|
It is normal for men’s testosterone levels to fall gradually after the age of 30 years. Unlike women, whose oestrogen levels fall rapidly when they go through menopause, men’s testosterone levels fall much more gradually and over a longer period of time.
Men’s testosterone levels generally decrease by approximately one per cent per year. However, if a man has testicular damage, the rate that testosterone levels fall with age may be greater, therefore putting the man at greater risk of androgen deficiency.
Low testosterone levels in ageing men can be caused by a reduced ability of the testes to produce testosterone. In some men, a decrease in the amount of the hormone LH produced by the pituitary gland, which is needed to stimulate the testes, can contribute to low testosterone levels.
It is difficult to predict androgen deficiency in older men purely on the basis of symptoms. Medical research is still needed to develop ways to identify older men who may be at risk of having androgen deficiency. As men age, any significant medical illness can cause a fall in the level of testosterone, but these levels usually recover when the illness has been treated.
Aside from the effects of these illnesses that are more common as men age, there are also changes in the reproductive system as men age. Why these changes happen, and which men are affected is not understood, but there may be a problem in the hypothalamus or pituitary gland that is linked with ageing. Unlike younger men, an increase in LH drive from the pituitary is not seen with low testosterone levels in older men.
|
