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Hormone Cases
Saliva Hormone Testing and
Hair Analysis Testing for Toxic Minerals
Declining testosterone levels are commonly seen in men beginning in the fourth decade of life...
Suboptimal or low testosterone levels in males are often associated with symptoms of aging and are referred to as andropause or male menopause. This is the equivalent of menopause in women when ovarian production of estrogens and progesterone begins to decline.
Testosterone is an important anabolic hormone in men, meaning it plays important roles in maintaining both physical and mental health. It increases energy, prevents fatigue, helps maintain normal sex drive, increases strength of all structural tissues such as skin/bone/muscles; including the heart and prevents depression and mental fatigue. Testosterone deficiency is often associated with symptoms such as night sweats, insulin resistance, erectile dysfunction, low sex drive, decreased mental and physical ability, lower ambition, loss of muscle mass and weight gain in the waist. The primary cause of this increase in girth is visceral fat, not excessive subcutaneous fat (fat under the skin).
The visceral fat cells are the most insulin resistant cells in the human body. They have excess hormone binding receptors for cortisol and androgens and decreased receptors for insulin (resistance to insulin). As a person ages hormone levels change in favor of insulin resistance. The cortisol and insulin levels rise while progesterone, growth hormone and testosterone decline. The visceral fat cell with its increased receptors, blood supply and innervation begins to collect more fat in the form of triglycerides. A vicious cycle is initiated, which if not interrupted with natural hormone balancing will lead to abdominal obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol levels. This phenomenon is known as metabolic syndrome.
Stress management, exercise, proper nutrition, dietary supplements (particularly adequate zinc and selenium - thus hair analysis should be considered to assess these mineral levels), and androgen replacement therapy (controversial in prostate cancer) have all been shown to raise androgen levels in men and help counter andropause symptoms. The "trick" is to know how much testosterone is required for each individual male. This is where knowing the salivary testosterone levels come into play. Initial salivary testing and following salivary monitoring are crucial for determining the most optimal prescription.
Prior to initiation of testosterone therapy the PSA level needs to be within the expected range. There is no evidence that testosterone increases the risk of prostate gland cancer; however, if cancer has already developed testosterone may accelerate its growth. The PSA test is a good guide as to presence or absence of cancer and is a good indicator of inflammation within the prostate gland.
Sufferingfrom Andropause:
the Male Menopause?
Andropause, also known as the male menopause or MANopause, is the result of a gradual drop in testosterone. In many cases, bioidentical hormones can be part of the solution. Symptoms of low testosterone manifest in a number of ways including physical, emotional, psychological and behavioral changes. Men frequently notice male menopause symptoms as a gradual loss of energy, muscle, mental focus, stamina and libido. Experts directly relate low testosterone to causes of low sex drive. Although a decline in hormone levels will occur in virtually all men with age, there is no way of predicting whose male menopause symptoms will reach the severity of seeking medical help.
Top 10 Signs of Andropause - the male menopause:
- Irritability
- Sleep problems
- Diminished libido
- Erectile problems
- Muscle loss
- Weight gain
- Memory loss
- Thinning hair
- Decreased bone density
- Depression
Statistics on Andropause: The Male Menopause
Suffering from symptoms of low testosterone? According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 4 -5 million men have low testosterone levels and only 5-10 percent of them will seek treatment.
According to the US Census Bureau, approximately 4-5 million men have symptoms of low testosterone levels and only 5-10% of these men will seek treatment.
A recent World Health Organization (WHO) report stated "male androgens progressively decline with age." The report analyzed male hormones and found that the testosterone level in most 70 year old men was 10 percent of the level in males that are 25 years old. By the time men are between the ages of 40 and 55, they can experience symptoms similar to female menopause, which in men is known as the male menopause or andropause. The symptoms of andropause include changes in body mass, resulting in less muscle and more fat, changes in attitudes and moods, fatigue, a loss of energy and sex drive, as well as physical agility.
Male menopause symptoms are also associated with stress levels, nutrition quality, fitness routine and the environmental toxins the body is exposed to on a daily basis.
Treating Andropause, the male menopause
Which hormones do we test?
Testicular Hormones - What makes you a man • Testosterone - The total amount in your system, including how much is actively available to your body
• Dihydrotestosterone - The total amount of used testosterone in your body
• Estrogen - To make sure it’s not too high
• PSA - Prostate specific antigens – your prostrate healthAdrenal Hormones - Your immune system, your energy level, and your ability to handle stress • Cortisol – the stress hormone
• DHEA – the “mother of all hormones”Thyroid Hormones - Your metabolism • TSH – Thyroid Stimulating Hormone
Your Body's System • Prolactin and Luteinizing hormone
• Complete blood count, complete metabolic profile, Hemoglobin A1C, Insulin and Lipid Panel
• Zinc and Vitamin DOther Hormone Tests - The physician may suggest other tests for you