
Losing Erection With a Condom: Causes, Condom Size and What Helps
Short answer: Losing an erection with a condom is common. In a study of 479 young men who used condoms, about 6 in 10 said it had happened to them at least sometimes, either while putting the condom on, during sex, or both.[1] The usual drivers are a condom that fits badly, the pause and…

Amlodipine Side Effects in Men: Swelling, Dizziness and Sexual Function
Short answer: The most common amlodipine side effects in men are swelling of the ankles and feet, dizziness, flushing, palpitations and tiredness, and the swelling becomes more likely as the dose goes up. Sexual problems are listed on the official label, but only as an uncommon event, and amlodipine is not among the blood pressure…

Is Kratom Safe? Side Effects, Risks and What Men Should Know
Short answer: Kratom has not been shown to be safe. The FDA has approved no medical use for it, says it is not lawfully marketed as a dietary supplement or food ingredient, and warns about liver toxicity, seizures, contamination and substance use disorder. Concentrated 7-OH products are an even bigger concern because 7-OH is a…

Low Ferritin in Men: Symptoms, Normal Levels and Causes to Rule Out
Short answer: Low ferritin in men means the body’s iron stores are running low. It often shows up first as fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath on exertion, dizziness or restless legs, sometimes before hemoglobin drops. Because adult men need only 8 mg of iron a day and do not lose blood through menstruation, a low…

ADHD Medication Side Effects in Men: Sleep, Heart and Sex Drive
Short answer: The most common ADHD medication side effects in men are trouble sleeping, lower appetite and weight loss, dry mouth, headache, nervousness and a faster heartbeat. Sexual side effects are listed on the official patient information too: “changes in sex drive or ability” for Adderall, decreased sexual desire for methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and “decreased…

Hydrochlorothiazide Side Effects in Men: What to Know and What to Ask Your Doctor
Short answer: The most common hydrochlorothiazide side effects are frequent urination, headache, loss of appetite, diarrhea and dizziness when standing up. The ones that matter most over time are changes in blood salts (low potassium in particular), higher uric acid that can trigger gout, higher blood sugar, sun sensitivity and a small increase in non-melanoma…

Normal Testosterone Levels by Age: Chart and What Your Number Means
Short answer: For adult men, normal testosterone levels usually fall somewhere between about 250 and 900 ng/dL, depending on the lab and the reference population. The American Urological Association (AUA) uses a total testosterone below 300 ng/dL as a reasonable cutoff for low testosterone, but only when it shows up on two early morning tests…

Best Time to Check Testosterone Levels (and How to Prepare)
Short answer: The best time to check testosterone levels is early morning, ideally between 7 and 10 a.m. or within about three hours of waking, when levels are typically at their daily high. Many labs and guidelines prefer a fasting sample, and one low result is never enough: major guidelines ask for two separate early…

Opioids and Low Testosterone: Opioid-Induced Androgen Deficiency Explained
Short answer: Yes, long-term opioid use can lower testosterone in men. Researchers call this opioid-induced androgen deficiency (OPIAD): opioids act on the brain’s hormone control centers and reduce the signals that tell the testes to make testosterone. Reviews of men on long-term opioids for chronic non-cancer pain report rates from 19% to 86%, depending on…

Fatty Liver and Testosterone: The MASLD Link in Men
Short answer: Fatty liver and testosterone are linked. Men with fatty liver disease (now called MASLD, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease) have, on average, lower total testosterone than men without it, and both problems grow out of the same metabolic soil: excess belly fat, insulin resistance and the rest of metabolic syndrome. The studies are…

OTC vs Prescription: How Supplements, OTC Drugs and Prescription Drugs Differ
Short answer: OTC vs prescription comes down to who decides you should take a product and how much the FDA checks it before it is sold. Prescription drugs are approved by the FDA through a New Drug Application and are prescribed by a clinician for one person. OTC drugs are also FDA regulated, through approval…

High Estrogen in Men: Signs, Causes, Testing and Treatment
Short answer: High estrogen in men usually means a high level of estradiol, the main estrogen, or estrogen that is high relative to testosterone. The most recognized signs are enlarged or tender breast tissue (gynecomastia), lower sex drive, erection problems and fertility problems. Common drivers include excess body fat, certain medications, testosterone or anabolic steroid…

High Prolactin in Men: Symptoms, Causes, Normal Levels and Treatment
Short answer: High prolactin in men (hyperprolactinemia) means the blood level of prolactin, a pituitary hormone, is above the normal range, which for men is usually under 20 ng/mL. It can lower testosterone and cause low sex drive, erection problems, breast enlargement, infertility and, with a larger pituitary tumor, headaches or vision changes. The most…

High SHBG in Men: Causes, Normal Range and How to Lower SHBG
Short answer: High SHBG in men means the liver is making more sex hormone binding globulin, the protein that grips testosterone and keeps it inactive in the blood. As SHBG rises, less of your total testosterone is free for tissues to use, so a man can have a “normal” total testosterone result and still have…

Hypothyroidism Symptoms in Men: Low Thyroid and Low Drive
Short answer: The most common hypothyroidism symptoms in men are fatigue, weight gain, feeling cold, constipation, dry skin, muscle aches, low mood and a slowed heart rate. Low sex drive is also common: in one multicenter study, most men with an underactive thyroid reported low desire or ejaculation problems, and many improved once thyroid levels…

Metformin and Testosterone: What the Research Really Shows
Short answer: A few short studies in men with type 2 diabetes found that men taking metformin had lower testosterone after one to three months than men treated without it, but the drop was modest and the evidence is limited. Type 2 diabetes and excess body weight are themselves strongly linked to low testosterone, so…