A Complete Guide to Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms in Men

Hormones act as the chemical messengers of the body. These powerful chemicals are produced in the endocrine glands. They travel around your body and tell the organs and tissues what to do. 

Hormones may help to control many of the body’s major processes, including reproduction and metabolism. 

When doctors notice hormonal imbalance symptoms in men, they tend to act quickly, and for good reason. When you have a hormone imbalance, you either have too little or too much of a certain hormone. Even small changes to your hormones can lead to severe effects throughout your entire body. 

Hormones can be compared to something like a cake recipe. If you have too little or too much of any one ingredient then you'll affect the final result. 

Some hormone levels will fluctuate throughout your lifetime. And many changes are simply due to the natural aging process. However, other changes take place when the endocrine glands get the recipe wrong.

Are you a man who is worried that he might have a hormonal imbalance? If you are, then keep on reading and we'll walk you through the different hormone imbalance symptoms that you need to know about. 

Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms in Men 

The balance of your hormones is crucial to your overall health. Because of this, there's a wide range of symptoms or signs that could indicate that you have a hormonal imbalance. 

Your symptoms and signs are going to depend on which glands or hormones aren't working correctly. 

In male development, testosterone is a hormone that plays a key part. If your body isn't producing enough testosterone, it can lead to a variety of symptoms. 

Let's look at some of those symptoms below. 

1. Gynecomastia

Gynecomastia is when men experience breast enlargement with increased breast gland tissue. This condition can happen to one or both breaths. 

A man who has gynecomastia might experience breast tenderness, breast discharge, or swollen breasts. This condition is usually due to a decrease in testosterone and an increase in the hormone estrogen. 

This condition often occurs during andropause. Andropause is a phase in a man's life that's similar to a woman's menopause. During this phase, the production of male sex hormones, such as testosterone, starts to decline.

This usually happens during middle age. Hormonal imbalances that occur during andropause can lead to insomnia, hair loss, and gynecomastia.

Men who experience gynecomastia due to a hormone imbalance will need to undergo treatment in order to correct the issue. Medications, such as raloxifene and tamoxifen, affect hormone levels and can be very effective. 

Surgery can also be utilized to get rid of excess glandular tissue and breast fat. 

2. Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to maintain or achieve an erection that's firm enough to have sexual intercourse. It's not uncommon to experience ED every once in a while. 

Many men will experience ED during times of intense stress. However, frequent ED can be a sign of a hormonal imbalance that needs to be treated. 

ED can take place due to problems at any stage of the erection process. Increased blood flow to the penis is what leads to an erection. And that blood flow can either be stimulated by direct contact with the penis or by thinking sexual thoughts. 

When a man becomes sexually excited, the muscles in his penis relax. This will lead to increased blood flow and make the penis become stiff. 

Low testosterone levels are a common cause of erectile dysfunction. 

Your doctor might prescribe a medication to you in order to help you manage your ED symptoms. You might need to try several symptoms before you find the one that works for you. 

There are several popular oral medications that stimulate blood flow to the penis. These include vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn), tadalafil (Cialis), sildenafil (Viagra), and avanafil (Stendra). 

If you have especially low testosterone levels, then you may want to try Testosterone therapy (TRT).

You can also try to boost the amount of testosterone in your body by performing aerobic exercise. Researchers have noticed that testosterone levels are negatively correlated with levels of abdominal fat and body fat. This means that you can increase your testosterone by exercising and reducing fat. 

3. Thinning Hair

Minor to moderate hair loss can be referred to as thinning hair. Unlike widespread hair loss, thinning hair doesn't necessarily mean that you're going to go bald. However, it will give the appearance of thinner spots of hair on the head. 

Thinning hair can be caused by low testosterone levels or by uncontrolled stress.

Stress is associated with an increase in hormones like cortisol. Too many stress hormones in the body can kill off new hairs that are attempting to grow from the hair follicles.  

Healthy hair relies on your overall good health. If you're low in nutrients, then you may want to take a multivitamin. You need plenty of zinc, folic acid, and iron in order to grow strong and thick hair. 

You also might want to up your intake of Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These are also known as essential fatty acids. That's because they can't be made by the human body.

Omega-6 fatty acids are important for overall skin health and can be beneficial for the scalp. Omega-3 can help your body fight inflammation, which is a cause of various health conditions.

Premature hair loss might also be related to inflammation. 

It may also be helpful to take corticosteroids. These are prescription medications that are used to treat conditions related to inflammation. 

4. Depression

Depression can be classified as a mood disorder. It might be described as feelings of anger, loss, or sadness that interfere with your everyday tasks. 

Depression can influence your relationships and productivity. 

Nine percent of men suffer from daily feelings of depression. Men are also four times more likely than women to commit suicide. Depression is a serious issue and should be treated promptly. 

Men who have depression may experience symptoms related to their physical well-being. This includes digestive problems, headaches, pains, and fatigue. 

They might also suffer from insomnia, an inability to concentrate, and feelings of restlessness and hopelessness. Reduced sexual desire and a lack of sexual performance are also related to depression. 

Antidepressants and talk therapy are common treatments for depression in men.  

5. Infertility 

A man who is infertile means that he's not able to impregnate a woman. According to the Office on Women’s Health, about one-third of infertility cases can be attributed to men's issues. Another third can be attributed to female infertility. 

Infertility in men is usually related to one of the following issues:

• shape of the sperm
• sperm count, or the number of sperm
• effective production of sperm
• movement of the sperm

Hormonal imbalances, such as low testosterone production, are common causes of infertility in men. 

A man who is infertile will likely experience changes in sexual desire. Changes in virility are often governed by hormones. And this symptom could indicate a problem with fertility. 

You might also experience problems with maintaining an erection or even an inability to ejaculate. 

Male infertility can be treated in several ways, depending on the cause. There are medications that can be used to treat issues like hormone imbalances. They can also be used to treat other problems that can affect infertility in men, such as infections that affect sperm count or erectile dysfunction. 

6. Buffalo Hump 

A buffalo hump is a hump behind the shoulder. It can develop when fat gathers together behind the neck. This condition isn't always serious.

Cysts, tumors, and other abnormal growths can also form on the shoulders, which create a hump. Other times, a curvature of the spine can lead to a buffalo hump. 

If you notice any physical changes to the back of your neck, you should consult with your doctor. 

A hump behind the shoulders can be caused by a medication or by a medical condition. It might form due to:

• long-term steroid use
• osteoporosis (a condition that leads to thin bones)
• Cushing’s syndrome (a rare condition where the body has too much of the hormone cortisol)
• a side effect of a prescription medication (such as those used to treat obesity)

Osteoporosis is also known as brittle bone disease. It leads to extremely thin bones. Older men going through andropause are at the greatest risk for this condition. 

This is because their bodies have a reduced ability to absorb calcium. This condition can also lead to bone deformities and curvature of the spine. 

A buffalo hump can also be a sign of Cushing's disease. This is a disorder that causes changes in sex drive, chronic pain, acne, and obesity above the waist.

Cushing's disease causes fat to collect behind the neck.  

It's best to treat buffalo humps by addressing the underlying conditions that lead to them. If the cause itself isn't treated, then the hump might return. 

If the buffalo hump is a side effect caused by a prescription medication then you should talk to your doctor about switching treatments or changing your dosage. 

7. Unexplained Weight Loss 

Unexplained weight loss is when you lose a lot of weight without trying to. This likely signifies an underlying condition.

If you lose more than five percent of your weight within six to twelve months then you should see a doctor. 

Unexplained weight loss can be caused by an overactive thyroid, or hyperthyroidism. This condition develops when the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormones these hormones control a variety of functions in the body, including metabolism.

If you have an overactive thyroid then you'll quickly burn calories, even if you eat a lot. This can lead to unintentional weight loss. Other symptoms of an overactive thyroid include:

• hand tremors
• sleep troubles
• heat intolerance
• fatigue
• anxiety
• fast or irregular heart rate

Hyperthyroidism can be caused by:

• taking too much thyroid medicine
• eating too much iodine
• thyroiditis
• Graves’ disease

Treatment for an overactive thyroid will depend on the severity of your condition and your age. Usually, this condition is treated with anti-thyroid medications, surgery, beta-blockers, or radioactive iodine.

Unexplained weight loss can also be caused by rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This is an autoimmune disease that makes your immune system attack the lining of the joints, which leads to inflammation. Chronic inflammation can speed up metabolism and reduce your overall weight. 

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis include joint pain and swelling. It usually affects the same joints on both sides of the body. If you have rheumatoid arthritis then your joints will likely feel stiff if you don't move for an hour or longer. 

While the exact cause of rheumatoid arthritis isn't known, it's likely linked to:

• hormonal changes
• genes
• age
• obesity
• smoking
• secondhand smoking

Treatment for rheumatoid arthritis usually starts with medication. Medications include Janus-associated kinase inhibitors, biologics, corticosteroids, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

The Importance of Knowing About Hormonal Imbalance Symptoms in Men

Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now have a much better understanding of what the hormonal imbalance symptoms in men are. As we can see, these symptoms can indicate serious problems, so it's important that you speak with your doctor if you fear that you might have a hormonal imbalance. 

Thankfully, many of these conditions are treatable with prescription medications. Especially if your doctor notices the conditions early enough. 

Are you looking to purchase affordable prescription medications online? If you are, then make sure to contact us today and see what we can do for you!