Low testosterone is an often debilitating condition for those suffering from it. Also known as “low t,” hypogonadism is a medical condition in which the body is no longer capable of properly producing healthy levels of the sex hormone testosterone.
Testosterone Decline
The condition is usually suffered by aging men. Around the late 20’s to early 30’s, the body’s testosterone levels begin to decline an average of 1% each year. However, stress may cause those values to drop at a much faster pace.
Low testosterone is not fatal. However, the condition offers many nasty symptoms that can easily reduce one’s quality of life.
Low t can cause an increase in body fat, a decrease in muscle mass, hair loss, lower libido, erectile dysfunction or even depression. Now it is being reported that stress may exasperate the low t condition.
Stress and Low Testosterone
Hypogonadism can have many causes. However one possible cause is nearly unanimously present in modern life, stress. Increased stress levels can almost immediately lower one’s levels of testosterone.
When experiencing stress, the body begins producing the hormone cortisol. While cortisol is produced under stress, the hormone often enhances one’s stress levels rather than reduce them.
Cortisol disrupts sleep. Consequently, a patient already suffering a stress inducing lifestyle is now exposed to even higher stress levels.
In response, the body will begin to produce even more cortisol. The hormone serves many purposes, but it also lowers testosterone levels. As a result the more stress a patient endures, the lower the patient’s testosterone levels may become.
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