12 causes of male hypogonadism every man should know of

Testosterone, which is known as the male sex hormone, is produced by the testicles and is mainly responsible for a man’s sexual and reproductive development. Other than this, it also plays an important role in maintaining the muscles and fat distribution. Men who suffer from low testosterone or what is known as male hypogonadism have a low quality of life as they suffer from symptoms such as low libido, erectile dysfunction, hot flashes, lower sperm count, hair loss, osteoporosis, and even increased breast size [1]. The good news is that male hypogonadism can be treated with testosterone replacement therapy. There are two types of hypogonadism known as primary and secondary. In primary hypogonadism or what is also referred to as primary testicular failure, the problem originates in the testicles [1]. A patient suffering from secondary hypogonadism has a problem in the hypothalamus or the pituitary gland. This is the part of the brain that is responsible for signaling the testicles to produce testosterone [1]. Over the years, studies have found that these are the six common causes of primary hypogonadism: 1. Undescended testicles Undescended testicles is a condition in which a male child’s testicles are unable to drop into the normal place in the scrotum during early stages of development. In some cases, both of the testicles might not descend at birth. Normally, this condition corrects itself without any treatment in the first few years. However, if that’s not the case and it isn’t treated on time, it can affect the production of testosterone and cause male hypogonadism [1]. 2. Hemachromatosis Hemochromatosis is a condition that causes iron overload or excessive amounts of iron that can harm internal organs and cause testicular failure or pituitary gland dysfunction, among other major diseases [1]. 3. Injury to the testicles Many men can suffer from an injury to the testicles because of sports or accidents. An injured testicle can impair testosterone production and lead to primary hypogonadism [1]. 4. Cancer treatment Patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation can face issues with testosterone and sperm production [1]. Studies have found that hypogonadism was seen in 30% of the men with cancer and in some cases, infertility caused by cancer treatment could also be permanent though many men regain their fertility a few months after undergoing chemotherapy. 5. Mumps orchitis Mumps orchitis is an infection of the testicles and could be caused by both, a virus or bacteria. While usually the mumps infection affects only one of the testicles, in some cases it can affect both. This can impair testosterone production and cause primary hypogonadism [1]. 6. Ageing As men age, the body tends to produce lower levels of testosterone as compared to younger men [1]. In fact, the American Association of Endocrinologists estimates that 30% of men above the age of 75 have testosterone levels which are way below normal. While the above six points are the most common causes of primary hypogonadism, endocrinologists have found that these are the six causes of secondary hypogonadism: […]

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