Low Testosterone And Fertility: Everything You Need To Know
If you have questions about low testosterone and fertility, we’ve got answers. Read on for a helpful guide on everything you need to know related to this topic.
You hear about a woman’s biological clock all the time. But what about the men? Do the male species have a fountain of youth for their reproductive system that allows them to spawn children at any age?
Or do they too have a biological clock that’s ticking that goes ignored for the most part? This is a great question to ask if you’re planning to have children in the near or distant future.
It’s important to note that low testosterone and fertility go hand-in-hand. As men grow older, their testosterone levels decrease, which coincides with their decreased ability to bear children.
In this guide, we will cover some of the things you need to know about low testosterone and fertility.
The Growing Lack of Awareness of Low Testosterone and Fertility
Women go through life facing the tough decisions of putting their careers first over starting a family. It becomes such a dilemma for many that some decide to freeze their eggs so that they can focus on their careers, without worry of their biological clock.
What incites this insecurity is the fact women are told all their lives that after 30, it becomes harder to have children. And then those that end up pregnant after 35 have a higher risk of the baby developing health issues.
But what do we hear about the men? It’s the exact opposite. In fact, we see they’re able to reproduce with younger women even at a ripe old age. However, times are changing and with it our health.
A man’s ability to have children is affected by time just like it does for a woman. It becomes harder with age to reproduce and their children too may develop health conditions.
How the Man’s Biological Clock Works
In America, many couples are waiting much longer before they decide to have children. The number of males and females having children in their teens and 20s is declining steadily. And many of today’s children are being born to parents in their 30s and 40s.
There’s also evidence that shows the more educated a man or woman, the longer they’re likely to wait to have children. It’s also more common for white, non-Hispanic women to have children at an older age than Hispanic and black mothers.
Now, there are three ways the age of a man can affect his fertility. One, the older a man is, the more difficult it is for the couple to get pregnant. Then those who do become pregnant have a higher chance of a miscarriage.
Third, the pregnancy can also result in a full-term baby being born with health problems.
The difference between a man’s and woman’s biological clock is that women have a set number of eggs and men produce an infinite number of sperm. This is why you’ll find some men fathering children in their 60s when a woman’s clock has already conked out.
A lot of men battle with dwindling testosterone levels as they grow older. This decreases their libido and causes erectile dysfunction. The genetic quality and quantity of the sperm also decline at this point.
So an aged man isn’t as good reproductive-wise as he was in his youth. One study done in France shows that a woman’s ability to reproduce declines at around 35 and age 40 for men.
Others show that men over 35 are twice as likely to to be infertile than those below 25 years old. In the UK, research showed men 45 and older had a 5x harder chance of conceiving than men 25 and younger.
The Warning Signs of Low Testosterone and Fertility
If you’re trying to conceive, then it’s important to know your odds of doing so. It’s not just your age that can determine your chances, but your testosterone levels. If you’re over 40 with high testosterone, then your odds of conceiving increases greatly.
On that note, it’s important to know what the warning signs are of low testosterone. Here’s a quick list of some of the symptoms:
- Decreased libido
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Hard time concentrating
- Depression
- Erectile dysfunction
These symptoms may appear gradually as your testosterone slowly decreases. Women go through menopause later in life when their estrogen levels decrease. The same happens to men, but with testosterone. This is known as andropause.
Unfortunately, it’s possible that you can go years with low testosterone without any symptoms. However, if you do see any of the aforementioned signs, then it’s ideal to speak to your physician.
Treatments for Low Testosterone and Fertility
You can have a blood test taken by your physician to pinpoint whether or not you have low testosterone levels. Once you do, you can discuss treatment options.
There are various types of treatments you can consider, such as oral tablets, topical creams, and injections.
When you take testosterone treatments, it can help improve your cognitive functions, erectile function, energy levels, bone density and muscle growth. A lot of people opt for the testosterone injections as part of a hormone replacement therapy program.
This gradually increases your testosterone to normal levels.
It’s also a good idea to have your Follicle stimulating hormone levels checked out. This will help determine if your body is able to produce the protein needed to create normal sperm cells and maintain them until they’re released.
If you’re trying to conceive but are worried about your age, then testing your fertility is key.
Finding Quality Testosterone Boosting Treatments
It’s very important that you don’t try DIY testosterone shots at home. You can find them all over the web, but many of these products aren’t FDA-approved. Plus, undergoing hormone therapy without the care of a physician could spell trouble.
At Mantality Health, we run lab tests and distribute hormone replacement therapy under the care of physicians. The products we use are FDA-approved and proven to work. We conduct lab testing to identify the optimal levels for your body and develop a treatment plan to help you achieve them.
If you’re looking to have testing and/or treatment done safely, then give us a call today
