It is no secret that consuming alcohol excessively or habitually is hazardous for someone’s mental and physical health. One of the areas of someone’s health that is most impacted by consuming alcohol and other drugs is the state of their hormones. For people that are interested in urology and men’s health, the amount of testosterone in their body is one of the primary considerations. This is because low testosterone causes symptoms like erectile dysfunction, infertility, and loss of muscle mass, among many other things. So, does alcohol lower testosterone? In this blog, Happy Urology and our specialized medical professionals and Miami urologists take a closer look.

Alcohol’s Effect on Testosterone

There are three glands in a man’s body that are responsible for the production of testosterone in the body. These are the hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary gland, and the testes. The issue with consuming alcohol heavily is the fact that consuming alcohol is proven to interfere with the function of these glands. Chronic alcohol abuse also damages the Leydig cells in the tests. It is understood that heavy alcohol use is about 15 drinks a week for men and 8 drinks a week for women. Moderate alcohol consumption does not impact someone’s testosterone levels. 

Alcohol and Testosterone: Symptoms of Low Testosterone

Testosterone is an essential hormone for males because it is responsible for many male features and also is a component of someone’s mental health. Low testosterone could cause depression in some males, so keeping an eye on the most common symptoms is a good way to gauge where you stand. Aside from depression, the most common symptoms of low testosterone include: 

• Decreased sex drive
• Loss of lean muscle
• Low energy
• Irritability
• Weight gain
• Erectile dysfunction 
• Body hair loss 

Does Beer Lower Testosterone? 

Does alcohol lower testosterone if the amount of alcohol in the drink is lower? Since beer has lower alcohol content than other spirits and alcoholic beverages, it is common to think that beer has a lower impact on testosterone. However, any amount of alcohol abuse could lead to the symptoms stated above. Also, beer contains prolactin and phytoestrogen, which increase the amount of estrogen in the body while lowering the levels of testosterone. Beer contains more of these components than other kinds of alcohol, which means that drinking an excessive amount of beer could impact your testosterone more than liquors like scotch or vodka. 

More About Happy Urology 

Does alcohol affect testosterone? The answer is that consuming alcohol excessively is proven to impact your hormones and lower the levels of testosterone in the body; however, those that do not abuse alcohol have a lower chance of low testosterone. Happy Urology is a South Florida urology practice that is dedicated to helping patients in South Florida with a variety of services. These include: 

• Prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment
• Prostate exams
• Vasectomies
• Kidney stones treatment
• Silicone penile implants
• Miami Penuma surgery 
• And much more

Contact us today to learn more from our experts and about Florida Penuma surgery.