First part of the material How can men themselves know that there is a drop in the testosterone level? There are signs by which any man can find out about the drop in the hormone. If the waist circumference exceeds 94 cm, it is an indicator of obesity, and if it is over 102 cm, it is an indicator of a low testosterone level. Large-scale studies prove that obese patients get sick much more often than people of normal weight. Doctors remind that obesity is not only a cosmetic problem, but also a health-threatening condition. With excess weight, arterial hypertension, impaired lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, metabolic problems, including diabetes, are almost inevitable. Among overweight men, the death rate from ischemic heart disease is 4 times higher, and the risk of stroke is 38%. A decade or two ago, it was believed that adipose tissue accumulates in the body as a kind of energy reserve, a kind of reserve for black days. At the moment, science rejects this thesis, especially in men. The problem with obesity in men consists in the fact that in the fat tissue, the male sex hormones testosterone and androstenedione are converted into female ones – estradiol and estrone. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in the general level of male hormones in the blood. In addition, the synthesis of other biologically active substances takes place in the fat cells, in particular the hormone leptin, also called the “hormone of hunger”. Leptin has an extremely strong influence on the metabolism of substances. When the amount of fat tissue increases, it also increases the level of leptin, which in turn also lowers the level of male sex hormones in the blood. Many studies have proven the inverse relationship between testosterone levels and waist circumference in men: the wider the waist, the less testosterone. With age, the character changes, but testosterone is often to blame for this… Psycho-emotional disorders can occur with hormone deficiency – irritability, nervousness, reduced attention, sleep problems, tendency to depressive states, sudden changes in mood, memory disorders. Some men experience fatigue and sleepiness easily. Testosterone plays an important role in terms of activity in the social life of men. Its concentration in the blood increases with successful problem solving and good social contacts. The feeling of satisfaction, good mood, for victory slows down the formation of stress hormones and improves the secretion of testosterone. Men who have high levels of testosterone are not only more successful, but also need more and more testosterone to maintain their high performance. The decline of the hormone provokes reduced work capacity, lethargy, apathy, lack of interest in work and social contacts, instability to stressful situations. Next up: other signs of low testosterone.