What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a basic fundamental, hormone found in all mammals. It is the principal androgen, or male sex hormone, although it appears in both genders. This steroid hormone stimulates development of male secondary sexual characteristics, and it is produced mainly in the testes, but also in the ovaries and adrenal cortex.
What happens to your Testosterone level as you age?
Your body’s Testosterone level peaks during adolescence and early adulthood. Starting around age 40, sometimes younger, your body produces less Testosterone. For some men, Testosterone levels decline slowly, but for many the decline in Testosterone levels is more rapid or severe. This process is known as ANDROPAUSE (also known as “Man-o-pause”). This process may be accelerated in patients taking control substance medications for pain.
Does low Testosterone cause other health problems?
Yes."….. numerous studies have documented that chronic low Testosterone levels increase men's risk of cardiovascular disease, increase overall mortality rate and decrease libido, muscle mass and quality of life."
How does Glory Wellness Center treat low Testosterone?
We use Topical Cream, or Intramuscular (IM) injections for Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).
What is Andropause?
It is a collection of symptoms, including fatigue and a decrease in libido, experienced by some middle-aged men and attributed to a gradual decline in testosterone levels. It starts around age 40. It is also known as male menopause.
How does low Testosterone happen?
Four possible ways:
- 1) Andropause: Andropause as detailed above is the transition period in a man's life when his body produces less of the hormone Testosterone. Until recently, the accepted medical treatment was to tell the man "you're just getting old."
- 2) Injury: An injury to the testicles.
- 3) Disease: Primary hypogonadism is the failure of the body to produce sufficient Testosterone to meet its needs. Secondary hypogonadism (rare) occurs when the brain fails to tell the testicles to make Testosterone.
- 4) Fatherhood: A medical study clearly indicates that men who became fathers had a Testosterone decline more than double that of childless men.
What is erectile dysfunction?
An erection problem is when a man cannot get or keep an erection that is firm enough to have intercourse. You may be unable to get an erection at all. Or, you may lose the erection during intercourse before you are ready. If the condition continues, it is called erectile dysfunction. However, ED is most often the result of a medical or psychological problem rather than simple aging, and 90% of ED is believed to be of medical rather than psychological origin.
Does Testosterone Replacement Therapy cause prostate cancer?
No. But Testosterone Replacement Therapy can cause stimulation of active prostate cancer.
What are the possible side effects of Testosterone Replacement Therapy?
More common with injection TRT are – Aggression; Erythrocytosis (Increase in red blood cells) - We recommend therapeutic Phlebotomy at least twice a year; Gynecomastia (rare, usually reversible) & may occur in some older men; Sleep Apnea – TRT can make it worse; Acne or Oily skin; Increased body hair; Mild fluid retention; Injection site pain and flushing – Infrequent, <6%; Infertility/Decrease sperm production - This is possible, particularly in young men, but normally reversible after stopping Testosterone therapy. If you have significant concerns about future fertility and you that wish to proceed with TRT, we recommend sperm storage (sperm banks). You may also ask us about use of HCG to ameliorate this issue.
More common with cream TRT are- Hair loss in about 1% of patients. Cream increases DHT Levels more than Injectable; Transference to others – children & spouses; Fetal virilization in Pregnant women = Teratogenic; Fluid retention & Edema for 1-2 months and will resolve.
Does Testosterone Replacement Therapy cause cancer?
There’s a medical myth about prostate cancer that’s flourished in the U.S. for generations (since the early 1940s, in fact) — that high testosterone causes this cancer to grow. There are many physicians today who still believe this and remain reluctant to restore testosterone to physiologic levels.
The theory that high testosterone is bad for you lies in the face of logic. In reality, men in their 20s and 30s never manifest prostate cancer — ages when testosterone levels are at their peak and in balance with the rest of their hormones. If high testosterone fueled prostate cancer, it would be most prevalent in young men. Rather, it’s seen predominantly in older men with low testosterone. Thank goodness research has finally caught up to the incongruent logic of previous theories.
Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, Associate Clinical Professor of Urology at Harvard Medical School and Director of Men’s Health Boston, has been at the forefront of putting the misconceptions to rest. He conducted several key studies himself, including an important review of literature published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2004. His conclusion after a year-long review of the scientific literature was “that testosterone therapy did not increase the risk of developing prostate cancer.”
What are the other hormone replacement treatments available at Glory Wellness Center?
Our natural bio-identical hormone replacement treatment program also include treatment with hormones or supplements like – Thyroid hormone, Testosterone, Growth Hormone Secretagogues, DHEA, Pregnenolone, Melatonin. We also evaluate patients for adrenal dysfunction – stress, fatigue; infertility that may be related hormone imbalance; et cetera.
Are your physicians trained in hormone replacement?
“Too many untrained physicians simply prescribe hormone therapies without the knowledge or testing necessary to ensure that they are balancing their patient hormones not just replacing them. There is a distinct difference in that by under/overcorrecting hormones it may result in a negative feedback mechanism that may cause other health symptoms, health risks or simply not work for the patient.”
Dr. David Ikudayisi is the medical director of Glory Wellness Center and has trained under more than one Association with other thousands of physicians in Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy. He is also a member of the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (www.a4m.com).