there are two areas of the body where problems can arise which cause low testosterone levels. the first area is in your testicles. testosterone is produced in the testicles. the second area is the hormone control centers in the brain the hypothalamus and the pituitary. when testosterone levels fall the hypothalamus sends a signal to the pituitary to produce the hormones lh and fsh. these hormones travel in the blood stream and cause the testicles to produce testosterone and sperm. the effect of low testosterone levels on a man depends on his age when the low levels develop. in adults fatigue lack of sex drive and depression occur within a few weeks of developing low testosterone levels. decreased muscle mass and body hair are less common and do not occur for a year or more after the onset of testosterone deficiency. the first step when low testosterone levels are found is to confirm the results with repeat testing and test for free or bioavailable testosterone. free and bioavailable testosterone are a clearer representation of the active hormone as opposed to the total testosterone which is the more commonly measured initial test. the next step is to measure lh and fsh. normal or low levels of lh and fsh in the face of a low testosterone level suggest that the control centers in the brain are not working properly. high levels of lh and fsh pinpoint to a problem in the testicles. a cat scan is done to see if there is a tumor in the pituitary. a common pituitary tumor that causes low testosterone levels is a prolactin tumor. this is another hormone secreted by the pituitary. prolactin causes the hypothalamic region of the brain to malfunction. besides tumors damage to the pituitary gland or hypothalamus in adults can occur from surgery injury infections radiation therapy and with high doses or long-term use of narcotics or steroids. causes of failure of the testicles to produce testosterone include; chemotherapy radiation therapy excessive alcohol consumption infections such as mumps tumors medications trauma toxins chronic diseases and torsion of the testicles (twisting). sometimes no specific cause is found. talk with your doctor about your hormone levels and what could be causing your symptoms. treatment for low testosterone levels is important in men not only for their wellbeing but to make sure that their muscles and bones stay strong.
male 25 yrs old. i have low t. cat scan shows no pitutary tumor. symptoms low sex drive fatigue mild depression. cause? . surprised by low testosterone in blood work. i have a lot of body hair. what is the cause? will this always be a problem?