Testosterone is a fundamental part of the male body. It impacts your sex drive, sperm production, body hair, fat storage, mood, and even your bone strength.
It’s widely thought that low testosterone levels are linked to erectile dysfunction, but is that fact or fiction? Here’s the truth.
Testosterone 101
Even though it's also produced in women, testosterone is known as the male sex hormone because guys’ bodies produce large amounts of it from puberty.
Because testosterone is so involved in your bodily functions, it’s no surprise that men often blame testosterone (or a lack of it) when they encounter an erection issue - but this issue is actually strangely rare.
A man’s testosterone production starts to slow down by around age 30 (our face when the doc told us that = 😲). But don’t stress! You’ll still be able to get hard well beyond 30.
The Truth About Testosterone & ED
The threshold for how low testosterone levels need to be to affect the frequency and firmness of your erections is so low, that the likelihood of reaching that threshold at any point in life is slim.
In a scientific review from 2000, scientists found that hormonal disorders, like low testosterone levels, are the rarest cause of ED.
In short, you should be able to get erections and enjoy all the benefits that come with them (pun intended) well into your old age, or at least, testosterone levels won’t be what holds you back.
You can learn more about ED and what causes it here
How To Increase Testosterone Levels
Even though low testosterone levels shouldn’t affect your bedroom endeavours, it can still hamper other aspects of your life. Like we said, testosterone is responsible for a lot in the male body. Low testosterone levels can cause:
- Moodiness,
- Weight gain,
- Low self-esteem,
- Reduced body hair, and
- Reduced libido, amongst other things
The good news is there are things you can do to help increase your testosterone levels.
Doing more cardio can help to lose weight and consequently increase your testosterone levels. It can also improve sexual performance if you need another incentive 😉
Certain foods can also boost your T levels, like
🧄 garlic,
🥬 leafy greens,
🍫 cocoa,
🥑 avos, and
🍳 eggs.
These foods may help increase your testosterone by providing your body with the nutrients it needs to make testosterone. Magnesium-rich foods are great T-boosters, along with proteins, certain fats, and antioxidants. These all work together to reduce inflammation and give your testicles the ideal vitamin cocktail to make healthy amounts of testosterone.
Stress and lack of sleep can also hinder your body’s testosterone production, so if you want to boost your T-levels, getting some R-and-R (and we're not talking about a Mozam special🍹) could be just what the doctor ordered.
What About Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)?
TRT delivers testosterone to the body through pills, injections, patches, or topical gels.
You can certainly boost your testosterone levels with TRT, but this method is usually for people with atypically low testosterone levels that hamper their quality of life. TRT can bring with it some nasty side effects including acne, blood clots, and breast enlargement, as well as an increased risk of heart disease, prostate issues, and fertility issues, so it really is best as a last resort.
TRT can be life-changing for some, but unless you have super low testosterone levels, it can also actually cause your body to slow its natural testosterone production, or even stop it completely.
Other long-term risks include:
- Increased risk of heart disease,
- Increased risk of prostate problems, and
- Potential issues with fertility.
The Takeaway
Low testosterone isn’t a common cause of ED. In fact, it's pretty rare. While ED and testosterone levels aren’t linked, low testosterone can cause other health concerns you might want to address. Depending on the severity of your low testosterone, you can explore Testosterone Replacement Therapy, or good old-fashioned exercise and healthy eating.
Whether you have low testosterone or ED, there are science-based solutions that can turn your situation around so you can live a fulfilling and healthy life. You can catch more about both of these at our &BAM Men's HQ.
The articles published by &BAM are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. If you have any medical questions or concerns, you should contact your doctor.
References:
- https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-testosterone
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1476110/
- https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11481410/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4623306/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7139932/
- https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Boron-HealthProfessional/
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6719970/