Low Testosterone in Men Has Health Risks

Andropause, the age-related decrease in testosterone in men, has been linked to the following symptoms:

Loss of bone
Increased fracture risk
Loss of skeletal muscle and strength
Increased fat mass
Reduced libido
Reduced erectile function
Infertility
Increased insulin resistance and risk of diabetes
Reduced sense of well-being
Fatigue
Reduced stamina
Depression
Reduced cognition

Researchers at U Mass Medical School found that six percent of forty-year-old men and twelve percent of sixty-year-old men had testosterone deficiency. These researchers estimated that we should expect 500,000 new cases of testosterone deficiency each year.

(Source: J Clin Endrinol Metab, 89: 5920-5926, 2004)

The study results I read did not indicate what constitutes testosterone deficiency, but it was most likely a figure that is far below what is optimal for health; the standard definition of low is usually 200 ng/dL [6.9 nmol/L]. This definition of low is not a fair assessment.

When testosterone levels fall below 400 ng/dL in most men, the health effects listed above begin to appear. Optimal levels are above 500 ng/dL and as high as 1000 ng/dL, which is considered the high end of normal. No one knows how extensive low testosterone levels are, especially with the increases in environmental estrogens that drive test levels even lower.