High blood pressure (or hypertension) can increase your risk of heart disease, stroke, and other serious cardiovascular issues. Although this condition affects both sexes, it’s more common among men than women under the age of 64 (Mayo Clinic).
In fact, high blood pressure may be linked to other underlying conditions that men can develop with age, such as Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), obesity, or Erectile Dysfunction (ED)—all of which can affect men’s primary sex hormone, testosterone.
This leaves us to wonder if there is a link between low testosterone and blood pressure.
What We Know About High Blood Pressure
Before we can discuss the relationship between low testosterone and high blood pressure, let’s first review what this condition is and how it affects men in their 30s, 40s, and 50s.
What Is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure occurs when a person’s arteries become narrow, making it harder for blood to flow through normally.
Think of it like resistance. Your heart is pumping blood to the rest of your body via your blood vessels (arteries). But because this pathway is getting smaller over time, your blood needs to force (or push) itself through, thus creating pressure. And the more resistance, the higher the blood pressure.
There are two types of blood pressure:
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Primary Hypertension
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Secondary Hypertension
About half of the U.S. adult population has high blood pressure, and many of whom are unaware of its existence. This is likely due to the fact that its signs and symptoms are much harder to detect without regular wellness checks with your health provider.
What Causes High Blood Pressure?
Currently, there is no known cause for why adults develop primary hypertension. However, as we mentioned before, men may experience secondary hypertension due to other underlying health conditions.
These may include:
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Kidney Disease
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Adrenal Gland Tumors
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Congenital Conditions
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Certain Medications
High blood pressure may be genetic, too. But there are other risk factors that can put you at risk of developing this condition, such as:
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Age
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Stress
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Obesity
Does High Blood Pressure Impact Testosterone?
Back to the question on the floor. Is there a link between low testosterone and high blood pressure.
Currently, there is no concrete evidence to support a definite link between these two men’s health issues. However, there is enough evidence to support that having high blood pressure can cause men to experience sexual problems, such as ED: “For some men, the decreased blood flow makes it difficult to achieve and maintain erections…[h]igh blood pressure can also interfere with ejaculation and reduce sexual desire,” (Mayo Clinic).
Although ED is linked to low testosterone, this doesn’t mean that having high blood pressure will cause you to experience low T or vice versa.
In fact, although low T can cause men to experience ED, the latter condition may also develop from cardiovascular disease (i.e., high blood pressure) or certain side effects from medications.
Many experts believe the main reason why this link is even suggested is due to the fact that men produce higher amounts of testosterone than women, and since men are at higher risk of developing a heart condition (at least 10 years earlier than women), one may have something to do with the other.
But until we can gather enough concrete evidence to prove this theory, it’s safe to say that there is no direct link.
What we do know, however, is that like low testosterone, high blood pressure is a common health concern among men as they age. Therefore, taking a proactive role in your health and wellness now may help you avoid developing a health condition that affects your quality of life.
Meet with a Men’s Health Expert
Having a men’s health professional is an invaluable resource for your wellness journey. It’s common for men to avoid seeing an expert, for fear they may be living with a serious condition. But avoiding the issue doesn’t make it go away. In fact, the sooner you pursue treatment, the sooner you can start living your best life again.
At EveresT Men’s Health, we work to address the underlying issues that are causing you to experience high blood pressure, low testosterone, sleep apnea, diabetes, ED, etc.
When you meet with us, we’ll evaluate your current health and identify any deficiencies, so we can create a custom plan that works on your schedule and leaves you feeling ready to conquer each new day.
To learn more about our services, contact us today at one of our three locations.
