Men’s Health

You may think hormone issues only relate to women but thats not true! Hormone problems can occur in men too.

Your male hormone levels can be affected by several medical conditions. In addition, even if you are healthy you may suffer from a fall in testosterone levels as you get older. If this fall is very marked it can lead to a condition which is sometimes described as “male menopause” or “andropause”.

A low testosterone can reduce your sex drive and affect your erections. It can also reduce your muscle bulk and strength and increased your body fat. It can cause you to have fatigue and mood swings. Reduced testosterone can also cause you to have high fat levels in your blood and it can lower your bone strength.

If you think you may have a low testosterone level you should discuss your symptoms with your doctor. You may be sent for some blood tests to check whether you have a hormone problem. Your doctor will most likely check the male hormone (testosterone) and pituitary hormones (LH, FSH & prolactin) initially. You need to have these checked at  around 9AM and on an empty stomach. This is because your testosterone levels fluctuate through the day and night. It is also influenced by food intake.

If your testosterone level is found to be low, you will need further tests and you may need to see a specialist like me.  If you are confirmed to have low testosterone levels you may be offered a trial of testosterone replacement after having a risk assessment. Testosterone replacement therapy has been shown to significantly to improve your  quality of life iif you have testosterone deficiency.

For more information about male sexual health problems visit UptoDate on-line male hypogonadism resources patient centre.