Testosterone therapy can have a significant impact on mental health. If you suffer from depression, low libido, or other mood changes, it may be a sign that your testosterone levels are too low.
The best way to test your levels is to consult a provider of masculinizing hormone therapy. The initial steps to begin treatment include a physical exam and lab tests.
Testosterone Boosts Mood:
The hormone testosterone is mainly known for its role in fueling sexual desire in men, and it can also help with certain physical complications like erectile dysfunction. However, this androgen is essential for mood, too. When testosterone levels get too low, they can hurt emotional and mental health.
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Low testosterone can cause various symptoms, including depression, fatigue, and irritability. It can lead to weight gain, swollen breasts (gynecomastia), and hair loss. Many of these symptoms can affect your relationships and quality of life, but you must talk to your doctor about getting treatment for low T.
Testosterone therapy at Denver can significantly improve these symptoms and boost your overall mood. This hormone, considered the “happy chemical,” can increase serotonin levels and improve brain function. Testosterone can also reduce your stress levels and increase your energy. This can help you feel more like yourself and can make your relationships better, too.
Testosterone Helps with Insomnia:
Testosterone benefits for sleep don’t get as much attention as increased energy levels, libido, and reduced body fat. However, getting a restful sleep is crucial to your mental and physical health. Insomnia is often a symptom of low testosterone, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help.
The sex hormone testosterone can help regulate your sleep cycle and promote healthy REM sleep. It also helps support bone health and boosts your immune system. When your testosterone levels drop, you may experience problems sleeping, and sleep deprivation can lead to depression and anxiety.
A recent study showed that people who received immediate testosterone therapy experienced less gender dysphoria and fewer depression symptoms than those who underwent the standard treatment waiting period. The study’s researchers even found that thoughts of suicide declined among men who were given immediate testosterone compared to those who had to wait for therapy. Testosterone can be delivered via injection under the skin, in a gel, or by placing a patch on your forehead.
Testosterone Helps with Depression:
Depression is often a symptom of low testosterone. This is why men with this condition must get diagnosed and treated at Testosterone Clinic Denver if they have depression symptoms.
The good news is that, according to research, testosterone appears to be able to help depression. This is because it can raise serotonin levels in the brain and improve serotonergic neurotransmission. Testosterone also enhances neurogenesis, which helps to uplift mood.
Functional neuroimaging studies show that the androgen receptor in the brain regulates cerebral blood flow and activity, which is associated with mood regulation. Further, recent fMRI and PET imaging studies of patients receiving testosterone therapy have found that it upregulates serotonin transporter expression in the hippocampus and increases hippocampal neurogenesis, related to antidepressant responses [118].
Although hormone replacement therapy has traditionally come with warnings that it can increase the risk of heart attack, stroke, or prostate cancer, this is no longer true. Talk to your doctor about how testosterone can positively impact your mental health and treat depression.
Testosterone Helps with Anxiety:
Every hormone impacts your mood differently, and testosterone is no exception. Low testosterone can cause depression and anxiety symptoms, which may worsen if you don’t receive treatment.
For example, studies show that people with low basal testosterone exhibit more socially submissive behavior and less social approach. In contrast, people with high basal testosterone are likelier to display social dominance behaviors. In addition, studies show that testosterone enhances the effectiveness of exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder by promoting a social approach, one of its primary goals.
Testosterone is essential for various functions, including the development of primary and secondary sexual characteristics during puberty and the management of body hair, muscle mass, and bone mass in adulthood. But you don’t have to let low testosterone interfere with your life. Getting the hormone levels back to normal with TRT can help you feel better, sleep better and live healthier.
