Combat Age-Related Decline With Hormone Replacement Therapy

Combat Age-Related Decline With Hormone Replacement Therapy

As you age, your testosterone levels naturally decline. This chemical change can make it more difficult to stay fit, as you’ll notice yourself getting winded more easily. You may also notice changes in your body, as it becomes more difficult to keep your chiseled look. A reduction in hormone levels can account for the pudge around your abdomen that you just can’t seem to get rid of, no matter how much you try.

Signs You May Benefit from Hormone Replacement Therapy

Unless you experience lowered testosterone very young, this process is a natural part of aging. However, there are ways to slow down the process and continue to build a strong body.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been around since the mid-1900s, and the first reports regarding testosterone supplementation for the male climacteric were published in 1940 and 1944. These reports appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Since that time, it has been determined that testosterone levels decrease about 2 percent every year after age 30.

If you notice any of the following, you may be experiencing lowered testosterone levels and may benefit from hormone replacement therapy.

• Decreasing sense of wellbeing, vigor and perception of energy. These complains are most often the first symptoms of lowered testosterone levels, but they are usually overlooked or simply attributed to stress and aging.
• Declining strength and muscle mass. As you age, you lose tensile strength and muscle volume.
• Lowered stamina and performance dependent upon exertion. This symptom is both physical and mental, as those whose jobs require multitasking find it difficult to perform as they used to.
• Increasing body fat mass, most specifically pectoral fat and abdominal fat.
• Decreasing bone mass. Studies have indicated that an age-related decline in testosterone levels is correlated with bone loss.
• Declining sex drive and sexual thoughts. The decline comes before a decline in performance.
• Increasingly frequent bouts of erectile dysfunction, and diminishing pleasure and sexual response in women.

What Is Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Hormone replacement therapy is a medically approved treatment that does not involve steroid use. This supervised regimen is meant to duplicate the natural testosterone production cycles in the body. Your medical professional can use the therapy to restore your natural testosterone level while minimizing any side effects or safety hazards.

To begin hormone replacement therapy, determine your testosterone levels with a blood test and a medical exam. These measures will help ensure that your symptoms are really due to testosterone deficiency and not due to diabetes, hypertension or medications. Once you’ve been cleared by your doctor, you can safely take oral HRT and regain your physical and mental strength.

Testosterone levels are partly responsible for muscle strength, body composition, cognitive function, and your overall perception of your energy and vigor. Hormone replacement therapy can enhance your lean body mass and muscle strength, decrease your leptin and enhance your cognitive function, and may improve your cardiovascular system. If you’ve found that your regimen is beginning to fail you and no matter how much you try, you just can’t get that energy and stamina back, HRT may be the answer for getting you back on track.