26 Aug Exploring the Impact of Low Testosterone on Men’s Mental Health

The importance of staying fit has been emphasized for some time.  Unfortunately, it is only in recent years that society has realized how vital mental health is to overall well-being. Your mental well-being is what gives you the desire and energy to power through difficult situations and live your best life.

While testosterone is often associated with sex and libido, it does much more than promote your sex drive. Testosterone also plays a role in bone and muscle mass, as well as fat distribution and red blood cell production. Additionally, when you have low testosterone levels, it can cause mood swings, anxiety, depression, and other mental health problems, because your brain cells need testosterone.

If you’re curious and want to know more about the link between testosterone levels and mental health, you’ve come to the right place. This article will explore the link between low testosterone and depression, anxiety, mood swings and disorders, and mental health in general. We’ll also look at how to know if you have low testosterone and the impact it can have.

Low Testosterone and Depression

Depression is a prevalent and dangerous mental health condition that affects people of all ages, genders, and races. In males assigned at birth (MAAB), a common cause of depression is having low testosterone (low T) levels. This happens because your brain cells are equipped with testosterone receptors that need stimulation.  If they don’t get enough testosterone, studies have shown this can lead to depression.

Low Testosterone and Anxiety

Along with depression, there’s a direct link between low testosterone and anxiety. Anxiety is when you feel excessively stressed or anxious about something, resulting in sweating, rapid heart rate, and fear. The same brain cells that need testosterone to prevent depression also need stimulation to prevent anxiety. Studies have shown1 that if you have low T, it can lead to anxiety or worsen it if you’re already anxious.

Low Testosterone and Mood Swings

Mood swings are dramatic shifts in your attitude and how you’re feeling. One moment you might be experiencing an emotional high of joy and happiness, and the next, you might feel extremely sad or depressed. Mood swings are dangerous and can lead to suicidal tendencies if you’re not careful.

While there are several things that can cause mood swings in men, low T is one of them. According to Dr. Edward Levitan2 of Visions HealthCare, men with low T are more likely to have mood swings because of their hormonal imbalances. Testosterone is a mood stabilizer, which means that if you don’t have enough, you’ll have wild mood swings.

Testosterone Levels and Mental Health

Because of how testosterone affects your mood and energy levels, it has a direct impact on your mental health. Low T can lead to depression, anxiety, mood swings, and other mental health problems, such as feelings of uselessness and low self-worth. Therefore, if you want to live your best and healthiest life, it’s crucial to have adequate testosterone levels. This will also lead to increased energy, sex drive, muscle mass, and mental health.

Hormonal Imbalance and Mood Disorders

While maintaining a positive attitude plays a role in preventing mood swings, your hormones play a much bigger one. When your hormones are out of balance, it can lead to mood swings and disorders. This is why females assigned at birth have mood swings during menopause, menstruation, or pregnancy because their hormones are out of balance.

In the same way, hormonal imbalances in men in the form of low testosterone can lead to mood disorders over time. This can include major depression and anxiety, but it can also include others, such as bipolar disorder, dysrhythmia, or substance-induced mood disorder.

Testosterone Deficiency and Mood Disorders

Because testosterone is a major hormone in the body of MAAB, it has a direct link to mood disorders. Testosterone levels decline naturally with age, but it’s also caused by certain medical conditions, injuries, and medications. According to Let’s Get Checked, testosterone deficiency, also known as hypogonadism, can lead to major depression and other serious mood disorders in 34% of men who have it.

Because of the dangers involved with testosterone deficiency, it’s important to get checked regularly so that you can remedy the problem as quickly as possible. The longer you have testosterone deficiency, the harder it will be to fix the problem, and the more depressed you will become.

Low Testosterone Levels and Emotional Well-being

Your emotional well-being is directly tied to whether or not you feel stressed, anxious, or depressed. Therefore, because low T levels affect each of these things, it is also directly tied to your emotional well-being.

In addition to the physiological impact that testosterone has on your brain, there are also emotional factors in play. Men who feel unmotivated, less-than, insufficient, or unenergetic are more likely to have emotional problems. Additionally, a reduced sex drive, being overweight, and erectile dysfunction, all of which are potential side effects of low T, can add to emotional problems.

Hormones and Male Mental Health

Testosterone is one of the most important hormones for men when it comes to mental health. However, other hormones, such as cortisol, estrogen, progesterone, insulin, and thyroid hormones, all have an impact on your mental health. When these hormones are out of balance or insufficient, it can lead to depression, stress, and anxiety. While they all affect you differently, these hormones are directly linked to feelings of happiness, joy, and relaxation.

Testosterone and Psychological Symptoms

It’s important to know if you are experiencing testosterone deficiency. In addition to the physical signs, there are also psychological symptoms that indicate low T.

• Sudden mood changes
• No mood at all
• Stress
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Irritability

If you start to experience these symptoms, it’s important to take action and correct your testosterone levels. Left untreated, low T can lead to chronic psychological symptoms and mood disorders.

Conclusion

As you can see, testosterone plays an essential role in the physical and mental well-being of men. It directly impacts your mood, sex drive, how good you feel about yourself, and much more. If you have low testosterone, you’re more susceptible to feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression, whereas adequate testosterone will have you feeling happy, healthy, and energized.