Middle-aged women aren’t the only ones who experience dwindling reproductive hormone levels; men’s bodies also produce less testosterone as they get older. When testosterone levels dip too far, however, the resulting hormonal imbalance can give rise to a range of bothersome and disruptive symptoms.
As a board-certified anti-aging specialist who offers a full scope of bioidentical hormone replacement services at RVA Regenerative Wellness in Midlothian, Virginia, Jennylle Zanzi, FNP-C, and our expert team is here to help you offset the negative effects of age-related hormonal changes and restore an improved quality of life.
Read on as we discuss the ins and outs of low testosterone, including common warning signs and how bioidentical hormones — or Low-T replacement — can help.
Produced and secreted by the testes, testosterone is the male reproductive hormone that supports normal sexual development and function. In addition to playing a key role in your physical maturation during puberty, testosterone helps you maintain muscle mass, facial and body hair, a deeper voice, and a healthy sperm count through adulthood.
When your testosterone levels are normal, your muscle strength, bone density, sexual drive and function, and sperm production are well-supported and more likely to be healthy.
Men don’t go through a defining reproductive hormonal shift like female menopause, but they do experience a natural decline in testosterone as they age. After testosterone levels peak in early adulthood, they remain steady and then begin to decline very gradually, usually starting around the age of 30.
Diminishing testosterone levels may be a normal part of aging, but levels that drop too low can affect your well-being. The American Urology Association (AUA) estimates that 2% of all men in the United States have low testosterone, also known as testosterone deficiency syndrome, male hypogonadism, or more simply, Low-T.
The statistics on Low-T look very different among specific groups of men, however. For example, research indicates that testosterone imbalance affects about one in two older men (50%), one in three overweight men (30%), and one in four men with diabetes (25%).
The AUA defines Low-T as having less than 300 nanograms of testosterone per deciliter of blood (ng/dL). Given that not all men experience concerning changes at this level, however, we always consider symptoms when diagnosing testosterone imbalance.
The five most common signs of Low-T are:
Dwindling testosterone levels can also cause irritability, a depressed mood, memory difficulties, and fertility problems related to low sperm count. You may notice shrinking testicles and thinning of armpit or pubic hair, too.
While each of the symptoms associated with Low-T can have many potential causes, when they occur together, they form a strong indication of testosterone imbalance.
To determine if the bothersome age-related changes you’re experiencing are symptoms of testosterone deficiency, we conduct a comprehensive physical exam and measure your total blood testosterone levels. We may also test your levels of luteinizing hormone, which helps control how your body makes testosterone.
If you have Low-T, we can offer customized Low-T replacement therapy, a prescription supplement of bioidentical testosterone hormones to help re-optimize your levels, alleviate your symptoms, and restore an improved quality of life.
Available in the form of a small, slow-release hormone pellet that’s implanted just beneath your skin, bioidentical testosterone replacement helps ease or eliminate the symptoms caused by hypogonadism. The treatment provides a range of benefits, including improved:
The best part about pellet delivery for Low-T replacement? With this “set-it-and-forget-it” approach, you see our team for a fresh, custom-compounded hormone pellet every few months to keep your testosterone levels balanced and your symptoms at bay.
To learn how you can benefit from Low-T replacement at RVA Regenerative Wellness in Midlothian, Virginia, call us at 786-224-6878 today, or use our online booking feature to schedule a consultation at your convenience.
