Low testosterone can negatively affect your energy, mood and drive. In the hectic state of family life, rushing here and there with the kids, it might not be something at the front of your mind. That said, many men experience it and it can have many causes. Fortunately, there are many ways to restore testosterone to a healthy level. It starts with understanding what is going on and getting the right professional advice.
Below we’ll explore some of the common symptoms of low testosterone, and what lifestyle changes and potential treatments you can look into to fix this problem.
What causes low testosterone?
There are many potential causes of low testosterone. It could be genetic or it could be due to other factors such as:
- Being overweight
- Having type-2 diabetes
- Taking certain medications or drugs like opioids or steroids
- Pituitary gland problems
- Having untreated sleep apnoea
- Chronic stress (all too common an issue for men balancing family life and work)
Common signs of low testosterone
Testosterone is a hormone that impacts many functions around the body. You may be experiencing low testosterone levels if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Low sex drive: This is the most tell-tale sign of low testosterone.
- Erectile dysfunction: This could also be the result of low testosterone levels.
- Fatigue and low energy: If you’re still tired even after rest, your testosterone levels could be to blame.
- Low mood or irritability: Are you getting easily frustrated by things? Do your emotions feel flat?
- Weight gain: Low testosterone is often accompanied by weight gain – especially around the belly.
- Reduce muscle mass: You may find it difficult to gain muscle or may find you’re losing muscle.
- Poor concentration: Many men with low t-levels regularly experience ‘brain fog’.
- Reduced body hair: Are you shaving less or experiencing premature balding?
- Low confidence: Low testosterone is often accompanied by low self esteem.
Bear in mind that these symptoms could also be the result of other problems like depression, thyroid issues or lack of sleep.
Step One: Get Tested
To determine whether low testosterone is truly the culprit, you need to first get tested. A GP will be able to run blood tests and ask questions about your lifestyle and medical history to confirm whether this is the cause of your symptoms. It’s important to get tested first to make sure that it’s not another underlying issue, which may require alternative treatment.
Step Two: Consider Your Diet
A poor diet can contribute to low testosterone levels in many cases. Not only can it cause weight gain or diabetes (two root issues that can reduce testosterone levels), but it can prevent you getting the nutrients needed to produce this hormone in the first place.
Make sure that you’re eating a balanced diet that contains proteins, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals like zinc and magnesium. An increase in protein is particularly important if you’ve started working out recently – make sure to choose healthy proteins like eggs, fish, lean meats, beans, tofu or lentils.
Step Three: Exercise Your Muscles
Exercising your muscles helps trigger production of testosterone. It also helps you to shed excess weight commonly caused by low testosterone. The best form of exercise for this is resistance training – which could include lifting weights at the gym or partaking in other tasks that require a lot of lifting.
Try to target various different muscle groups to get a varied workout. This could include a mix of squats, deadlifts, presses, rows and pull-ups. Two to four strength sessions per week is all you need – if you don’t have a lot of time to work out, look into HIIT workouts.
Step Four: Try Supplements
Certain supplements could also help to boost your testosterone levels. Sites like Affordable Nutrition sell solutions like enclomiphene, which is third-party tested and lab-verified.
Avoid testosterone boosters that are not clearly labelled or that don’t seem to have much medical backing – there are unfortunately a lot of supplements that don’t live up to their claims.
Step Five: Get Plenty of Sleep
Lack of sleep is often ignored as a cause. Most testosterone release occurs during deep sleep. If you’re not regularly getting a good night’s sleep, you’re unlikely to be producing enough testosterone. Poor sleep can also increase appetite, which may contribute to weight gain and worsen the problem.
Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Keep a consistent bedtime and wake time to help you get this amount of sleep, and limit screens and bright light before bed. Try to cut back on drinking if you are a heavy drinker as alcohol can interfere with sleep cycles. If your partner says that you are snoring heavily and you are waking up light-headed, consider whether it could be worth getting diagnosed for sleep apnoea.
Step Six: Manage Chronic Stress
Stress is one of the biggest causes of low testosterone levels and one of the trickiest causes to fix. When we’re stressed, many of us find it harder to sleep and gain weight more easily. High cortisol levels also disrupt production of testosterone.
You can’t always avoid stress, but you can take steps to de-stress. Use exercise as a way of relieving stress and also try other methods of relaxation like meditation and spending time outdoors. If you’ve been very stressed at work recently, schedule a break so that you can unwind. Seeking out counselling or therapy could also be beneficial in cases where stress is affecting your mental health.
Step Seven: Know When to Consider TRT
If lifestyle changes aren’t enough, a doctor may recommend medical options like testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). This involves gels, injections or patches that can help bring testosterone into a healthy range. It’s often a lifelong treatment for people who have a genetic condition and the treatment plan needs to be carefully monitored to prevent side effects from causing harm. However, it is effective for many people.
Other treatments may potentially be available if the problem can be linked to other health issues like pituitary issues, diabetes or sleep apnoea. A doctor will help you run tests and explore which treatment options may be possible. Try to maintain healthy lifestyle changes throughout as they may still help eventually to make a difference.
