Feeling constantly tired? Lost interest in sex? Cannot seem to build muscle, no matter how much you work out? You might be dealing with low testosterone in men.
Testosterone is not just about sex drive or muscles. It is the main male hormone controlling everything from energy levels to bone strength to mood. When levels drop too low, you feel it. To better understand this, let's start with the basics, then move on to the signs to look for and how to respond.
Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. Your testicles make it as instructed by your brain. It is what causes boys to develop male features during puberty, such as a deeper voice, facial hair, and muscle mass. But testosterone does not stop working after puberty. Throughout your life, it:
Maintains sex drive
Builds muscle and bone strength
Makes red blood cells
Affects mood and energy
Helps make sperm
Normal testosterone levels for adult men are 300-1000 ng/dL (nanograms per decilitre). Anything below 300 ng/dL is low. Now, let’s look at what happens when testosterone levels are below this range.
Symptoms of low testosterone can be subtle. Many men attribute them to ageing or stress when testosterone may actually be the issue.
The most noticeable signs are related to sexual health: reduced interest in sex, difficulty achieving or maintaining erections, fewer spontaneous erections, and reduced sperm production.
Your body changes, too. You might notice less muscle mass even if you are working out, more body fat, especially around the belly, weaker bones, less body and facial hair, breast tissue growth, or constant tiredness.
Low testosterone can also affect mood and mental function. You may experience persistent feelings of sadness or low mood, difficulty concentrating or remembering things, lower self-esteem, and a general sense of not feeling like yourself.
Hot flashes, trouble sleeping, or less energy for daily activities. Most of these symptoms are vague and can also result from other health problems like thyroid issues, anaemia, depression, sleep problems, or chronic illness. That is why you need proper testing, not just guessing. Next, let’s look at why testosterone levels can drop in the first place.
Testosterone deficiency causes falls into two main groups:
Something is wrong with your testicles. Causes can include Klinefelter Syndrome (a genetic condition with an extra X chromosome), undescended testicles not corrected early, mumps infection in teenage/adult years, injury to both testicles, cancer treatment, or hemochromatosis (too much iron in the blood).
Your testicles are fine, but your pituitary gland or hypothalamus is not telling them to make testosterone. Causes can be ageing, obesity, type 2 diabetes, pituitary disorders or tumours, medications, sleep apnoea, chronic illness, or constant stress.
You cannot diagnose low testosterone just from symptoms. You need a blood test.
Your doctor will test total testosterone levels early in the morning (7-11 AM) when levels are highest. You will need at least two tests, each on a different day, a few weeks apart. One low reading is not enough. If testosterone is low, your doctor will test other hormones (LH, FSH, prolactin) to determine the cause. They might also check for anaemia, diabetes, thyroid problems, or other conditions. Don't skip this step. Low testosterone can be a sign of other serious health problems that need treatment.
If you are trying to improve your testosterone levels, small changes in your daily habits can help, especially if your levels are not very low.
Lose excess weight: Being overweight can lower testosterone because fat tissue converts it into oestrogen. Even dropping 5–10 kg can make a noticeable difference.
Exercise the right way: Strength training and short, intense workouts are effective for supporting testosterone. But pushing too hard without rest can backfire, so recovery matters just as much.
Get enough sleep: Testosterone is mostly produced while you sleep. Aim for 7–9 hours a night. Sleeping too little regularly can reduce your levels.
Manage stress: Long-term stress increases cortisol, which works against testosterone. Simple things like yoga, meditation, pranayama, or just taking breaks during the day can help.
Eat a balanced diet: Focus on protein, healthy fats, zinc, and Vitamin D. Try to limit sugar and heavily processed foods.
Limit alcohol: Too much alcohol can lower testosterone. Keep it occasional and moderate.
Cut down on plastic use: Some chemicals in plastics can act like oestrogen in the body. Using glass or steel containers is a safer option.
Be careful with supplements: Most so-called testosterone boosters don’t have strong evidence behind them. In many cases, they’re not worth spending money on.
Making steady, practical changes like these can support healthy testosterone levels over time. However, sometimes natural methods are not enough. Let’s talk about when medical treatment might be needed.
If lifestyle changes do not work, or if your testosterone is very low, your doctor might prescribe testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). TRT comes as injections, gels, patches, or tablets. It can help with symptoms, but it is a lifelong treatment, i.e., if you stop, testosterone drops again. TRT has risks of increased red blood cells, sleep apnoea, acne, breast enlargement, testicle shrinkage, and possibly heart problems. Your doctor will monitor you closely. TRT is prescribed only when you have both low testosterone levels (under 300 ng/dL) and symptoms. Numbers alone or symptoms alone are not enough. Now, let’s sum up the main takeaways and next steps.
Low testosterone affects millions of men, but it is often ignored or dismissed as just getting older. If you have symptoms of low sex drive, tiredness, mood problems, or muscle loss, get tested. Do not suffer in silence. And don't self-treat with random supplements. Start with lifestyle changes. They work for many men and improve overall health anyway. If you need medical treatment, that is fine too. The goal is to feel better and live healthier.
Common symptoms are low sex drive, trouble getting or keeping erections, constant tiredness, loss of muscle mass, increased body fat, mood changes like depression or irritability, trouble focusing, weaker bones, less facial and body hair, and breast tissue growth. However, these symptoms can be caused by other health problems, such as thyroid issues, anaemia, or sleep problems. You need a blood test to confirm low testosterone.
Causes are ageing, obesity, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea, chronic stress, medications, any testicle injury or infection, pituitary gland problems, genetic conditions like Klinefelter syndrome, chemotherapy or radiation, and chronic illnesses.
Diagnosis needs both symptoms and blood test results. Your doctor will test total testosterone levels early in the morning, before 11 am, when levels are highest. You will need at least two tests, each on a different day, a few weeks apart. Normal levels are 300-1000 ng/dL; under 300 ng/dL is low. If testosterone is low, your doctor will test other hormones to find the cause and check for other conditions like anaemia or thyroid problems.
Natural methods include losing weight if overweight, doing strength training and HIIT exercises, sleeping 7-9 hours nightly, managing stress through yoga or meditation, eating protein, healthy fats, zinc-rich foods, and getting enough Vitamin D. Limit alcohol, avoid processed foods and excess sugar, and use glass instead of plastic containers. Don't waste money on supplements, as most don't work. See a doctor if lifestyle changes don't help.
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