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While the strongest wave of COVID-19 has come to pass, its effects continue to linger and afflict our society in the present time.
Besides the symptomatic manifestations during the initial battle with the infection, COVID-19 has also been proven to cause long-term effects that persist for weeks, months, or years after the first diagnosis.
One such effect is low testosterone—a key male androgen that’s responsible for regulating several vital bodily functions.
Men battling low testosterone often face debilitating side effects that can hinder the quality of their lives, both in and out of the bedroom.
If you’re one of the men battling COVID-19-induced low testosterone, you’ve come to the right place.
This article will go into detail on what constitutes low testosterone, how COVID-19 disrupts testosterone levels, and ways you can improve your testosterone levels naturally.
What is Low Testosterone?
Before we dive into the impact of Covid-19 on this vital male hormone, it’s essential to know the consequences of having low testosterone.
Serum testosterone levels below 300 ng/dL in the blood constitute low testosterone.
This can impact the body in different ways, with symptoms and disease severity ranging from person to person.
Some symptoms of low testosterone include the following:
- Erectile dysfunction (ED)
- Increased body fat
- Fatigue
- Low libido
- Mood disorders
- Depression
Low Testosterone and COVID-19: The Connection
According to a 2021 study, having low testosterone correlated with an increased risk of men getting hospitalized from COVID-19.
In essence, COVID-19 causes inflammation and disease severity risk. This affects both male and female patients, but the aging male has a higher risk factor.
The study further reported that men with low levels (<100 ng/dL) of this male hormone also faced an increased risk of mortality by over eighteen-fold compared to men with normal levels of circulating testosterone.
Another study published in The Aging Male came to the same conclusion, reporting that as men’s testosterone level decreases, the probability of intensive care unit (ICU) admission dramatically increases.
Doctors are still getting to the bottom of the mechanism that causes this increased risk, but there are four reasons that these experts speculate could cause this correlation:
- The infection causes inflammatory cytokines to spike throughout the body, lowering T levels
- Men with COVID-19 can develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, causing a decrease in oxygen and less healthy serum hormone levels
- COVID-19 suppresses gonadotropin, impairing androgen formation
- An infection triggers the immune response, causing the body to focus on fighting pathogens instead of performing normal functions like producing testosterone.
Another notable correlation is the fact that elderly people are more at risk of developing both low testosterone and a more severe disease of COVID-19.
While this reason alone doesn’t independently explain the root cause behind reduced testosterone levels in patients with COVID-19, it does show that individuals vulnerable in one aspect are more likely to go on to develop the other condition.
Furthermore, men with other chronic health conditions, like diabetes and obesity, face an even higher risk of adverse outcomes following a COVID-19 infection.
Fortunately for patients, not all hope is lost. According to the above studies, treating low testosterone and managing underlying health risks can bring down the risk of mortality dramatically.
Let’s look at ways you can improve your testosterone levels following a COVID-19 infection.
Long COVID and Testosterone: Is There a Connection?
There’s sufficient evidence to show that testosterone decreases after a COVID-19 infection. But what about people experiencing long-term symptoms due to COVID-19?
According to a 2022 study, 87.6% of patients who recovered from COVID-19 had improved testosterone levels seven months after battling with the disease.
However, 9.9% of patients had testosterone levels that fell further below the levels during their initial bout with the disease.
The majority of the people who developed lower T levels had comorbid conditions, indicating worse long-term testosterone recovery outcomes for men with diabetes, high blood pressure, and other chronic conditions.
How to Increase Testosterone After COVID
There’s arguably no commonly held marker of masculinity comparable to having healthy levels of sex hormones.
If you’re on the lookout for ways to improve your testosterone levels after COVID-19, here are some ways to do just that:
1. Undergo Testosterone Replacement Therapy
Testosterone supplementation through therapy is a tried-and-true treatment plan that aims to restore testosterone levels through safe and doctor-supervised clinical methods.
The doctor will safely administer the testosterone supplement, usually through a needle, for a predetermined number of times depending on your needs.
These series of injections help facilitate the restoration of testosterone levels in the body, minimizing the adverse effects of hypogonadism.
2. Get At Least 7 Hours of Sleep
Sleep is not something you should take for granted, especially if you want to maintain your hormonal balance.
In particular, you’ll want to ensure that you get at least 7 hours of uninterrupted and high-quality sleep.
This gives your body enough time to flush out dead cells and produce new and stronger ones—with one notable hormone being testosterone.
3. Eat Testosterone-Boosting Foods (And Avoid Junk)
Your diet plays a major role in influencing your body’s overall makeup. As such, be sure to get enough testosterone-boosting foods in your system if you aim to improve your hormonal health.
Fortunately, there are many examples of testosterone-boosting foods and they all fall under one main category: meat.
Fish, protein, pork, and beef are all excellent choices of food to improve testosterone levels, so be sure to incorporate them into your diet.
4. Lift Some Weights
Exercising is another effective way to reverse hypogonadism caused by COVID-19.
In particular, strength training is effective since it helps keep the body active and built, signaling the body to produce more testosterone levels to help in building muscle.
5. Address Underlying Health Conditions
Besides COVID-19, low testosterone can also be a result of other chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, and cancers like prostate cancer.
Male patients should ensure that they’re seeing the right doctor who can adequately address these conditions to minimize their interference with testosterone production.
Reclaim Your Vitality with the Assistance of Expert Male Health Doctors
If you value your health and sex life, and want to address negative risk factors, there’s no better way to address these concerns than by getting in touch with a medical expert.
The medical specialists at Jacksonville’s Prime Men’s Medical Center are equipped with both the knowledge and the resources to help you avoid clinical adverse outcomes and lead a fulfilling and healthy life.
We provide hormone therapy and testosterone therapy to help men who have experienced a severe SARS-COV-2 infection, bringing renewed vigor to their bodies.
We also offer ED treatment, PE treatment, andropause therapy, and various other treatment plans tailor-fit for your needs.
What are you waiting for? Contact us to get to know our treatment options in more detail. We may also give patients a free first round of treatment, depending on their eligibility.
Schedule a consultation with us today, your initial consultation and first treatment are completely free.
