What is Low-T? | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

If you are a man, you have probably seen the ads on TV telling you to ask your doctor if you need a Low-T medication. The commercials list a slew of symptoms like fatigue, weakness, loss of interest in sex, and feeling down. If you have these symptoms, the ads proclaim, you may benefit from prescription Low-T treatment.

So just what is Low-T?

Low-T stands for “low testosterone”, which can be a medical condition in some men. Testosterone is essentially the male hormone. It’s responsible for the hair, the deep voice, the muscles (for some of us) and the male sex drive.

Men reach their peak testosterone levels before age 30, so around that age, many men experience a gradual loss in sex, which may be in part due to decreasing levels of testosterone. To a point, this is normal, but experiencing a total lack of sexual desire is not a normal part of aging.

Low-T treatment claims to increase sexual desire and stamina as well as give men more energy, strength, and aid in weight loss.

The devil is in the details, though. The list of ailments Low-T drug manufacturers advertise could just as easily be a list of ailments indicating diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, or even heart disease. It’s impossible to know if low testosterone is the culprit without first ruling out other health problems and following up with a blood test to check testosterone levels.