Testosterone Doctors
What a man needs to know about testosterone.
- Men's testosterone production naturally decreases as they age.
- Too much testosterone can make you aggressive, cause acne and moodiness.
- A decrease in testosterone hormone and other male androgens is a sign of male menopause also known as andropause.
- A testosterone deficiency is called hypogonadism and can result in loss of sexual function and desire.
- Some of the main symptoms of low testosterone are feeling tired all the time; weight gain; loss of muscle mass and tone;
"Without enough of it, you can feel anxious, depressed, become intellectually muddled, and develop a low sex drive."
Testosterone Read on to find out everything you need to know about testosterone and what to do if you have too little of it.
If you want to remain looking and lusting like a man, you need a steady flow of testosterone, or androgens, as this hormone is responsible for the normal growth and development of male sex organs, and the maintenance of secondary sex characteristics. Without enough of it, you can feel anxious, depressed, become intellectually muddled, and develop a low sex drive. Also, low levels of testosterone may result in a decline in muscle mass and strength, and an increase in upper body and abdominal fat.
A little-known condition called androgen deficiency occurs when bodily tissues do not have enough exposure to androgens, or testosterone, to function normally. There is hope -- with Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), lower-than-normal testosterone levels can be regulated and modified.
Who is at risk?
While young males do not typically suffer from a testosterone deficiency, the presence of certain medical conditions that hamper the body's ability to produce testosterone can result in this condition at any age. In fact, approximately one in 200 men under 60 years of age suffers from androgen deficiency.
The testosterone levels in men usually decrease with age. They gradually begin to fall from the age of 40 years and decrease by approximately 0.3% per year. It has been estimated that up to 20% of men over 60 will experience a decline in androgen production that is significant enough to warrant a diagnosis of androgen deficiency.
Some controversy still exists over whether or not older men experience what is known as "andropause," or male menopause, a much more gradual and subtle change of life than female menopause. The question of whether such naturally decreasing levels of testosterone should be remedied, or if TRT should simply be reserved for extreme cases, remains largely unanswered. For now, it is best to assume that unless your testosterone doctor diagnoses you with a deficiency, TRT is not the solution.
Diagnosis
To determine whether or not you are experiencing a deficiency and what may be causing it, your hormone doctor can measure the amount of testosterone in your blood with blood tests. In addition to measuring testosterone levels, doctors sometimes measure prolactin levels to make sure your pituitary gland is functioning properly. Further blood tests, such as serum FSH, LH and thyroid tests, may also be necessary.
Normal levels of testosterone fall between 250 and 800 nanograms of testosterone per deciliter of blood. Levels in the same man vary according to time of day, season and exercise; therefore, your doctor must conduct an entire physical examination to determine whether or not you are suffering from the disorder.
If you want to measure your testosterone level yourself, there are ways to do so. Testosterone testing kits allow you to measure the amount of available testosterone for use in your bloodstream; simply gather a sample of your saliva and mail it to a lab for analysis. Doctors and physicians will then identify any preventable hormone imbalances in your system and recommend solutions to normalize your testosterone level.
Causes of Low Testosterone
Contributing factors to the development of androgen deficiency include:
- Medications, especially those used to treat depression or mental disorders
- Alcoholism
- Chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer that targets or harms the testicles
- Chronic illness
- Dysfunction of the pituitary gland (a gland in the brain that produces substances that regulate hormone production from the brain to the testis)
- Hemochromatosis (too much iron in the blood)
- Hypogonadism (when the testis is not able to produce high enough levels of testosterone, aka androgen deficiency, or sperm, aka spermatogenesis)
- Inflammatory diseases, such as sarcoidosis (a condition that causes injury to or infection of the testicles)
- Illnesses, such as AIDS, that compromise the immune system
- Excessive stress, which taxes the adrenal system
Low Testosterone Symptoms
The diagnosis of testosterone deficiency can only be made through a full medical examination by a doctor. If you suspect you may be suffering from androgen deficiency, please contact your doctor; however, some of the symptoms are as follows:
- Erectile dysfunction (the inability to get or maintain an erection)
- High cholesterol levels (having high cholesterol or high blood pressure causes hardening of the arteries, which can decrease blood flow to the testicles and cause enough damage to lower testosterone)
- Obesity, especially around the waist
- Depression
- Anxiety or mood swings
- Problems with concentration and memory or other cognitive and intellectual functions
- Low sex drive
- Decreased bone density, possibly leading to osteoporosis
What is TRT?
There are solutions if you discover that you are suffering from androgen deficiency. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) may be administered to men who are not producing high enough levels of testosterone. Such treatment is usually long-term and should only be started when androgen deficiency has been clinically proven, including testing hormone levels in the laboratory and ruling out other possible medical conditions.
Testosterone is available in pill form, patches, gels, creams, and intramuscular injections or it can be implanted with hormone pellets under the skin Absorbing testosterone through the skin via a patch or gel or receiving an intramuscular injection (every two weeks) are the best methods of delivering TRT. Testosterone in an oral form is not absorbed very well by the body and may increase the risk of high cholesterol, as well as heart and liver problems.Understanding androstenedione
Although falsely sold on the market as a way to "naturally" increase testosterone levels, androstenedione is a steroid-like substance -- a metabolite of DHEA and a natural precursor of testosterone. It is often taken as a dietary steroidal supplement to purportedly regulate testosterone levels, and when taken in large doses, it may cause effects similar to stronger anabolic steroids like testosterone.
Although it may also function to stimulate androgen production, it should not be seen as a replacement for standard medical treatments; as a supplement, it's not regulated by the FDA. Companies that manufacture steroidal supplements often make claims that are false, and very little is known about the long-term effects on the body of some of these substances. If you require Testosterone Replacement Therapy, stick to the drugs, treatments and recommendations made by your doctor.
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Learn more about Testosterone Replacement from the leading testosterone doctors, visit The Anti-Aging Group Hormone Clinic for Men.
Learn more about Testosterone Replacement (TRT) at The Anti-Aging Group Male Hormone Therapy Center - Testosterone Hormone Therapy - TRT
To learn more about low testosterone and testosterone hormone levels testing for men, visit the Anti-Aging Group @ www.antiaginggroup.com - Low Testosterone Hormone Test ; Hormone News Article: Testosterone Doctor
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