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Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome: Everything You Need to Know

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Are you constantly low on energy, irritable, have a non-existent libido or struggle to add muscle mass?

If so then you might just be testosterone deficient.

But fear not, low hormone levels aren’t an inevitable part of the ageing process. If anything, it’s just a warning that you need to make some changes to your lifestyle.

Choose to do nothing though and you’ll find that your low energy will quickly lead to more serious symptoms.

In this article we take a look at testosterone deficiency syndrome – a disorder affecting an-ever increasing number of men all over the world.

We’ll cover what it is, how to tell if you have it and how best to treat it.


What Is Testosterone?

As the primary male hormone, testosterone is a naturally-occurring steroid hormone from the androgen family.

It is responsible for turning you from a boy to a man, and regulates everything from your muscle mass and strength to your libido, deep voice and assertive personality.

Normal T concentrations for a man are 300-1,000 ng.dL.

As you age, your T production begins to slow down.

From the age of 30, your levels begin to decline by 1-2 percent per year. If you don’t ‘plug the hole’ and fix your issues you have a 40% chance of having low testosterone by the age of 45 [1].

Testosterone and the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonodal axis

The production of T is actually a complex system involving both your brain and your testes. It is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonodal (HPG) axis.

Here’s how it works:

  • A part of your brain called the hypothalamus realizes that your testes are not producing enough testosterone. It therefore releases a hormone called GnRH to act as a messenger to speed things up.
  • GnRH is picked up by another part of the brain called the pituitary gland (it resides just below the hypothalamus). Once it collects the message it releases its own hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH).
  • LH then travel through the bloodstream all the way down to your testes, telling cells with your testes to make more testosterone.
  • Only when these cells – called Leydig cells – make enough of the androgen hormone does your hypothalamus slow down GnRH release.

The HPG axis is a clever system, acting as a negative feedback loop that regulates reproductive function each minute of every day.

This way, your testes are supported by glands that act pretty much like a gas and a brake, working hard to find the perfect amount of testosterone for your body to function with.


Muscular shirtless man shows off toned abs and chest on white background


  • Key Point: Testosterone production is key to male maturity and development. It is regulated by a complex system called the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis.

What is Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome?

Also known as late-onset hypogonadism or andropause, Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome (TDS) is a disorder characterized by reduced production of testosterone by the Leydig cells of the testes. It can also be caused indirectly by reduced circulation of pituitary hormones such as LH.

TDS is a gradual age-related phenomenon that occurs in a large proportion of the male population [2].

If your T production falls below the lower threshold of 300 ng.dL you’ll be clinically diagnose with testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS).

Current statistics suggest that as many as 20% of men over 50 years old will suffer the effects of TDS, with the highest incidence rate occurring in the US [3].


What Are the Symptoms of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome?

According to clinical overview statements, it’s actually pretty difficult to diagnose testosterone deficiency syndrome.

This is because the symptoms aren’t always immediately apparent and can be slow to accumulate.

One review in particular suggested that diagnosis without a blood test is difficult because of “a lack of specificity and subtlety of the manifestations when the degree of deficiency is not severe” [4].

This is because the symptoms are so varied and differ from one man to the next.

That said, specific symptoms may include:

  • A lack of libido, sex drive, enjoyment during sex, performance or low sperm count
  • Hot flushes, sweats, irritability or lack of energy
  • Hair loss
  • Loss of bone and muscle strength

You may also suffer from non-specific symptoms too:

  • General feelings of fatigue and tiredness
  • Increased belly fat and body mass
  • Low mood and feelings of depression or anxiety
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Loss of endurance, work capacity and stamina
  • Reduced cognitive skills as well as poor concentration and memory

Who’s most at risk of testosterone deficiency syndrome?

If you’re older than 45 you are at a high risk of testosterone deficiency syndrome.

Couple that with being overweight and leading an unhealthy lifestyle and you’ll pretty much be a prime candidate for the disorder.


Male model man smiling on blue background


Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome Treatment

Natural testosterone boosters

More and more men are opting to go with natural testosterone boosting treatments.

Natural test boosters contain vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are chosen based on their clinical research profile.

They don’t directly boost T levels like synthetic compounds and steroids do. Instead, they work indirectly to wake up your testes and make them produce the right amount of hormones.

They target the HPG axis and speed up both GnRH and LH production.

This is important as stimulating T production naturally helps to hit testosterone deficiency syndrome right at the heart of it rather than masking your issues.

What’s more, natural test boosters are unlikely to cause side effects too.

Testosterone replacement therapy

Given under prescription, TRT comes as either a topical gel, patches, surgical implant or injection.

It has a fairly low success rate, with only 1 in 10 men claiming that TRT has improved their symptoms. Even then, the only benefits reported in the first few weeks are related to elevated libido only.

One recent review suggests that long-term studies on the safety of testosterone therapy are lacking [5].

Worryingly though, health professionals are still opting to prescribe TRT to men, knowing that it could potentially be unsafe.

For example, in a large study of over 50,000 men, TRT was found to double the risk of cardiovascular disease [6].

And 30% for risk of stroke [7].

Currently, the FDA don’t advocate the benefits of TRT. And as of 2015, they have even made it a legal requirement for all testosterone therapy drugs to include warning labels about potential side effects.


TestoFuel – A Natural Solution to Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome

If you’ve chosen to avoid the potential side effects of TRT then you’ll be looking for a natural, high-quality test booster to ramp up your androgen levels.

This is the solution.

Containing evidence-based, clinically tested ingredients such as vitamin D3, D-aspartic acid and oyster extract, TestoFuel has the ability to:

  • Enhance muscle growth and strength – make the most of your time in the gym and amplify slabs of firm, athletic muscle.
  • Ramp up energy levels – don’t succumb to low stamina and endurance. Instead, feel like your old self and build relentless focus and motivation.
  • Burn more fat – harness the true power of testosterone, shred belly fat and carve out a chiseled physique to be proud of.

Improve both your health and your physical performance with this state of the art testosterone boosting supplement.

Give yourself the best shot at a productive, healthy and happy life.


References

  1. Mulligan, T et al. Prevalence of hypogonadism in males aged at least 45 years: The HIM study. Int J Clin Pract 2006; 60: 762-769
  2. Mosli, HA. Review Article: Practical Aspects of Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome in Clinical Urology. African J Urol. 2012; 18(3): 103-107
  3. Carruthers, M. Time for International action on treating testosterone deficiency syndrome. The Aging Male. 2008; 12(1): 21-28
  4. Morales, A. Testosterone Deficiency Syndrome: An overview with emphasis on the diagnostic conundrum. Clin Biochem. 2014; 47(10-11): 960-966
  5. Hong, BS et al. Recent trends in the treatment of testosterone deficiency syndrome. Int J Urol. 2007; 14(11): 981-5
  6. Finkle, WD et al. Increased Risk of Non-Fatal Myocardial Infarction Following Testosterone Therapy Prescription in Men. PLOS One. 2014; 9(1): e85805
  7. Kuehn, BN et al. Cardiovascular Risks of Testosterone. JAMA. 2014; 311(12): 1192