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Complications
By Mayo Clinic staffThe complications of untreated hypogonadism differ depending on what age it first develops — during fetal development, puberty or adulthood.
Fetal development
A baby may be born with:
- Ambiguous genitalia
- Abnormal genitalia
Puberty
Pubertal development can be delayed or incomplete, resulting in:
- Diminished or lack of beard and body hair
- Impaired penis and testicle growth
- Unproportional growth, usually increased length, of arms and legs compared with the trunk
- Enlarged male breasts (gynecomastia)
Adulthood
Complications may include:
- Infertility
- Erectile dysfunction
- Decreased sex drive
- Fatigue
- Muscle loss or weakness
- Enlarged male breasts (gynecomastia)
- Decreased beard and body hair growth
- Osteoporosis
References
- Snyder PJ. Causes of primary of hypogonadism in males. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Snyder PJ. Causes of secondary hypogonadism in males. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Snyder PJ. Clinical features and diagnosis of male hypogonadism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Snyder PJ. Testosterone treatment of male hypogonadism. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 29, 2010.
- Male hypogonadism. The Merck Manuals: The Merck Manual for Healthcare Professionals. http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec17/ch227/ch227b.html. Accessed Oct. 14, 2010.
- Medical guidelines for clinical practice for the evaluation and treatment of hypogonadism in adult male patients mdash; 2002 update. Endocrine Practice. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. www.aace.com/pub/pdf/guidelines/hypogonadism.pdf. Accessed Oct. 14, 2010.
- Testosterone therapy in adult men with androgen deficiency syndromes. Chevy Chase, Md.: The Endocrine Society. http://www.endo-society.org/guidelines/Current-Clinical-Practice-Guidelines.cfm. Accessed Oct. 25, 2010.
- Brunton SA, et al. Late-onset male hypogonadism and testosterone replacement therapy in primary care. The Journal of Family Practice. 2010;59(suppl):S1.
- Bassil N, et al. Late-life onset hypogonadism: A review. Clinics in Geriatric Medicine. 2010;26:197.
- Dietary Reference Intakes for calcium and vitamin D. Institute of Medicine. http://www.iom.edu/vitamind. Accessed Dec. 2, 2010.
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