandra Bellantonio, Cynthia A. Gruman, Ruben D. Acosta, Karen M. Prestwood, Effects of Transdermal Testosterone on Cognitive Function and Health Perception in Older Men With Low Bioavailable Testosterone Levels, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 57, Issue 5, 1 May 2002, Pages M321–M325, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/57.5.M321
11. Testosterone replacement is more effective than antidepressants for depression.
Androl 1992 Jul-Aug;13(4):297-304Anne M. Kenny, Sandra Bellantonio, Cynthia A. Gruman, Ruben D. Acosta, Karen M. Prestwood, Effects of Transdermal Testosterone on Cognitive Function and Health Perception in Older Men With Low Bioavailable Testosterone Levels, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 57, Issue 5, 1 May 2002, Pages M321–M325, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/57.5.M321
12. Low testosterone levels is associated with fatigue. Using testosterone replacement increases one’s sense of well being. Many patients were also able to stop using antidepressants after testosterone replacement.
Margolese HC. The male menopause and mood: testosterone decline and depression in the aging male–is there a link? J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol. 2000 Summer;13(2):93-101. doi: 10.1177/089198870001300208. PMID: 10912731. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10912731/
13. The lower one’s active testosterone level, the higher the risk for heart attack.
Rosano GM, Leonardo F, Pagnotta P, Pelliccia F, Panina G, Cerquetani E, della Monica PL, Bonfigli B, Volpe M, Chierchia SL. Acute anti-ischemic effect of testosterone in men with coronary artery disease. Circulation. 1999 Apr 6;99(13):1666-70. doi: 10.1161/01.cir.99.13.1666. Erratum in: Circulation 2000 Feb 8;101(5):584. PMID: 10190874. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10190874/
14. Men with heart disease have significantly lower total testosterone, free testosterone and bioavailable testosterone. Men with coronary artery disease also have lower levels of androgens than men with normal coronary angiograms. “Short-term administration of testosterone induced beneficial effect on exercise induced blood flow to the hearts of men with coronary artery disease.” In addition to dilatating coronary arteries, testosterone with exercise was shown to improve short term depression.
This effect may be related to a direct coronary-relaxing effect.”
English KM, Mandour O, Steeds RP, Diver MJ, Jones TH, Channer KS. Men with coronary artery disease have lower levels of androgens than men with normal coronary angiograms. Eur Heart J. 2000 Jun;21(11):890-4. doi: 10.1053/euhj.1999.1873. PMID: 10806012. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10806012/
15. This study shows the relationship between testosterone and heart disease. Low testosterone increases the risk of heart disease, while more optimal levels decrease the risk of heart disease.
Ashwell M, Hsieh SD. Six reasons why the waist-to-height ratio is a rapid and effective global indicator for health risks of obesity and how its use could simplify the international public health message on obesity. International journal of food sciences and nutrition. 2005 Jan 1;56(5):303-7. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09637480500195066
16. This reports a study of dihydrotestosterone and testosterone levels in men screened for prostate cancer. Low testosterone levels increased the risk of prostate cancer. Testosterone replacement is expected to reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
Gustafsson O, Norming U, Gustafsson S, Eneroth P, Aström G, Nyman CR. Dihydrotestosterone and testosterone levels in men screened for prostate cancer: a study of a randomized population. Br J Urol. 1996 Mar;77(3):433-40. doi: 10.1046/j.1464-410x.1996.89120.x. PMID: 8814852. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8814852/
17. DHT is lower in prostate cancer patients and in patients with more advanced tumors. PSA and DHT have an inverse relationship (that is to say the higher one’s DHT, the lower one’s PSA).
18. Testosterone replacement is better than exercise to reduce body fat, gain lean muscle and improve strength and effects of testosterone are improved with exercise (Synergistic effect)
Bhasin S, Woodhouse L, Storer TW. Proof of the effect of testosterone on skeletal muscle. J Endocrinol. 2001 Jul;170(1):27-38. doi: 10.1677/joe.0.1700027. PMID: 11431134. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11431134/
19. The Dark Side of Testosterone Deficiency: Type 2 Diabetes & Insulin Resistance. This study demostrates that deficiency izdeposits, increased inflammatory cytokines, promoting endothelia dysfunction and cardiovascular disease.
Lampiao, F. and Du Plessis, S.S., 2008. Insulin and leptin enhance human sperm motility, acrosome reaction and nitric oxide production. Asian journal of andrology, 10(5), pp.799-807. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1745-7262.2008.00421.x
20. Low levels of testosterone play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes. Elevated insulin decreases testosterone levels resulting in a vicious cycle of worsening insulin resistance and reduced testosterone levels. Testosterone replacement breaks this cycle. It reduces the risk of diabetes and decreases insulin resistance.
Saad F. The role of testosterone in type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in men. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metabol. 2009 Nov;53(8):901-7. doi: 10.1590/s0004-27302009000800002. PMID: 20126841. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20126841/
21. Dihydrotestoterone with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) kills prostate cancer cells.
Andrews P, Krygier S, Djakiew D. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) modulates the ability of NSAIDs to induce apoptosis of prostate cancer cells. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2002 Mar;49(3):179-86. doi: 10.1007/s00280-001-0384-4. Epub 2002 Jan 24. PMID: 11935209. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11935209/
22. Using HCG to boost testosterone levels results in significant improvement in prostate enlargement and symptoms.
Madhusoodanan, V., Patel, P., Lima, T., Gondokusumo, J., Lo, E., Thirumavalavan, N., Lipshultz, L. I., & Ramasamy, R. (2019). Human Chorionic Gonadotropin monotherapy for the treatment of hypogonadal symptoms in men with total testosterone > 300 ng/dL. International braz j urol : official journal of the Brazilian Society of Urology, 45(5), 1008–1012. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1677-5538.IBJU.2019.0132
23. Testosterone replacement decreases fat and increases lean muscle.
Mouser JG, Loprinzi PD, Loenneke JP. The association between physiologic testosterone levels, lean mass, and fat mass in a nationally representative sample of men in the United States. Steroids. 2016 Nov;115:62-66. doi: 10.1016/j.steroids.2016.08.009. Epub 2016 Aug 17. PMID: 27543675. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27543675/
24. Testosterone replacement speeds healing and results in shortens hospital stays.
Hackett GI. Testosterone Replacement Therapy and Mortality in Older Men. Drug Saf. 2016 Feb;39(2):117-30. doi: 10.1007/s40264-015-0348-y. PMID: 26482385. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26482385/
25. Pesticides reduce testosterone production in men.
Anne M. Kenny, Sandra Bellantonio, Cynthia A. Gruman, Ruben D. Acosta, Karen M. Prestwood, Effects of Transdermal Testosterone on Cognitive Function and Health Perception in Older Men With Low Bioavailable Testosterone Levels, The Journals of Gerontology: Series A, Volume 57, Issue 5, 1 May 2002, Pages M321–M325, https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/57.5.M321
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