Testicular Disorders: Causes, Symptoms, Treatment & More

Hypogonadism

Hypogonadism is when the testicles (gonads) do not produce enough testosterone. And testosterone is needed to develop and maintain physical characteristics of a male such as bone mass, fat distribution, sex drive, and muscle mass and strength. There are two types of hypogonadism:

Primary hypogonadism: This is when there’s a problem with the testicles themselves.
Secondary hypogonadism: This is when the brain is unable to send chemical messages to the testicles, telling them to make testosterone.

Hypogonadism can occur at any time. When it occurs between birth and the onset of puberty, puberty does not occur. This means the voice will not deepen, there will be no beard or pubic hair and the testicles and penis will not increase in size.

Symptoms of hypogonadism in adults include:

Reduced sex drive.
Reduced energy levels.
Issues getting an erection.
Problems with having children.
Depressed mood.
Decreased growth of beard and body hair.
A reduction in the size or firmness of the testicles.
Decreased muscle mass and an increase in body fat.
Enlarged male breast tissue.

Both types of hypogonadism have been traced to different factors.

Causes of primary hypogonadism include:

Klinefelter’s syndrome [4]
Undescended testicles
Mumps orchitis
Testicular injuries
Cancer treatment
Chronic liver disease or chronic kidney disease

Causes of secondary hypogonadism include:

Pituitary disorders [5]
Kallman syndrome
Certain Medications like chronic steroids
Drugs like anabolic steroids
Life-threatening illnesses
Inflammatory diseases
Meningitis [6]
Obesity

To diagnose hypogonadism your doctor will first and foremost check your testosterone level. This is a blood test that is done early in the morning. As soon as your condition is confirmed, treatment will commence.

The most common treatment for hypogonadism is testosterone replacement therapy. There are various forms of testosterone replacement therapy including: