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Testosterone Deficiency
 The normal development
and growth of all the male sex and reproductive organs are controlled by the male hormone,
testosterone.
Even other male characteristics like voice modulation, hair patterns, muscle, sexual desire,
fertility, mood and energy levels are all affected by the level of testosterone in the body.
It is during the onset of puberty that there is a dramatic increase in the production of testosterone. However, as a man ages, its production decreases wherein most men end up taking treatment for
testosterone deficiency from their middle ages to old age. Besides aging, there are also other factors that lead to a testosterone deficiency.
It has been found out that men consuming relatively reasonable amounts of alcohol have about 20% drop in the levels of testosterone. However, chronic alcoholics tend to have as much as 50% drop in the levels of testosterone. With this they tend to feminize by losing pubic and facial hair, become impotent and develop fat deposits around the nipples to look like breasts.
There are some diseases that bring about testosterone deficiency like Klinefelter's Syndrome,
Anorchia which is the vanishing testes syndrome, chemotherapy, radiation to testicles, hypothalamus or pituitary gland, some anabolic steroid use or some damage that arises from surgery. These conditions usually inhibit the production and the release of testosterone in the male body.
With a testosterone deficiency, men suffer from erectile dysfunction,
a diminished libido, weakness of muscles and depression. With acquired testosterone deficiency that occurs around puberty, you find an enlargement of the breast tissue, absence of pubic and body hair and an underdeveloped penis and testes that occurs in puberty.
There are many tests conducted today to confirm if you have testosterone deficiency. It is through serum and blood testing that doctors find out the levels of leutenizing and gonadotropin releasing hormones in the body. Some men develop primary testosterone deficiency and normal or high gonadotropin levels in the body because of problems in the testicles. There are secondary and tertiary conditions of testosterone deficiency that sometimes arise from low testosterone and gonadotropin levels.
It is also possible to diagnose testosterone deficiency by injecting GnRH or an estrogen, clomiphene citrate. With this injection, a diagnostic response is stimulated in the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal axis. In rare cases, a testicular biopsy is conducted when there is no sperm in an ejaculation, though there is normal testicle development. With a biopsy, any malfunction in the production of sperm can also be detected.
Testosterone deficiency is treated with hormone replacement therapy, where the method is decided by the age and duration of deficiency. However, oral testosterone is rarely prescribed as it is associated with liver toxicity. It is the transdermal, intramuscular injection and mucoadhesive methods that are usually resorted to.
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