Despite the growing number of men seeking testosterone therapy that has tripled in the last 2 decades, the vast majority of them who want to undergo hormone replacement therapy for testosterone deficiency simply do not get it. And there’s a good reason for that.
If there is something wrong with a man’s testes, hypogonadism can take place. This is the medical term for low or reduced testosterone. Another condition that can set the stage for low-T is pituitary gland issues, like a tumor or something similar.
However, some people are bewildered about what distinguishes hormonal deficiency from low testosterone, when low-T is technically classified as a hormone deficiency, too.
Many are under the impression that they are the same. Unless we draw out a clear line on what makes one distinct from the other, the minds of these people will remain in that perplexed state.
What Is the Difference Between Low Testosterone and Hormonal Deficiency?
Testosterone, as the male sex hormone produced primarily in the testicles but also to a lesser degree by the adrenal cortex and the ovaries (for women), is necessary for too many cognitive, physical, sexual, and metabolic functions in men.
As a primary sex hormone in the male human body, it reaches the pinnacle of its production during puberty years and the early years of adulthood. However, this natural ability of men’s bodies to produce their own testosterone is bound to decline as it advances with age.
As men get older, their body’s natural ability to produce testosterone weakens. Thus, the concentration of this important hormone in the bloodstream will begin to go down at a rate of about 1% to 3% every year. This usually takes place from the age of 40 and up.
This decline of testosterone level in men does not automatically mean to say that he has a testosterone deficiency already or a running candidate for a TRT Sydney hormone therapy.
This hormone imbalance only arises when there is a low testosterone level in the body combined with specific signs or symptoms.
TRT Sydney doctors agree in saying that testosterone deficiency is a very specific clinical condition defined by signs and symptoms that takes place as a consequence of decreased testosterone output by the testes in men.
Over the last few years, the medical community is quite alarmed because there’s been an uptick in the off-label use of testosterone to treat a variety of age-associated disorders and conditions that do not necessarily qualify as a deficiency in the hormone, testosterone.
When Should Low Testosterone Be Treated, and How Should It Be Treated?
TRT Sydney is not supposed to treat a naturally occurring, age-related decline of testosterone or merely to manage a low T count. However, if a man has a deficiency in this hormone or completed clinical tests show him as having classical hypogonadism, the benefits of addressing the same far exceed potential risks.
According to premier TRT doctors in the country, there’s been increased availability of high-quality laboratories offering reliable results for testosterone levels over the last 2-3 years. This used to be a major issue whenever one attempted to make a definitive diagnosis.
To verify the condition of low testosterone that necessitates care and treatment, the patient must undergo the first 2 separate blood work very early in the morning on non-consecutive days (testosterone levels are highest in the early hours of the morning, and may fluctuate throughout the day.
The results of the said blood test should be assessed by credible testing laboratories authorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to top TRT Sydney doctors, the normal range for testosterone levels is 300 ng/dL to 1,000 ng/dL. Low testosterone measuring below 263 ng/dL is often deemed low or poor level by the Endocrine Society.
Your doctors also need to check if you (or your spouse) are struggling with a testosterone deficiency. Medical professionals explain that most of the symptoms of low testosterone are “extremely nonspecific,” and this is the reason why getting accurate testosterone levels is very important.