There is a growing interest, as well as a booming industry, in the use of testosterone therapy for middle-aged and older men. This interest has led to the definition of a new condition, termed 'andropause' implying that this condition is due to falling levels of testosterone. This trend risks replicating both the rejuvenation fads of a century ago and the recent experience in estrogen therapy for menopause that has been propelled for decades by advocacy substituting for reliable scientific evidence. Is testosterone therapy appropriate for men with symptoms of male menopause? There is no scientific agreement on this topic. My personal opinion is that hormones should be used only as a last resort since they have serious risks if misused.
Subscribe
to a
FREE
Supplement
Research Update newsletter. Twice a month you will receive an email with a
discussion
of several studies on various supplements and natural medicine topics, including
andropause treatment, and
their practical interpretation by Ray Sahelian, M.D.
High Quality products formulated by a medical
doctor
Consider the benefits of highly popular all natural products. These include
Mind Power Rx for better mental focus, concentration, and mood; Diet Rx which helps you eat less. It really works to curb appetite; Good Night
Rx for better sleep; Eyesight
Rx with lots of antioxidants for better vision; MultiVit
Rx a daily comprehensive multivitamin for more energy and
vitality; Joint Power Rx
for healthy joints; Prostate Power Rx
for a healthy prostate gland; and Passion Rx
for sexual enhancement in men and women.
Andropause Symptom
Approximately 30% of men 60-70 years of age and 70% of men 70-80 years of age
have low free testosterone levels. Symptoms and findings of testosterone
deficiency are similar to those associated with aging. Andropause symptoms may include loss of
energy, depressed mood, possible decrease in cognitive decline, decreased
libido, potential
erectile dysfunction, decreased muscle
mass and strength, increased fat mass, frailty, osteopenia, and osteoporosis.
These andropause symptoms may be reversed by andropause treatment with
hormones, however, at this time, medical doctors do not have a good
understanding on how to reverse these symptoms without potentially
exposing men to the potential harmful effects of long term exposure to
androgens or other hormones.
Andropause Treatment
Several small clinical trials indicate that testosterone replacement therapy can
improve many of these findings; however, the studies have not been powered to
assess potential risks, such as the need for invasive treatment of benign
prostatic hyperplasia, development of a clinical prostate cancer, or
cardiovascular events. Thus, the benefit / risk ratio of testosterone replacement
therapy and andropause treatment in aging men is not known.
An alternative to testosterone replacement as andropause treatment is the use
of the over the counter hormone
DHEA. However, DHEA has similar side effects to testosterone.
Another potential andropause treatment option is to address each of
the andropause symptoms individually with diet, lifestyle changes, and natural
supplements. For instance, the andropause symptom of osteoporosis can be helped
with increasing calcium and vitamin D intake. The decrease in libido can be
addressed by the use of sexual herbs or products such as Passion Rx. The
decrease in muscle mass can be helped by the use of creatine. Low energy can be
helped by doing yoga on a regular basis. Low mood and cognitive decline can be
helped by the use of Mind Power Rx, St. John's wort, or SAM-e supplements. It is
preferable to not mix these supplements together until you have a clear
understanding how each of them makes you feel.
Andropause treatment emails
Sir: I have read with great interest your Online articles on dozens of
subjects and supplements - and have increased my overall health as a result. For
which I thank you!
But I am 69, and suffer from the andropause dysfunction syndrome. Sigh. As in -
loss of libido and erections that are so weak that I hesitate to mention them
even in this e-mail! (grin).
After consultations with several doctors - most of whom have NO knowledge of
natural substances and nutrition - I began taking low-dose Arimidex, an average
of a half-mg twice a week. This initially seemed to overcome my saliva-tested
estrogen excess - but it did little to boost the libido or erection function.
Then - after buying and reading Natural Sex Boosters - I went through a long
list of herbals, to little avail.
Despite your warnings, I finally went to Vitamin Shoppe and got some 5mg tablets
of DHEA. One in the morning, and suddenly there were feelings that I'd not had
in decades! But still nothing that satisfied me. Then, I upped the dose to about
7mg - and the difference was, uh, "uplifting."
It would seem to me that the combination of DHEA and Arimidex has a good
balancing effect on my body - but I would like some input from you and your
research staff, please. Does this combination work for other people? Logic would
dictate that the Arimidex would keep the DHEA from aromatizing to estradiol -
and thus boost the testosterone. I surely hope there are good tests on this
combination! Please?!?
When I read in two Online research postings that DHEA elevates estrogen in
elderly males (me) while NOT increasing testosterone, well, I got rather upset.
Obviously, DHEA by itself is a no-no for me. But, sir, with the Arimidex (which
I buy at steep discount) there is a balance.
All I can say is that, with about 7mg of DHEA five days a week (off two) and a
half-mg dose of Arimidex twice a week - I get erections that I've only dreamed
about for many, many years. Makes an ole chap with andropause feel SO much
better!
Find out annual physical testing benefits and risks.