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Hormone Therapy
                feature




                         for  Men










              BOOST HEALTH, ENERGY AND LIBIDO





                                     By: Chad Ruiz
               Men, how is your energy level?     While hormone therapy has been
             Does it feel like you’re running on   around for more than 50 years in
             empty?  Has your libido flown south for   the form of pills, creams and gels, it’s
             the winter…3 winters ago?  A decline in   been accepted more among women.
             energy, sex drive, mental capacity, muscle   Thanks to the popularity of the “pellets,”
             mass and even hair are all symptoms of   Bioidentical Hormone Replacement
             low testosterone (and other hormone)   Therapy (BHRT) appeals to both wom-
             levels.                           en AND men.
               And those are just the short term   “After so many years of recom-
             effects! Few people know about the   mending pills, creams and gels, what
             serious conditions caused from long-  became obvious is that the pellet mode
             term low levels.  These include brittle   of dispensing hormones is often more
             bones, high blood pressure, depression,   beneficial because we get a more con-
             anxiety, respiratory disease, diabetes   sistent, steady-state level of absorption
             and cardiovascular disease. In fact, “The   which we see through clinical response
             Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and   and lab values,” Dr. Schultis said.
             Metabolism” recently concluded after an   The process is simple and painless.
             11-year study that men with insufficient   First, your doctor evaluates your physical   the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging:
             testosterone levels were more likely to   health, your current symptoms and your   “A 2004 report evaluated 574 men over
             die sooner than their counterparts.   current hormone levels.  Once they   a 19-year period.  Low free testoster-
               What’s that you say?  You’re too   qualify you, the doctor tasks a pharmacy   one levels predicted an increased risk of
             young for a drop in testosterone?  Be-  to compound the appropriate hormone   developing Alzheimer's disease, even after
             lieve it or not, testosterone levels begin   mix.  Then, during the follow-up appoint-  other dementia risk factors were taken
             their descent as early as 30!     ment, your doctor injects the pellet(s)   into account.” Other studies also observed
               “Both men and women, at some    under your skin—usually in the hip.  The   that individuals with higher testosterone
             point in their life, will begin to experi-  pellets last for several months.   levels displayed sharper cognitive acuity
             ence the normal decrease in hormones,”   Increased hormone levels could help   and quicker memories.
             said OBGYN Dr. Stefanie Schultis, a   more than your looks.  Studies high-  Dr. Schultis warns that several disor-
             board certified physician and surgeon   lighted in the Harvard Medical School’s   ders may cause reduced hormone levels
             who has been in private practice since   “Harvard Men’s Health Watch” suggests   so it’s always best practice to undergo a
             1989 in Louisiana.  “Many begin asking   a link between low testosterone levels   full checkup by your doctor before seeking
             themselves, ‘What’s happening to me?’   and mental decline, like this one from   hormone replacement therapy.
             A decrease in hormones for men more
             commonly occurs in their 40s but I oc-
             casionally have treated men in their 20s   An 11-year study concluded
             and 30s with low testosterone levels.  It   that men with insufficient
             really interrupts their quality of life.”    testostrone levels were more
                                                      likely to die sooner.



          24    INSPIRE HEALTH  January § February



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