What Causes Low-T?

There are three main reasons that Low-T develops in males, with aging issues being the predominant cause.

• Aging and the onset of Andropause
• Use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS)
• Conditions and Diseases

Andropause or Male Menopause

In 2003, the NIH, (US Government’s National Institutes of Health,) said there was no proof that andropause or male menopause existed. By 2008, new literature produced by the NIH definitively names andropause one of the possible causes of low testosterone as andropause.

Clinical studies show that as men age, their hormone production sometimes slows down. Unlike women who have undergone menopause, the production of testosterone does not stop altogether, however testosterone levels may fall enough to enter the “low” testosterone level.

Anabolic Steroids

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone at this point that the use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids (AAS) can cause the reduced production of testosterone.

The extended exposure to AAS can shut down pituitary production of gonadotropins after extended exposure. This has been well documented by observing patients receiving AAS for legitimate medical reasons such as AIDS or cancer and also in athletes using AAS for illicit purposes.

Hypogonadism may remain for quite some time after steroid use is stopped, and in some cases it may remain indefinitely until treated by a physician.

Conditions and Diseases

Klinefelter's syndrome or XXY syndrome is a condition in which males have an extra X chromosome and their chromosomal pattern reads XXY, instead of XY. The main effects of Klinefelter’s syndrome is small testicles and a reduction in fertility. Many males with Klinefelter’s syndrome show few noticible symptoms, however, a host of physical and behavioral problems can manifest.

Kallmann syndrome is caused by a lack of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which is regulated by the hypothalamus.

Noonan Syndrome or NS is a relatively common congenital genetic condition which affects both males and females. NS is associated with a host of other diseases including Down’s Syndrome. Specifically, for men, it’s associated with Cryptorchidism or undescended testicles.

Mumps or epidemic parotitis is caused by the mumps virus. Painful swelling of the testicles (orchitis) may occur. While symtoms of the mumps are usually mild in children,  in male teenagers and adult, the symptoms are much more severe and complications such as lessened fertility or infertility can occur.

Hypopituitarism is when the pituitary gland decreases the secretion of one or more of the eight hormones it normally produces.

Depending on which of the eight hormones is being produced in deficient numbers the effects can include hair loss and testosterone deficiencies. Human Growth Hormone (HGH) deficiencies may also occur.

While you can try to treat age related Low-T on your own, low testosterone caused by the use of steroids or by any condition or disease should be treated by a physician or medical practitioner.