Men's Health

Men & Hormones

The idea that menopause is an experience exclusive to women has now been disproved! As they watch the women in their lives go through the hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings of menopause, men may heave a sigh of relief that they don’t have to go through it themselves.

But, thanks to the work of researchers in the field of male health, we know that men are not, in fact, immune to the hormonal fluctuations of middle age. The effect may be more gradual, unlike the roller coaster many menopausal women find themselves on, but male menopause is a very real phenomenon and it has a name: Andropause.

Andropause signifies the decline in male hormone production of the androgens testosterone and DHEA, the major players in maintaining both physical and mental health in men. At the same time, estrogen levels in males tend to increase as androgen levels decline. The result is a negative ratio between the two; a hormonal imbalance that typifies the andropause profile and signals an associated risk of prostate disease.

Functions of Male Hormones The androgens increase energy and decrease fatigue; they help in maintaining erectile function and normal sex drive. The androgens have anabolic (building) capacity that increases the strength of all structural tissues—the skin, bones, muscles and heart. Men make more testosterone than do women, accounting for their generally greater muscle and bone mass. A proper balance of the androgen hormones also helps to prevent depression and mental fatigue. These are the hormones that help provide the virility, stamina and drive we associate with the men in their prime.

Restoring Balance: Hormone Testing and Treatment The first step towards restoring balance is to test hormone levels to identify specific deficiencies and excesses and to what extent they are out of range. This can be done through saliva testing in which optimal collection can take place in the privacy of one’s own home and sent by regular mail for processing in the laboratory. Test results include a complete evaluation of hormone lab levels correlated with symptoms and hormone usage. Once this information is in hand, it is possible, using the lab results and your symptoms and health conditions, to formulate a treatment plan.

Getting Professional Guidance RxClubAmerica pharmacists can help determine the most suitable treatment for restoration of hormone balance and relief of symptoms. We are able to work with your primary care provider or recommend a physician trained in this area. If hormones are needed, only bio-identical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT) will be recommended. Since we are supplementing what the body makes naturally, it should be identical to your own hormones. RxClubAmerica can recommend a compounding pharmacy to provide you with these medications, if they are needed.

It is also important to help your body produce its own hormones naturally. There are many hormones that all interact. The more common of these include insulin, cortisol, adrenaline, thyroid, DHEA and testosterone in addition to estrogen and progesterone. If any one of these is out of balance, it will affect one or more of the other hormones. PNE pharmacists have expertise in creating the conditions to help your body produce these hormones to the best of its ability.

Stress management, hormonally balanced exercise, proper nutrition, dietary supplements and androgen replacement with physician guidance, if needed, have all been shown to raise androgen levels in men and help to counter andropause symptoms. Maintaining good levels of both progesterone and testosterone, and reducing elevated estrogen levels, should be the goal of men for preventing disease, such as prostate cancer and heart disease, and for promoting health.

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men.

Here are three risk factors you should be aware of:

Being overweight: There is mounting evidence that excess fat significantly increases your chance of developing this illness. In one study, of 860 men with advanced prostate cancer, 49% were overweight, and 21% were obese.

Having high blood insulin levels: Elevated insulin levels will result in an excess of dihydroxy-testosterone (5HT), which is believed to be a culprit in the development of prostate cancer.

Consuming foods with added hormones: Hormones are regularly given to cattle to increase milk production and foster growth. These hormones do not belong in the human body and are linked with prostate, breast and lung cancers.

To reduce your risk of prostate cancer:

Maintain a healthy weight

Eat a diet low in refined sugars to keep insulin levels at a normal level

Choose organic meats and milk, which do not have added hormones

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