Tired? No desire for sex? Losing muscle bulk? Depressed? This could be a testosterone problem.
TESTOSTERONE is the most important male sex hormone. It is responsible for a boy's development (during puberty) into a man, and is necessary throughout a man's life for his health and quality of life. It gives a man his sexuality, a manly physique, vitality and even self-confidence.
Men with a loss of sexual desire, erectile dysfunction (ED), low energy level, poor concentration, increased body fats, reduced muscle mass and strength may be suffering from a medical condition called testosterone-deficiency syndrome.
Some men will start to notice a decline in their sexuality when they are 40-years-old. A decrease in sexual desire or low sex drive at this age is not unusual. At the age of 60, these phenomena are usually even more pronounced.
In essence, testosterone-deficiency is caused by the inadequate production of testosterone from the testes (male sex glands) with corresponding testosterone-deficiency symptoms.
Increasing age is the most common cause. This is specifically called late-onset testosterone-deficiency syndrome.
Late-onset testosterone-deficiency syndrome mainly affects men over 40.
Several studies (Massachusetts Male Aging Study in 1991, Vermeulen Study in 1972) have confirmed that the levels of active testosterone decrease with age, starting from 40 years of age by approximately 1.2% per year.
By 70 years of age, a man would have lost approximately 35% of his originally active testosterone.
Thus, testosterone treatment for testosterone-deficiency is the key to restoring a man's sexual, physical and mental well-being, and performance. Testosterone really makes a man "a man".
Many men with diabetes also have low testosterone levels1.
Other causes include impaired function of the testes (may be inherited), toxic substances, tumours, surgery, and so on.
Prevalence
Based on a community-based study, approximately 18.5% of Malaysian men were found to have low testosterone levels2, but the real number may be higher.
The prevalence of the condition among men with erectile dysfunction (ED) is estimated to be around 20%3,4. ED is also a symptom of testosterone-deficiency.
Testosterone-deficiency is also highly prevalent among men with diabetes mellitus type 2, a common disorder in ageing men.
In Malaysia, there is low awareness of the condition - thus under-diagnosis and under-treatment are common.
Sign and symptoms
Some of the common complaints associated with testosterone-deficiency include:
- Low sex drive and decreased libido
- ED and decreased frequency of erections
- Reduced muscle mass and strength/increased body fats
- Poor concentration
- Feeling of tiredness and depression
If left untreated, the affected men will continue to suffer from low sex drive/loss of sexual desire and ED, and severe depression may develop1.
Reduced muscle mass and strength may also lead to severe physical weakness, significantly affecting quality of life.
Testosterone-deficiency may cause osteoporosis, anaemia and serious health problems such as metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a medical condition characterised by obesity, insulin dysregulation (leading to abnormal blood sugar level), high cholesterol levels, and mild hypertension. This may lead to diabetes and heart diseases.
Diagnosis
Men with signs and symptoms suggesting testosterone-deficiency should see a doctor to check their testosterone levels.
Patients are regarded as having low testosterone levels if their blood testosterone levels are below 12 nmol/L (normal levels range between 12 nmol/L and 40 nmol/L).
The doctor will also assess the medical history, conduct a general physical examination and a prostate examination to confirm the condition.
Treatment
Testosterone-deficiency can be treated effectively by restoring testosterone levels in the body within the normal range. Testosterone therapy has been proven to be the best treatment for testosterone-deficiency, to date.
The effectiveness of testosterone treatment has been confirmed in many clinical studies and by many years of clinical experience.
Now, the world's first, long-lasting testosterone injection therapy for testosterone-deficiency syndrome is available in Malaysia.
Doctors can now offer Malaysian men this safe, effective and convenient testosterone therapy to restore their sexual, physical and mental well-being, giving them a higher quality of life.
|
