Alternative names: Gonadal Deficiency, Testosterone Deficiency

What is male hypogonadism? What are the signs of male hypogonadism? What causes male hypogonadism? How does my doctor tell if I have male hypogonadism? How is male hypogonadism treated?

Male hypogonadism is caused by a man's testes failing to produce normal levels of the male sex hormone, testosterone. Some men are born with hypogonadism, while others may develop the condition later in life.

There are two kinds of male hypogonadism:

Male hypogonadism at puberty can slow a boy's growth, and affect the development of normal male sexual characteristics. He may not undergo the normal changes a boy has during puberty, such as a deepening voice, body and facial hair, and increased muscle mass.

Male hypogonadism in adults can cause:

Primary hypogonadism, in which the testes do not work properly, can be caused by many conditions, including:

Secondary hypogonadism, in which the endocrine glands do not stimulate the testes to produce hormones, can be caused by:

Your doctor may check for low levels of testosterone (male sex hormone) by performing a blood test. He or she may also use blood tests to check the levels of the pituitary hormones (FSH and LH) that stimulate the testes to produce their hormones.

Other laboratory tests can help your doctor tell if hypogonadism is being caused by a problem with the testes, or with the pituitary gland. Such tests include:

If male hypogonadism is caused by a pituitary or other tumor, treatment is aimed at removing the tumor, or reducing its effects. This can include medication, surgery, and/or radiation therapy.

Male hormone replacement therapy has been used successfully for years to treat male hypogonadism. This involves a man taking testosterone by injection, transdermal system (patch), or gel.

Information on the Dartmouth-Hitchcockwebsite:

Our goals are to provide people with meaningful information to make informed decisions about their health and health care.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock and its affiliated component organizations aspire to deliver consistent high quality medical care to all patients and to continually improve its quality of care as evolving technology and medical knowledge permits.

Please call 911 in the case of any medical emergency.

Here is the original post:
Male Hypogonadism | Endocrinology | Dartmouth-Hitchcock

Comments are closed.