Conditions that mimic low testosterone

Low testosterone diagnoses may be becoming more common, but your symptoms could actually be something else.  

The American Urological Association (AUA) reports that testosterone testing and prescriptions have increased threefold in recent years. However, the AUA also mentions that up to 25% of men who receive testosterone therapy haven’t been tested first, and up to a third of men given testosterone treatment aren’t actually testosterone deficient. 

“A lot of men who actually need testosterone therapy don’t get it,” says Dr. Fahad Chaus, a urologist at Advocate Health Care. “While there are concerns about the risks of prostate cancer and heart disease with testosterone treatment, these worries are often exaggerated.” 

Low testosterone can manifest with symptoms of fatigue, mood swings, low sex drive and trouble with sexual performance. Though, these symptoms can also point to different health conditions. 

Conditions that mimic low testosterone symptoms include: 

• Poor sleep quality or sleep apnea 
• Chronic stress, which can affect your hormones 
• Lack of exercise 
• Underactive thyroid, also known as hypothyroidism 
• Obesity 
• Vitamin deficiencies, like vitamin D and B12 
• Diabetes 
• Heart disease 
• Erectile dysfunction 

“The tricky part about low testosterone is that its symptoms can look like a lot of other health issues,” says Dr. Chaus. “It’s important to test for low testosterone. However, before jumping into testing and treatment, we recommend patients first focus on addressing other health problems and lifestyle habits.” 

Dr. Chaus suggests trying the following lifestyle adjustments:

• Get better sleep 
• Manage stress 
• Maintain a healthy weight 
• Be more physically active 

Then, your health care provider can help you decide if testosterone testing is warranted based on your body’s response to the lifestyle modifications, your overall health history and your symptoms.

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