What is Testosterone Deficiency?

Testosterone is one of the characteristics that makes a man, a man. It's the hormone responsible for the growth and development of the sex and reproduction organs. As a man, your penis, your testicles, your scrotum and other essential parts of the male anatomy are reliant on you having a healthy amount of testosterone.

This hormone is also responsible for other male characteristics - that deep voice, muscle and fat distribution, hair patterns, etc. Testosterone hits peak production during puberty and then begins declining with age. About 50 million men face testosterone deficiency, but only about 600, 000 bother to get treatment for it. While having testosterone deficiency won't kill you, it can affect many aspects of life that make a man feel like … well, a man.

What Causes Testosterone Deficiency?

If you have testosterone deficiency, it could have been something you were born with or something you developed over time. If you were born with the hormonal deficiency, it could be due to a variety of reasons. These include:

* The absence of the testes
* Failure for the testicles to descend into the scrotum
* Klinefelter's syndrome (having an extra X chromosome)
* Hormonal disorders (e.g. Kallmann's syndrome)

When testosterone deficiency is acquired it is usually due to disease or lifestyle. For example, surgery, chemotherapy or steroids can all lead to testosterone deficiency. Too much alcohol can also be a problem - large consumption can lead to a 20 percent drop in testosterone levels. Major alcoholics can see up to a 50 percent drop.

Men suffering from obesity, diabetes or hypertension are also at high risk of having low testosterone levels.

The Effects of Testosterone Deficiency on Your Body

If you are suffering from low testosterone, the following are effects (which something double as symptoms and alert you to the problem):
* Baldness (head, facial and public hair loose)
* Low sexual drive
* Feminization (fat deposits behind the nipples i.e. the appearance of breasts)
* Impotence
* Erectile Dysfunction
* Underdevelopment of the penis and testes during puberty
* Muscle weakness
* Depression and other mood disorders