fitness

Andropause-

(male Menopause)

 

Numerous changes are associated with an age-related decline in the hormone testosterone, which is classified as an androgen. Some men may go through a rather sudden change in testosterone levels that might correlate with the hormonal changes that women experience at menopause. However, most men have a slower and more subtle hormonal decline, and develop symptoms over a period of time. Symptoms of testosterone deficiency are often attributed to other problems, denied by the patient, and unrecognized by most healthcare professional.

Healthy Lifestyle

A healthy lifestyle has been shown to be associated with higher hormone levels, and higher hormone levels seem to induce a more active, healthier lifestyle. When hormone levels decline, men often become less active and gain weight. As weight increases, hormones are stored in fat and become unavailable to meet the body's demands. Lack of exercise, excessive alcohol use, and many diseases can reduce bioavailable hormone levels. For optimal results, it is vital that hormone replacement therapy be combined with adequate exercise, proper nutrition, and appropriate use of natural pharmaceutical grade supplements.

 

Considerations in andropause treatment should include:

1. the role of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and its relationship with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), levels of DHT, and even DHT supplementation.
2. the use of 5-alpha reuctase in inhibitors and aromatase inhibitors (Anastrozole) to modify the amount of the metabolites DHT and estradiol that are produced when testosterone is broken down by the body.
3. DHEA (dhydroepiandrosterone) and its role as an "anti-aging" supplement and in the treatment of andropause.

Goals of Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Adult Men

• Improvement in psychological well-being & mood
• Improvement in erectile dysfunction
• Improvement in libido
• Increased muscle mass
• Increased strength and stature
• Preservation of bone mass
• Decrease in cardiovascular risk

• Osteoporosis
• Gradual loss of testosterone is one of the major causes of osteoporosis in elderly men. In one study, 59% of men with hip fractures had low testosterone, compared with 18% of controls. Fracture occurs at a later age in men than women because men's bones are denser at baseline. Several studies have reported beneficial effects of testosterone therapy on bone in older men, showing an increase in bone mineral density (BMF) and slowing of bone degeneration.

• Cardiovascular disease
• Risk is decreased with higher serum total testosterone levels, according to most reports. A number of studies have demonstrated that testosterone minimizes several important risk factors for heart attack by:
• Reducing cholesterol and triglycerides
• Reducing blood glucose levels
• decreasing videral fat mass
• normalizing blood clotting

 

The degree of atherosclerotic disease increases significantly with declining levels of free testosterone. Visceral fat accumulation is connected with increased vascular risk, and studies have shown that androgen administration (through the use of Testosterone Replacement Therapy) can decrease this fat accumulation.

• Depression
• Depression is more common when levels of bioavailable testosterone are low; perhaps because an associated decrease in sexual function results in depression, irritability, and mood swings. In a study which examined the association between levels of sex hormones and depressed mood in 856 men ages 50-89, bioavailable testosterone levels were 17% lower for depressed men. The results suggest that testosterone treatment may elevate depressed mood in men who have lower levels of bioavailable testosterone.