Page 1 - Male Hormone Replacement
P. 1
Urological Health
Male hormone replacement
With age, the production of male sex hormone decreases resulting in physical and emotional
changes which may be bothersome to some men.
any bodily functions are controlled by What are the symptoms of
Mhormones, chemical messengers produced
by various glands. Testosterone is the principal male testosterone deficiency?
sex hormone. Produced primarily in the testicles, it
is essential in stimulating the development of male In contrast to the well-defined symptoms of
sexual characteristics in boys at puberty. In men, it menopause in women, the symptoms of a slowly
helps maintain muscle and bone strength as well as falling testosterone level may be more subtle. These
sexual drive and performance. may include decreased sex drive, decreased muscle
mass and strength, increased body fat, moodiness,
After the age of 30, the normal testosterone level sleep disturbance, and decreased energy. However,
declines slowly but steadily in men. In some men, these changes, frequently seen with deficient
testosterone production declines more rapidly testosterone, may also be related to other factors like
than others, although there is no sudden change stress, depression, lifestyle, poor fitness or illness.
comparable to menopause in women.
What are the benefits of testosterone
Today, men are living longer and many are seeking
ways to improve their quality of life. Regular exercise, replacement therapy?
limiting alcohol consumption, avoiding obesity, not
smoking, and eating a balanced diet have all been Benefits of testosterone supplementation are most
shown to be effective at maintaining good health. notable in men with testosterone levels well below
normal. These may include increased sex drive,
Many men with low testosterone levels will benefit increased muscle mass, improved bone strength,
from supplementation: improving sexual function, decreased abdominal fat and better control of blood
muscle strength, bone health, fat distribution sugar in diabetics. Mood and mental function may
and even mood and mental function. However, also improve. There is ongoing research examining the
other diseases may cause many of the symptoms possible benefits of testosterone supplementation on
associated with a low testosterone, and raising the the blood vessels in the body, especially its effects on
testosterone level may not reverse some of these heart health and the cholesterol levels.
changes. Your physician, after reviewing your
particular symptoms and tests, will advise you on What are the risks of testosterone
the possible benefits and risks of supplementing replacement therapy?
your testosterone.
Despite many years of widespread use, the long-term
How is testosterone deficiency risks of testosterone supplementation have not been
diagnosed? clearly established. Like any medical therapy, male
hormone replacement should be approached with
The diagnosis of testosterone deficiency is first some caution and after an in-depth discussion with
suspected based on a man’s symptoms and a your physician.
blood test proving he has low testosterone levels.
Testosterone levels vary over the course of the Testosterone replacement can also affect sperm
day reaching a peak early in the morning. It is counts. If you are interested in having children you
recommended that all testosterone blood tests be should not start testosterone replacement.
done in the morning. Testosterone exists in several
forms in the bloodstream and can be measured
by different tests. In practice, one or two separate
morning measurements of testosterone are favoured. Continued on next page