Whether or not you’re medically inclined, you should know at least a little bit about hormones from science classes of your youth. Found in animals and humans alike, hormones are responsible for many bodily functions including growth, fertility, immunity, and even behavior. These chemical messengers serve irreplaceable roles within the human body and can make a huge impact on your day-to-day activity.
Something you may not know is that there are several different types of hormones produced by male and female body parts. Testosterone, for example, is a hormone that is produced in large quantities by male testicles, though it can be seen in much smaller qualities in female ovaries. Testosterone is an incredibly important substance for men in particular as it affects bone density, muscle mass, body hair, sperm production, and a long list of other important functionalities.
Having low testosterone levels, known as low T, can range from troublesome to dangerous in its repercussions. Thus, testosterone replacement therapy was developed. Want to find out more? Read on to discover what you need to know about this advanced and life-changing therapy.
How It Works
There’s no getting around it- men produce less testosterone as they age. Aside from a spike of hormones around puberty, men will lose roughly 1 percent of their testosterone each year from the time they reach their early thirties. Though a gradual decline in T levels is normal, a significant lowering of testosterone within the male body can have some harmful effects. In order to combat this, low t therapy was created to help supplement hormone levels. The process is fairly noninvasive and can look like testosterone patches, pills, injections, or topical cream. The treatment is tailored to the individual and is usually used for those cases in which testosterone levels are abnormally low.
Medical Use
In the medical world, testosterone replacement therapy is primarily used to treat a condition called hypogonadism. This refers to a situation in which the male testes are not producing enough testosterone. There are two types of hypogonadism: primary, and central (secondary). The difference between them lies in the particular body part that is at fault for the imbalance. With primary hypogonadism, issues with the gonads or testes are to blame. In the case of central hypogonadism, the issues arise from a malfunctioning hypothalamus or pituitary gland.
Non-Medical Use
The scope of the non-medical uses for testosterone replacement therapy is much broader than that of the strictly medical uses. Because testosterone is responsible for doing so much in the male body, slipping testosterone levels due to age can present a huge challenge to peak functionality. A search query for trt clinic near me will yield examples of therapy results ranging from improved mood and sleep to higher sex drive and better red blood cell production. Essentially, the non-medical use of testosterone replacement therapy is pretty all-encompassing. For an older male looking to improve rest, mood, libido, and general vitality, testosterone replacement therapy might be just the thing you’re looking for.
Reactions
Though hormone therapy does indeed have side effects, it’s important to note that, procedurally, testosterone therapy is a low-risk treatment. That being said, if you struggle with sleep apnea you may want to steer clear of the therapy. Low t therapy has been known to worsen sleep apnea symptoms, cause skin reactions, over stimulate red blood cell production, or stimulate the growth of the prostate.
Next Steps
So you resonate with some of the treatable symptoms of testosterone replacement therapy- what next? The first stop you’ll have to make is your doctor’s office to get your hormone levels tested. Typically, doctors won’t advise treatment unless they see your testosterone levels are significantly lower than they should be. However, in many cases, low t treatment can be recommended for conditions above that of routine aging. Plus, if you are treating a health condition with testosterone replacement therapy you will likely get most if not all of the associated costs covered by your health insurance.
Experiencing any type of hormone imbalance can be challenging to say the least. As important to regular function as they are, hormones can make the difference between having the best week of your life or the worst. Impacting everything from your appearance to your mood to your sexual prowess, hormones are kind of a big deal. The good thing is, hormone imbalances are treatable with new health innovations like the use of bioidentical hormones through bioidentical hormone therapy. The Anti-Aging Studio is offering a bioidentical hormone therapy in Houston, TX.
Hopefully, this article has helped you understand what testosterone replacement therapy is, as well as its various applications and results. Maybe you even learned a little bit more about your own body in the process!