Paul Navar, M.D.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, responsible for male sexual development and critical in maintaining multiple body functions.
It is vital in sustaining proper erectile function and libido and plays a big part in building muscles and burning fat as well as supporting normal energy levels, mood, immune function and bone density.
Testosterone levels decline with age, beginning to diminish as early as the mid-thirties. By the age of 80, a man’s testosterone level is often only 20% of what it was in his youth. This gradual decline can result in a number of disturbing symptoms, including loss of stamina and lean muscle mass, reduced libido, anxiety, depression, obesity and cognitive decline. This testosterone deficiency syndrome, also known as andropause, is the male equivalent of female menopause. Because the drop in testosterone is so gradual, the symptoms of andropause appear over a longer period of time as compared to female menopause and are often ignored for awhile or are attributed to “getting older”. There is good news for men, however, in that many of these symptoms are reversible by restoring healthy testosterone levels. This can be done in a variety of ways, and now millions of men are now using testosterone building supplements and even testosterone itself for this reason.
The Effects of Low Testosterone