Rob used to love his job. He worked for a well-known computer company and liked to toy around with rebuilding old cars on the weekend. Lately, he just seemed to lose his passion for both. He had just turned 52 and didn’t have the energy he used to have. In fact, there were a lot of things he felt weren’t the same as they were before.
He couldn’t really put his finger on the problem but he knew he was changing. His body wasn’t in the shape it used to be. He didn’t have the energy to work out as much and his waistline and loss of muscle strength was becoming apparent to him. Rob couldn’t focus on his work projects the way he used to. His concentration was “off”. His shoulders hurt and his joints ached when he played catcher for his son while he practiced pitching for the high school baseball team.
Sex, well, that was a whole other subject. His libido was gone. Totally. His erections just weren’t happening like they used to, in frequency and duration. Rob’s wife had begun to wonder if he didn’t find her attractive anymore or if he had started to see someone else, which couldn’t be further than the truth. She just didn’t know what to think.
Rob thought he was depressed but he couldn’t even say the word to himself in his own head. Depression had such a stigma to it. He was overly concerned about things at work. Thoughts of his boss demoting him or giving someone else the next promotion was the forefront in his mind. Rob was afraid. He thought he was losing his edge.
Then Rob read an article in a leading men’s magazine about men’s aging issues and the decline of testosterone. He gathered up the courage to go to his own longtime physician. His physician checked his testosterone (T) level and found Rob’s to be very low. The doctor gave him prescriptions for a synthetic testosterone gel and also gave him one for a pill that would help with erectile dysfunction. Rob went home happy and feeling validated. He waited for results.
After a few months, Rob wasn’t feeling much better. He felt like his new regime helped a little but he was not anywhere near normal or some happy medium in between. He had a slight improvement in energy and erection but his libido was not what he had hoped for at all. Nothing else had improved. He went back to the gym to “work out” his stress from the job.
At the gym, Rob met Jim. Jim was about 10 years older than Rob but looked 10 years younger than Rob. Jim was in great shape and appeared full of energy. Rob asked him what his secret was and Jim explained Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy and what an Age Management Program was. Rob listened intensely and was quite surprised he hadn’t heard of it before. He found out it still wasn’t considered mainstream medicine but should be. He was intrigued and the got the name and number of Jim’s physician. Rob called and had an appointment 2 weeks later, getting the required lab work done the week beforehand.
Rob was blown away at his appointment. His hormone levels were tested, not just for testosterone but also for estrogen as well. Rob found his T was still quite low (as he had already guessed), and that he had a high estrogen level for a man, something his regular physician never discussed with him. He did not know that as men age, they could be converting their testosterone to estrogen, causing the mid-section weight gain and muscle loss and weakness. Rob even found out he had the beginning of bone loss he was unaware of.
The anti-aging specialist, a physician certified in this area, gave him the low down on what his lab panel meant. He was closer to being diabetic than he realized. His T was low and was converting to estrogen. He was low on Vitamin D and B12 as well, important nutrients for optimal health and disease prevention. He was given a lot of information on how to eat right by maintaining a whole foods diet as much as possible and getting the right kinds and amounts of exercise. The doctor gave him a small list of supplements that would be most beneficial for Rob and also a prescription for an aromatase inhibitor, which would block the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Rob thought the most exciting thing was that he got an injection of long-acting testosterone pellets right away. The doctor explained it was the best form of T and the best route to optimize the proper dose and absorption for Rob. Pellet insertion was an easy office procedure that took about a minute or so to perform. Rob did not know that the gel he had been using would never be able to give him the proper doses of T that he really needed to get him to a therapeutic range. He was anxious to experience how his newfound process worked and went home with more confidence.
About a week later Rob started to notice significant changes starting in his mood and overall sense of well-being. He was elated his libido came back so quickly and he felt invigorated. His erection problems were resolved as well. Rob’s wife felt like she was starting to get her husband back.
Within a few months, Rob had dropped 20 lbs with his new lifestyle and changes in a few bad eating habits and regular exercise. He felt like a new man. He was happy at work again and felt like he could easily compete with his cohorts at the office. He didn’t fear demotion anymore.
Gentlemen, does any of this sound like you? Andropause is the stage of hormonal decline in men. It is more gradual than in women and symptoms are more subtle, increasing with varying severity over time. As early as the age of 30, testosterone may start to decrease in males by 1% a year. Men usually don’t discuss it with each other and usually feel like their “man card” has been taken away from them as time progresses and their symptoms worsen.
Regular physicians cannot bring men to optimal hormonal levels. By optimal levels, we mean levels normal for a 30-35 year old male in great health, so that you are at your peak of health. An expert in Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) will not try to raise your hormone levels to “superman” levels…and they shouldn’t try. Goals for optimal hormone replacement should always be for a normal range, which would be your own personal healthiest level for functioning without symptoms. And these doctors will also have you come back for regular level checks and physical assessment and evaluation. The hormones you receive should be identical to what your body makes, not synthetic make-shift ones that are poor copies and unable to do the job right. The key is that bio-identical hormones are the best for optimal health and disease prevention. They are made to solve problems, not create them.
Gentlemen, don’t be afraid to discuss or ask questions about your health issues. And if you ladies are reading this, get help for your men. The world is changing and real help is now available. If you would like a consultation at LongevityMed, just fill out the form below. That form is easy and could mean getting your life back.
