30 Dec Can Low T Cause Depression in Men?

There are many men today who struggle with low testosterone, or low T. If you aren’t already familiar with testosterone, it is a male hormone that helps with a number of bodily functions including sex drive, muscle strength, bone density, and sperm production. Simply put—testosterone is a very important hormone.

However, over time, men will start to produce less testosterone. This is normal. However, when men experience extremely low amounts of testosterone, it is known as hypogonadism. For men with really low testosterone or low T, it can lead to physical and emotional side effects. While many men know that low T can lead to a lower sex drive, there are actually a number of symptoms and side effects that come with low T including mood swings, fatigue, and loss of muscle mass.

But many men wonder, can low T also cause depression?

The answer is actually more complicated than it seems. Both low T and depression have shared symptoms which makes diagnosing depression difficult. Low T can lead to mood-altering complications like irritability, anxiety, sadness, low sex drive, issues concentrating, and sleep issues. These are all obvious signs of depression as well.

So, while low T can cause serious side effects similar to depression, it may not actually be depression that you need to treat. If low T is to blame, then hormone treatments can be the solution to regaining normal testosterone levels and keeping these symptoms under control. Normal depression medication will not work on low T, just like hormones won’t work on clinical depression.

So, how do you tell the difference between low T and depression? 

First, there are physical symptoms associated with low T, such as breast swelling and decreased muscle mass. You will not have this with depression. Typically, physical manifestations of depression include things like fatigue, headaches, or even back pain.

However, the most definite way to tell the difference between low T and depression is to get a blood test. Here at LT Men’s Clinic, we can perform the blood tests you need to check your hormone levels, so you can get a clear picture of what you’re dealing with.

If you have more questions about low T and depression, contact the experts here at LT Men’s Clinic today. Our team of medical professionals can help you get a diagnosis and walk you through your treatment options so you can get back to feeling like yourself. Just call our office today at 817-369-3605 to learn more about our treatment options today.