Replacement Therapy for Men with Low Testosterone
Is your zest for life at an all-time low lately?
Do your friends no longer invite you to in home Monday Night Football table-gate parties because of how much of a whiner you’ve become?
Or has your wife been complaining about how you’ve lost your enthusiasm for fun after the lights go out?
Has this nagging feeling of being out of sorts got you wondering what's going on?
Well, if you are approaching middle age and any of this sounds vaguely familiar, then maybe your body is betraying you. Because maybe your (declining) testosterone level could be the culprit here. Maybe that’s the reason why you’re off your game.
Certainly it's not news that women undergo menopause right? That's when their hormone levels drop off rather dramatically. This causes some mood swings as well as emotional and other physical changes. Well did you know that menopause also has its equivalent in men? It’s called andropause - a condition where the amount of testosterone that your body is generating tails off too.
But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here. Maybe it would be best to start at square one. That is, what testosterone is all about and how too little of it coursing through your body impacts you. So why don't we do this step by step?
Testosterone Defined. Testosterone is often referred to as the male hormone. Although it is found in both men and women, testosterone is the most dominant hormone among men. This same hormone is responsible for exhibiting the male characteristics such as low tone voice, facial hair, muscular build, and other male sexual features. And although the testes are the main supplier of this hormone, the adrenal glands do produce them too.
Testosterone levels are initially low. But when guys hit puberty, the levels abruptly spike and this surge continues throughout your young adult years. Which might explain your desire to sneak a peek at those men's magazines as a teenager. You can blame being consumed by sex on the T.
Now testosterone levels reach their peak at around 30 years old. From there the levels begin their gradual decline.
Interesting fact. It has been a common misconception that high levels of testosterone actually increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. One possible reason for that is that one of the prostate cancer treatments is to cut back the testosterone in essence to deny the cancer of something it needs to grow and progress. But don’t let that fool you.
Scientists have disproved the correlation between high testosterone and prostate cancer risk stating that the two are not related at all. In fact, one study showed that men who have shown to have low testosterone even had higher rates of mortality compared to those with high testosterone levels. Any correlation may remain to be an open discussion for now. Regardless of whether the two are related or not, one thing is for sure – low testosterone levels greatly impact a man’s life.
When you have low testosterone levels, or as some refer to this, low T, you may experience a group of symptoms which may include any or all of the following: low libido, erectile dysfunction, reduced muscle mass, obesity, depression, fatigue, hot flushes, decreased bone density, reduced muscle strength, changes in sleep pattern, and memory problems. None of that seems like a day at the beach, now does it?
There are a number of factors behind this ominous dip in testosterone levels.
It could be a result of an infection affecting the testes such as the mumps.
It can be a consequence of poor lifestyle such as excessive alcohol drinking, smoking, lack of exercise, or poor diet.
Or it could be a result of damage to the pituitary gland which is responsible for regulating testosterone levels.
Aging is also a common underlying cause of the testosterone drop.
If you’re experiencing any of the problems previously mentioned, whether or not you live healthy, it’s best that you consult with your doctor so you can be tested for testosterone levels. Usually this is done by a simple blood test which is preferably done early in the morning considering that the height of testosterone production happens in the morning. Normal testosterone levels would fall within 900-475 range. If your results are lower than this, then you could be getting an idea as to the reason why you’ve been feeling depressed and irritable lately.
Yet if you are diagnosed with a low T, don’t despair. Low testosterone levels can now be easily treated with a variety of medications that are available. From pills and injections to transdermal patches, gels, and hormone pellets under the skin.
The type of treatment recommended will depend on factors like how severe your symptoms are, how willing are you to comply with treatment, and whether you have a high risk of developing cancer and heart disease.
Also, how long the treatment lasts would depend on the kind of treatment you’re using. Injections for instance are given once in 2 weeks. While the topical creams are applied once a day for 8 weeks.
Prior to treatment, you may also be advised by your doctor to follow a fruit and vegetable diet as well as making sure you are getting plenty of zinc, vitamins A, B, and E, and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Some report that following an exercise regimen and getting a good sleep can turn things around in some cases. Obviously you'll want to get your doctor's input on any of this.
For those wondering about the risks here during treatment, you may experience things like acne, shrinking testicles, and hair loss. The long term risks include an elevated risk of stroke or potential liver damage. In a few cases, prostate cancer. When this happens, your Gleason score will be the doctor's basis on how aggressvie your cancer is. Again it is crucial that you discuss with your doctor what the risks might be in your particular situation.
Men who have undergone testosterone replacement have reported great improvement in their outlook as well as their quality of life. The treatments typically resulted to increased energy levels, stronger bones and muscles, restored sexual function, and improved mood.
So don’t let the problems associated with low T get you down. Have your testosterone levels checked right now. And from there, you and your doctor can discuss the best response, should it be that you need to boost your testosterone so you’ll get to enjoy time with friends, your spouse, or simply life in general.
Do your friends no longer invite you to in home Monday Night Football table-gate parties because of how much of a whiner you’ve become?
Or has your wife been complaining about how you’ve lost your enthusiasm for fun after the lights go out?
Has this nagging feeling of being out of sorts got you wondering what's going on?
Well, if you are approaching middle age and any of this sounds vaguely familiar, then maybe your body is betraying you. Because maybe your (declining) testosterone level could be the culprit here. Maybe that’s the reason why you’re off your game.
Certainly it's not news that women undergo menopause right? That's when their hormone levels drop off rather dramatically. This causes some mood swings as well as emotional and other physical changes. Well did you know that menopause also has its equivalent in men? It’s called andropause - a condition where the amount of testosterone that your body is generating tails off too.
But maybe I'm getting ahead of myself here. Maybe it would be best to start at square one. That is, what testosterone is all about and how too little of it coursing through your body impacts you. So why don't we do this step by step?
Testosterone Defined. Testosterone is often referred to as the male hormone. Although it is found in both men and women, testosterone is the most dominant hormone among men. This same hormone is responsible for exhibiting the male characteristics such as low tone voice, facial hair, muscular build, and other male sexual features. And although the testes are the main supplier of this hormone, the adrenal glands do produce them too.
Testosterone levels are initially low. But when guys hit puberty, the levels abruptly spike and this surge continues throughout your young adult years. Which might explain your desire to sneak a peek at those men's magazines as a teenager. You can blame being consumed by sex on the T.
Now testosterone levels reach their peak at around 30 years old. From there the levels begin their gradual decline.
Interesting fact. It has been a common misconception that high levels of testosterone actually increase your risk of developing prostate cancer. One possible reason for that is that one of the prostate cancer treatments is to cut back the testosterone in essence to deny the cancer of something it needs to grow and progress. But don’t let that fool you.
Scientists have disproved the correlation between high testosterone and prostate cancer risk stating that the two are not related at all. In fact, one study showed that men who have shown to have low testosterone even had higher rates of mortality compared to those with high testosterone levels. Any correlation may remain to be an open discussion for now. Regardless of whether the two are related or not, one thing is for sure – low testosterone levels greatly impact a man’s life.
When you have low testosterone levels, or as some refer to this, low T, you may experience a group of symptoms which may include any or all of the following: low libido, erectile dysfunction, reduced muscle mass, obesity, depression, fatigue, hot flushes, decreased bone density, reduced muscle strength, changes in sleep pattern, and memory problems. None of that seems like a day at the beach, now does it?
There are a number of factors behind this ominous dip in testosterone levels.
It could be a result of an infection affecting the testes such as the mumps.
It can be a consequence of poor lifestyle such as excessive alcohol drinking, smoking, lack of exercise, or poor diet.
Or it could be a result of damage to the pituitary gland which is responsible for regulating testosterone levels.
Aging is also a common underlying cause of the testosterone drop.
If you’re experiencing any of the problems previously mentioned, whether or not you live healthy, it’s best that you consult with your doctor so you can be tested for testosterone levels. Usually this is done by a simple blood test which is preferably done early in the morning considering that the height of testosterone production happens in the morning. Normal testosterone levels would fall within 900-475 range. If your results are lower than this, then you could be getting an idea as to the reason why you’ve been feeling depressed and irritable lately.
Yet if you are diagnosed with a low T, don’t despair. Low testosterone levels can now be easily treated with a variety of medications that are available. From pills and injections to transdermal patches, gels, and hormone pellets under the skin.
The type of treatment recommended will depend on factors like how severe your symptoms are, how willing are you to comply with treatment, and whether you have a high risk of developing cancer and heart disease.
Also, how long the treatment lasts would depend on the kind of treatment you’re using. Injections for instance are given once in 2 weeks. While the topical creams are applied once a day for 8 weeks.
Prior to treatment, you may also be advised by your doctor to follow a fruit and vegetable diet as well as making sure you are getting plenty of zinc, vitamins A, B, and E, and omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Some report that following an exercise regimen and getting a good sleep can turn things around in some cases. Obviously you'll want to get your doctor's input on any of this.
For those wondering about the risks here during treatment, you may experience things like acne, shrinking testicles, and hair loss. The long term risks include an elevated risk of stroke or potential liver damage. In a few cases, prostate cancer. When this happens, your Gleason score will be the doctor's basis on how aggressvie your cancer is. Again it is crucial that you discuss with your doctor what the risks might be in your particular situation.
Men who have undergone testosterone replacement have reported great improvement in their outlook as well as their quality of life. The treatments typically resulted to increased energy levels, stronger bones and muscles, restored sexual function, and improved mood.
So don’t let the problems associated with low T get you down. Have your testosterone levels checked right now. And from there, you and your doctor can discuss the best response, should it be that you need to boost your testosterone so you’ll get to enjoy time with friends, your spouse, or simply life in general.