*2.2.7 Diseases and conditions affecting testosterone*

As shown in **Figure 1** about the 'Hypothalamo-pituitary-testicular Axis', men will experience drop in testosterone when a disease or condition affects the axis. Thus, conditions or diseases affecting the testes, pituitary and hypothalamus glands also affect testosterone levels in the body.


Klinefelter syndrome and hemochromatosis also affect testosterone levels. Klinefelter syndrome is a genetic disease in which a man has an extra x-chromosome

#### *Reproductive Hormones*

whereas hemochromatosis is a genetic disease in which an abnormal gene causes excessive iron to accumulate throughout the body. These two conditions can also affect testosterone.

On the other hand, women may have a testosterone deficiency due to diseases of the pituitary, hypothalamus or adrenal glands, in addition to removal of the ovaries [5].

Therefore, high T levels can indicate ovarian or testicular cancer. Low T levels can indicate chronic illness or a problem with the pituitary gland, which releases hormones [8].
