A subject not often discussed in men is low testosterone: and the symptoms associated with having low testosterone. The symptoms to be discussed are symptoms that mimic depression nearly identically, more often than not leading to a misdiagnosis, and the improper treatment for ones symptoms. These symptoms can range from depression, fatigue, irritability, mood swings, loss of concentration, decreased in libido, erectile dysfunction, weight gain, gynocomastia or breast tissue development in men, hair loss and poor work place performance. Most of these symptoms spare the gender exclusive symptoms are experienced by most people on and off throughout their lives. People with hypogonadism: hypogonadism is a medical term for a defect of the reproductive system that results in lack of function of the gonads (ovaries or testes) (Wikipedia, 2009).

Low testosterone levels other than the symptoms listed above decrease male life expectancy, increase risks of heart attack and increase risk of breaking bones from osteoporosis. Men with these symptoms only need seek their physician for simple testing that can determine if they have hypogonadism or low testosterone. Not all men weight gain or gynocomastia to alert them of the possibility of low testosterone.

This topic has been chosen because of how little I knew about the subject matter. Recent events have put me through the process of being misdiagnosed, treated for depression, and watched my family suffer through the mood swings and irritability that no matter how hard I try to control seem cause problems. This webliography is also my coming to grips with the fact that I could be going through this process. I’m scheduled to begin treatment after seeing an Endocrinologist. But before coming to this conclusion and pushing my primary care physician to test me I spent the greater part of two months researching what could be causing me to experience these symptoms. Depression is hard to fix, but knowing my testosterone is low is like the light at the end of the tunnel, because low testosterone can be fixed and I’d rather fix the problem than take one more antidepressant that doesn’t work.

These websites have been listed by simple. The sites must be from respected institutions, displaying logical and current information as well as medical groups that define either diagnosis or treatment criteria.

Webliography Links

Wikipedia

Hypogonadism is a medical term for a defect of the reproductive system that results in lack of function of the gonads (ovaries or testes).

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low_testosterone\

This link is a broad definition for hypogonadism, or having gonads with insufficient ability to function.

Mayo Clinic

Male hypogonadism: Symptoms

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/malehypogonadism/DS00300/DSECTION=symptoms

This link through Mayo Clinic gives a detailed breakdown of what hypogonadism and list of symptoms all men should look at. Hypogonadism mimics the most commonly diagnosed mood disturbance: depression.

Web Md

Low Testosterone Explained: How Do You Know When Levels Are Too Low http://men.webmd.com/features/low-testosterone-explained-how-do-you-know-when-levels-are-too-low?

This website article points out that men shouldn’t just accept their symptoms as that of aging, that a portion of men have low testosterone. If abnormally low testosterone for age is diagnosed, men can potentially live without these symptoms and live a normal life.

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGISTS

MEDICAL GUIDELINES FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE

FOR THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT

OF MALE SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION:

A COUPLE’S PROBLEM–2003 UPDATE

http://www.aace.com/pub/pdf/guidelines/sexdysguid.pdf

This in depth article is the American Associate of Clinical Endocrinologists guideline for diagnosing and treating male sexual dysfunction. As well great information regarding symptoms, treatment, medications and expected outcomes can be found.

Medicalnews.net

Low testosterone means men may die young

6. June 2007 15:40 A new study suggests that men with low levels of testosterone are more likely to die young; they apparently have a 33% increased risk of death over an 18-year period than those with higher levels.

http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/06/06/26094.aspx

The article details the risks of having low testosterone. Ranging from heart attacks, to fractures, to osteoporosis, to severe depression, the effects can be severe.

Mayo Clinic

This page shows a breakdown of routes Testosterone replacement can be taken by. Androgen (Oral Route, Parenteral Route, Subcutaneous Route, Topical Application Route, Transdermal Route)

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/drug-information/DR602081

Cinahl Database

Testosterone replacement therapy: what to look for, when to treat.

http://eagle.sbuniv.edu:2071/ehost/detail?vid=6&hid=9&sid=0c8fd88e-5236-4b22-b1fc-b587ab39f6b9%40sessionmgr11&bdata=JkF1dGhUeXBlPWlwLHVybCxjb29raWUsdWlkJmxvZ2lucGFnZT1jdXN0bG9naW4uYXNwJnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=rzh&AN=2010392863

This article reminds health professions from mid levels to physicians that hypogonadism and low testosterone is under diagnosed and more prevalent that previously thought. Men presenting with symptoms of low testosterone should be thoroughly screened and then treated for their symptoms.

Medline Database

Testosterone levels in dominant sociable males are lower than in solitary roamers: physiological differences between three male reproductive tactics in a sociably flexible mammal.

http://eagle.sbuniv.edu:2078/WebZ/FSFETCH?fetchtype=fullrecord:sessionid=fsapp2-53113-g1nr4h2j-woq0vr:entitypagenum=6:0:recno=10:resultset=2:format=FI:next=html/record.html:bad=error/badfetch.html:entitytoprecno=10:entitycurrecno=10:numrecs=1

This article shows us we cannot pick out those with low testosterone, that the most dominant figures we know, that we link in our minds to having high testosterone are commonly lower than those we associate with having low testosterone. Then nerd may have higher testosterone than “Dominant Sociable Males”.