It is very well known that in the health field, men do not regularly seek medical care until much later in life when compared to women. Healthy women begin seeing physicians annually from the time they are young adults. The practitioners at Renū Progressive Medicine have specialty training in men’s health, optimizing healthy aging, muscle mass and weight support, hormone balancing, prevention of chronic disease, and libido support as men age.
What is Andropause?
The term andropause has been used to denote age-related decline in androgen hormone concentrations in men. Androgens refer to the male sexual hormones of testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA). Decreased androgen concentrations contribute to sexual dysfunction, loss of muscle mass and function, frailty, gain of fat mass, cognitive impairment, and loss of body hair. The decline in male sex hormones occurs at a slower rate and at different times when compared to women and menopause, thus deficiencies can go overlooked.
Can You Test for Androgens?
Hormones can be tested via blood, urine, or saliva. All tests have their advantages and disadvantages. Your Bio-Identical Hormone Specialist will determine the best and most accurate testing method for you.
The greatest advantage of saliva testing is its ability to measure free, biologically active hormone levels. Blood tests reflect total hormone levels (active and non-active), and a small percentage of the total is actually active within the body. It is the active level that translates into information about the body’s functional levels, excluding the stored levels that the body is not using.
What are the Symptoms of Andropause?
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Irritability, Anger, and Mood Swings
- Loss of body hair
- Abnormal weight gain
- Decreased muscle mass
- Brain Fog
- Lack of motivation
What Treatments and Supportive Therapies are Offered at Renū Progressive Medicine?
The practitioners at Renū Progressive Medicine use a variety of approaches to treat hormone imbalances. In order to determine hormone levels and treatment options, proper testing must be completed first. Customized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (bHRT), nutritional support, and herbal therapy plans are amongst the main treatment modalities used if a deficiency is found.
Every person responds differently to hormone treatment modalities, especially bHRT, thus consistent monitoring is necessary to achieve optimal symptom relief and chronic disease prevention.