Many middle-aged and elderly male friends will experience the situation of "not being able to do what they want" as they grow older. If this problem occurs frequently, it will not only affect the male's personal psychology, but also have a certain impact on the relationship between husband and wife.
When mentioning the problem of male dysfunction, many friends will think that it is a blood flow problem or a nervous system problem. Many friends will also take phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (such as sildenafil). (not etc.) to improve. Although in most cases, many people can improve related problems by taking such drugs orally, there is another factor that should also be investigated as to the cause of male dysfunction, which is the decline in testosterone levels. of male dysfunction. Today’s popular science article will talk to you about the male health problems caused by changes in hormone levels, as well as how to supplement testosterone.
Sex hormones are important hormones in the human body, especially for men. Male hormones play an important role in many aspects of male health. Testosterone is the main male hormone in men. This hormone is mainly secreted by the testicles and plays an important role in the development of male secondary sexual characteristics, muscle maintenance, hematopoietic function, bone growth, etc. It is also an important hormone in maintaining male function and reproductive health.
Insufficient secretion of testosterone and decreased distribution of testosterone levels in various organs of the body are common causes of male dysfunction. Generally speaking, for friends with male dysfunction problems, go check the high level of testosterone. Generally speaking, you can combine it with serum Testosterone levels and serum free testosterone levels are comprehensively judged. If it is significantly lower than the normal level, low testosterone should be considered.
What causes low testosterone?
How does low testosterone occur? In fact, as age increases, the level of testosterone in men naturally declines. In a survey of 1,709 men at the Massachusetts Hospital in the United States, it was found that male total testosterone levels and free testosterone levels will decrease respectively after the age of 30. It decreases at a rate of 0.4% and 1.2% per year. Therefore, the decrease in testosterone levels and increasing age are one of the important influencing factors. In addition, reduced testosterone levels may be related to:
- Injury, infection, or loss of testicles
- Chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer
- Genetic abnormalities, such as Klinefelter syndrome (extra X chromosome )
- Hemochromatosis (too much iron in the body)
- Dysfunction of the pituitary gland (a gland in the brain that produces many important hormones) or hypothalamus
- Inflammatory diseases such as sarcoidosis (a disease that causes inflammation of the lungs)
- Medications, especially hormones and corticosteroids used to treat prostate cancer
- chronic renal failure
- liver cirrhosis
- chronic stress
- chronic alcohol abuse
- obesity (especially abdominal)
What are the symptoms of low testosterone?
Testosterone is widely distributed in the male body, and many organs have testosterone targets. Therefore, if testosterone levels are reduced to unhealthy levels, it may cause a series of health problems. We call this phenomenon "late-onset hypogonadism syndrome", and some people also call it " male menopause ".
If men have low testosterone, it will affect many aspects of health and bring about many typical health problems. The most common ones include changes in body fat rate , increased body fat, reduced muscle mass, decreased strength, etc.; Low testosterone can also lead to abnormal blood lipid metabolism and lead to hyperlipidemia. In addition, men may also suffer from osteoporosis , loss of body hair, abnormal fatigue, irritability and irritability, difficulty concentrating and other problems. Closely related to low testosterone issues. If a combination of the above symptoms occurs, you should pay more attention to the possibility of low testosterone.
In terms of male function, low testosterone will affect both male sexual desire and normal function. Men with low testosterone problems are usually accompanied by symptoms of decreased sexual desire, and erectile dysfunction is also clearly related to low testosterone levels. Therefore, men who have both problems at the same time should seek medical attention to check their testosterone levels in time. , to check whether there is a problem of low testosterone. When testing testosterone levels, because the testosterone content in the blood fluctuates in different time periods, you should generally choose to draw blood for testing in the early morning. The testosterone content level at this time is the highest and can more accurately reflect the male body's testosterone. level.
Does low testosterone need treatment?
Regarding the problem of low testosterone, many friends want to know whether treatment is needed. In fact, for women’s menopause, there are hormone replacement therapies to improve it, and for men’s low testosterone problem, there are also hormone replacement therapies. However, it should be noted that, judging from the current clinical benefit evidence, the clinical evidence for exogenous testosterone supplementation in men is far less clear than the benefits brought by hormone replacement therapy in women.
Therefore, before deciding to undergo testosterone supplementation and replacement therapy, you might as well try to improve testosterone levels through lifestyle adjustments. In terms of daily diet, foods rich in high-quality protein, diets rich in zinc, etc. will help provide sufficient nutrients for the synthesis of testosterone, and strengthening strength training will also help stimulate the secretion and function of testosterone; in addition In addition, paying attention to alleviating and controlling negative emotions such as stress in daily life can also help improve testosterone levels.
In addition, the contraindications of testosterone replacement therapy should also be understood. Men with prostate cancer or breast cancer should not receive testosterone replacement therapy. Men with severe urinary tract problems, untreated severe sleep apnea, or uncontrolled heart failure should also not use testosterone replacement therapy. All men considering testosterone replacement therapy should undergo a thorough prostate cancer screening including a rectal examination and PSA testing before starting this therapy.
If there are no relevant contraindications and men with low testosterone have brought about various health problems, after a comprehensive evaluation by a doctor, they can also consider exogenous testosterone supplementation. There are many ways to supplement testosterone. In terms of administration methods, the following methods can be considered:
- Intramuscular injection, 2 to 10 weeks apart
- Testosterone gel for skin or inside the nose
- Twice a day Adhesive materials applied over the teeth
- Long-acting subcutaneous implants
- Oral testosterone preparations
Each of these options provides adequate levels of hormone replacement; however, they all have different advantages and disadvantages that can be tailored to the situation. to choose a supplement method that is more suitable for you.
In addition to paying attention to contraindications and choosing a reasonable supplement method, some side effects during testosterone supplementation are also worth noting. Possible adverse reactions of testosterone replacement therapy include, acne or oily skin, mild fluid retention, Stimulates prostate tissue, leading to accelerated prostate hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms. In addition, clinical studies have found that testosterone supplementation can increase the risk of blood clots, worsen sleep apnea, cause testicular atrophy, and increase mood swings and other adverse reactions. In terms of health indicators, exogenous testosterone supplementation may also cause abnormalities such as abnormal blood lipids, increased red blood cell count, decreased sperm count, and increased prostate PSA indicators, which are also worthy of special attention. Therefore, it is also very important for patients receiving testosterone replacement therapy to have regular follow-up and reexamination.
