TESTOSTERONE BENEFITS

Testosterone is a steroid hormone produced in the male testes. Though testosterone is thought of as an exclusively male hormone and is responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics, it is not unique to males. Testosterone is also produced in the liver and adrenals in women.

Testosterone benefits include...
• Lowers Cholesterol • Protects Against Heart Disease • Improves Mood • Improves Sexual Performance
• Improves Memory • Enhances Body Fat Loss • Builds Lean Muscle • Increases Energy

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What is testosterone?
Testosterone Pronounced As: testostron , principal androgen, or male sex hormone. One of the group of compounds known as anabolic steroids, testosterone is secreted by the testes but is also synthesized in small quantities in the ovaries, cortices of the adrenal glands, and placenta, usually from cholesterol. Testosterone is necessary in the fetus for the development of male external genitalia; increased levels of testosterone at puberty are responsible for further growth of male genitalia and for the development and maintenance of male secondary sex characteristics such as facial hair and voice changes. Testosterone also stimulates protein synthesis and accounts for the greater muscular development of the male (see metabolism). For many years, bio-identical hormones have been used by athletes with the goal of improving performance. Now Hormone Replacement Therapy has moved into the mainstream and can be doctor prescribed to anyone over the age of 30 showing a medical need, and who wants to improve their quality of life.
See: .Testosterone Research.
When does it decline?
Testosterone begins to decline in men at about age 25. Testosterone has a number of effects on muscles, bones, the central nervous system, bone marrow, the prostate and sexual function. Androgens, especially testosterone, regulate the normal growth and development of male sex organs and promote other male characteristics, such as body hair, muscle mass and a deep voice. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy.

Men who receive testosterone replacement consequently report that they feel sexier, stronger and healthier. They state that it makes them feel as they did when they were in their prime. After all, this is what replenishment of hormones is all about. It is about restoring hormones to youthful levels so you can feel as you did when you were at the peak of your physical and mental ability. Testosterone can stop and reverse the physical decline that robs men of their energy, strength and libido. Testosterone can restore muscle tone and improve stamina. Testosterone Therapy can restore healthy sexual excitement and desire, which in turn, results in an improvement in mood and overall well being.

Testosterone is responsible for the sex drive for both men and women. As testosterone diminishes with age, so does the sexual functioning in both men and women. Restoring testosterone to youthful levels in both men and women can reverse the situation. All too often, men and women automatically assume that as they age, their sexual capacity will diminish. There is no need to accept this loss of sexuality. Testosterone can play a critical role in helping to preserve and even restore sexual function so that we can live our extended life span with the same excitement and enthusiasm we enjoyed during our youth.

Physicians are witnessing an explosion of interest in testosterone as a result of our growing realization that Testosterone Levels decline with age and that many men suffer serious consequences to their physical and mental health as a result. In women, it is expressed as menopause, whereas, in men, it is expressed as andropause. Many of these symptoms and disease processes that we come to accept as normal aging are processes that are actually secondary to low testosterone levels and are easily correctable. Testosterone supplementation results in increased muscle strength, muscle size, increased energy level, decreased fat and increased desire and endurance for exercise. Now both men and women may be treated for their sex hormone deficiencies.

Testosterone replacement in the past has been associated with increased cholesterol levels. We feel this is probably secondary to the use of synthetic testosterone that resulted in liver dysfunction and the concomitant elevation of cholesterol. Studies now show that replenished with natural testosterone results in a decreased cholesterol and increased HDL, similar to what has been realized in women taking estrogen.

Clearly, testosterone is shown to have a positive impact on our health and well being, our moods and our ability to learn and retain information. Testosterone has been administered in the form of injections and oral supplements. We prefer not to use either of these methods as the testosterone is in the synthetic form. Testosterone patches are also available. We have found these patches unacceptable and secondary to the ability to get optional blood levels and feeling of the patch. Most patients prefer not to use these patches after experimenting with them. The method of choice is a natural testosterone injected inter-muscular or as a topical gel applied to the skin.

Testosterone cannot be used if one has prostate cancer. Testosterone has not been shown to cause prostate cancer, however, if one does have prostate cancer, testosterone may cause accelerated growth of this tumor. Therefore, there is a need to monitor the PSA on a regular basis to assure that one does not develop prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men. It can be easily detected by an annual PSA test. In addition to testosterone supplementation, THARC recommends the daily use of Saw Palmetto, which is a medication to protect the prostate and prevent enlargement of the prostate due to formation of DHT. Most men develop prostate hypertrophy in their later years, and this can be effectively treated and prevented by daily use of Saw Palmetto.

Testosterone has a number of effects on muscles, bones, the central nervous system, bone marrow, the prostate and sexual function. Androgens, especially testosterone, regulate the normal growth and development of male sex organs and promote other male characteristics, such as body hair, muscle mass and a deep voice. The most common type of treatment for testosterone deficiency is known as testosterone replacement therapy.

What is Hypogonadism? (Testosterone Deficiency)
In men, hypogonadism is a condition in which the testes produce a less than normal amount of testosterone, the male hormone. When too little testosterone is present, men tend to undergo a drop in sexual desire and performance. They may also experience depression, fatigue, loss of motivation and osteoporosis. The size and strength of their muscles may diminish and their body hair may become sparse. These symptoms are not specific to testosterone deficiency, however, some men with hypogonadism often don't recognize that they have a medical problem that is treatable.

Hypogonadism is a term medical professionals use for this condition and you'll see why it is often overlooked. Women go through menopause when their production of female hormones drops off dramatically, usually during middle age.
Testosterone And the increased risk for mortality in men
A new study has revealed that men with low levels of the hormone after their 40s have a higher risk of death over a 4-year period.

"The men with low testosterone did have higher death rates, but it may be due to some other factor that we weren't able to measure," said Molly Shores of the VA Puget Sound Health Care System. Despite the finding, it is unclear why this is so, and researchers are looking into the possibility that a third factor is linked to the level of testosterone and age that leads to this higher risk for death in men. Shores also confirmed that most of the men in the study have been already suffering individually from about 5 different types of chronic illness at the time of the trial, which could have contributed to their early demise.

"They were probably more medically ill than most men their age," Shores said. "They all had an average of about 5 chronic illnesses."

Testosterone Adverse Effects
For now, all the study can safely reveal is that low levels of the hormone and the risk for death are linked. The nature of the relationship, however, is yet to be discovered. Menopause often comes accompanied by several complications; foremost among them is the risk for osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. The normal density of the bone usually starts to deteriorate during the fourth decade of life, necessitating the need for calcium supplementation, increased exercise, and intake of medications to stop bone loss. It is also a fact that women have a lower risk for cardiovascular diseases before hitting menopause. This reverses once menopause sets in and is attributed in part to lowered estrogen levels. Bio-identical hormone replacement can correct this aging problem and keep you in the safe zone with no ill effects and without the worry of breast cancer which was once a result of synthesized horse urine used in hormone replacement.







Call my office in Lombard (630) 627-3700 to set up an appointment or email me at jones.gretchen@gmail.com