What Every Man Should Know About Hormonal Decline

Women aren’t the only ones who experience changes in their body as they age. The aging process affects men just as much, if not more so, than women.

Men’s Health & Hormones

Despite the changes aging can cause, men aren’t nearly as likely to seek medical help and are less likely to be proactive when it comes to healthy aging. Men’s health and hormones are important topics, and I’m here to encourage all the men out there, and their wives who are reading this article, to be proactive in taking charge of their health, especially for men over the age of 30.

Hormonal Decline in Men

As men age there is a steady decline in their body’s natural hormone level, specifically, testosterone. Testosterone decline begins in a man’s 30s and continues throughout the course of his life. Although not as dramatic as menopause in women, this decline in a man’s natural hormone level is very real and is an inevitable part of the aging process. This age related hormonal decline can have several side effects ranging from fatigue, irritable moods, decreased sex drive, lack of ambition, decreased mental sharpness, indecisiveness and irritability.

As with any gradual change, the decline in testosterone may go virtually unnoticed until a critical point is reached. Then, seemingly out of the blue, a man in his 40s or 50s may begin to develop a “spare tire” around his abdomen, lose interest in sex, begin feeling depressed or irritable, and have difficulty making decisions. Low testosterone leads to andropause, or male menopause.

An abundance of testosterone not only separates men from women – it also separates the men from the boys. Likewise, testosterone deficiency turns vibrant men into shadows of their former selves. If a male’s hormones are imbalanced, he will continue to experience the negative effects of this gradual loss in his body’s natural hormones until the day he dies. This decline is inevitable unless proactive measures are taken to counteract this loss.

The Solution

Maintaining healthy levels of testosterone with bioidentical hormones will result in not only improved physical health but also improved mental health. It’s simply a matter of putting back in what’s missing. I am not advocating abnormally high levels of testosterone to achieve superhuman strength; instead, I recommend supplementing with a low dose of bioidentical hormone therapy. Additionally, all men should take saw palmetto (160 mg twice a day). This Native American herb strengthens the prostate gland and inhibits the conversion of the good testosterone into its more problematic kind – dihydrotestosterone (DHT).

How to Determine if You are Testosterone Deficient

Undergoing blood testing to measure levels of free testosterone is one way to identify testosterone deficiency. If your level is below what is considered normal for a 20 to 29-year-old male, you would most likely benefit from natural testosterone replacement. However, as with female hormonal imbalance, thyroid dysfunction and other hormonal problems, a blood test should not solely be used to diagnose testosterone deficiency. It’s important to take both lab tests and clinical symptoms into consideration.

Common Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men

Common symptoms include: low libido; lack of initiative, assertiveness and drive; fatigue; decline in sense of well-being and self-confidence; depressed, irritable moods; indecisiveness; decreased mental sharpness; lessened stamina and endurance; loss of muscle mass, strength, and tone; increased body fat around the waist; decline in sexual ability; and sleep apnea.

Before you resign yourself to the symptoms of aging, it’s important to note that while these symptoms may be common among middle-aged men, that doesn’t mean the rest of your life has to be spent gradually winding down. To evaluate if you have healthy levels of testosterone, take our online men’s hormonal balance quiz at:  www.hotzehwc.com/TestYourHealth

Steven F. Hotze, M.D., is the founder and CEO of Hotze Health & Wellness Center (HHWC), Physician’s Preference and Hotze Pharmacy. Dr. Hotze’s radio program, “Health and Wellness Solutions”, airs Monday-Friday on KSEV 700 AM from 12-1 p.m. CST.  For more information, visit, www.hotzehwc.com.

Follow Dr. Hotze on Twitter: twitter.com/DoctorHotze.  Friend Dr. Hotze on Facebook:  www.facebook.com/DoctorHotze, and HHWC on FB: www.facebook.com/HotzeHWC.

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