There are, however, sources from which people with low testosterone can boost their levels.Low testosterone is becoming more and more common.
Females also produce testosterone, usually in smaller amounts.It is a type of androgen produced primarily by the testicles in cells called the Leydig cells.In men, testosterone is thought to regulate a number of functions alongside sperm production.
These include:sex drivebone massfat distributionmuscle size and strengthred blood cell productionWithout adequate amounts of testosterone, men become infertile.
This is because testosterone assists the development of mature sperm.Despite being a male sex hormone, testosterone also contributes to sex drive, bone density, and muscle strength in women.
Once produced, the hormone moves through the blood to carry out its various important functions.TESTOSTERONE IMBALANCESHigh or low levels of testosterone can lead to dysfunction in the parts of the body normally regulated by the hormone.When a man has low testosterone or hypogonadism, he may experience:reduced sex driveerectile dysfunctionlow sperm countenlarged or swollen breast tissueOver time, these symptoms may develop in the following ways:loss of body hairloss of muscle bulkloss of strengthincreased body fatChronic, or ongoing, low testosterone may lead to osteoporosis, mood swings, reduced energy, and testicular shrinkage.Causes can include:testicular injury, such as castrationinfection of the testiclesmedications, such as opiate analgesicsdisorders that affect the hormones, such as pituitary tumors or high prolactin levelschronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, kidney and liver disease, obesity, and HIV/AIDSgenetic diseases, such as Klinefelter syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome, hemochromatosis, Kallman syndrome, and myotonic dystrophyToo much testosterone, on the other hand, can lead to the triggering of puberty before the age of 9 years.
This condition would mainly affect younger men and is much rarer.In women, however, high testosterone levels can lead to male pattern baldness, a deep voice, and menstrual irregularities, as well as:growth and swelling of the clitorischanges in body shapereduction in breast sizeoily skinacnefacial hair growth around the body, lips, and chinRecent studies have also linked high testosterone levels in women to the risk of uterine fibroids.Testosterone imbalances can be detected with a blood test and treated accordingly.TESTOSTERONE LEVELS AND AGINGTestosterone levels naturally decrease as a man ages.The effects of gradually lowering testosterone levels as men age have received increasing attention in recent years.