As we age, our hormone levels naturally begin to decrease as our endocrine glands begin to fail.  This is one of the signifiant factors in the aging process.  Without optimal hormone levels our bodies can not function optimally.   The decline in hormone levels leads to fatigue, brain fog, decreased libido, decreased vitality, and many other undesirable symptoms.  Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be this way.  Replacing our deficient hormones can lead to a happier, healthier life. 

Testosterone is one of the hormones that is very important for both men and women. In men, the testosterone is primarily produced by the testicles and some by the adrenal glands.  In females testosterone is produced by the ovaries, the adrenal glands, and some in the peripheral tissues.  This production in controlled by the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.  

Males begin to produce testosterone as early as seven weeks after conception. Testosterone levels rise during puberty, peak during the late teen years, and then level off. After age 30 or so, it’s normal for a man’s testosterone production to decrease slightly every year leading to low testosterone levels or “low T”. 

Low T in women can be caused by removal of the ovaries, menopause, as well as dysfunction of the pituitary, hypothalamus, or adrenal glands.  In addition, as women age, the natural amount that the adrenals and ovaries produce also declines. 

Not surprising, testosterone levels are much higher in men than in women. Yet it is important to recognize that the hormone plays a vital role in women, just as it does in men.  

One of its most important functions in both men and women is to maintain muscle mass and promote muscle growth and bone strength.   Our levels declining with age partly explain age-related muscle and bone loss.  In addition to testosterone deficiency adversely affecting muscle growth and maintenance, it may also promote weight gain.

Not only does testosterone promotes muscle growth, it may also suppress fat gain.  As a result, some testosterone-deficient men and women tend to gain fat more easily than their healthy peers. Muscle burns far more calories than fat tissue by enhancing metabolism. Lack of muscle therefore puts people at a higher risk of storing excess calories as fat. In fact, some researchers believe that reduced muscle mass is the primary reason testosterone deficiency leads to weight gain.

Low T, can produce a variety of symptoms in men and women, including:

·       decreased sex drive
·       loss of muscle mass
·       less energy
·       weight gain
·       feelings of depression
·       moodiness
·       low self-esteem
·       erectile dysfunction
·       thinner bones

Fortunately there are safe and effective ways to restore testosterone to optimal levels and thus reverse many of the symptoms mentioned above.  Testosterone replacement therapy can be safely administered by injection, transdermal cream, or subcutaneous pellets. Testosterone should be prescribed by a licensed physician and monitored carefully. 

If you would like to have a consult to discuss how testosterone replacement therapy may help you, including a full evaluation of your laboratory studies, please call or text Biosymmetry Wilmington at 910-399-6661 to get started.