Like women, men also suffer from declining hormones, and several factors can contribute to male hormone decline, such as aging, stress, poor diet, lack of nutrition, inadequate sleep, and a sedentary lifestyle. However, age related hormone decline is the most common cause for reduced hormone production in males. During a man’s 20’s and 30’s, he typically produces more than adequate amounts of necessary androgens, which are male hormones, but as the 40’s and 50’s approach hormone production drastically begins to decline.
The phase during which men begin to notice inconvenient symptoms and hormone decline is andropause, which usually occurs during a man’s late forties or fifties. This phase has also been referred to as male menopause; however, it differs from female hormone decline because it occurs more gradually. Starting in a man’s 30’s, his hormone levels begin to decline at around 1% each year, and when men enter andropause, several symptoms appear that are the result of hormone deficiencies. Some of these symptoms include insomnia, weight gain, balding, anxiety, thinning bones, reduced endurance, poor memory, erectile dysfunction, low libido, muscle atrophy, thinning skin, and depression.
Several important male hormones can influence men’s health and affect their wellbeing on physical, mental, and emotional levels.
Some of the androgens that may be deficient due to aging and that can provide numerous benefits to men’s health include:
Testosterone
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, and it is produced mostly in the testicles and partly in the adrenal glands. This hormone helps men to produce their secondary sex characteristics, such as a deeper voice, facial and body hair, muscle tone, and descended testicles. It also helps men to maintain reproductive functions and increase libido. Low levels of testosterone can cause men to experience muscle loss and reduce workout performances. Because testosterone affects metabolism, men with deficient testosterone may notice increased abdominal fat, higher blood pressure, and increased cholesterol.
Some of the benefits that can be obtained with supplementing testosterone include:
- Improved Sexual Function
- Higher Libido
- Increased Muscle Mass
- Reduced Blood Pressure
- Healthier Emotions
- Thicker Hair
- Increased Stamina
- Reduced Body Fat
- Increased Motivation
- Better Workout Performances
DHEA
DHEA is another important androgen, and it is a building block for testosterone. During a man’s 20’s and 30’s, he has abundant stores of DHEA, but as he goes into his 40’s DHEA begins to decline. DHEA is made mostly in the adrenal glands, and high levels of stress can cause the adrenal glands to convert DHEA into cortisol, which is the hormone that counteracts internal inflammation caused from stress. Low levels of DHEA can reduce the body’s ability to make testosterone, which can cause a testosterone deficiency. A lack of DHEA can also cause a man to experience increased allergies, higher triglycerides, blood clots, reduced immune function, irregular blood sugar, insulin resistance, and higher cholesterol.
Replenishing DHEA can provide benefits that include:
- Improved Immune Function
- Reduced Inflammation
- Decreased Risk For Strokes and Heart Attacks
- Lower Triglycerides
- Adequate Testosterone Synthesis
- Fewer Allergies
- Improved Blood Sugar Levels
Sermorelin
Sermorelin is a Growth Hormone Releasing Hormone secretagogue, which acts on the anterior pituitary. This allows the body to produce and release its own growth hormone. During this process, levels will increase and convert to IGF-1 (Insulin Life Growth Factor), an indirect measurement and indication of the body’s growth hormone production. Sermorelin comes in an easy to use injector pen.
Benefits of increased Growth Hormone include:
- Decreased body fat (11-14% after 6 months) with no change in diet or exercise
- Increased lean muscle mass (7-9% after 6 months)
- Increased energy (experienced in first 2 -3 weeks)
- Increased endurance (experienced in first 2 -3 weeks)
- Better quality sleep (experienced in first 2-3 weeks)
- Tighter and thicker skin
- Stronger and thicker nails
- Increased libido
- Increased testosterone in men (30% after first 6 months)
- Increased immune function
- Increased quality of life
Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help men to replenish these deficient hormones and improve their overall quality of life and wellbeing. Thousands of men have been able to feel and look more youthful with bioidentical hormones.
