How to know your testosterone percentage: learn to measure it
Contents
- How to know your testosterone percentage: learn how to measure it
- What is testosterone
- The impact of testosterone on sexuality
- The consequences of testosterone on hair, voice and virility
- The use of testosterone for bodybuilding
- The impact of testosterone on mood
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Memory loss
- How to increase testosterone level
As we know, testosterone is an indispensable hormone for men who, starting from the age of thirty, begin to be scarce. This can lead men to experience a variety of problems, such as erectile dysfunction.
Knowing what testosterone is and what it is used for is very important in order to understand the symptoms of a possible drop in this hormone.
There are specific tests that allow you to measure the percentage of testosterone.
Although in today’s clinical and research settings, there is an unfortunate lack of consistency regarding the expression “measure testosterone status”, as this expression is often used to indicate a measurement of biological activity of androgens rather than the specific measurement of the chemical concentration of the steroid molecule of testosterone, however, remains a useful tool for diagnosing any disorders. What is testosterone
Testosterone is the male sex hormone that is produced in the testicles. Levels of the hormone testosterone are important for normal male sexual development and functions.
During puberty, testosterone helps boys develop masculine characteristics such as body and facial hair, a deeper voice and muscle strength.
Men need testosterone to produce sperm. Testosterone levels generally decline with age, starting in the 30s, so older men tend to have low blood testosterone levels.
Some men have low testosterone levels. This condition is called testosterone deficiency syndrome or low testosterone.
Deficiency means that the body does not produce enough testosterone in this case.
A low testosterone level is considered if the value is less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng / dL). These symptoms or conditions may accompany low testosterone levels:
- Poor sexual desire
- Fatigue;
- Reduction of lean muscle mass;
- irritable;
- Erectile dysfunction;
- Depression.
There are many other possible reasons for these symptoms, such as opioid use, certain congenital diseases, testicular loss or damage, diabetes, and obesity. The impact of testosterone on sexuality
Adequate levels of testosterone and other sex hormones are known to have a great influence on the body and quality of life.
According to recent investigations, sex hormone imbalances are often preceded by problems involving sex hormone binding globulin.
Low testosterone levels result in a lack of desire, and erectile dysfunction problems.
These are problems that can put an individual in crisis not only personally, but also in his relationship as a couple. This is why it is very important to talk about it. The consequences of testosterone on hair, voice and manhood
There are many signs and symptoms that can make us realize that our testosterone levels have dropped. Some are more closely related to low testosterone levels (specific signs and symptoms). Others may not necessarily be linked (non-specific signs and symptoms).
Specific symptoms are those most likely or directly related to testosterone deficiency, such as:
- Reduction of sexual desire;
- Reduced erectile function;
- Loss of body hair
- Less beard growth
- Loss of lean muscle mass;
- Always feeling very tired;
- Obesity;
- Symptoms of depression.
The use of testosterone for bodybuilding
Testosterone is the male hormone par excellence for building muscle mass. Having normal testosterone levels is also critical to a host of other benefits, including improved athletic performance.
Guys should be especially focused on boosting testosterone if they’re looking to build muscle.
Extremely high levels of testosterone are rare in bodybuilders that we might call ‘natural’, but they occur frequently for anyone who uses performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids.
In both men and women, low free testosterone levels can lead to impaired muscle growth and impaired post-workout recovery.
For this reason it is good to improve your lifestyle, starting with diet and exercise. Impact of testosterone on mood
Low testosterone levels also affect mood causing irritability and depression.
Testosterone replacement therapy in men with low testosterone levels improved positive mood parameters, such as energy, well-being, and friendliness, and decreased negative mood parameters, including anger, nervousness, and irritability.
Research indicated that the most frequent reasons men gave for prescription testosterone intake were low testosterone (37.1%), lack of well-being (35.2%), energy (28.7%). ), libido (21.9%) and social energy (19.4%); older men claimed libido as the motivation for starting testosterone more frequently than younger men. Depression
Although depression is more common in women than in men, the prevalence of depression in men increases with age as testosterone levels decline. Research shows that in depressive disorders with decreased libido and low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy was at least as effective as antidepressants.
Observational studies in older men have revealed that their depressive symptoms are associated with low testosterone. On the other hand, in both men and women, testosterone supplementation leads to the improvement of depressive symptoms. In a meta-analysis of the effects of testosterone on depression, the antidepressant effect was positive, at least in patients suffering from hypogonadism. Anxiety
Anxiety appears to be more sensitive to testosterone. Research shows that testosterone supplementation decreases anxiety. Stress induced during gestation resulted in both a reduction in testosterone and an increase in anxiety in the adult male. Memory loss
The positive effect of testosterone on memory has been well documented in both men and women. Numerous clinical studies have shown improvements in learning and memory after testosterone supplementation. Even a short six-week testosterone treatment resulted in improved spatial and verbal memory in older men.
Testosterone also showed a positive effect on spatial and verbal memory in Alzheimer’s disease patients.
There are generally four different ways of taking testosterone: transdermal (through the skin), injection, oral (by mouth), intranasal (through the nose) . No method is better than another.
The advice is to try natural remedies first. There are many supplements on the market, but it is also worth changing your diet, trying to integrate some specific foods.
In general, it is advisable to change your lifestyle, trying to opt for healthy habits, such as playing sports and eating well.
