Feel like you’ve lost your mojo?
Low on energy, both in and out of the bedroom? You may be experiencing Low T, a common condition that affects millions of men every year. As men grow older their levels of testosterone decrease and the ratio between testosterone and estrogen go out of balance? Often we see the average 60 year old male has a higher level of estrogen than the average 60 year old female!
This decline in testosterone also known as andropause, may result in decreased energy, low sex drive, decrease in muscle mass, weight gain around the belly, depression, irritability, insomnia, mood swings, brain fog, harder time making decisions, lack of motivation or couch potato-itis and heart problems.
Understanding the function of hormones and testosterone replacement therapy has made it possible to manage many of the negative side-effects often associated with age related testosterone decline. Bio-identical or natural testosterone replacement therapy has gained popularity in recent years. While testosterone replacement therapy has been around since the late 1930s, here in the Midwest it’s taken some time to catch on.
What is Low Testosterone?
Low T (testosterone), also sometimes called hypogonadism, is an imbalance within the hormonal system. The American Urology Association identifies low blood testosterone as less than 300 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL). It’s estimated that male testosterone production begins to decline by about 1-2% every year by time a man hits his mid-20s. Once men reach their 30s, testosterone production declines even faster. By their mid-forties, many men have lost almost half their prime levels. Low T affects nearly 40% of men over age 45.
Symptoms of Low T
Whether you’re on time for the natural decline in testosterone or are experiencing an imbalance earlier in life, Low T will create a gradual onslaught of unpleasant symptoms in many males.
Common symptoms for men with low T include:
- Decreased sexual performance/erectile dysfunction
- Low libido/sex drive
- Weight gain
- Loss of muscle mass
- Fatigue and/or insomnia
- Brain fog/difficulty making decisions
- Anxiety and depression
- Metabolic syndrome
There are many other possible reasons for these symptoms, such as opioid use, some congenital conditions (medical conditions you are born with), loss of or harm to the testicles, diabetes, and obesity. The only way to know for certain if these symptoms are caused by Low T is to check specifically for low testosterone levels. Low T testing is most commonly performed as a blood test, but testing can be done through saliva or urine testing as well.
What Causes Low T?
Hormonal imbalances are not caused by just one factor. They are caused by a contribution of multiple factors, both internal and external.
Risk factors for male hormone imbalance that you can control include:
- Diet – A diet that is high in processed foods is a major culprit
- Sedentary lifestyle – Not getting enough exercise can lead to several major health complications
- Stress levels – Everyday stresses can affect hormone levels drastically
- Environmental toxin exposure – Living in heavily populated cities with human-produced pollution can affect your hormones and create other various health concerns
Risk factors that are out of your control:
- Genetic disposition – If Low T runs in your family, it may affect you as well
- Medical history – Some medications and health problems contribute to hormonal imbalances, even after you’ve stopped treatment or resolved the issue
- Age – Testosterone production declines with age
- Environmental toxin exposure – Yes, this is listed under both controllable and non-controllable. You can choose to live away from a pollution-producing factory, but you can’t choose to live away from natural pollution such as pollen and organic compound evaporation (rain!). Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy for Men
Whether your symptoms are caused by the natural deterioration of hormones, lifestyle factors, or even factors that are outside of your control, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy can help you feel great again. Bioidentical Hormone Therapy Replacement is a proven method to help regain a healthy hormonal balance.
How Male Hormone Replacement Therapy Helps
- Higher levels of energy, motivation and concentration
- Improved sexual performance
- Increased libido
- Better sleep
- Improved moods
- Increased muscle strength and stamina
- Healthier metabolic numbers
- Stronger erections
- Increase in lean muscle mass
- Decrease heart disease risk
- Increase cellular oxygenation
- Decrease night sweats
- Lower total cholesterol and LDL
- Decrease insulin resistance
- Decrease abdominal fat
Male Hormone Replacement Delivery Methods
Personalized hormone blood tests help determine the right testosterone dosage needed for each man. No two men are alike and hormone needs differ from man to man. While there are many commercial, synthetic drug products available that promise to help with the symptoms of low testosterone, they come with great risk. Natural testosterone replacement therapy helps address the cause of the problem while offering additional long-term benefits. Bio-identical testosterone therapy comes in many forms; including injections, topical gels or creams, sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue and pellets that are inserted under the skin. Injections are often self-administered on a weekly or biweekly basis. Topical gels and creams are applied once or twice a day and sublingual tablets are taken twice a day as well. Pellets offer a more consistent steady release of testosterone and can last 3-4 months.
- Injections – Self-administered weekly or biweekly
- Topical gels or creams – Applied once or twice a day
- Sublingual tablets – Dissolved under the tongue twice a day
- Pellets – Inserted under the skin every 3-4 months