Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Hypogonadism?SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentCoping
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Is Hypogonadism?
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Coping
Hypogonadismis a syndrome that causes the body to produce insufficient sex hormones. There are several types of hypogonadism, one of them being late-onset hypogonadism (LOH). LOH occurs later on in someone’s life.
LOH is also sometimes known as “male menopause” or “andropause” because it often occurs around the same age that women experience menopause.
Late-onset hypogonadismcan cause a variety of symptoms like low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, depression, fatigue, reduced bone density, and more.
LOH is both under-diagnosed and under-treated because there is controversy surrounding LOH diagnosis within the medical community. There are no clear guidelines as to what range defineslow testosteronein older men specifically.
This article will explain more about the symptoms, causes, and diagnosis of late-onsethypogonadism, as well as tips for coping with this condition and other potential causes of your symptoms.
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To understand what late-onset hypogonadism is, it is first important to understand what hypogonadism is in general.
Late-onset hypogonadism is a type of hypogonadism that only occurs later in a man’s life, usually within the late 40s and early 50s.
Late-Onset Hypogonadism Symptoms
There are instances in which late-onset hypogonadism appears with no symptoms at all. That said, if itdoesappear symptomatically, someone with late-onset hypogonadism may experience the following:
In the case of LOH, it is the result of a testosterone deficiency that only occurs in older men. There are three main reasons why older men experience changes in their testosterone levels:
Testosterone can decline for a number of reasons other than those seen in hypogonadism. Lifestyle, psychological, and medical factors such as poor diet and exercise, mental health conditions, and certain medications may also contribute to abnormal testosterone levels.
While there are a number of direct symptoms that may be the result of low testosterone, the only way to truly determine if someone’s testosterone is depleted is through a total testosterone blood test.
Markers for what is considered “deficient” regarding testosterone have not been clearly defined for older men. This is due to a combination of reasons, one being that testosterone is known to dip with increasing age in general.
Because of this, there is some disagreement among researchers about what truly qualifies as LOH.
LOH & Controversy Surrounding DiagnosisWhile LOH is common, it often goes underdiagnosed and undertreated because of the controversy in the medical community as to what exactly is low testosterone for older men.
LOH & Controversy Surrounding Diagnosis
While LOH is common, it often goes underdiagnosed and undertreated because of the controversy in the medical community as to what exactly is low testosterone for older men.
LOH is primarilytreatedthroughtestosterone replacement therapy. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) can be administered via patches, topical gels, injections, oral medications, andnasal sprays.
There are many strategies someone can use tocope with hypogonadismof any type. These include:
Summary
There is controversy and disagreement within the medical community regarding LOH’s diagnosis and treatment, specifically in regards to what is defined as low testosterone in older men.
A Word From Verywell
Late-onset hypogonadism can cause a variety of distressing symptoms, from fatigue to low sex drive to erectile dysfunction. These symptoms can affect someone’s self-esteem as well as their relationships.
Talk to your healthcare provider if you or your loved one are experiencing symptoms of LOH. Despite diagnostic difficulties, if you are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone at an older age, do not ignore them. Instead, talk to your healthcare provider about your concerns because if these symptoms aren’t the result of LOH, they could be a sign of another medical issue that requires attention.
9 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Urology Care Foundation.What is low testosterone?
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University of Utah Health.Lifestyle changes that can increase testosterone levels.
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