Low T in Men Causing Your Treatment Resistant Depression..?

Since low testosterone in men has long been presumed to accompany aging, it can be overlooked as a cause of TRD in young men.

John had gained 75 lbs (!) through the stressful and exhausting project at work. He’d come to hate the way he looked.

Co-workers had turned on each other, undercutting rather than supporting each other as a team. John was a team player, and while his skill was beyond the skill of others on the team, he could feel himself slipping into depression…again. And his skills were slipping, too.

Because he was losing his edge, it was getting harder and harder to think through to solutions, much less articulate them to the others. He knew he was doomed. As long as his mind worked he could maintain his position in the department, but as depression returned, he became sluggish, he felt dense, and hopelessness rose like water in a submerged car.

To add insult to injury, his girlfriend was complaining that they never went out anymore, and that she felt he’d lost interest in her. He knew he hadn’t lost interest in her any more than anything else…he just didn’t have the energy to face restaurant crowds…or even show her what she meant to him. In fact, he hardly had the energy to get out of bed on lots of days.

And to make matters worse, his sex drive was shot. He just didn’t care about anything, but also felt like a failure as a man.

Before the project began, he had a few suicidal thoughts at night…  But through the tormented road at work this year, the suicidal thoughts were cramming into each hour of the day at about 40/hour. He winced to himself… almost sounds like the speed of a car rather than an obsession to die.

This had been going on most of his adult life. Why couldn’t it be fixed? Why oh why did he keep trying…going to work…diving into the hopelessness again and again day after day? Why not just get off…?

What was wrong with him? Where could he find a doctor who could help him..??

Treatment Resistant Depression

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is complicated by a discouraging rate of relapse, even with those who achieve remission at some point. Studies of long duration have shown that patients who have residual symptoms after treatment have a worse prognosis. Which is why we do all we can to help our patients achieve remission, if possible.

Treatment resistant depression (TRD) causes immeasurable suffering. Because the symptoms don’t improve with traditional medicines, the ongoing struggle to find relief only seems to worsen symptoms. And untreated depressive symptoms that go on in spite of treatments can be debilitating and costly.

Treatment resistance occurs in 45% of depressed patients. These are patients whose symptoms have not improved after at least 2 medicine trials… or some combination…for 12-16 weeks each. This condition increases risks because of higher prevalence of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and tragically, death. Nearly a third of treatment resistant patients attempt suicide in their lifetime.

For years, most people thought that there were far more depressed women than men. That women are more prone to depression because they are more expressive of their emotions. But it turns out that isn’t true.

Depressed Men Don’t Act Like Depressed Women

However, studies emerged revealing that many men display different depression symptoms than women, and as a result their depression can be overlooked. Rather than sadness, they sometimes exhibit anger, irritability, and aggression. As such, those around them may pull away, rather than recognizing their loved one is actually depressed.

Another factor is that men are less likely to talk about how they’re feeling or seek help. So that creates the idea there aren’t as many depressed men as women, because their families can’t read their minds, right?

So a man who’s irritable and autocratic may actually be depressed, rather than just a difficult guy. (Surprising, sometimes.) This is good news for those friends and family members who love them. Because, if he is, he needs treatment… but he may not ask for it. Even if he does, there is a strong chance the treatment won’t help, or at least, not much.

If we’re to know what to do for him, we have to consider other things first.

So what causes depression in men? 

Low T in Men

Honestly, the same things that cause depression in women, for the most part. Chronic stress, genetic factors, environmental factors, biological events like heart attack, stroke, chronic pain, or amputation, and other illnesses like diabetes, Parkinson’s, heart disease, or cancer.

But, there’s another condition that’s often overlooked. Low testosterone, or low T, is seen with hypogonadism. 

The testes produce most testosterone (90-95%). But a small portion is produced in the adrenal gland. And studies have established that testosterone treatment can help men feel better emotionally, so a deficiency of testosterone can erode their mood and outlook.

Some men receive the diagnosis of hypogonadism. This is a condition that causes their bodies to produce too little testosterone.

It’s been said that hypogonadism, or low T, is a malady of elderly men. But, that’s a generalization that doesn’t take into account the many men between ages 18-40 whose testosterone level is below 10.4 nmol/L and who have treatment resistant depression. 

Low T in YOUNG Men

Low testosterone is a leading cause of treatment resistant depression in older men, but many overlook that it’s a big cause of treatment resistant depression in younger (age 18-40) men, too.

Stanley Korenman, M.D., and his team published their work about the link between low T in young men (ages 18-40) and depression in a paper published November 2018 in the Journal of the Endocrine Society.

They studied 186 young men who made visits to a university medical center for any reason between the years 2013-2015. These men had symptoms of treatment resistant depression.

The prevalence of hypogonadism was present in 22.6% of these men.

The authors called for more research to determine if the hypogonadism causes the treatment resistant depression or if the treatment resistant depression causes the hypogonadism…maybe both?

Because to neglect this connection may be to ignore a condition that’s reversible. One that turns treatment resistant depression into treatable depression. And treatable depression can be transformed to remission.

We Strive to Treat YOU in YOUR Own Uniqueness

Our approach at Innovative Psychiatry is to treat each underlying condition and its own symptoms, then watch to see how the /improvements in function combine toward resilience and remission.  It can be a tedious process but it’s all worth it when your symptoms finally dissipate.

A key component of your recovery may include IV ketamine treatment, if you have a treatment resistant disorder. Ketamine does its best work in patients with the most complex treatment resistant illnesses. But for ketamine to do its best work in restoring your brain cell connections prolifically, you need to treat other conditions like low T that may get in the way.

For this reason, we also may encourage you to see a specialist as we work on the process of treating your depression. We always love to work with your specialized health care team to help you get the most personalized care so you can feel really good again.

There is no one-size-fits-all remedy for everyone and every complexity of illnesses. But we  must work together, exhaustively, and explore your disorders, your nutrient imbalances, your social and work life, your family life, your exercise, your diet…every aspect of your health…to tease apart those elements that may be contributing to the way you feel.

And while it may require an investment of time, effort, treatments, and re-evaluations for awhile, it will all be worth it when you look in the mirror and love the person you see there.  Better days are ahead.

You will never hear me say, “There’s nothing more we can do.”  Those days are over in psychiatry, I hope… but you will hear me ask, “What was the very best YOU you’ve ever been…? That’s the you we’re going to help you find again – together.”

To the restoration of your best self,