Men: 6 Ways Low Testosterone Affects Your Brain

June 21, 2024

Men, do you ever feel like you can’t focus well at work? Are you forgetful? Are you losing your self-confidence? Do you sometimes feel down and blue? Believe it or not, a decline in testosterone levels could be the culprit. Testosterone is normally thought of for helping build strong muscles and improving libido, however it has a profound effect on your brain, as well.

There are many reasons that a man’s testosterone levels may decline, but one of the inevitable reasons is with age. Have you hit your 40s or 50s and feel grumpy all the time? Have you lost the motivation and drive to continue to excel in your career?

Hormones are powerful. Just as when women have a decline in their progesterone and estrogen, men also feel the differences in how they think and feel when their testosterone declines. It is very real, and there is something you can do about it.

Men, here are 6 ways low testosterone affects your brain:

1. Irritability

You’ve surely heard the term “grumpy old man” used at one time or another. Has this become you? How did you go from being a happy, positive man to feeling like the grinch? Yes, that decline in testosterone could very well be the cause.

In fact, research concludes that testosterone replacement therapy in men with low testosterone levels improved their positive mood parameters, such as energy, well/good feelings, and friendliness and decreased negative mood parameters including anger, nervousness, and irritability. (1)

2. Depression

Although depression is more prevalent in women when compared to men, the prevalence of depression in men increases with age as testosterone levels drop. Research shows that in depressive disorders with decreased libido and low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy was effective. (2)

Observational studies on older men revealed that their depressive symptoms are associated with low testosterone. On the other hand, in both men and women, testosterone supplementation leads to improvement of depressive symptoms. In a meta-analysis of the effects of testosterone on depression, the antidepressant effect was positive, at least in patients suffering from hypogonadism (2)

3. Anxiety

Anxiety seems to be most sensitive to testosterone. Research demonstrates that testosterone supplementation decreased anxiety and that the anti-anxiety effect of testosterone is dose-dependent. Stress induced during gestation resulted in both reduced testosterone and increased anxiety of the adult male. (2)

4. Memory Loss

The positive effect of testosterone on memory was well documented in both men, as well as  women. Numerous clinical studies in postmenopausal women and men in andropause showed improvements of learning and memory after testosterone supplementation. Even a short six week testosterone treatment resulted in improved spatial and verbal memory of older men. Testosterone has even showed a positive effect on spatial and verbal memory in Alzheimer’s Disease patients. (2)

5. Decline in Sense of Well-Being 

Research indicates that the most frequent reasons men gave for taking prescription testosterone were low testosterone (37.1%), well-being (35.2%), energy (28.7%), libido (21.9%), and social energy (19.4%); older men claimed libido as a motivation for testosterone initiation more frequently than younger men. (3)

6. Increase Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia

A research study examined the associations of testosterone levels and sex hormone-binding globulin levels with the incidence of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease in men. Results demonstrated that lower total testosterone and higher sex hormone-binding globulin levels are independently associated with  higher levels of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease in older men. (4)

Other Symptoms of Low Testosterone

• Low libido
• Fatigue
• Increased body fat around the waist
• Decline in sexual ability
• Lessened stamina and endurance
• Loss of muscle mass, strength, and tone
• Sleep apnea
• Decreased mental sharpness
• Gynecomastia (enlarged breasts)
• Lack of initiative, assertiveness and drive

Harriss’ Story

Harriss experienced lack of energy, motivation and focus. He couldn’t think clearly and it was difficult to set business goals.  He gained weight and wanted to rest all the time.  Watch to learn how Harriss got his energy, mental focus and zest for life back!

Could low testosterone be the cause of your symptoms?

Take our Symptom Checker Quiz now to find out. It only takes a couple of minutes. Call our Wellness Consultants for a complimentary wellness consultation at 281-698-8698. It will be our privilege to serve you!

Research:
1. Testosterone Replacement Therapy Improves Mood in Hypogonadal Men – A Clinical Research Center Study

2. On the Effects of Ttestosterone on Brain Behavioral Functions

3. Sex, Energy, Well-Being and Low Testosterone: An Exploratory Survey of U.S. Men’s Experiences on Prescription Testosterone

4. Lower Serum Testosterone Concentrations are Associated with a Higher Incidence of Dementia in Men: The UK Biobank Prospective Cohort Study

Categories: Blog, Blog English, Brain Fog, brain health, Men's Health

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