The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- John Furner
It’s a crisis that doctors have warned leaves millions of men suffering in silence.
But could the ‘neglected’ medical issue of low testosterone be putting men at risk of life-altering health problems?
According to experts, two-fifths of men over the age of 45 are thought to have ‘low T’ — which can cause extreme fatigue, a low sex-drive, night sweats and weight gain.
And research suggests men with low levels of the hormone are five times more likely to die early and could also have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes, dementia and depression.
Research suggests men with ‘low T’ are five times more likely to die prematurely and could also be at risk of developing type 2 diabetes, dementia and depression
Once men hit their 30s, their hormone readings start to tail off at a rate of about one per cent a year, simply due to ageing.
A similar trend is seen among women, whose hormone levels plummet when they hit the menopause, usually in their fifties.
The NHS says men’s natural decline in testosterone is unlikely to cause problems and that many of the symptoms linked with low levels of the hormone are more likely down to stress or anxiety.
But studies suggest low testosterone is something to watch out for, while the British Society for Sexual Medicine claim it ‘has long been neglected’ as a medical issue.
