Hormone Health Hub: Expert Insights on Testing, Balance & Better Living — Topical Testosterone

As men age, they may experience a decline in testosterone levels which can lead to a range of symptoms commonly referred to as male menopause or andropause. This condition is not as well-known as female menopause, but it can have a significant impact on a man's quality of life. Fortunately, there are treatments available, including hormone testing, to help alleviate the symptoms associated with male menopause. What is Male Menopause? Male menopause is a condition caused by a decline in testosterone levels as a man ages. Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and is responsible for many of the...

By Dr Allison Smith, ZRT Laboratory The testicles of a man in his 20s are known to contribute about 5-10mg of testosterone per 24-hour day and levels of total testosterone in the venous blood with that amount are observed to yield roughly 300-1200 ng/dL in the morning at the diurnal peak. Testosterone, whether endogenous or given exogenously, negatively feeds back on the hypothalamus, limiting GnRH and thus LH and FSH from the pituitary. A man taking supraphysiological doses of testosterone can expect to have very low or undetectable levels of LH and FSH in the serum. What happens when the...

Testosterone replacement therapy can be useful and it has the potential to drastically improve quality of life of those who need it when it is used correctly. However, many men who begin topical testosterone are given too much of the hormone. Explanations for this erroneous tendency are rooted in incorrect dosing principles that have been established on false assumptions, misconceptions, invalid conclusions and aggressive marketing instead of physiology and science. Why are testosterone replacement standards and prescribing processes so frequently misguided? Testosterone Overdose Begins With Incorrect Dosing Principles For topical application, a physiologic daily dose of any sex steroid (in...

In this article you will find more information about andropause and its effect on men’s life. The first thing a man entering andropause generally notices is a subtle downward shift in strength and energy as hormone levels taper off. Muscle tone and stamina are the first to go, and he starts to gain weight and that “spare tyre.” He may also develop a voracious appetite and food cravings he never had before. As symptoms kick in at mid-life, hormone testing can identify hidden imbalances that complicate symptoms of andropause and contribute to rapid ageing. The majority of men in the...