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Being anxious is part and parcel of being a human being, and it’s perfectly normal to feel anxiety every now and then. All of us have felt anxious at least once in our life—particularly when we find ourselves amidst difficult situations.
However, being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder is a completely different story. This mental health disorder is characterized by persistent and excessive fear and worry about everyday situations.
Commonly affecting millions worldwide, this disorder stems from a variety of internal and external factors.
With the sheer number of factors that can cause anxiety, one may ask, can low testosterone cause anxiety too?
Believe it or not, one oft-overlooked cause of anxiety is low testosterone.
There are different types of anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder, with each having its own symptoms and triggers.
That said, these conditions can be managed with treatments like therapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and self-care.
Today, we will be discussing the signs and symptoms of anxiety, the relationship between anxiety and low testosterone, and how you can better manage it.
8 Signs of Anxiety Caused by Low Testosterone
There are a multitude of signs that may hint at anxiety. If you’re facing any of the symptoms listed below, you may have anxiety caused by low testosterone:
- Avoidance of sex: Do you avoid engaging in sexual intercourse because of fear, sexual dysfunction, or overall disinterest?
- Performance anxiety: Are you afraid that you’re unable to get hard or please your partner during sex?
- Experiencing tension: Do you feel your muscles tense up, particularly as you’re about to engage in sex?
- Having difficulty focusing: Are you having trouble living in the moment?
- Erectile dysfunction: Are you unable to keep your penis hard enough for sex?
- Insecurity due to diminishing physicality: Are you insecure about your physical traits, such as worsening muscle mass?
- Social withdrawal: Do you avoid interacting or engaging with other people?
- Mood swings: Are you moody and easily irritated?
Regardless of whether you’re experiencing just one or a combination of these anxiety symptoms, you need to get them checked out with your healthcare provider. This way, you can promptly receive the help you need to reactivate your sex life.
11 Signs of Low Testosterone Levels
While the symptoms above can indicate low testosterone, that doesn’t cover the entire breadth of symptoms of hypogonadism.
To provide a clearer picture, testosterone is a male sex hormone produced by the testes that influence the growth of physical and sexual characteristics.
It plays a variety of roles in the body, such as stimulating sexual desire and sperm production and supporting the development of muscle and bone mass.
Generally, as people grow older, the production of testosterone decreases at a small but consistent rate. If your testosterone level falls below 300 ng/dL, that’s grounds for a low T diagnosis.
Despite it being a common occurrence, it’s not healthy for men to continuously have low testosterone levels—or an overly high T count, for that matter.
Here are some of the signs that you may be suffering from low testosterone levels:
- Amnesia
- Challenges achieving and maintaining an erection
- Exhaustion
- Fall in muscle and bone mass
- Hair reduction
- Hot flashes
- Low blood count
- Mood swings
- Reduced sex drive
- Rise in body fat
- Smaller testicular and penile size
How Does Low Testosterone Cause Anxiety?
Testosterone, a steroid hormone, plays various roles in the body, including regulating mood and mental health. When testosterone levels are within the normal range, they help maintain a balance in both physical and mental well-being.
However, abnormal levels of testosterone, whether high or low, can impact a person’s mood. Elevated levels of testosterone can lead to aggressive behavior. Conversely, low levels of testosterone may cause a decrease in mood, leading to anxiety.
While the relationship between low testosterone and anxiety is not fully understood, research indicates that there is a close association between the two. It’s believed that if you have low testosterone levels, replenishing them may alleviate stress, fear, and general anxiety.
When Should You Consult a Healthcare Provider?
If you notice physical symptoms such as sudden weight gain, reduced sex drive, or sexual performance, along with mental and emotional symptoms, it’s advisable to consult a doctor to test your testosterone levels.
Should your testosterone levels be lower than normal, there are several effective treatment options to increase them. However, even if your testosterone levels are not abnormally low, understanding the results can give some relief and help you manage your symptoms better.
A healthcare professional, such as a primary care doctor, a psychiatrist, or a psychologist, can evaluate your symptoms and provide a proper diagnosis for anxiety. They can also recommend suitable treatment options like therapy or medication.
Seeking professional help for anxiety is an important step towards managing your symptoms and improving your quality of life.
4 Ways to Treat Low Testosterone Levels
There are many ways you can boost testosterone levels to normal levels. Here are a couple of natural and clinical remedies that doctors may prescribe to patients with anxiety and low testosterone.
1. Upgrade Your Diet
It’s crucial to eat a testosterone-boosting diet with nutrients such as zinc in the picture. The regulation of testosterone in men heavily relies on zinc, and supplements are not the only way to obtain adequate zinc intake. Foods such as beans, crabs, lobsters, nuts, oysters, and whole grains are excellent sources of zinc.
Furthermore, low testosterone levels in men are often linked to excessive sugar consumption, particularly in men with diabetes. Hence, reducing sugar intake is essential for maintaining optimal testosterone levels.
2. Treatments and Procedures
Treating low testosterone can also be done in a safe and controlled environment, such as a medical facility. Many qualified clinics offer testosterone replacement therapy, which is a treatment plan that restores testosterone levels in the body.
Typically, this procedure entails the use of items such as testosterone nasal gels, patches, pallets, and intramuscular injections.
3. Get Sufficient Rest
Believe it or not, getting a good night’s sleep can do wonders for your testosterone count.
Studies indicate that even a week of inadequate sleep can cause a substantial decline in testosterone levels, particularly in the afternoons and evenings on days with less sleep. The participants also reported experiencing weakness as their testosterone levels decreased.
Although the required amount of sleep varies among individuals, most adults need between seven to nine hours of optimal sleep per night.
4. Frequent Exercise
According to fitness experts, participating in physical activity, especially resistance training, can boost your testosterone levels. It’s recommended that you engage in at least 150 minutes of exercise a week.
Apart from increasing testosterone, exercise also has a positive impact on emotional well-being by stimulating brain chemicals that enhance happiness and confidence. This, in turn, can help alleviate symptoms of anxiety.
Overcome Low Testosterone and Anxiety with Medical Professionals in Atlanta, Georgia’s Top Clinic, Priority Men’s Medical Center
Low testosterone is a distressing condition. Having anxiety and depression on top of that can feel like a spoilt cherry on top.
That said, it’s possible to minimize your symptoms by adjusting your lifestyle and getting medical help to increase your testosterone levels.
Concerned about your low testosterone spiraling into anxiety, or already suffer from anxiety caused by low testosterone?
Consult us at Priority Men’s Medical Center in Atlanta for a free consultation on how you can manage your condition appropriately, here in Atlanta.
Besides low testosterone treatment, we also offer RestoreWave therapy, ED therapy, adrenal fatigue treatment, and more customized treatment options for men suffering from a hormone imbalance or sexual health issues.
