Testosterone: The Most Important Hormone to Consider Replacing in Men
Testosterone is the key hormone for energy, strength, and vitality. When testosterone levels begin to diminish, impotence and depression frequently occur. Testosterone can even begin to decline for men in their mid 30’s. Male hormone deficiency has been called male menopause. The real term is andropause and it happens to man, just at a different age. If you no longer feel like you used to, restoring your testosterone to its optimal level can be an easy thing to do.
Bioidentical testosterone replacement will burn fat, increase muscle mass, and strengthen bones, even in older men.
- It improves insulin resistance and sensitivity, blood sugar levels, and diastolic blood pressure.
- Testosterone has been shown to decrease bad cholesterol without lowering the good cholesterol.
- It has more of an effect on the heart than any other hormone. It increases cardiac function.
- Improves symptoms of chronic heart failure, and increases the ability of CHF patients to exercise.
- One study has even shown that low testosterone levels result in an increased risk of death from cancer and cardiovascular disease.
- In short, testosterone extends life and causes healthy living.
Male Hormone Replacement Therapy Side Effects
Even though the advantages of testosterone replacement far outweigh the disadvantages, there are things that should be monitored. Too much testosterone can cause aggressive behavior and raise hematocrit levels. What you need to look for on a blood test is total testosterone, free testosterone, estradiol levels, dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and prostate specific antigen (PSA).
Free testosterone levels indicate how much testosterone is available for use by the body.
Estradiol. A lot of the body’s hormones are interrelated. If it has too much of one, it will often convert it into another. Testosterone can get converted into two different hormones that should be watched: estradiol and DHT. When boys reach puberty, their bodies make a lot of testosterone. Some of that gets converted into estradiol and makes their nipples become tender. Most grown up men aren’t interested in reliving those days, so if estrogen levels get high, you’ll need an aromatase inhibitor like anastrozole.
DHT. Dihydrotestosterone is the other hormone that testosterone can turn into that can cause problems. Too much DHA is what causes male pattern hair loss and prostate enlargement. To prevent the body from converting testosterone into DHT, you will need an alpha-reductase inhibitor like finasteride. Finasteride is used to treat enlarged prostates and to prevent hair loss because in both cases DHT is the culprit.
Testosterone Administration
Taking testosterone orally is not beneficial to the body and can actually harm the liver. The best and most common way to get your testosterone dose is by applying a testosterone cream topically to the skin or injecting it into the muscle.
Male Hormone Replacement Therapy Costs
A typical price from a compounding pharmacy for a testosterone cream would run about $20 to $30 a month. The price for an injectable that typically lasts 10 weeks is a little over $100 (approximately $35 a month).
Other Hormones Used in Male Hormone Replacement Therapy
Thyroid is the main hormone responsible for metabolism. Low levels result in fatigue, difficulty concentrating, high cholesterol, and an intolerance to cold. Thyroid tablets come in multiple strengths, from 15 mg to 240 mg. It can also be made by our Compounding Pharmacy into any strength that is needed and into a sustained release capsule.
HGH or Human Growth Hormone is produced by the pitiuitaray gland. The effects of growth hormone on the body include increasing muscle mass, strengthening the bones, and promoting fat burning. And it is one of the best supplements for energy. All this has made it a very popular performance enhancing supplement.
Growth hormone treatment does many of the same things that testosterone does, but it is much more expensive. There are at least four brands available in the U.S. and they range between $300 to $1,000 for a month supply depending on how much you take.
Conclusion
Out of all the vitamins, herbs, supplements, and prescriptions that a person can take to improve their health and quality of life, bioidentical testosterone provides the most benefit for the money.
References
- Snyder P, Peachey H, Hannoush P, Berlin J, Loh L, Lenrow D, Holmes J, Dlewati A, Santanna J, rosen C, Strom B. (1999). “Effect of Testosterone Treatment on Body Composition and Muscle Strength in Men Over 65 Years of Age”. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 84(8): 2647-2653.
- Holmäng S, Jönsson L, Sjöström L, Kvist H, Holm G, Lindstedt G, Björntorp P. (1992). “The effects of testosterone treatment on body composition and metabolism in middle-aged obese men”. International Journal of Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders. 16(12): 991-7.
- Morley J, Perry H, Kaiser F, Kraenzie D, Jensen J, Houston K, Mattammal M, Perry H. (1993). “Effects of testosterone replacement therapy in old hypogonadal males: a preliminary study”. J Am Geriatr Soc. 41(2): 149-52.
- Pugh P, Jones TH, Channer K. (2003). “Acute haemodynamic effects of testosterone in men with chronic heart failure”. Eur Heart J. 24(10): 909-915.
- Pugh P, Jones R, West J, Jones T, Channer K. (2004). “Testosterone treatment for men with chronic heart failure”. Heart 90:446-447.
- Haring R, Völzke, Steveling A, Krebs A, Felix S, Schöfl C, Dörr M, Nauck M, Wallaschofski H. (2010). “Low serum testosterone levels are associated with increased risk of mortality in a population-based cohort of men aged 20–79”. Eur Heart J. 31(12): 1494-1501.