If you are a man that suffers from low testosterone you realize it can cause a whole plethora of symptoms of depression, low libido, irritability, fatigue, poor motivation to name a few. It can also bring on illnesses such as heart disease, hypertension and even diabetes. Figuring out the root cause of the low testosterone can help either cure the issue, or at the very least managing it.

Below are the top 5 causes of low testosterone:

1. Adrenal Fatigue. The adrenal glands are located above the kidneys. They control a vast percentage of the endocrine system in producing over 50 hormones to help run the human body. Among the hormones they produce is testosterone.

If you find that you have the symptoms of adrenal fatigue, you can be sure that your testosterone levels are probably low as well. The symptoms are:

• Digestive issues with constipation and diarrhea

• Sleep dysfunction including problems with waking up in the mornings

• Craving for salty foods

• Depression

• Low libido

• Stress – lack of handling it properly

Adrenal fatigue can be caused from several different things such as bad diet from consumption of too much junk food, caffeine, etc, food issues such as a wheat or gluten intolerance, infections, and stress.

2. Aging. As men get older their testosterone levels will start to decrease. At around age 37 to 38 the testosterone levels will begin to decrease around 2 to 3 % each year.

3. Alcohol. Anything done in excess is not a good thing and this holds true of alcohol consumption. One thing that will happen if you are an alcoholic is your testosterone levels will drop. It’s because the alcohol will reduce the production of testosterone levels for at least 24 hours. If you drink in excess daily the alcohol will do its damage to the hormone level.

Symptoms of an alcoholic with low testosterone are deficient muscle mass and slow muscle recovery from injury, fertility issues such as low sperm count, shrinking testicles and enlarged breasts.

The cure here is obvious, stop drinking, or at least cut way back on your alcohol consumption.

4. Diet. Today’s overly processed, fast and convenient foods are terrible to our health. If it’s referred to as "junk" food then it’s not good for you. These foods play a major role in our endocrine systems, and in particular for men can cause testosterone levels to fall.

Eating a healthy diet of whole foods rich in fruits and vegetables is the best cure for this. If you steer clear of the foods with "empty" carbs, such as what you find in the junk foods and consume the healthier foods you will see a notable difference in your overall health.

5. Exercise. Too much or too little (or none at all) will cause low testosterone levels. As with everything, doing exercise in moderation will dramatically increase not only your energy and good health, but also your testosterone levels.

Ideally you should spend at least 15 minutes for 3 days a week of an exercise workout to reach optimum health.

There are other health issues that can cause low testosterone. If you feel you have this problem please seek the advice of a medical professional.