Symptoms of Hormone Deficiencies

Men experience a wide range of symptoms due to hormonal deficiencies, most of which are related to low testosterone levels. Testosterone affects a man’s reproductive function and secondary sexual features such as growth of facial and body hair as well as muscle mass and bone density. From their mid-30s to 40s, male hormone levels tend to decline. By the age of 60 years, about 2 in 10 men will have low testosterone and by the age of 70 to 80 years, about 3 in 10 men will suffer from this condition.

Common symptoms of hormonal deficiencies in men may include:

• Significant decrease in sexual desire
• Difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection
• Decrease in the volume of semen produced during ejaculation
• Loss of muscle mass
• Increased body fat with enlargement of breast tissue
• Thinning of bone with increased susceptibility to fractures
• Extreme fatigue and tiredness despite getting enough sleep
• Loss of hair or decreased hair growth on the body and face
• Mood changes and irritability
• Anxiety
• Depression

Unlike women, the slowing down of hormone production is not as abrupt and hence the changes that occur in men are more subtle. The older a man gets, the more likely he will suffer from hormone deficiencies and benefit from bioidentical hormone replacement.