If you’ve ever wondered why your energy feels different as you get older, or why your mood, strength, or libido doesn’t quite feel like “you”, testosterone may be part of the story.
This hormone is often talked about in extremes — the “male hormone”, the symbol of strength, the thing you either have too much or too little of. But the truth is much more nuanced. Testosterone is something all of us rely on, regardless of gender. It influences the way you feel in your skin, your motivation, and even your sense of connection to the people around you.
Most of the testosterone in men is produced in the testicles, with women producing smaller amounts in the ovaries. A little also comes from the adrenal glands — tiny organs that sit above your kidneys yet quietly influence your entire hormonal landscape.
As the years pass, levels typically decline. For some, the change feels subtle. For others, it’s like someone slowly turns the dimmer switch down on energy, strength, and desire.
The Role of Testosterone in Everyday Life
Testosterone does so much more than shape physical features. Think of it as one of your body’s internal “drivers” — quietly supporting mood, muscle, bone strength, and sexual well-being.
It influences:
- How easily you build or maintain muscle
- How strong your bones feel as you age
- Your libido — that natural spark of desire
- Your mood, mental clarity, and sense of vitality
Sperm production and reproductive health
For many men, it’s the hormone that helps you feel grounded in your body. For women, it supports energy, strength, and sex drive too — just in smaller amounts.
How Low Testosterone Can Feel
Low testosterone doesn’t usually arrive loudly. It creeps in. Maybe you notice you’re more tired than usual… or workouts feel harder… or your interest in sex feels distant, almost like a memory.
Common signs include:
- Persistent fatigue
- A drop in libido
- Erectile difficulties
- Loss of muscle or strength
- Increased body fat, especially around the middle
- Low mood or anxiety
- Reduced body hair
- Hot flushes
Breast tissue changes
Because life stress, poor sleep, or other health issues can mimic these symptoms, it’s easy to blame yourself. But a simple morning blood test often brings clarity.
Why Testosterone Drops
Everyone experiences hormonal shifts differently, but several factors can nudge testosterone lower:
- Ageing, the most natural cause of all.
- Weight gain, especially around the abdomen, can alter how your body produces hormones.
- Chronic conditions, such as diabetes or sleep apnoea.
- Medications, such as long-term steroid use or opiates.
- Injury or infection, including mumps or trauma to the testicles.
- Genetic and testicular disorders, which sometimes go unnoticed until adulthood.
Lifestyle factors include stress, disrupted sleep, and diets high in ultra-processed foods.
Sometimes, there’s no apparent reason — and that’s okay. Hormones can be complex.
Getting a Diagnosis
If you’re experiencing symptoms, the best first step is a conversation with a healthcare professional. Many people feel hesitant — hormones can feel personal — but clarity often brings relief.
Diagnosis usually includes:
- A physical exam to look for changes in muscle, hair, or breast tissue.
- A conversation about your mood, libido, energy levels, and overall well-being.
A morning blood test, when testosterone peaks naturally.
If your results come back low, further testing helps pinpoint the cause.
What Treatment Can Look Like
For those diagnosed with clinically low testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) may help restore balance. It comes in many forms — gels, patches, injections, implants — and with careful monitoring, it can significantly improve quality of life.
Other medical options, such as clomiphene citrate or anastrozole, can stimulate or support natural production, depending on the underlying cause.
And then there are the lifestyle pillars — the habits that quietly strengthen hormonal health:
- Strength training
- Deep, restorative sleep
- Reducing visceral fat
- Nutritious, whole-food eating
Stress management
Sometimes, these changes alone can make a noticeable difference.
The Bottom Line
Testosterone is not just a “male hormone” — it’s a wellbeing hormone. It influences your strength, your mood, your sex life, and how energised you feel each morning.
Levels naturally fall after about age 30, but the pace varies from person to person. What matters most is paying attention to how you feel.
If something feels off — your energy, your confidence, your body’s response to stress — it’s worth exploring. Understanding your hormones can reconnect you to a version of yourself that feels clearer, stronger, and more alive.
