Testosterone, Mood and Cognitive Function

Commonly described by middle-aged men with low T, these men often suffer from a decrease sense of mental clarity and focus.  This often affects their work performance and ability to keep up with completing complex day-to-day tasks that they were previously accustomed to handling efficiently.  It is usually accompanied by fatigue.  Many of our patients here at Newport Men's HRT actually report this to be their chief complaint over the other classic symptoms of low T such as loss of sexual desire, erectile dysfunction and sports performance. Typically within 2-3 weeks of TRT, our patients start noticing immediate improvement in mental clarity and drive to engage with normal tasks that have become overwhelming.  

There is substantial evidence in the medical literature showing the importance of male hormones (Testosterone, etc) and their function in regulation of mood, feeding, and sleep. Studies have shown that elderly men with low T are nearly 2-times more likely to suffer from Depression than men with normal serum Testosterone levels. Correction of low T to physiologic (normal) levels usually results in improvement in depression, anxiety, regulation of feeding and sleep. These improvements usually start taking effect in only 3-4 weeks after starting TRT.  

Low Testosterone has been associated with development of Alzheimer’s Dementia in men. Lower testosterone levels in combination with higher estradiol levels are associated with poor performance on tests of cognition. Sex steroids play an important role in protecting nervous tissue and allowing them to adapt ("neural plasticity").   There is emerging scientific evidence that TRT may decrease the risk of developing Alzheimer's Disease, or delay it's onset.