Testosterone deficiency has a prevalence of 20% among adolescent and young adult men. But isn’t testosterone supposed to be at its peak during youth? Then what causes low testosterone in young males?
Age-related decline in testosterone levels is somehow acceptable to an extent. While that too is a problem, are people really prepared for it?
Everyone knows that with age, the production of anabolic hormones goes down within the body. Also, they plan their lifestyle accordingly.
Well, common! No one is going to play professional football or rugby at 50. Neither, they are lining up to perform a 500-pound deadlift. Nature has planned all its creations in a very calculated manner.
However, our changing lifestyle is creating chaos in these calculations. One such example is the decline in testosterone levels among young men. And that’s the thing we are going to discuss in this blog.
Testosterone is the most essential hormone inside the male body that creates the key physiological divides between males and females.
It has the function to feed all the manly traits in your body. Essentially, testosterone is responsible for:
- Muscle Growth
- Body and Facial Hair
- Higher Bone Density
- Energy and Vigor
- Functioning of the Male Reproductive System
- Sexual Desire and Libido among Men
All these vital body functions take a hit when testosterone levels go down. Furthermore, the increasing cases of low testosterone in young men are quite threatening.
Our main concern is – what causes low testosterone in young males?
So, without wasting time, let’s start exploring what causes low testosterone in males…
What Causes Low Testosterone in Young Males [7 Common Reasons]
There isn’t a one-word or one-liner to answer this question. You need to scrawl through the next few paragraphs attentively to get a proper hold of the reasons.
Let’s begin…
Starting from lifestyle reasons including diet and other habits there are numerous causes of low testosterone in males under 40. But that’s a serious problem as men in that age group have a lot on their plate.
If the testosterone levels fall below 300ng/dl, you’ll start to feel it. We’ll discuss these problems, initiated due to low testosterone, later in the blog.
First, let’s get to the reasons that cause low testosterone in young males…
- Stress
- Sleep deprivation
- Tight clothing, causes excess heat in intimate areas
- Lack of Sunlight exposure
- Excessive drug use
- Obesity or weight gain
- Estrogen ingestion
Well, one or more of these reasons can be a factor behind low T in young men. Here’s a full explanation of each of these causes of low testosterone in young males.
#1: Stress
There’s no need to double-quote that stress is bad for health. But, how much? That’s the thing to figure out.
Well, let me tell you if you’re wondering what causes low t in young men, stress can very well be on the top of the list.
For now, we just need to know that chronic stress severely affects testosterone production. Cortisol, the stress hormone, imposes bad effects on testosterone levels.
11β-HSD1 is an enzyme that helps to prevent any kind of disturbance in the testosterone balance. It also counters the effects of cortisol on testosterone production.
However, 11β-HSD1 has its limitations. For instance, when the amount of cortisol is too high, this enzyme fails to make any impact.
In fact, too much cortisol in your body kills the testosterone within your testicles naturally. This negates any chance of testosterone entering your bloodstream.
This gradually develops a condition of testosterone deficiency within your body.
#2: Lack of Sleep
Well, this is probably the key answer to the question – what causes low testosterone in 30s? This is the transition period in everyone’s life nowadays.
This is the stage of life when a girl changes into a woman and a boy into a man. However, the subject of discussion is testosterone. So, we’ll focus on the men.
Usually, men at this age are at the peak of the pursuit of their dreams. Whether it’s academics, business, or corporate, they give their time to settle themselves down.
When their time falls short, they cut more time from their sleep. But sleep deprivation for a longer duration may lead to conditions in the body similar to chronic stress.
Furthermore, it raises the level of cortisol and other such chemicals in the body. And we already know what these chemicals can do to our testosterone levels.
#3: Excess Heat
The ‘Creator’ has engineered everything perfectly with a lot of complex calculations. The scrotum is partially detached from the rest of the abdominal cavity for a reason.
Sperm and testosterone production requires 1-2 degrees of temperature, which is less than our normal body temperature. So, excessive heat around testicles may hamper the testosterone production inside them.
Tight clothing around the groin is among the potential reasons that can cause low testosterone in young males.
Youngsters nowadays prefer tight underwear, skin-hugging jeans, and other such pieces of clothing that may cause heating of the testicles.
Due to this heating, the Leydig cells lose their efficiency for testosterone production. This leads to a decline in testosterone levels in the body.
#4: Not Getting Out in the Sun
There’s a substantial difference between the testosterone levels of a man who lives a lavish corporate life and a village farmer.
This is due to the difference in the amount of time they spend in the sun. An inactive indoor lifestyle will always be on the list of reasons when trying to find out what causes low testosterone in young men.
Well, you must be wondering “What’s the significance of sunlight in testosterone production?” Well, there’s a transitive connection.
Vitamin D is closely associated with the process of testosterone production. And sunlight is a raw and the most abundant source of Vitamin D.
Hence, getting out in the sun is really important to boost testosterone production. So, hit the beaches if possible. Also, you can get some vitamin D supplements.
#5: Excessive Drug Use
Lifestyle today needs a lot of drug support. Blood pressure, heart problems, diabetes, depression, and many more diseases are there that need frequent medications.
Well, most of these medicines lead to testosterone decline and other problems, such as weakening of your sexual prowess.
However, it’s not recommended to stop these medications without consulting your physician. You have to continue even though they are damaging your testosterone reserves and sex life.
These pharmaceuticals are not the only enemy. Recreational drugs like cocaine, marijuana, heroin, amphetamines, alcohol, and tobacco are also on the list of drugs that kill testosterone.
#6: Obesity
Low testosterone is among the causes of obesity and the opposite is also true. Increasing fat in your abdominal cavity is responsible for testosterone decline.
When your testosterone levels go down, it invites fat accumulation. This is a cycle that interrelates obesity and low testosterone.
Low testosterone is a consequence of obesity and vice versa. Hence, it’s important to keep your fat levels in check.
#7: Estrogen Ingestion
Daily intake of estrogen is far more problematic than you think. You just count the things that have the direct term written over them.
However, there is a lot of substance that is just estrogen in disguise. These substances include toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soaps, deodorant, and even processed drinking water.
The municipal authorities run purity tests on the supply of water with estrogen-mimicking compounds. The prolonged use of this water may drastically enhance the estrogen levels within your body.
And effects of increased estrogen in men will lead to a decline in testosterone levels.
Along with all these lifestyle causes, there are multiple foods that may reduce your testosterone levels.
Let’s see what foods destroy your testosterone level…
What Foods Kill Testosterone?
There’s no need to reiterate that whatever food we eat is somehow responsible for whatever happens within our bodies. Some foods directly or indirectly affect the testosterone levels inside the body.
So, the following are some of the main foods to avoid for low testosterone:
#1: Meat and Poultry
Most of the meats that you buy from the supermarket are injected to make them ready for sale in a quick time. These injections are loaded with compounds similar to estrogen.
Similarly, poultry is also under suspicion. When we consume these foods, synthetic estrogen enters our bodies. This promotes an unhealthy fat load in our body, resulting in testosterone decline.
#2: Alcohol
An arch enemy of your health is alcohol. No one is unaware of the negative effects of alcohol on our health. Excess alcohol consumption tops the list of what causes low t in young males.
Here’s why…
Regular alcohol consumption weakens the Leydig cell present in our testicles that produce testosterone. There are also speculations that alcohol is responsible for the conversion of testosterone into estrogen.
Furthermore, the consumption of alcohol increases the production of cortisol and endorphins. These are stress hormones that suppress the production of testosterone.
#3: Pesticides-Ridden Foods
Fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products are nowadays treated with a huge amount of pesticides. Again, these pesticides are carrying pigments that block the male hormones.
Try to avoid farm products treated with pesticides. Rather rely on organic products. This would reduce the risk of getting caught in the vicious effects of harmful chemicals used in pesticides.
These three are the major testosterone-killing foods that you must certainly avoid.
Now, the question is – how to know that you have low testosterone levels?
Of course, you need to find out that there’s actually an issue with your T before you can do something about it, right?
Well, it’s pretty simple! Your body will show significant symptoms of low testosterone levels. You just need to identify them.
Let’s have a close look at the major symptoms that tell you your testosterone level is running low…
How to Know If You Have Low Testosterone?
Testosterone holds a vital place in various essential body functions. Your body will let you know through many subtle signs when it’s running low.
Key signs that tell you to have low testosterone levels are:
#1: Loss of Muscle Mass
Muscle growth and strength are closely associated with testosterone levels in your body. Testosterone fuels the growth of your muscles, after all.
When your body is showing an abnormal decrease in muscle mass and strength, it’s often due to a decline in testosterone levels.
Usually, this happens when you grow older in age. You experience natural dips in hormone levels. But, nowadays, the world is filled with factors that may reduce testosterone production even at younger ages.
As a result, you need to identify what causes low testosterone in 20s and counter those factors.
#2: Lack of Energy
Feeling low frequently? Always running low on energy?
This must be due to low testosterone levels. Testosterone has a lot to do with the energy levels within your body.
Your body needs regular energy to carry out any function or task with or within the body. But unfortunately, low testosterone levels will always make you feel tired and low.
This is not limited to the physical aspect only. You’ll feel mentally drained as well. Also, the risk of chronic fatigue increases when you are running low on testosterone levels.
#3: Lower Sex Drive
Sex drive or libido also depends upon the amount of testosterone you carry within your bloodstream. Basically, testosterone is something that separates men from boys.
When the testosterone is low in your bloodstream, your nitric oxide retention capacity also goes down. This takes away the ability to initiate or hold erections. This condition is generally termed erectile dysfunction.
Furthermore, the lack of testosterone is also responsible for lower semen volume. However, lower libido and semen volume are not only due to a decline in testosterone.
There are a few other potential reasons for it. But testosterone deficiency is among the key reasons.
Along with these major signs, there are a few more symptoms that indicate low testosterone levels.
Decreased bone strength, unusual hair loss, mood swings, are among the signs that show you have low testosterone levels.
As we’ve already established that low testosterone level is an open invitation to a lot of health issues, it goes without saying that it’s necessary to treat it on time.
Let’s go through some of the potential ways to treat low testosterone levels…
Low Testosterone Treatment Options
Well, low testosterone levels have several possible methods of treatment. You can counter the testosterone decline through both natural and clinical methods.
So, how do you fix low testosterone levels in your body is up to you.
With that said, some of the possible ways of treating low testosterone levels include:
#1: Exercise
If the condition is not very serious, you can cure it with exercise. Exercising can lift your testosterone levels effectively.
Well, some exercises work better than others, especially compound movements like squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.
These exercises trigger a large number of muscles together. This stimulates the heavy release of testosterone.
#2: Diet Remedy
You must include healthy testosterone-boosting foods in your diet and rule out fast foods and processed food items. It will keep your health in check.
A healthy body without any ailments is able to experience the optimal release of anabolic hormones, such as testosterone.
On the flip side, excess body fat may interfere with testosterone production. So, you must try to avoid anything that can lead your body toward obesity.
However, in that effort, you can’t rule out fats completely. Healthy fats are necessary for testosterone production.
Hence, you need to maintain that balance in your fat intake to ensure optimal testosterone production.
#3: Clinical Methods
When the condition becomes too serious, exercise and diet methods alone usually can’t help. Here you need to put into use some clinical methods to counter the testosterone decline.
These methods include:
- Gels
- Skin Patch
- Pellets
- Injections
- Oral Supplements
Talking about oral supplements, there is a lot of testosterone-boosting supplements available in the market. These supplements are made with natural ingredients that are proven to give your testosterone the much-needed boost. One such supplement is Testoprime.
About Testoprime Testosterone Booster
Testoprime is leading the list of effective and safe testosterone booster’s list. The supplement is designed for young men in their 30s and also for middle-aged men in their 40s dealing with changes in their primary male hormones.
It is an all-natural supplement that completely supports youthful vitality and helps reclaim vigor with the help of the blend of its 12 proven ingredients.
As per the numerous Testoprime before and after results shared by users online, the testosterone-boosting supplement gets to the root cause and supports natural testosterone production. This is also the reason why Testoprime results vary from person to person.
The best part is, Testoprime not only supports mental well-being by boosting testosterone levels but also assists in maintaining mental stability.
The best testosterone booster on the market is trusted by many leading to a huge loyal customer base.
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After all these methods, the ultimate solution is testosterone replacement therapy. In this therapy, your body is surgically refueled with healthy testosterone levels.
However, this should be the last option when nothing works. First, you must rely on simple lifestyle remedies to pull up your testosterone levels.
Well, that’s enough information on the topic for now.
Let’s now conclude the discussion on what causes low testosterone in young males…
Summary
Low testosterone is something that every man has to deal with after a certain stage in their life. In fact, a decline in T-levels is natural and even expected when you grow old.
But when this decline starts at an early age, it becomes a serious problem to address immediately.
To counter the problem, first, you need to know what causes low testosterone in young males.
There are numerous factors that lead to the decline in testosterone levels at young ages. You need to identify these factors and try to stay away from them.
Furthermore, you can choose a mode of treatment if you are running low on testosterone levels. This treatment will, of course, depend upon the degree of decline in your t-levels.
Also, you can add a testosterone-boosting supplement to your regime. It would help maintain healthy testosterone levels within your body. It is best to take testosterone boosters with estrogen blockers to prevent boosting female hormones.
I really hope the information in this blog was useful. Please take out some time to drop your feedback and pass on the information if it helped you.