Age-related complaints and testosterone deficiency from a psychosomatic point of view

Age-related changes in men resemble symptoms of hypogonadism. Although the average levels of testosterone decrease with age, correlations between comp laints and testosterone levels are inconsistent and low in aging men. This is related to methodological limitations of studies, the high interindividu al variability of testosterone in the aging male, ambiguities of normal val ues,and numerous determinants (e.g., health status, health behavior) on the level of testosterone. When studying the relationship between decreased testosterone, psychologica l and physical complaints have to take into consideration a whole array of psychosocial influences (e.g., perception, interpretation, and coping with age-related changes).