Low testosterone levels can lead to a lower sexual drive and can cause erectile dysfunction. Several factors can affect the production of testosterone in your body.
If your body does not produce enough testosterone, you can experience several mental and physical symptoms, such as lowered sex drive and weight gain. Having lower levels of testosterone can make it difficult to maintain or achieve an erection, and it can play a role in erectile dysfunction (ED).
There are a number of symptoms of low testosterone and ED to look out for and several treatments for both.
Low testosterone and ED
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ED is a common condition that can occur because of various factors, including low testosterone levels in your body. Some symptoms of ED you may experience if you have low testosterone include:
difficulty maintaining or getting an erection
decreased sexual drive
fewer spontaneous erections, including in the morning when you wake up
Testosterone has many functions in your body, and there are two main ways it helps you get and maintain an erection.
It stimulates your brain to release neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, oxytocin, and nitric oxide, to help you achieve an erection. It also stimulates the nerve in your spine to make changes in the blood vessels and keep your penis erect.
About 1 in 3 people with a penis experience ED at some point in their lives. ED is not only linked to physical factors but also to psychological aspects. Testosterone also affects your sexual drive. This can cause difficulties with erections.
Low testosterone causes
Low testosterone can occur due to several health conditions or lifestyle habits, such as:
sex organs that have an atypical look (ambiguous genitalia)
Other potential causes that can lead to low testosterone at some point in life may include:
being an older age
using narcotic pain drugs or antidepressants
chemotherapy or radiation therapy
removal of testicles due to cancer
sustaining testicle damage by accident
infections, such as HIV
autoimmune disease, including AIDS
pituitary gland disease that can cause hormone deficiency
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To diagnose low testosterone, doctors typically perform a blood test to check its levels in your body and measure if you have testosterone deficiency. This, combined with your medical history and the symptoms or signs of low testosterone you may experience, can help doctors determine if you have this condition.
Because low testosterone can have several causes, doctors may also perform a physical exam for hypogonadism and other relevant tests to rule out other underlying conditions that may be linked to low testosterone.
Treatments
The treatment of low testosterone and ED depends on their causes. Doctors can recommend the most appropriate treatment after diagnosis.
Low testosterone
If you have low testosterone, doctors may recommend undergoing testosterone therapy. They typically prescribe this alongside phosphodiesterase inhibitors, as the combination of these two drugs is usually very effective in treating low testosterone.
These medications come in different forms. The most common ones include:
The treatment for ED can vary depending on its causes. Testosterone therapy can sometimes help, but it does not usually treat ED on its own. This is because ED usually occurs due to a combination of physical and psychological factors.
If ED develops due to an underlying condition, such as problems with your blood pressure, depression, or other illnesses that can lower testosterone levels, treating them can help improve ED.
Some treatment options doctors may recommend for ED may include:
phosphodiesterase inhibitors to improve the blood flow in the penis, such as
Quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy body weight, and getting regular physical exercise can help improve ED. Talk therapies and counseling can help treat and manage stress and anxiety that can also lead to ED.
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Low testosterone can cause ED. People can develop low levels of testosterone due to several conditions that they may be born with or that they acquire at some point in their lives.
But low testosterone may not be the only cause of ED. It can be a combination of different factors.
ED can happen because of a combination of psychological and physical factors. To treat it, doctors need to diagnose the underlying conditions that cause erectile difficulties.
Treatment can include testosterone replacement therapy as well as medications to help form an erection. If you are experiencing symptoms of low testosterone, talk with a healthcare professional to find the best treatment for you.
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Rastrelli G, et al. (2020). Both comorbidity burden and low testosterone can explain symptoms and signs of testosterone deficiency in men consulting for sexual dysfunction https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7275801/
