VISN 2: Veterans' Wellness, Summer 2012 - VA Health Care Upstate New York

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VISN 2: Veterans' Wellness, Summer 2012

Summer 2012

Is Low Testosterone a Danger to Men’s Health?

Fast Fact
Andropause is a normal part of aging. Strength training may be beneficial because the body produces testosterone when a person builds or maintains muscle mass.

Testosterone is more than a one-hit wonder. while this hormone’regulating sex drive is widely known, it affects other aspects of health, Check what you know about testosterone with this quick quiz.

Are These statements True or False?

1. Men experience “male menopause.” True False

2. Erectile dysfunction is almost always caused by low testosterone.
True False

3. Low testosterone may be a sign of diabetes. True False

4. Fatigue can be a symptom of low testosterone in men. True False

Check your Answers

1. False. While men tend to have a decrease in testosterone as they age, sometimes referred to as “male menopause,” the process is quite different than what women experience during menopause. For men, the process is called andropause, which typically occurs between the ages of 40 and 55 years old. More than 13 million men have low testosterone levels — 90 percent go untreated.

2. False. While erectile dysfunction can be a symptom of low testosterone, men’s sexual problems are caused by poor circulation in many cases.

3. True. Low testosterone levels may predict if men will develop diabetes.
Many men with low testosterone also are obese, which raises their diabetes risk.

4. True. Other symptoms of low testosterone include mood changes, weakness
and loss of sex drive. Symptoms can be treated with testosterone replacement therapy.

Treating low Testosterone
Your VA health care provider can order a simple blood test to check your testosterone level. for some men, low testosterone symptoms can be treated with gel, skin patches or gum tablets that provide their bodies with more testosterone.

Factors that can help you and your provider determine whether or not testosterone replacement therapy is a good option for you are:
    How low your testosterone level is
    Why your level is low
    Your current medical condition

Cause for Concern?
If you have questions or concerns about your testosterone level, talk with your VA health care provider.

To access an interactive tutorial, visit www.visn2.va.gov. Click on “diseases and Conditions” and select “Medical encyclopedia.” Search for “low testosterone.”