Can Low Testosterone Cause Depression?

So, can low testosterone cause depression? Well, the answer isn’t really as black and white as you might think.

Currently, there is very little actual medical literature regarding the relationship between testosterone and depression, and an exact cause-and-effect relationship has not yet been fully determined.

Due to a general lack of protocol on the subject, most doctors are treating both conditions separately.

For instance, they might recommend a weight loss and exercise protocol for patients who are overweight in an effort to increase T-Levels and refer patients to mental health practitioners for depression.

In a recent study, researchers found that 56% of men with low T-levels had also previously been diagnosed with clinical depression and/or were taking antidepressant medications. This shows there might be a link between low testosterone and depression.

The study also notes that most of the 200 patients in the study were considered obese and generally did not exercise, which are both factors that can have a negative impact on testosterone levels (since weight loss and exercise can both increase testosterone levels in the body).

Because everyone’s body is different, it’s important to find out if there are any underlying health conditions that could be decreasing your testosterone levels as well as causing symptoms of depression, such as dysfunction in your hypothalamus, pituitary, or thyroid gland.

Does Low Testosterone Cause Depression and Anxiety

There does, however, appear to be a common association between low testosterone and depression.

In other words, it has been found that men with low testosterone levels commonly experience the symptoms of depression at some level.

For example, in this study done at the University of Washington in Seattle, it was found that men with low testosterone levels were 4.2 times more likely to experience depression.

This association suggests that while there are still questions regarding whether low testosterone does cause depression, the two conditions may be commonly linked by something, or due to some common reason.

It must be understood that an association between two conditions does not necessarily mean that one condition causes the other condition.

And as depression can be a very complex condition, you have to see depression as a whole and not just concentrate on one factor.

Some low energy, weight gain, fatigue, and low sex drive can be present for many people as they age, so be careful before jumping aboard the “low-testosterone-is-causing-my-depression” train.

The Relationship Between Depression and Low Testosterone

However, if you are experiencing persistent issues with depression as well as what you believe could be low testosterone, it may be worth your while to make an appointment with your physician or test your levels by using a hormone saliva test at home to know where you stand.

If you do believe that your depression and low testosterone levels may be linked, I would encourage you to consider natural ways to increase your testosterone instead of immediately seeking a testosterone replacement pill from your doctor.

Such medications can cause negative side effects in the body and can be avoided by using natural methods and by using herbal remedies.

Also, since both depression and low testosterone can have many complex causes, it is best to use a holistic approach, and address any underlying imbalances such as weight gain, pituitary, thyroid, and hypothalamus dysfunctions.

Other factors can be a stressful and busy lifestyle, the need for a proper diet, the consumption of natural and healthy hormone-supporting fats, and genetic factors such as methylation disorders that can lead to hormone imbalances.

Diet, Low Testosterone, and Depression

Eating foods that contain all the important nutrients needed to support optimal hormonal health is critical.

For example, having a mineral deficiency, such as magnesium, can lead to imbalances in the body, including both in the endocrine (hormonal) system and in our mental health.

Removing gluten, sugar, and other potentially problematic and inflammatory foods from your diet may also be worth considering, due to such foods’ ability to negatively impact mental health and hormone balance.

Inflammation has also been found to cause many health problems in the body, including the brain, and the hormonal system.

The balance of good bacteria in the gut has also been found to influence mental health and hormonal balance, so taking a probiotic supplement and consuming fermented foods (which are very easy to make yourself at home) can go a long way to providing better health to your body.

In fact, some psychiatrists are now recommending probiotics to their patients to help combat depression and anxiety.

So, the more accurate question may not really be “Can low testosterone cause depression?” but instead should perhaps be, “Do low testosterone and depression both have a common cause (or have multiple common causes)?”

Here’s The Bottom Line

When testosterone levels are optimum there’s usually always an improvement in men’s mood. And to me, this is no surprise.

This is because I’ve personally always experienced significant improvements in mood when my T-Levels are optimal.

The truth is that health issues are ways that our body is telling us that something is out of balance, and our job is to find out (and maybe get some assistance with finding out) what those particular imbalances are.

When we develop a health problem, there were likely many more subtle health problems (such as increased fatigue and digestive issues) along the way when our body was trying to first tell us that something was wrong- “Hey, there is an imbalance going on here, Man!”

When we ignore what our body tells us, we do so at our own peril, and we risk developing more serious health problems down the road.

It is important to understand that true healing of the endocrine system can take longer than the effects of a medication.

However, if we take the natural approach we will actually be healing the imbalances that caused the health problem in the first place.

In many cases, taking medications just serves as a bandage that merely covers up symptoms, but the imbalances that might cause more health problems later still remain.

A key part of healing hormonal problems and mental health issues is getting at why they developed in the first place.

If you have a genetic methylation issue or other complex medical issues, you will need the help of a qualified health practitioner to guide you in getting the proper nutritional support to get your health back.

So, in conclusion, the question of can low testosterone cause depression is a complex one.

But anything you can do to make your body more healthy from good nutrition, good quality supplements, and good exercise is going improve both your testosterone levels and your mood.

thanks for reading

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