Are you experiencing fatigue, decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, fat gain, mood changes, and/or loss of muscle mass? These are just some of the symptoms of low testosterone, and if this relates to you, hormone replacement therapy can help.
Vitality, energy, optimism, and a strong sex drive are all characteristics of youthfulness. Of course, these are directly related to optimal male hormone levels. It is no secret that when men are young and at their physical peak, they also have their peak testosterone levels.
Unfortunately, as a man ages, the amount of testosterone he produces begins to decline. The natural decrease of testosterone production begins at 30 and continues to drop about 1% every year throughout his life. This is why men in their 30’s and 40’s begin to no longer feel youthful.
Amazingly, even men in their 20’s are now seeing unacceptable decreases in their hormone levels. This may be the result of a variety of diet and lifestyle choices such as cell phone use, phosphates in processed foods, anabolic hormone or prohormone use, stress and anxiety, and perhaps even microplastics. Regardless, we are now seeing young men with low testosterone levels more commonly.
Though low hormone levels have become “normal”, hormone replacement therapy ensures men that it is no longer necessary to suffer the consequences of low T.
What are “Normal” Hormone Levels?
There are numerous hormones produced in the body and they are interdependent. This means that a lower level of one hormone will affect the levels of other hormones. For example, low testosterone may increase cortisol, a stress hormone. Ideally, we do not want elevated cortisol levels.
To measure your health, medicine has thus established “normal” levels for testosterone. However, the range of what physicians consider normal is huge. Amazingly, lab ranges for “normal” testosterone levels run anywhere from 200 – 1100 ng/dl. A younger man would typically have a level closer to 1100, while an octogenarian might run around 300. This is all considered “normal”.
Unfortunately, we are seeing men in their 30’s and 40’s with levels in the 300’s-400’s, and though this is “normal”, it is not optimal. To compare, if a 50-year-old man sees an eye doctor for worsening eyesight, the doctor doesn’t tell him this is “normal” for his age. Instead, he prescribes glasses! Why wouldn’t we do the same for a man with low testosterone?
Our goal at Mygenics is to optimize your hormone levels so that you feel youthful and stay healthy.
How to Diagnose Low Testosterone
In men, testosterone helps maintain muscle mass, adequate levels of red blood cells, bone density, a sense of well-being, and sexual/reproductive function, to name a few bodily systems. If you are experiencing low testosterone though, you may notice some or all of the following symptoms:
- Inability to gain muscle
- Loss of muscle mass and strength
- Increased body fat
- Loss of sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction
- Joint aches
- Mood changes
- Irritability
- No energy
- Decrease in cognitive skills and concentration
Thankfully, we can assess your hormone levels with a simple in-office blood draw.
What Causes Low Testosterone?
In addition to the aging process, numerous other factors may lead to low testosterone levels. Some of these include:
- Trauma
- Metabolic disorders
- Medications
- Alcohol abuse
- Kidney failure
- Obesity
- Sleep apnea
- Excess estrogen
- Diet and lifestyle choices
Benefits of Hormone Replacement Therapy
Hormone replacement therapy will help optimize your hormone levels and restore youthfulness. The first thing men notice is that their energy returns within a few weeks and the need for the afternoon nap disappears. Men can also expect improvements in their erections and sex drive.
Additionally, if they exercise, men will see increases in strength, cardiovascular endurance, and muscle volume.
Beyond feelings of vitality, hormone replacement therapy provides numerous health benefits such as decreased body fat, improved thyroid effects, improved diabetes, and improved heart health. Men can also expect:
- Loss of fat
- Increased bone density and protection against osteoporosis
- Improved mood and sense of well-being
- Improved mental clarity
What to Expect with Hormone Replacement Therapy?
Once we assess your natural hormone levels via a blood test, our hormone replacement therapy may include testosterone (either injections, pellets, or creams), HCG, DHEA, melatonin, estrogen aromatase inhibitors, progesterone, and/or thyroid hormones.
HCG
In men, HCG closely mimics the pituitary hormones that signal the testicles to produce sperm and testosterone. The FDA approves the use of HCG to treat a certain type of low testosterone in men in which the brain doesn’t adequately signal the testicles to produce sperm and testosterone.
At Mygenics we use HCG, if needed, as an adjunctive treatment along with testosterone therapy to help maintain testicular function and size during testosterone therapy.
DHEA
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a hormone produced in the adrenal glands that lie just above and adjacent to the kidneys. DHEA is a precursor hormone, meaning the body uses it to produce other sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone.
As with other hormones, DHEA levels peak in your 20’s and then decline slowly as you age. DHEA has been linked with:
- Longevity
- Improved muscle mass
- Improved Sex Drive
- Improved Immune System Function
- Improved Cognitive Function
- Improved Depressive Symptoms
- Maintaining Bone Density
At Mygenics, we test DHEA during our initial evaluation with a simple blood test. We then provide DHEA as an oral capsule, or in cream form combined with other hormones.
Aromatase Inhibitors
Men produce estrogen primarily when the body converts testosterone to estrogen by an enzyme called aromatase, also known as estrogen synthetase or estrogen synthase. Unfortunately, hormone replacement therapy can raise male estrogen to unacceptable levels if physicians do not adequately monitor and control the process.
At Mygenics, many men on testosterone therapy will also require an aromatase inhibitor to maintain healthy estrogen levels. We may also utilize selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM), if needed, to maintain healthy estrogen levels.
Thyroid Hormone
Thyroid hormone, produced in the thyroid gland in the front of the neck just below the Adam’s apple, is active in nearly every cell in the body and is critical for life. Thyroid hormone regulates your body’s metabolic rate, regulates protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism, regulates heat production, and is critical for brain development and bone maintenance.
Men with low thyroid hormone, also known as Hypothyroidism, may experience:
- Fatigue
- Weight gain
- Constipation
- Infertility
- Cold intolerance
- Elevated cholesterol
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dry skin and hair
- Hair loss
- Fibromyalgia
- Loss of lateral eyebrows
As with other hormones, many physicians will look at thyroid hormone levels that fall within a “normal” range and tell you that your thyroid hormone levels are “normal”. However, “normal” does not necessarily mean optimal.
At Mygenics we strive to optimize your hormones. Thyroid hormone is THE metabolic hormone and If you are struggling with weight gain, cannot lose weight, suffer from fatigue, or are experiencing any of the other symptoms of low thyroid, you could benefit from optimizing your thyroid hormone.
Is Hormone Replacement Therapy Right for Me?
At Mygenics, we’re happy to diagnose and treat any problems you may be having. If you are suffering from any of the aforementioned symptoms, then the Mygenics Hormone Replacement Therapy Program could be right for you.
At Mygenics, our goal is to treat the whole man and to restore your vitality and enjoyment of life.
To schedule an appointment, please fill out our contact form or give our office a call today. You have nothing to lose, but everything to gain.