Men and Women can Benefit from Testosterone!

By Anju Mathur, MD

Hormone replacement therapy, where declining levels of hormones are replaced by supplements of these hormones, is benefiting millions of people. They find it makes life less stressful, supplies more energy to get things done and even decreases wrinkles, improves muscle tone and can help manage type 2 diabetes.

Signs to Alert You

Do these symptoms dog your life?

Lessened libido

Lessened strength of the functions of the male organs

Tiredness

Difficulty remembering

Depression and anxiety

More chance of coronary disease

Flabby muscles

Too much weight gain

These are the symptoms of testosterone deficiency. Testosterone, or androgen, is the principal male hormone that is mainly produced in the male organs. Testosterone, a steroid hormone, is primarily secreted from the male organs of men and the female organs of women although small amounts are secreted by the adrenal gland as well. Testosterone aids in male development of the secondary male/female characteristics after puberty, causing growth of thicker hair on the face and other areas of the body, development of male organs, and change of the voice. The testosterone hormone also aids in growth, muscular development, and masculine body contour of the adult male.

Results:

Plentiful Testosterone

Creates muscle without fat

Improves libido

Improves mood and memory

Lessens cholesterol

Improves energy

Heart disease protection

A man with insufficient testosterone may feel nervous, unhappy, confused, have less strength and muscle mass with more fat in the upper part of the body and have a low libido. This hormone causes normal growth and development in men and is key to developing secondary male characteristics.

Testosterone increases as a male grows, reaching peak level at about age 40. After that, the level goes down gradually. Although most of this hormone is attached to a particular protein in the blood, there can be "free" testosterone that is not attached. Some physical conditions increase that particular protein - such as obesity or hyperthyroidism (a condition where there is not enough thyroid hormone). When these conditions exist, medical tests are often done to measure the level of the protein, thus the levels of testosterone. These tests are most often performed only at large medical facilities.

About 33% - 45% of men with type 2 diabetes have low testosterone levels, so if you are a man with this disease, you might also have low testosterone..

Female Testosterone

Since women's bodies also secrete testosterone, it is not strictly a male hormone. In women testosterone can keep the endocrine system operational and the hormones in balance. Testosterone can help add vital years to life and increase energy and contribute to keeping a woman looking younger.

Testosterone in women has also been found to lend itself to production of more energy, increase libido, make a woman less tired, as well as help provide brighter moods and inspiration to work. For these reasons testosterone in women is a good thing, although the level is a lot lower than in a man. In the latter part of a woman's life, when estrogen levels decrease, a lot of women are replacing that missing hormone with supplements called hormone replacement therapy. The replacement supplements also contain a bit of the testosterone that is missing in an older body. In addition to the benefits listed above, this small amount of testosterone has been shown to help increase bone density, increase libido and help strengthen blood flow to female organs.