Some men develop a condition whereby their body is unable to produce sufficient quantities of testosterone and their testosterone levels fall to below normal.

While it can be caused by genetic or medical conditions, the production of testosterone can decrease with advancing age. It affects 1 in 10 men at age 50 to more than 1 in 4 men in their 70s.

The goal of testosterone replacement therapy is to restore testosterone levels into the normal range and to relieve symptoms.

The symptoms of low testosterone
Men with low testosterone may feel tired or lack energy, have reduced sex drive and sexual performance and be irritable or depressed. They may also notice a loss in muscle mass, reduced strength, and more fat around their waist and body.

Longstanding low testosterone can reduce bone mineral density, increasing the risk for osteoporosis (loss of bone mass).

Because the symptoms of low testosterone are often subtle, and similar to those caused by other medical conditions, it often goes untreated.

A blood test is taken to confirm if a man has low testosterone.

Treatment of low testosterone
Testosterone replacement therapy restores testosterone levels into the normal range and it has been proven to improve both the physical and mental symptoms of low testosterone.

The benefits of testosterone replacement include improvements in mood, improved sexual desire and performance, a reduction in fat, increased muscle strength and increased bone mineral density.