testosterone
∙2 minute read
Low testosterone (low-T) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) share many of the same symptoms, which may suggest there are links between the two conditions.
But what does the science say? Let’s dive into what we know and what we don’t know about PTSD and low-T.
PTSD normally happens after someone experiences a traumatic event or prolonged exposure to stressful situations.
Some of the symptoms of PTSD include anxiety, difficulty sleeping, and mood swings. Someone with PTSD may also experience extreme stress when confronted with situations similar to the trigger event. That means it can be difficult to process the event(s) and move on.
PTSD affects around 1 in 3 people who go through a traumatic experience. But there’s a big imbalance between men and women when it comes to its likelihood. Some research estimates that women are two to three times more likely to experience PTSD than men.
So why is that? Well, one study found that women’s naturally-lower levels of testosterone leave them at a higher risk of experiencing PTSD than men. Although that’s a possible explanation for the imbalance, we don’t know it for certain. But it’s also one of the reasons why the condition has been linked to low testosterone.
There’s no single explanation for why some people experience PTSD and others don’t. But one possibility is that the trauma leads to an imbalance in your cortisol levels.
Cortisol is a hormone that’s released in response to stressful situations. It helps to regulate your stress levels, but an imbalance can soon lead to heightened or even chronic stress.
Some research has found that testosterone works in tandem with cortisol: it suppresses your cortisol and helps to regulate your stress levels. If the balance between cortisol and testosterone tilts slightly in favour of cortisol, it could reduce your testosterone levels.
There’s also evidence to suggest that balanced levels of testosterone could act as a kind of buffer against developing PTSD. But research is limited, and there’s certainly no guarantee of that happening.
Other studies have found no correlation between low testosterone and PTSD. So although the two things share many of the same symptoms, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re related. Some people with PTSD will have normal levels of testosterone, whilst having high or low testosterone doesn’t necessarily make PTSD more likely.
So what does all this mean? Well, mainly that keeping your testosterone levels balanced could be beneficial. It may or may not help to prevent certain disorders, but it can help to prevent some of the more common symptoms of low-T, including:
Depression
Fatigue
Low libido
Erectile dysfunction
Decreased muscle mass
It’s important to make sure your testosterone levels stay within the recommended range, and to regularly check them through the AMS scale and a venous blood test.
Although some studies have found a link between testosterone and PTSD, other research has found no correlation between the two - so the jury is still out. Even so, keeping your testosterone levels balanced could be beneficial, and can help to prevent a range of symptoms including fatigue, depression, and reduced libido. Track your symptoms with the AMS scale and check your levels regularly with a blood test.
