What's true, though, is that your own habits may affect your levels.
Advertisements seemingly everywhere these days make claims about what low testosterone therapy can do for you.
But all the hype has led to many misconceptions about "low T" and it's treatment.
There's been a real uptick in the use of testosterone replacement therapy, so there is a lot of confusion out there.
Here are five important myths and facts about low testosterone.
Fact: You should be cautious about starting low testosterone therapy!
Not everyone needs testosterone therapy.
The condition, also known as hypogonadism, affects approximately 39 percent of men over age 45, with men in their 60's and 70's more at risk than men in their 40's and 50's, according to the American Urological Association.
A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine in August 2013 found that about 25 percent of men taking testosterone supplements had never had their testosterone levels measured.
Many low T centers' have sprouted up.
Many do a good job of defining if low testosterone is an issue, but some do not.
Always insist on a blood test to assess your testosterone levels before you begin any supplements.
Fact: Your own habits can lower your testosterone levels!
Some lifestyle choices can have a negative effect on the amount of testosterone in your body.
For instance, Brannigan says, smoking reduces testosterone levels.
Tobacco is thought to interfere with the body's production of luteinizing hormone, which helps make testosterone.
RELATED: 9 Natural Testosterone Tuneups!
Being overweight or obese can produce a similar effect.
Too much fat tissue in the body can cause testosterone to be converted into estradiol, a female hormone.
That feeds back to the pituitary gland and tells the body to stop making luteinizing hormone, thus lowering the body’s drive to make testosterone. In fact, overweight and obese men who began a program of exercising and dieting increased their testosterone levels significantly as they lost weight over 12 weeks, according to the findings of a study published online in the Endocrine Journal in March 2015.
