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Hypogonadism: What Causes it?
INFORMATIVE 
Tags: Hypogonadism, Testicles, male health, disorders
Hypogonadism in men is a disorder that occurs when the testicles (gonads) do not produce enough testosterone. Hypogonadism can occur during fetal development, at puberty or in adult men. There are various causes of hypogonadism:
| | Klinefelter’s syndrome — this syndrome involves the presence of abnormal sex chromosomes. A male normally has one X chromosome and one Y chromosome. The Y chromosome contains the genetic material with the codes that determine the male gender, and related masculine characteristics and development. Males with Klinefelter’s syndrome have an extra X chromosome, which causes abnormal development of the testicles. |
| | Undescended testicles — the testicles develop inside the abdomen and usually move down into the scrotum before birth. Sometimes, this does not occur. However, in most cases, the testicles descend by the child’s first birthday. An undescended testicle that remains outside the scrotum throughout childhood can result in abnormal testicular development. |
| | Hemochromatosis — Hemochromatosis, or too much iron in the blood, can cause the testicles or the pituitary gland to malfunction. |
| | Testicular trauma — Damage to the testicles can affect the production of testosterone. |
| | Cancer treatment — Chemotherapy or radiation therapy, common treatments for cancer, can interfere with testosterone and sperm production by the testicles. |
| | Normal aging — Older men generally have lower levels of testosterone, although the decline of the hormone varies greatly among men. |
| | Pituitary disorders — Problems affecting the pituitary gland—including a head injury or pituitary tumor—can interfere with the gland’s signals to the testicles to produce testosterone. |
| | Medications — Certain drugs can affect testosterone production. Commonly used psychiatric drugs and some medicines used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may cause hypogonadism. |
Lister:
Angie
Source:
Clevelandclinic.org
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