Hormone Optimization for Men
It is a common misconception that women are the only ones who need bio-identical hormone replacement as they age. However, more research is constantly being produced showing that men too can benefit from receiving hormone replacement therapy. Men experience a more gradual loss of sex hormones, mainly testosterone, resulting in what is known as “andropause”, or the “male menopause”. It is called andropause because testosterone is an androgen, and androgens are male sex hormones.
Beginning in a man’s 30s, his testes start to manufacture less and less testosterone, losing roughly one to three percent per year. Then, sometime between 40 and 55, testosterone levels drop dramatically and signal the onset of andropause. During this time of decreasing testosterone production, there is also often a concomitant increase in male estrogen levels.
With the onset of andropause often comes:
- loss of muscle mass
- weight gain
- lower sex drive
- irritability
- depression
- memory loss
- erectile dysfunction
- muscle and joint pain
Hormonal imbalances are often at the root of many chronic health problems that can begin to develop, including non-insulin dependent diabetes and heart disease. Testosterone has a regulating effect on blood sugar levels, so as it drops blood sugar issues often arise, which can lead to a host of further health issues. There is also research suggesting that there are more testosterone receptors in male hearts than anywhere else in male bodies, which places heart health at greater risk when testosterone levels drop.
The only way to truly replenish depleted levels of testosterone hormone is through hormone replacement therapy. Men have options when it comes to replacing testosterone such as testosterone injection, testosterone cream, and testosterone pellets, with testosterone pellets often being the most effective form available.
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