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New Delhi: More than 25 percent of urban Indian
males have low testosterone hormones due to unhealthy lifestyles.
However, lack of awareness means that many patients go
undiagnosed, doctors say.
'Male Hypogonadism' affects 26.1 percent of the working population
of Indian men and is caused by unhealthy lifestyle, including
smoking, consuming alcohol and junk food, high stress levels etc.
The hormone plays a key role in masculine growth and development
during puberty.
According to doctors, symptoms include decreased libido, impaired
erectile function, muscle weakness, fatigue and depression.
"It is an established clinical condition in medicine and in India
the numbers are rising drastically over the years. However, many
patients with this disorder go undiagnosed," Ajit Saxena, senior
consultant urologist and andrologist, Apollo Indraprastha
Hospitals, told IANS.
"There is a clear need to increase the awareness of hypogonadism
with the rising evidence suggesting a rise in the prevalence of
the disorder in working population of Indian men," he added.
Sadly, not many general physicians are aware of this disorder.
Hence, the lack of awareness coupled with inhibition on the part
of the patient to discuss his sexual health, results in the
patient failing to get diagnosed.
"Patients and doctors both need not shy away from issues related
to sexual health. Moreover, India needs to develop guidelines that
are tailored for the Indian patients," Shalender Bhasin, MD,
professor of medicine at Boston University School of Medicine
said.
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