Male Hormone Therapy

By Jake Alexandre


The principal androgen (male sex hormone) is testosterone. This steroid is manufactured by the interstitial (Leydig) cells of the testes. Secretion of testosterone increases sharply at puberty and is responsible for the development of the so-called secondary sexual characteristics (e.g., beard) of men. Testosterone is also essential for the production of sperm.

The hormones that influence female behaviors and sexual function are known as estrogens, while the male hormones are called androgens. Men and women produce both of these classifications of hormones that cause behaviors classified as male or female, but they produce them in varying amounts. These female or male hormones work in conjunction with asexual hormones to make the body appear male or female and function sexually as a particular gender.

Besides testosterone, other androgens include, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) - a steroid hormone produced in the adrenal cortex from cholesterol, Androstenedione (Andro) - an androgenic steroid produced by the testes, adrenal cortex, and ovaries, Androstenediol - the steroid metabolite that is thought to act as the main regulator of gonadotropin secretion.

This enzyme has been indirectly linked with a decrease in male hormones in the body. Too little testosterone may cause a decrease in sexual interest as well as erectile dysfunction. Male hormone levels can be tested to find out if they have decreased in effectiveness and hormone replacement therapy is possible for those who are affected by the problem. Optimal male hormone therapy usually requires a physician's prescription. Integrative physicians typically prescribe bioidentical testosterone creams (available from compounding pharmacies). Conventional physicians are more likely to prescribe prepackaged, testosterone patches and/or gels from pharmaceutical companies that have sought FDA approval for the mass commercialization of their products.

Testosterone therapy can help reverse the effects of hypogonadism, but it's unclear whether testosterone therapy would have any benefit for older men who are otherwise healthy. Although some men believe that taking testosterone medications may help them feel younger and more vigorous as they age, few rigorous studies have examined testosterone therapy in men who have healthy testosterone levels - and some small studies have revealed mixed results. For example, in one study healthy men who took testosterone medications increased muscle mass but didn't gain strength.

There's pretty good evidence that hormone therapy will make a man leaner, though not necessarily stronger. Citing 12 placebo-controlled studies of body composition, the IOM reported that testosterone treatment probably does increase lean-body mass and decrease fat. But surprisingly, muscle strength showed no improvement in 8 of 10 studies. Results on mood and cognition are too mixed to draw any firm conclusions. Some researchers see a positive trend in bone density.

Male hormone therapy hasn't been effective as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. In younger men it shrinks the testes and in all men, drops the sperm count. Yet doctors who prescribe testosterone say their patients often report that it improves the quality of their erections.




About the Author:



0 Response to "Male Hormone Therapy"

Đăng nhận xét

powered by Blogger | WordPress by Newwpthemes | Converted by BloggerTheme