The Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (ADAM) questionnaire is an easy way to answer questions about your sexual health, which can help to see if you need your testosterone level checked.
It is an internationally accredited assessment tool which is often used by doctors when making the assessment and diagnosis of Testosterone Deficiency. A positive result does not necessarily mean that you have a low testosterone level or require treatment, but can be a helpful guide when discussing your symptoms with your doctor.
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Many people might find that there are times when they're just not in the mood for sex. This could happen for a bunch of reasons, like feeling stressed out, being sick, not having a partner, going through mood swings, or experiencing changes in hormone levels.
One essential hormone that's linked to feeling ready and excited for sex is testosterone. But a lot of times, people don't connect the dots between not feeling sexually interested and having low levels of this hormone.
Let's dive into how not having enough testosterone can affect your desire for sex and what steps you can take if you're dealing with a low sex drive!
A lot of studies show that not having enough testosterone can lead to a lower interest in sex.
Research by Lejeune and others found that men with low testosterone often don't feel much desire for sex. But when they got treatment to increase their testosterone levels, they started feeling more interested in sex again. This shows that testosterone does play a significant role in making people feel sexually interested.
There's also a lot of evidence that boosting testosterone can help women who are facing the same issue.
Of course, there are other reasons why someone might not feel like having sex, like health problems, relationship troubles, or mental health issues. But, having too little testosterone is a primary reason that affects both men and women, and it's something that shouldn't be overlooked.
Hormonal Changes Over Time: The Natural Decline Of Testosterone In Adult Men
As guys get older, it's pretty common for their interest in sex to drop a bit. While this doesn't happen to everyone, there's often a hormonal reason behind it.
Studies have shown that men's testosterone levels go down a little bit every year —about 1.6%. And the testosterone that's not attached to proteins in their blood (called "free" testosterone) drops even faster, by 2-3% every year. Over time, this can add up, leading to a noticeable decrease in sex drive as men age.
One thing that plays a significant role here is SHBG or sex hormone-binding globulin. As men age, they tend to have more SHBG in their blood. This stuff sticks to testosterone, making less of it available for the body to use, which can lower sex drive even more.
But it's not just about hormones. Other research has found that changes in health and lifestyle as men get older can also affect testosterone levels and sex drive, even though there's still a general trend of these levels going down with age.
When checking if a man has healthy testosterone levels, especially as he ages, there are some critical things to look out for in the blood. These markers can tell us a lot about hormone balance and any problems related to testosterone and sexual health.
SHBG (Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin): This is a protein that holds onto testosterone in your blood. If you have too much SHBG, you might not have enough testosterone available for your body to use, which can mess with your sex drive and overall health.
Albumin: This protein can grab testosterone but is not as clingy as SHBG. Still, if there's a lot of albumin, it can lower the amount of testosterone your body can use, which might make low testosterone issues worse.
Testosterone: It's super important to check the actual amount of testosterone in the blood. Looking at testosterone, SHBG, and albumin levels gives a better picture of how much testosterone the body has available to use.
Oestrogen: Guys have oestrogen too, and if there's too much, it can lower sex drive. High oestrogen can also mean that the body is turning too much testosterone into oestrogen, which often happens in men with more body fat.
Luteinising Hormone (LH): This hormone from the brain tells the testes to make testosterone. If LH levels are off, it could mean there's a problem with the amount of testosterone being made.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH): FSH is mostly about sperm production but can also give clues about testosterone balance. Odd FSH levels might point to testosterone issues.
Knowing about these markers can help spot hormonal imbalances and lead to ways to fix testosterone levels and sexual health. The good news is, just because you're getting older doesn't mean you can't stay healthy and active. Clinics today offer treatments for things like low testosterone and lower sex drive so men can get the help they need to keep living life to the fullest.
If you're noticing that you're not as interested in sex as you used to be, the first thing you should do is get a blood test and talk to a doctor who knows a lot about this stuff.
Just guessing isn't enough to figure out why your sex drive might be low. There are many different reasons it could be happening, and some might be things a doctor can help you fix. And sometimes, the problem might be because you don't have enough testosterone.
If you're also dealing with other issues that often come with low testosterone, it could mean that this hormone (or lack of it) is what's affecting your interest in sex. Here are some other signs that your testosterone might be low:
Getting shorter, which can happen to older guys because their bones are getting weaker
If any of these sound familiar, it might be worth checking your testosterone levels to see if that's happening.
This encompasses supplements, dietary adjustments, and exercise routines aimed at increasing testosterone levels and enhancing sex drive.
If you're a guy and you've noticed that you're not as interested in sex as you used to be, it could be due to low testosterone. This is a pretty common issue, and it's something that can be checked out and potentially fixed.
Besides a lower sex drive, other signs of low testosterone can include feeling down or tired, having trouble getting or keeping an erection, losing muscle, feeling confused or unfocused, not feeling motivated, or even getting a bit shorter over time because your bones aren't as strong.
The first step to figuring this out is to get a blood test and talk to a doctor who knows. There could be many reasons for these symptoms, and a blood test can help pinpoint if low testosterone is one of them.
So, if you're feeling off and not sure why, it might be worth checking if low testosterone is the cause, especially if you have some of these other symptoms, too.
If you're looking for help with low testosterone or any related concerns, feel free to reach out to Androgenix. We're here to support you and provide the assistance you need.
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