Testosterone deficiency is a condition whereby the testes is not able to produce enough testosterone, resulting in low testosterone levels in the body.
Testosterone deficiency is caused by a variety of reasons such as:
Ageing
Obesity
Metabolic syndromes such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar, unhealthy levels of cholesterol and belly fat
Medications such as antidepressants and narcotic pain medications
Low sex drive
Fatigue or tiredness
Reduced muscle mass
Changes in mood such as irritability or depression
Erectile dysfunction
Singaporeans with the following might have a higher risk of testosterone deficiency:
To diagnose testosterone deficiency, a doctor will perform a physical examination and review the symptoms you are experiencing.
It involves taking note of sexual development such as pubic hair, muscle mass and the size of the testes. A blood test may be required to test for testosterone levels.
If low testosterone or any abnormalities are found, the doctor might require you to get further testing for an accurate diagnosis of the problem such as:
Hormone testing
Semen analysis
Pituitary imaging
Genetic studies
Testicular biopsy
Depending on your age, there are different treatment options available to improve testosterone deficiency.
For adult men, the standard treatment is testosterone therapy (TT).
The goal of TT is to return testosterone levels to normal. This can be done through injections or medications. You will see improvements such as increased sexual desire, energy, facial and body hair and muscle mass and bone density.
In the case of older men, low testosterone levels are considered normal due to age and testosterone replacement might show little improvement.
