15 Signs Of Low Testosterone Levels And Symptoms

Difficulty In Getting A Firm Erection

The first symptom of low sex hormone levels should be linked to sexual health problems.

If you are facing difficulty getting a firm erection or maintaining the erection, it may be due to lower testosterone levels in the body.

Testosterone has a significant role in getting a strong erection^[2]. This hormone commands the brain receptors to produce nitric oxide, a molecule responsible for the relaxation of penile tissues.

The nitric oxide initiates multiple chemical reactions that increase the blood flow to the penis. But, due to lower testosterone levels, the ability to get an erection goes down^[3].

Night Sweat Or Hot Flashes

If you are experiencing sudden hot flashes, it could be a sign of low testosterone level.

Hot flashes are when you get a sudden warm feeling that may cause heavy sweating, night sweating, reddening of the skin, etc.

Several studies have shown that hot flashes or night sweats could be caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. But, they could also  be a sign of low testosterone levels in some men.

If you are getting such symptoms due to low testosterone levels, doctors or specialists may recommend you to undergo hormone replacement therapies^[4].

Low Energy Level

A balanced testosterone level will usually keep you well-energized. But, the effects of low testosterone levels could impact energy levels drastically.

You may experience immediate fatigue after doing a minimum of work. You might experience laziness or see abrupt changes in the energy level.

Moreover, a sense of tiredness would always persist in the body. But, reduced energy levels could not determine the low testosterone level alone.

It may require other adjacent symptoms to identify the low testosterone condition. Here are the results^[5] of an interesting survey in the US.

Reduced Sexual Activity

Testosterone might not be alone responsible for having sexual desires or sexual activities, but it’s an essential hormone for inducing these activities.

During your lifetime, when you have an average testosterone level, you may experience a healthy sexual life.

But, as the testosterone level drops, you may simultaneously experience a drop in sexual activities.

The decrease in testosterone level could be due to aging. But, if the hormone level drops drastically, it may decrease the libido.

To improve this, you could also try some of these ways to increase testosterone naturally.

Small Penis And Testicles

Testosterone is an essential hormone for the growth of the penis and testicles. But, due to the lower testosterone level, you may have a disproportionately small penis and testicles^[6].

With low testosterone level, the hormone flow significantly decreases, leading to its deficiency in the penis, scrotum, and testicles.

Hence, the reduced flow may result in shrunken tissues of the penis and testicles.

The shrinking of tissues may cause the loss of girth and length of the penis. Moreover, the scrotum and testicles may feel smaller and softer than usual.

Decreasing Muscle Mass

Testosterone could also play a significant role in building an individual’s muscle mass, so decreasing muscle mass could be a sign of low testosterone levels.

The reduction in testosterone level may initially make you feel less energetic and weak^[7], but it may also eventually lead to loss of muscle mass.

The degradation of muscles could be due to the inability of testosterone to bind to the androgen receptors.

Every muscle cell contains androgen receptors that welcome testosterone to bind. But, due to the absence of testosterone, the receptors stay vacant, leading to a lack of muscle fiber maintenance and muscle degradation.

Moreover, the low testosterone level allows estrogen to take over the receptor sites that start to increase fat concentration in the body.

To overcome all this, you might want to try easy ways to maintain a healthy diet, increase your protein intake using high protein foods, and exercise regularly.

Decreasing Bone Mass

Testosterone is widely linked to a bone condition called osteoporosis which mainly occurs in older women.

As testosterone is responsible for building and maintaining bone mass, its loss could weaken the bones.

The insufficiency of testosterone is seen in older people, but it may also occur in younger men. Due to the weak bones, the fear of fracture or tear may significantly increase.

But, the degree of weakness primarily depends on the pace of testosterone loss in males, as well as other factors concerning bone density.

Aging and vitamin D deficiency could be one of the biggest reasons for decreasing bone mass.

Since vitamin D and osteoporosis ^[8] have correlated, you should consult a medical professional and ask them how to correctly take vitamin D.

Hair Loss

Hair loss could be linked to decreasing testosterone levels in the body. As you start aging, the hair starts thinning, and ultimately, you lose plenty of it.

But, you may lose facial and body hair primarily due to the low testosterone levels.

As the testosterone level declines, the body experiences a hormonal imbalance that directly affects the hair growth cycle.

It has been observed^[9] that in case of a rapid drop in testosterone level, you may even experience sudden thinning and fall of hair in bulk.

Declining Memory

Low testosterone level could be a potential cause of declining memory in men. As you age, you may observe difficulty in recalling or remembering things.

The problem could be caused due to low testosterone levels^[10]. The cerebrum is an essential part of the brain for memory and attention.

The cerebral region consists of several testosterone receptors that help the brain function better.

But, due to the low testosterone in the blood, you will not have enough hormones to bind to those receptors and that might affect your memory.

Prompt Mood Swings

A dropping testosterone level may make you face instant mood swings. Lower testosterone may result in a lack of focus and inhibit the proper functioning of the brain.

On the other hand, due to the lower testosterone, you might experience a high cortisol level in the body.

More elevated cortisol could be responsible for increasing the irritation and causing^[11] multiple mood swings like anger, anxiety, hostility, etc.

Moreover, you may feel excessive stress due to decreasing testosterone in the blood. In some cases, lower testosterone concentration puts an individual in depression.

Infertility

If you underwent a male fertility test and found out that you have a low sperm count, then there are high chances that your testosterone may not be at adequate levels.

As a result, you might want to take professional help to improve your testosterone levels so that your sperm count returns to normal.

Additionally, you could also try consuming these herbs to improve testosterone levels.

Pot Belly

Pot Belly could be another sign of low testosterone levels. Men experience a decrease in testosterone level as they age, but if they have a higher fat percentage, the rate at which they lose testosterone could be increased.

For this reason, if you have abdominal fat, you could crush your core with abs workouts. These exercises might initiate a fat removal process.

You might want to note that only doing abs workouts will not reduce your overall body fat percentage. You could also try high-intensity exercises for quick fat loss.

Anemia

When your blood does not have sufficient red blood cells, you experience a condition called anemia.

Also, your body might have a higher number of red blood cells that are not correctly working.

As a result, their functionality of transferring oxygen throughout the body using blood circulation might not be proper.

According to this^[12] and this^[13] paper from NIH, low testosterone levels in men and women could cause anemia.

The most common symptoms of anemia would be paleness, poor appetite, and fatigue, so if you notice any of them, consult your doctor.

Absence Of Menstruation

Females also produce a minuscule quantity of androgens, including testosterone. Ovaries produce these hormones in the required amount.

If there are any issues in the balance of these hormones, females may experience an absence or a delay in the menstrual cycle.

The Disbalance of androgen could be caused by pituitary gland not being able to produce enough Luteinizing Hormone (LH).

Hence, fewer LH levels may lead to minimal testosterone production. The absence of the menstrual cycle may cause stress and mood swings. 

Delayed Puberty In Men And Women

If a teenager is experiencing a delay in developing masculine features, including muscles, physical characteristics, voice texture, and body hair, that could be a sign of reduced testosterone production.

In females, the estrogen hormone is responsible for puberty, and its lack is presented with irregular menstrual cycles.

During development, estrogen could block androgen production, which consists of testosterone in females.