Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — testosterone and cortisol

Andropause — often called male menopause — describes the gradual decline in testosterone and other key hormones that affects many men from their forties onwards. Unlike the relatively abrupt hormonal shift of female menopause, andropause develops slowly, making its symptoms easy to dismiss as normal ageing or stress. Yet the hormonal changes involved — including declining testosterone, rising oestrogen, cortisol dysregulation, and thyroid dysfunction — can significantly affect energy, mood, body composition, sexual health, and cognitive function. This article explains what andropause is, the key hormones involved, how to recognise its symptoms, and how comprehensive hormone testing can identify the specific imbalances driving your symptoms.

The relationship between testosterone therapy and cardiovascular risk in men is one of the most debated topics in men's health. Headlines have warned of increased heart attack risk, yet the research tells a more nuanced story. Age, pre-existing cardiovascular disease, oestrogen levels, dosage, and delivery method all appear to play significant roles. This article examines the key findings from a major insurance-data study, explores the clinical questions it raises, and explains what men and their doctors should consider before starting or continuing testosterone therapy.

Testosterone has long been associated with aggression — but new research is revealing a far more nuanced picture. A study published in Nature Communications, involving ZRT Laboratory, found that a single dose of testosterone significantly increased young men’s preference for luxury, status-enhancing goods. Dr. Kate Placzek explores the neuroendocrine science behind this finding — and what it reveals about testosterone’s role in dopamine, reward and social behaviour.

An FDA-approved testosterone gel was shown to significantly increase cardiovascular risk in older men — but does this mean testosterone therapy is dangerous? ZRT Laboratory’s research suggests the real problem lies in how testosterone is measured. Venous serum testing dramatically underestimates tissue exposure to topical testosterone, leading to pharmacological overdosing that goes undetected. This article explains why the testing method matters as much as the dose.