Top 10 Common Symptoms & Signs of Low Testosterone, According To Science

Testosterone deficiency is a very common problem in men though many men remain unaware of the issue and how serious the effects can be. 

It’s also worth noting that women can be testosterone deficient too, though the problem tends to be milder for women and it’s much less common. 

If you want to know if you might have a testosterone deficiency, check out the most common symptoms and signs. 

Testosterone affects the whole body and the impact of low testosterone (Low T) can be varied and you may experience some or all of these symptoms: 

Reduced Libido

This is true in both men and women, testosterone drives libido and an unusually high libido can be a sign of too much testosterone and a low libido is a huge warning signal for a lack of the hormone. 

Of course, it’s worth remembering that libido fluctuates on a day-to-day basis and a day of low desire does not equal a problem, either. 

Erectile Dysfunction

A major warning sign for men with low T is erectile dysfunction as the hormone doesn’t just drive libido, it also drives our capability to deliver on our libido’s promise.

One early symptom of ensuing erectile dysfunction is the loss of the “morning glory”, this is a natural reaction to having a full bladder while we sleep and the disappearance of morning erections is usually hormone related. 

Loss Of Body Hair

Testosterone stimulates hair growth all over the body and if we don’t have enough, we start to lose that hair.

It is worth noting, however, that male pattern baldness is often a sign of an excess of testosterone and not low T. 

Less Beard Growth

Facial hair is body hair and it suffers a similar fate, low T men often notice that their once bushy beard starts to develop hairless patches and no longer has the same lustre and density as before. 

Loss Of Lean Muscle Mass

This is a big deal, if there’s one predictor of future health it’s strength, that’s why we promote strength training wherever we can. 

But you can’t build muscle without testosterone and the loss of lean muscle is often related to a lack of the hormone. 

Constant Fatigue

If you have no energy and you’re constantly tired, then you may lack testosterone. 

As your muscle mass decreases, it’s harder to access stored energy in the body, you burn fewer calories and lethargy and fatigue are the end result. 

Obesity

No surprises, if you’re burning fewer calories due to low T, you’ll be storing more of the calories you consume around your body as fat. 

Over time, this can lead to obesity and yes, being treated for low T and losing some weight, can help to reverse many of the problems on this list. 

Depression

When your body’s not feeling 100%, it should come as no surprise that your mental health suffers too, after all, your mind is connected to your body, right? 

Many Low T sufferers report symptoms of depression from mild to severe. 

Poor Focus

While mental toughness training can help you build focus, you’re going to find that Low T erodes that focus as fast as you can build it. 

Your mind won’t stay still if your body isn’t healthy and providing the support that it needs. 

Not Doing Well At Work

And unsurprisingly, when you’re out of shape, depressed and lacking focus, your work suffers and you underperform. 

The good news is that you can fix these problems by getting a diagnosis and treatment for Low T.

How To Find Out If You Have Low T

The easiest way to find out if you have Low T is to make an appointment with your physician, they will arrange for you to have a physical examination and some blood tests.

Blood needs to be drawn more than once at different times to determine your average testosterone level in your blood as it varies across the course of the day. 

Potential Treatments For Low T

Low T is usually treated by addressing the underlying causes, you can find out more about this in our article on “what is testosterone”, but, for example, it might involve weight loss for obesity or treating your poor sleep patterns.

If this doesn’t work, they may also treat you with chemicals that help the body produce its own testosterone or by offering hormone replacement therapy. 

You can also try the best natural testosterone boost supplements which are a natural way of influencing the body to produce more testosterone.

Final Thoughts

Low testosterone can cause serious problems for sufferers but the good news is that it is completely treatable and these problems can be resolved.

If you think you might have Low T, the first thing to do is talk to your physician who can make sure and help you find the right treatment for your condition.