Low Testosterone Treatment Q & A

From our Midtown Primary Care Doctors East office, we are able to provide our New York City patients with effective treatment for men suffering from low testosterone.

What is Testosterone (T)?

Testosterone is the male sex hormone that makes you a man and gives you your masculinity. It is a minor hormone, meaning it is not needed for survival, but you will feel lousy and miserable if your level is low. Low testosterone levels can also shorten your life.

 

 

What’s a “Normal” Testosterone Level?

 

When you go to get tested for testosterone, the lab will often show you what’s considered the “normal” range among patients who have tested with that particular lab. It’s called the “reference range.”

Here’s the problem.

The reference range consists of a wide variety of men who tested with that specific lab; 80-year-old men and 20-year-old men; obese men and super fit men; men with a pituitary gland problem and men with a normal gland.

For example, Quest lab shows a reference range of 300 – 800 ng/dl (nanograms per deciliter) for total testosterone levels. According to this reference range, a 20-year old with a level of total testosterone of 300 ng/dl will fall — within the normal range, when in fact, his levels are very low.

The fact that reference ranges don’t break patients down by age or health status explains why a 25-year-old man can go to his doctor with the symptoms of low T, only to be told that his T levels are fine because they’re within the “normal” range. If you’re 30 (or even 50), but have the same testosterone level as an 80-year-old, diabetic man, your doc may say you’re okay, but you’re still not going to feel good. Plain and simple.

Factors that accelerate the decline of testosterone include:

  • aging
  • excess weight, especially abdominal obesity
  • illness, disease, and stressful events
  • smoking and all of forms of tobacco consumption
  • drug or alcohol abuse
  • depression or mental illness
  • reduced sexual activity
What You Should Know About Low Testosterone

Between the ages of 25 and 50, men’s testosterone levels tend to decrease by approximately 10% per decade, yielding over a 50% reduction by the time they reach their 60s. Because it is such a slow decline, men’s responses vary widely. Many of these subtle symptoms men simply identify as normal aging.

Symptoms of testosterone deficiency tend to fall into one of four categories: physical, cardiovascular, mental, or sexual, with some of them overlapping. For example, feeling too weak or tired to engage in sex could be related to impaired cardiovascular health, feelings of insecurity, and decreased libido, all of which may be related to a testosterone deficiency.

Symptoms Associated with Low Testosterone

Physical

  • Balding head
  • Reduced body hair
  • Decreased muscle mass, with increased body fat
  • Reduced strength
  • Reduced stamina
  • Feeling weak or tired
  • Decreased testicle size
  • Enlarged prostate
  • Urinary discomfort and/or difficulty

Cardiovascular

  • Increased abdominal fat, increasing risk of heart attack
  • Increased insulin, cholesterol and triglyceride levels
  • Elevated blood pressure
  • Diminished coronary artery elasticity
  • Weakening of the heart muscle

Mental

  • Moodiness, irritability, insecurity
  • Inner unrest
  • Lack of concentration
  • Memory failures
  • Reduced intellect and critical thinking

Sexual

  • Decreased sex drive and arousal
  • Reduced organ sensitivity or pleasure
  • Fewer orgasms
  • Erectile dysfunction

One of the most troubling symptoms men encounter as they age is an enlarged prostate. The prostate gland goes through a second growth spurt as men reach their 40s, 50s, or 60s, often resulting in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As the prostate grows, it pushes on the bladder and urethra, causing mild to severe urinary discomforts such as increased frequency of urination, especially at night, difficulty initiating urination, decreased urinary force, and the sensation of a full bladder, even after urinating.

Current medical research indicates that low testosterone levels may be associated with BPH, especially when coupled with elevated estrogen hormone levels.

Treatment Options

 

The earlier that a testosterone imbalance is detected and treated, the better. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) supplements can provide symptom relief while delaying other age-related declines.

The testosterone treatments available today—such as sublingual lozenges, injectables, patches, creams and gels—can be quite effective and easy to use, with minimal side effects. The benefits they offer include:

  • improved energy and overall well-being
  • increased strength and stamina
  • enhanced mood and self-esteem
  • improved concentration and memory
  • enhanced libido and sexual function

If you decide to pursue hormone therapy, be aware of the difference between conventional hormone therapy and natural hormone supplements. Hormones in some conventional hormone therapy are not identical to human hormones. Natural hormones are those that are bio-chemically identical to the hormones found in your body. As such, their effects in the body are the same as the effects of the hormones they are supplementing.

We only use bio-identical hormones. Call us for a consultation today.

 

Midtown Primary Care Doctors serving Manhattan and the greater NYC area.