Men’s Health
As men age, they lose hormones just as women do. It is less dramatic but equally devastating. Many things can contribute to suboptimal testosterone in addition to age:
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Drugs
- Excessive alcohol
- Pain medication
- Cholesterol medication
- Heart disease
- Suboptimal thyroid function
Symptoms of low testosterone
- Weight gain, especially abdominal
- Loss of libido-decreased sex drive
- Erectile dysfunction/decreased morning erections
- Decreased ambition
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Joint pain/stiffness
Benefits of testosterone replacement
- Reduction of the incidence of prostate cancer
- Increased muscle mass
- Increased bone mass-men have a greater incidence of hip fracture at age 80 than women.
- Improved cholesterol and subsequent decrease in heart and vascular disease
- Increased libido
- Improved sexual function
- Improved mood
- Decreased fatigue
- Decreased anxiety/irritability
- Improved cognition with studies suggesting prevention of Alzheimer’s