6 Effects Of Low Levels Of Testosterone In Men

Statins may lower testosterone and libido as per the warning issued by the U.S Food and Drug Administration, reports The Seattle Times. The FDA says that the use of testosterone should only be limited to patients with hypogonadism, a condition that lowers this hormone.

The use of statins is usually done as a secondary prevention for cardiovascular diseases. There have been studies done in the past which supports the fact that use of statins causes low levels of testosterone. A past study published in the journal BMC Medicine successfully provided the evidence for it.

The drugs like pitavastatin (Livalo), atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor) might lower testosterone which has an impact on libido and sexual performance, says the study published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, April 2010.

Testosterone, a male sex hormone produced by the testes performs the function of development of male sexual characteristics, such as a deep voice and a beard, stimulates the activity of the male secondary sex characteristics and strengthens the muscle tone and bone mass.

The levels of this hormone begin to drop natural with the increasing age and when the production of it drastically drops or ceases, a range of symptoms and complications occur. Low testosterone can only be diagnosed if the levels fall below 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).

Effects of low levels of testosterone experienced by the men

1. Decrease in the volume of seminal fluid (Semen): Seminal fluid aids in the motility of sperm whose production is influenced by the levels of testosterone. According to the biological rule, the more testosterone a man has the more semen he produces and thus the men who have low levels of the hormone testosterone will have a decreased volume of sperm in their ejaculate.


2. Low sex drive: In young men, low levels of testosterone may cause drastic drop in his desire to have sex.


3. Erectile dysfunction: Testosterone is the stimulator for a man’s sex drive and thus aids in achieving an erection by stimulating receptors in the brain. Hence low levels of the hormone leads to issues like erectile dysfunction, including obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.


4. Hair Loss: Balding is considered as a natural phenomenon related to aging, but in men with very low levels of testosterone, loss of body and facial hair is a common phenomenon.


5. Decrease in Bone Mass: Osteoporosis is a condition most commonly found in women, causes weakening of the bones. However, in men whose levels of testosterone are low seem to experience bone loss because testosterone aids in the production and strengthening of bone.


6. Mood Changes: Drop in testosterone levels alters the mood and mental capacity in men making them depressed, irritable, or they might lack focus.

Photo: Jenya Kushnir

6 Effects Of Low Levels Of Testosterone In Men