Testosterone is responsible for many actions in the male body, including muscle mass, bone strength, hair growth and sexual function.
But in some cases, men can become deficient in testosterone - this has previously been dubbed the ‘male menopause’.
Low levels of testosterone can have a significant impact on both short-term and long-term physical and psychological health.
According to Ted's Health, it is an under-recognised condition that could affect up to 40 percent of men over the age of 45.
The healthcare provider has launched its own digital healthcare service just for testosterone deficiency.
Symptoms of the deficiency include:
• Low libido (sex drive)
• Brain fog
• Increased body fat
• Depression.
Ted's Health added that deficiency can affect physical health too, as one in two men with type 2 diabetes have low testosterone.
It can also have serious long-term consequences: “Combined evidence now lists testosterone deficiency as a marker for early death in men,” warns the healthcare provider.
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As a result, they have described it as a “silent epidemic”, one with major consequences for those affected by the deficiency.
How is testosterone deficiency treated?
In the same way women going through the menopause undertake Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRH), men have a similar treatment.
In this case, men affected engage in TRT (testosterone replacement therapy), a prescription which can only be given after consultation.
This, says Ted's Health, forms part of its plan for combatting testosterone deficiency and men on its programme will be able to track their treatment through a “personal dashboard”.
Senior medical advisor on the programme, Professor Geoffrey Hackett explained: “Testosterone deficiency can be devastating in men’s personal and professional lives, whilst increasing their risk of premature death, yet thousands of men aren’t getting the support they need.
“I have dedicated my career to championing men’s health and am therefore delighted to be empowering more men than ever before with access to potentially life-changing treatment that they can trust with Ted's Health.
“I encourage all men who are experiencing symptoms to visit Ted’s Health to get checked out.”
Dr Angela Wright added that on top of treating men, it also focuses on correcting assumptions about testosterone and how it operates.
She wrote: “A common misconception is that testosterone is all about sex. Testosterone is vital for men’s health across the board, but currently understanding and awareness remains low.
“Increasing access to affordable, medical consultation and treatment for testosterone deficiency has the potential to change men’s lives.”
What the NHS says
On the "male menopause" the NHS says while this moniker is used, it may not be the right term.
The health body claims: “This label is misleading because it suggests the symptoms are the result of a sudden drop in testosterone in middle age, similar to what occurs in the female menopause. This is not true.”
In this case, it is safer to refer to it as the andropause or to focus on the main cause - a testosterone deficiency.
The NHS adds: “Although testosterone levels fall as men age, the decline is steady at about percent a year from around the age of 30 to 40, and this is unlikely to cause any problems in itself.
“A testosterone deficiency that develops later in life, also known as late-onset hypogonadism, can sometimes be responsible for these symptoms, but in many cases the symptoms are nothing to do with hormones.”
