It is understandable that a man dealing with low libido, weight gain, loss of muscle, poor memory, decreased drive, thinning hair, and mood changes might be depressed. These are all signs of low testosterone levels and the reason why many hormone replacement doctors are using testosterone therapy for depression.

Often called a “mid-life crisis,” hypogonadism (Low T) is responsible for many changes in the male body. Men are not the only ones who can experience depressed feelings from low testosterone. This same condition often affects women of menopausal age when their ovaries begin to cease hormone production, as well.

Studies on testosterone therapy and depression have provided a crucial connection be demonstrating how men with Low T can respond to the mood-enhancing benefits of balancing their testosterone levels. This provides excellent hope on reversing any negative or depressed feelings associated with a decrease in androgen production in the body.

In a study reported in the New England Journal of Medicine on the “Effects of Testosterone Treatment in Older Men,” researchers found that the use of testosterone replacement therapy for depression brought significant benefit for mood and depressive symptoms. [1]

Why Low Testosterone Levels Contribute to Depression

Although the direct impact of testosterone on emotional health is often unspecified, varying factors contribute to this decline in feelings of mental well-being. The first thing we look at is how testosterone directly impacts the brain. Testosterone activates a distributed cortical network and can influence spatial cognition tasks as well as the ventral processing stream. [2]

Memory, attention, and spatial ability are key areas of cognitive functioning directly impacted by testosterone. If the androgen receptors associated with these functions do not receive enough of a signal from testosterone, as in the case of Low T, an individual will suffer an increased risk of cognitive decline and the possibility of dementia (including Alzheimer’s disease).

That is why ongoing research looking into testosterone treatment for depression is so promising. One such study, out of The George Washington University, found that out of the 200 men between the ages of 20 and 77, fifty-six percent had either a known diagnosis of depression or significant depressive symptoms. [3]

Aside from the direct impact of the loss of testosterone on the androgen receptors in the brain, there is another strong reason why we look at the positive connection between testosterone treatment and depression: the symptoms of Low T.

The changes seen below that often accompany low testosterone levels can directly impact a man’s emotional state and lead to depressed feelings:

Fatigue	Lack of stamina	Low sex drive
Erectile dysfunction	Joint pains	Stiffness
Loss or muscle and strength	Weight gain	Sluggish metabolism
Hair thinning or loss	Premature skin aging	Increased anxiety
Lack of focus	Memory loss	Impaired mental functions
Irritability	Bone loss/height shrinkage	High cholesterol
Raised triglyceride levels	High blood pressure	Increases diabetes risk
Trouble sleeping	Hot flashes	Infertility

Not only will using testosterone therapy for depression help improve one’s mood, but it will also reverse the symptoms above that add to the depressed state.

Impact of Testosterone Therapy on Depression and Emotional Health

Depression left untreated can take quite a toll on a person’s emotional health and daily life. Interpersonal relationships and workplace performance can suffer.

 All too often here at Kingsberg HRT Clinic, we hear from people who have received treatment for depression that did not work. The interesting fact is that before the invention of anti-depressants, testosterone was the treatment of choice for middle-aged men with depression. With the possibility that one-third of all depressed patients being labeled “treatment-resistant,” it is crucial to seek out other possibilities. Women may also face depression that does not respond to conventional therapies due to changing hormone levels. The use of testosterone for treatment-resistant depression has been demonstrated to provide significant benefits. [4]

In one of the larges reviews of sixteen different clinical trials featuring 944 subjects, the conclusion was that the use of testosterone therapy for depression as a stand-alone treatment was found beneficial for hypogonadal men with minor depression, or as an adjunct to other antidepressant treatments in men with major depression. [5]

Another study, this time out of Japan, showed that only 36.7 percent of the men diagnosed with depression at baseline still experienced that state following six months of testosterone treatment for depression, and self-rating depression scale scores decreased significantly. [6]

The simple fact is that when left untreated, low testosterone can affect a person on more than a physical level. It can lead to a depressive state that can impact daily life.

For more information on testosterone therapy and its many benefits, please contact Kingsberg HRT Clinic at (954) 800-5590 for a free and confidential consultation.