A powerful androgen that can control your sex drive, testosterone plays various important roles in both men’s and women’s health. Not only is the hormone important for regulating your sex drive, but it’s also necessary for promoting muscle mass and increasing your energy levels. You also need the androgen for your erection and sperm production.

Unfortunately, as most men elderly men already know, testosterone levels are also negatively affected by aging. According to experts, your testosterone levels will already start to decline when you reach your 30s. Continue reading to learn more about age-related testosterone decline.

Normal Testosterone Levels

How much testosterone you should be producing will largely depend on your age. When you’re a newborn, you’ll need moderately high levels of testosterone at about 75-400 ng/dL because you need the androgen in order for your male characteristics to develop normally.

Your requirements for testosterone will be much lower during your early childhood years. In fact, it’s alright for you to have testosterone levels around 7-130 ng/dL prior to adolescence.

Starting from around age 12 to 16 years, testosterone levels will peak since you need the hormone in order for your sexual characteristics to mature properly during adolescence. During this time, your testosterone levels will be as high as 800-1,200 ng/dL. For young men aged 17-18 years old, on the one hand, normal testosterone levels are 300-1,200 ng/dL.

For male adults aged 19 and above, testosterone levels should be around 240-950 ng/dL. However, by the time you reach your 30s, your testosterone levels will start to gradually decline by around 1-2% each year. When your serum testosterone levels drop below 300 ng/dL, you will most likely be diagnosed with hypogonadism.

Experts estimate that around 34% of men aged 45-54 years old are already suffering from hypogonadism. The prevalence is higher for men aged 55-74 years old, at around 40%. Among men aged 75-84 years old, around 45% have hypogonadism. For those older than 85 years, the prevalence of hypogonadism can be as high as 50%.

Hypogonadism in Middle-Aged and Elderly Men

Doctors typically use 300 ng/dL as the threshold for serum testosterone levels for the diagnosis of age-related hypogonadism. That’s because testosterone levels lower than 300 ng/dL is strongly associated with erectile dysfunction, which is one of the clinical symptoms related to hypogonadism.

In truth, hypogonadism can cause a variety of symptoms such as decreased libido and reduced sexual activity. Hot flushes, sleep disturbances, impaired cognitive function, decrease in lean muscle mass, mood changes, fatigue, reduced energy, and decreased muscle strength are also considered symptoms of hypogonadism.

One study showed that certain hypogonadism symptoms have corresponding testosterone threshold levels. The researchers observed that for men aged 40 years and older, testosterone levels below 340 ng/dL are typically accompanied by decreased strength and endurance.

It was also observed that the decreased ability to play sports usually occurs when testosterone levels fall below 320 ng/dL. Reduced energy levels were associated with testosterone levels below 350 ng/dL. Unfortunately, the researchers found that when testosterone levels fell below 375 ng/dL, it’s usually accompanied by a decrease in libido.

Factors That Make Your Testosterone Levels Drop Faster

You can be as young as 40 years old and already suffer from age-related hypogonadism. Testosterone levels are supposed to drop by only 1% each year after you hit your 30s. But that’s if we only consider age as the only factor affecting your testosterone levels.

In truth, there are many other factors that can also contribute to the decline in your testosterone levels. For instance, if you’re overweight or obese, your testosterone levels will drop by more than just 1% yearly even if you’re only in your 30s.

Multiple studies have established that a higher BMI increases your risks for hypogonadism. In fact, a BMI of more than 25 can increase your odds of developing hypogonadism by almost threefold. Among obese men, the prevalence of hypogonadism is actually more than 50%.

Diabetes, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperlipidemia, prostate disorders, asthma, COPD, and chronic pain can also make your testosterone levels drop faster. Aside from these medical conditions, there are also certain behaviors that can cause your testosterone levels to rapidly decline.

Smoking is another factor that can hasten the decline of your testosterone levels. Depression and stress can also make your testosterone levels drop suddenly. Stress actually causes your cortisol levels to remain elevated, and such high cortisol levels can lead to reduced production of testosterone.

Fighting Age-Related Testosterone Decline

Even if you know that your testosterone levels are bound to get lower due to age, you can’t just do nothing and let it affect so many aspects of your health. Not all men above 85 years old have hypogonadism, and you can be one of them.

In order to keep your testosterone levels high, you need to take steps to fight the effects of aging on your testosterone production. For instance, you can start with modifications in your dietary pattern. Eating more dark green vegetables and zinc-rich foods can definitely help.

Avoiding junk foods, pastries, and processed meat can also help you prevent age-related hypogonadism. Plus, reducing your consumption of such foods can also make you healthier overall, and you may even lose weight. And if you are on the heavier side, losing weight is also another effective way to increase your testosterone levels.

Engaging in regular physical activities can also help you minimize age-related decreases in your testosterone levels, especially when you’re performing workout routines that reduce your belly fat.

Alternatively, you can also take natural testosterone boosters. There are actually numerous herb-based supplements that can benefit your testosterone levels, but your best option is Male UltraCore. Formulated using only high-quality natural ingredients, Male UltraCore contains several herbs that are scientifically proven to help improve testosterone levels.

Because Male UltraCore contains Long Jack (Tongkat Ali), Ashwagandha, fenugreek, zinc, Tribulus terrestris, and Horny Goat Weed, this superb male sexual enhancement supplement not only helps you produce more testosterone but also allows you to maintain high free testosterone levels.

Increase Your Testosterone Levels with Testosterone Boosters

Male UltraCore is a premium testosterone boosting supplement that is designed to maximize test levels, increase your performance and drive, and give you harder and fuller erections.