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Fact Sheets
Androgen Deficiency
The most important androgen in men is
testosterone. Androgens are the sex steroids or hormones that produce
changes in body shape and sexual characteristics typical of men after
puberty. Androgens play a major role in the reproductive and sexual
function of the adult male. The equivalent sex steroid produced by
women is oestrogen.
Androgen deficiency occurs when reduced levels
of testosterone arise from a
lack of hormonal drive from the brain or
problems with the testes. Replacement
of testosterone may be given to
such men and this is usually continued for life. About 1 in 200 men
under 60 years of age suffer from androgen deficiency.
However as men
age, testosterone levels begin to fall from the age of 40 years.
It
is believed that by the age of 65 years, 10% of men will have androgen
deficiency and by the age of 70 this figure will have risen to over
20%. Men's testosterone levels fall much more gradually and over a
longer period of time,
unlike women, whose oestrogen levels fall
rapidly when they go through the menopause.
Men with low testosterone complain of a number
of symptoms including easy fatigue, low energy levels, low mood,
irritability, poor concentration and
reduced libido. Low testosterone
may also contribute to erectile problems
though androgen deficiency is
an uncommon cause of this. As men age, the
amount of body fat
increases and muscle mass and strength decreases. A fall
in
testosterone levels is likely to contribute to these conditions. Low
testosterone levels are also a risk factor for the development of
osteoporosis.
It is difficult to diagnose androgen deficiency
in older men purely on the basis
of symptoms. Medical research is
still needed to develop ways to identify older
men who may be at risk
of having androgen deficiency. As men age any
significant medical
illness can cause a fall in the level of testosterone but
these levels
usually recover when the illness has been treated.
Replacing testosterone in older men who have a
very low testosterone has
been shown to have a number of benefits on
body fat, muscle, cholesterol
and bone density as well as an
improvement in quality of life.
Acknowledgement: Andrology Australia.
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