Prevalence of low androgen levels among middle and old age men attending Outpatient Clinics

Abstract

Although male hypogonadism is an established clinical condition, which can be treated, many men experiencing it are undiagnosed. There are several reasons for this, which include a lack of general clinical awareness, the nonspecificity of its symptoms, biochemical tests that are not always easy to interpret, concerns over the safety of testosterone replacement therapy especially in older men, and the false perception that testosterone is a sex hormone that has no other specific health benefits. Tiredness is a common symptom of hypogonadism, which can be profound, but there are many medical practitioners who do not include the assessment of testosterone levels in the clinical workup of this symptom. Hypogonadism impairs well-being and quality of life and puts relationships and employment at risk[1,2].