Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Low testosterone and sleep apnea

Foxnews has two articles about low testosterone (here and here). The diagnosis is being made more frequently and many more men are receiving testosterone therapy. I'm not writing about this topic to weigh in on the supposed controversy, but just to point out that neither article mentions the fact that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be related to low testosterone. Specifically, untreated OSA may reduce testosterone levels. Also, OSA causes fatigue and sleepiness, and thus could mimic the symptoms of low testosterone. Therefore, if you suspect you have low testosterone or are diagnosed with low testosterone by your doctor, consider getting evaluated for obstructive sleep apnea if you snore regularly or have witnessed pauses in your breathing.

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