Low T affects your whole body. Memory changes, dry skin, and even a heart attack could all be signs of low testosterone levels.
Depression, fatigue, and low libido are some of the better-known symptoms of low testosterone, but did you know that low levels of this male hormone can also affect your bones, heart, brain, and body fat in less noticeable ways?
To get a low testosterone diagnosis, you will need a blood test to confirm low levels. Some symptoms are more obvious, but others may be gradual and silent. Read on to learn about some of the lesser-known warning signs of low testosterone.
1. Reduced Bone Mass
Research has linked low testosterone levels in men with low bone density. This in turn can lead to an increased risk of bone fractures.
“You won’t realize your bones are getting thinner until they fracture, but lower testosterone can contribute to reduced bone-mineral density,” says Stephen Borst, PhD, associate director for research with the Geriatric Research, Education, and Clinical Center at the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida.
Supplements can have the reverse effect. This is referred to as testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Men experiencing lower levels of testosterone are given a boost via injections or gels. Current research suggests that TRT may benefit people with low levels of testosterone, but researchers highlight the need for larger studies. An alternative study found that TRT does have positive effects, especially where bone mass loss occurs along the lumbar spine (lower back) level.
The mechanism by which lower testosterone leads to lower bone-mineral density isn’t fully understood, but it probably involves a complex interplay between testosterone, estrogen, and bone health, says Dr. Borst.
2. Heart Attack or Stroke
“Currently there is a lot of debate about the safety of testosterone replacement, but we do know what happens when men do not have testosterone: They are more likely to fracture bones and have cardiac events, strokes, and heart attacks,” says urologist Mike Butcher, DO, an expert in urology, andrology, and sexual medicine at HealthPartners.
There is limited recent research into this area. However, an older review study published in 2014 in Andrology looked at 53 testosterone studies published over 10 years. The researchers found a strong correlation between low testosterone, or hypogonadism, and an increased risk of early death or heart problems. Another older study had similar findings.
More recent research confirms that low testosterone is linked to poor cardiovascular outcomes, but researchers again highlight the need for more larger-scale studies.
3. Nerve Pain or Numbness
“Testosterone and its derivatives, such as DHT (dihydrotestosterone), have been demonstrated to repair damage to nerves in the peripheral nervous system, which are not part of the brain or spinal cord,” Dr. Butcher explains. “This damage could be from diabetes, chemotherapy, physical injury, and chronic nerve pain.”
Research published in 2014 in the Journal of Endocrinology examined testosterone’s role in mitigating nerve damage. Researchers concluded that testosterone or its metabolites could play a role in treating neuropathy to prevent numbness and pain. A more recent study also found higher pain levels in participants with lower testosterone levels.
If you have a condition such as diabetes and you find your nerve pain and numbness getting worse, talk with your doctor about the possibility that you may also have low testosterone.
4. Skin Problems
With low testosterone, “skin can become dry, and those with skin conditions such as psoriasis get worse,” Butcher says. Low testosterone could also play a role in worsening chronic skin conditions.
When researchers compared men with psoriasis to those without psoriasis, they found higher levels of testosterone in those who did not have the condition.
5. Difficulty Losing Weight
“Men who are overweight tend to have lower testosterone levels,” says Ghandi Saadeh, MD, an endocrinologist at Sentara Medical Group in Kempsville, Virginia. If you’ve been dieting and exercising and wondering why your excess weight sticks around, it might be because of your testosterone.
When researchers tracked 181 obese men, they found that supplementing with testosterone reduced their weight by an average of 47 pounds. Supplemental testosterone also brought blood sugar levels under control, improved blood pressure levels, and led to healthier blood lipids, according to one older study.
A more recent systematic review found that TRT therapy improved the lean body mass of men with obesity, which supports the notion that higher levels of testosterone could positively increase the potential for weight loss.
Although testosterone replacement seems to be an attractive form of treatment for obese men with low testosterone, its potential benefits for weight loss, improvement of sexual function, and obesity-related morbidity have been refuted by some studies. Results have not always shown significant differences between treated and untreated patients. More research is needed to better understand the relationship between low testosterone and weight loss.
6. Changes in Memory and Cognitive Ability
A man’s memory and cognitive ability may go down along with his testosterone levels, according to some older research.
Another change related to testosterone’s possible effect on cognition is its impact on the ability to carry out visual motor tasks. Researchers of a review study have found that while some studies show a connection between low testosterone and declining memory and cognition, others do not. Results remain mixed. They do highlight one study that showed that testosterone therapy did in fact have a positive impact on cognitive ability in participants after one year of the treatment.
As with many of these proposed benefits, researchers are calling for more studies into testosterone and its effects on cognitive health.
The Takeaway
Low testosterone levels can lead to many well-known symptoms, such as lower sex drive, fatigue, and erectile dysfunction. There are however some lesser-known symptoms. These include reduced bone mass, skin problems, difficulty losing weight, and changes to memory and cognition. Some studies also suggest that lower testosterone levels lead to greater risk of cardiac health issues, such as heart attack or stroke. Nerve pain and numbness are other lesser-known symptoms of low testosterone levels.
Researchers are only now beginning to explore the many ways that low testosterone can affect your health. If you’re wondering whether there might be a connection between your symptoms and low testosterone, ask for a testosterone blood test. It’s the only way to get a definitive diagnosis.
