Hormone decline in men

86083900 - testosterone deficiency conceptWith age, both men and women lose hormones in their bodies. It is a natural part of human aging. For women, this process is known as menopause. For the male counterpart, andropause. However, the awareness of hormone-decline in men as they age is not half as widespread as that in women.

Simply educating yourself in this natural process could mean the difference between sufficient, normal levels and rapid hormonal decline. Never become a bystander in the progression and evolution of your own health and well being. In this article, we talk about hormone decline in men as they age, its symptoms, and possible solutions for them to live a more fulfilling life even as they age.

Hormone Decline

Men possess the sex hormone testosterone that yields them masculine characteristics as they hit puberty. Development of sexual organs, penis and testes enlargement, sexual desires, facial and pubic hair, and body growth are some changes caused by testosterone at puberty.

These characteristics prevail throughout their life but towards old age, some men tend to face a decline in testosterone which causes age-related symptoms in them.

Note that, for men, the changes are not as sharp as that in women. When women experience menopause, there is a sharp decline in the production of estrogen and progesterone hormones in women. With men, these changes are slow and hard to notice.

Symptoms

Hormone decline in men causes a lot of gradual symptoms. These symptoms are both physical and mental.

Physical changes include low bone mineral density or low trauma fracture, fatigue, loss of energy, mood swings, erectile dysfunction (ED), decreased stamina, decreased urine flow, an increase and frequent urge to pee, breast enlargement, loss of physical agility, shrinkage of sexual organs, poor sleep quality or insomnia, accumulation of fat in the abdominal area, hair loss and patchy baldness, and night sweats

Mental and emotional changes include loss of activity, loss of mental sharpness, feeling lazy, low confidence, self-doubt, decreased motivation, depression, mood swings, anxiety, apathy, memory lapses, and short-temperedness.

As is apparent, some of these changes are so subtle that is hard to notice them. Some changes, however, are easily noticeable in a man’s day-to-day life. For instance, if you were a sound sleeper till now but are experiencing loss of sleep and mental peace due to no underlying reason whatsoever, then it can be due to hormonal loss. Or if you’re experiencing changes in your body structure such as a paunch or man boobs despite working out and eating healthy, you may want to have it checked by the doctor ones.

Checkups and Diagnosis

It is surprising that a simple blood test is all it takes to detect loss of testosterone in men. If a doctor decides to run by a regular checkup, loss of testosterone doesn’t go unnoticed. A man’s testosterone decreases by 1% yearly on an average after 40. Hence, it is best to have regular checkups in place to determine a sharp loss in testosterone levels and to overrule any other symptoms.

This being said, so many men with declining testosterone levels might not experience any symptoms at all. Or the symptoms of low testosterone are not limited to declining hormone levels.

Treatments

Thankfully, like most hormonal issues, medical science also has a solution for age-related hormone decline in men. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) refers to a wide variety of methods involving pills, injections, tablets, and psychological help to restore the confidence and girth in aging men.

The Bioidentical Hormonal Replacement Therapy (BHRT) aims to replace hormones physiologically to restore hormone levels in men.

No matter which of these treatment options you chose, they are all beneficial in restoring hormone levels in some way. These treatments have been known to improve sexual performance in aging men, increase bone health, enhance sex drives, stop balding and make hair treatments more effective, improve mood and confidence, improve energy levels, yield sharp memory, and improves heart health.

Conclusion

The field of restoring hormonal imbalance in aging men is still in its developing stages. However, there are ample evidences to show that these treatments work effectively and restore quality of life. There have also been rumors that such treatments cause cancer but supporting evidence to prove this are far and few.

If you are an aging man suffering from any of these symptoms, don’t be taken aback. Consider having routine tests done to check your testosterone levels. Talk to your doctor about the possible treatment solutions. With help, you can get back in control of your life and lead a healthy life even as you age.

We understand that a realization such as this can be an overwhelming “pill” to swallow – but there’s proven steps that can be taken to mitigate any unwarranted decline in hormone levels. We’re here to help. Contact us today for more information.