Hi everyone, Felix here, Advanced clinical practitioner with Healand clinic.
Today I'm going to talk to you about hypogonadism.
Hypogonadism refers to a condition where the testicles are not producing enough hormones which can result in the decrease in levels of testosterone.
There are different types of hypogonadism including primary, secondary, tertiary, and functional hypogonadism is often referred to interchangeably as testosterone deficiency.
So firstly primary hypogonadism occurs when there's a problem with the testicles themselves such as genetic disorders, injury, or infection.
This can lead to a decrease in testosterone production and potentially affect fertility.
Secondary hypogonadism occurs when there's a problem with the pituitary gland and/or the hypothalamus in the brain which can affect the production of hormones that stimulate the testicles, namely Luteinising Hormone (LH) and Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH).
This type of hypogonadism can be caused by certain medications, tumours and even radiation therapy.
So now we're on to tertiary hypogonadism - this is a little bit rarer and occurs when there's a problem with the hypothalamus which can affect the production of hormones that stimulate the protein gland and also other hormones such as prolactin.
This can result in decreased production of hormones that stimulate the testicles.
Now lastly we have functional hypogonadism which is a type of hypogonadism that occurs due to lifestyle factors such as obesity, stress, lack of exercise and steroid abuse.
These factors can affect hormone production and lead to decreased levels of testosterone.
Treatment for hypogonadism may include hormone replacement therapy, lifestyle changes and in some cases even surgery.
If you're interested in any of our services including screening, blood tests, and treatments, book your free consultation with one of our clinicians to discuss your needs.
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