"Testosterone Information, Articles and Support"
Testosterone is by far the most vital single element e lement for men to enjoy a long life, good health and remain sexually active for as long as possible By Sam Fields - http://www.4-men.org/increasing-testosterone-levels.html
Testosterone is a steroid hormone from the androgen group. It is the principal male sex hormone and the "original" anabolic steroid in high demand for sexual as well as sporting performance enhancement. Like other steroid hormones, testosterone is derived from cholesterol Male Hypogonadism Dealing with a testosterone deficiency (also known as male hypogonadism) can be hard to admit for many men. To some, it feels as if their very manhood is diminishing diminishing before their very eyes.
Male Hypogonadism Dealing with a testosterone deficiency (also known as male hypogonadism ) can be hard to admit for many men. To To some, it feels as if their very manhood is diminishing before their very eyes. But a testosterone deficiency doesn’t have to have any shame attached to it. The stigma that once was associated with a testosterone deficiency – causing loss of libido libido,, loss of hair , and erectile dysfunction is being erased by an avalanche of medical research that exposes testosterone deficiency for what it is – a common occurrence in the life of any man.
Hypogonadism Treatment For those who have received treatment for male hypogonadism, life has been restored to the pleasurable status it once was. Testosterone Testosterone deficiency treatments range from adding natural supplements to your diet to having more serious testosterone prescriptions provided by your doctor. When a man has a testosterone deficiency de ficiency,, he can get tested to see if his levels fall within the “normal” limits. However, it’s important to note that testosterone levels fluctuate and what may be a testosterone deficiency for one person could be the norm for another.
Women can also suffer symptoms sy mptoms associated from a testosterone deficiency. When a woman’s levels fall low, she can endure a loss of sexual of sexual drive, drive, experience weakness, or begin to lose her hair – a condition of testosterone testostero ne deficiency that is generally associated with aging men. What role does male hormone replacement therapy play in the lives of men and women suffering from hypogonadism? Researchers are constantly trying to improve their efforts to maximize the results of the treatment and minimize the side effects that often plague testosterone replacement therapy treatment.
Hypogonadism Symptoms Testosterone deficiency has also been linked to cognitive impairment, and scientists are trying try ing to find out if hormone replacement therapy could help those afflicted with diseases such as dementia or Alzheimer’s. Although these conditions are hear tbreaking and difficult to deal with, there is no direct link between a person’s hypogonadism and their impending impend ing mortality. Testosterone is needed from the very ver y time a baby boy is growing in his mother’s m other’s womb and every day thereafter. When a man suffers from a testosterone deficiency, deficiency, it can take away his typical masculine characteristics and little by little chip away at the quality of his life. More studies are needed on male hormone hor mone replacement therapy for a testosterone deficiency, deficiency, since there was such a backlash against female hormone replacement therapy therap y. But if the benefits of taking additional testosterone keep stacking up, researchers will find a way to make the treatment available to all who need it. Drew Voight
Testosterone Levels Surging testosterone could be a major explanation for the home advantage in football, say UK psychologists. They found that all members of a squad - and goalkeepers in particular - have much higher levels of the hormone before a home game than before an away match.
It is clear there is a big home advantage, and we think testosterone is a major factor that has been overlooked by theorists in the past," says Sandy Wolfson of the University of Northumbria, who conducted the research with colleague Nick Neave.
Home team advantage "We know testosterone is linked to dominance and aggression in animals," says Neave. "We're trying to tie the results in with territoriality. The idea is that if you're playing at home, you feel
you're defending your own o wn territory. territory. The testosterone surges in the goalkeepers goalkeeper s was unbelievable and obviously they're the ones who are most involved in defence." If coaches can use motivational techniques to boost testosterone before away matches, they should be able to improve their teams' scores, say Neave and Wolfson. But it is also important to study individual differences in testosterone levels, they say. "Some players go on the pitch and they go for it too hard, injuring themselves and others. We want to see whether there are also links between high testosterone levels in some players and subsequent poor performance in a match." Wolfson and Neave studied players in the Under-19 Under- 19 squad of a UK Premiership team. They took saliva samples one hour before three training sessions, two away games and two home games. The players were matched with two separate opposition squads: one a bitter rival, one classed as a moderate rival. They played each rival once at home and once away. The players' testosterone levels were at the male average before the training and away matches. But they were 40 per cent higher h igher just before the match against the moderate moder ate rival and 67 per cent higher before the bitter rival match. The goalkeepers showed the biggest variation in testosterone, says Wolfson. "In training, they had the lowest levels of the all the players, players , but before the home match, they had the highest. When playing the game, it looks as if the burden of responsibility falls upon them." Other factors are likely to be involved in the home advantage. Crowd support, referee bias and familiarity with the pitch, have all been put forward as explanations. "But none of these on their own has been found to have ha ve a strong effect," says Wolfson. Wolfson and Neave's research was presented prese nted at the annual conference of the British Psychological Society in Blackpool, Lancashire, UK. Drew Voight
Low Testosterone In the last several years, and, more specifically, with the development of testosterone of testosterone in a form that simplifies administration and dose, our understanding of low testosterone in men has changed. Historically, a discussion of treatment with testosterone conjures up an image of a weight lifter or body builder, which usually carries negative connotations. Consequently, physicians have been taught that testosterone should be used only in severe cases where the patient cannot function in normal nor mal society. The medical profession has generally believed that, as men age, many of the changes they experience are due to the aging process rather than to hormonal changes such as are seen in women during menopause.
Andropause Currently, Currently, millions of American women take hormones to reduce the negative ne gative effects of low estrogen levels during and after menopause. Only recently, we’ve begun to recognize a similar syndrome in men and have called it “Andropause “Andropause.” .” The difference in the way men and women experience this change is that it is a much slower process in men so s o it is often not as obvious. In men, mid-life hormone changes usually begin without notice, especially after the age of forty. forty. Unfortunately, the only obvious result may be the gradual assumption as sumption of the appearance appear ance of “an old man.” Andropause, a condition in which the testosterone level slowly declines with age, also decreases a man’s ability to perform in the bedroom. In addition to experiencing a decrease in desire and function, men with a lowered testosterone level may also notice changes in mood and emotions, a decrease in body bod y mass and strength due to loss of muscle tissue, and an increase in body fat. Finally, the worst outcome may be alterations in bone mineral miner al density, density, a condition called osteoporosis osteoporosis,, which can lead to severe bone changes and even to fractures. After the age of thirty, a man may lose up to two percent of testicular of testicular function each year or develop hypogonadism hypogonadism.. We know that twenty to fifty percent of healthy men between the ages of 50 and 70 have lower than normal levels of testosterone. This statistic indicates that up to five percent of all men are at risk r isk for low testosterone states, a staggering number if you think about it. However, the reported incidence is extremely low, due, at least in part, to the fact that it’s difficult to diagnose a condition that you don’t know about. Until recently, we haven’t known much about low testosterone or testosterone or testosterone replacement therapy in men. Men are living longer and we are beginning to understand more about the aging process. As this knowledge becomes more available, men will demand treatment for low testosterone levels to maintain or improve their relationships and alleviate other symptoms, including osteoporosis, dysfunction and mood disturbances - many of the same problems that occur in aging women. Drew Voight
Testosterone Articles While virtually every man can use more mor e testosterone ... there are numerous ways wa ys to do so. Testosterone patches, gels, pills, shots are becoming beco ming more prevalent as the treatment of choice for men with low testosterone.
Testosterone Therapy There may or may not be such a thing as "male "male menopause" menopause" - and if there is, it may or may not be connected with a midlife urge to buy a red Corvette. Yet Yet there's growing interest in testosterone therapy , especially among baby-boom guys who do not want to go gently into
Grandpa Land. "It is sort of an anti-aging thing," said William Amin of the National Men's Health Clinic in Columbia. Of 55- to 64-year-olds who come to the clinic with potency problems, about 85 percent now receive testosterone as part of their treatment, said clinic manager Chris Laughter. One study has projected about 481,000 new cases of androgen of androgen (male hormone) deficiency per year in men 40 to 69. Baby-boom men will want to be fitter, including being sexually active, into their 60s, 70s and 80s, said Shailesh Patel, an associate professor of endocrinology at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. "This becomes a social issue, not so much a medical issue" for some men, he said. An infusion of testosterone - the most potent of the male hormones - can have side effects and should be monitored. Not to mention the nuisance of needing a pill, wearing a testosterone patch, patch, getting a weekly injection or having a daily slather of testosterone hormone gel. gel. But Patel and other doctors said testosterone could supply a vital spark for the energy and libido of men whose testosterone levels had waned because of age or disease.
Testosterone Peaks Testosterone peaks between the ages of 20 and 40, and goes into a small, steady decline after that. The National Institute on Aging Aging says there's little evidence that "male menopause" menop ause" occurs, noting that many older men have testosterone levels in the normal range. But especially in alternative-health circles, there's interest in using testosterone therapy to treat what some refer to as "andropause "andropause." ." Testosterone Testosterone is touted as vital for preser ving bone density, muscle mass and sexual function in older men. Diseases of the pituitary gland and of the testes, where testosterone is produced, are among the conditions that call for testosterone therapy therap y, Patel said. Symptoms may be similar to those of menopausal difficulties in women, he said, including fatigue, bone weakness, waning libido and even hot flashes. Age-related symptoms of testosterone deficiency tend to be a little more wishy- washy, Patel said. For example, loss of sex of sex drive could be caused by a lot of things, including stress, depression, medications, marriage problems or trouble at work. Men concerned about their testosterone levels leve ls should be tested in the morning, said Tu Lin, director of the endocrinology division in the USC School of Medicine in Columbia. Male hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day da y and are highest then, he said. If a man tested low in the afternoon, it would be hard to tell whether he had a deficiency. "It's important to know the "bioavailable" level of the hormone", Lin said, "because almost half of a man's testosterone binds with proteins in the body". Lin said testosterone supplementation might worsen an enlarged prostate or existing prostate cancer, so a man's prostate and his level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) should be checked before testosterone is considered. Drew Voight
Low Testosterone Testosterone and Alzheimers Like estrogen loss in older women, decreased levels of testosterone may put aging men at risk for Alzheimer's disease, according to a new study by USC researchers. researchers. The team's findings – appearing as a letter to the editor in the Sept. 22 issue of the Journal of American Medical Association – bolster sparse research on the adverse effects of age-related testosterone depletion in the brain and may ma y lead to future development of hormone replacement therapies. "Our findings strongly suggest that normal age-related testosterone depletion is one of the important changes that promote Alzheimer‚s disease in men," said Christian Pike, senior author of the study and an assistant ass istant professor at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
Alzheimers Connection "Understanding how these changes increase vulnerability to the disease is critical not only for elucidating Alzheimer's development, but also for identifying those persons most at risk," Pike said. While the link between estrogen loss in women and increased susceptibility to a variety of diseases – including Alzheimer's – has long been well established, there has been less focus on the health effects of hormonal depletion in men. Only within the last few years has the range of impairments – including osteoporosis and the loss of muscle mass, strength and function known as sarcopenia – linked to decreased testosterone levels become a recognized clinical syndrome called ADAM, or androgen deficiency in aging males. Androgens are male sex hormones. The data collected by the USC team – Pike, Lilly Chang and Frank Stanczyk of the Keck School of Medicine of USC, and Emily Rosario of the USC Andrus Gerontology Center – suggests that the brain is another tissue that experiences age-related testosterone loss and that increased vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease should now be considered a component of ADAM. Using brain tissue from 45 (previously consenting) deceased male subjects and an established medical scale of neuropathology, the researchers divided their samples into three categories: those considered neuropathologically normal no rmal with no clinical history of cognitive impairment (these were the controls); those who exhibited mild neuropathological changes; and those who had Alzheimer's disease. "We found that brain levels of testosterone are significantly lower in [Alzheimer's] subjects compared with the control subjects," the researchers wrote. "We found that brain levels of testosterone are also significantly reduced in men with mild neuropathology consistent with early Alzheimer's disease." Furthermore, the team demonstrated that estrogen levels in the subjects‚ brains were affected by neither advancing age nor the presence of Alzheimer's disease. "Thus far, our research tell
us that testosterone has at least two critical brain functions relevant to Alzheimer's disease," Pike said. "It protects neurons from injury injur y, and it reduces levels of beta-amyloid, beta-am yloid, the protein widely implicated as a causal factor in the disease." disease ." "We believe that the loss of testosterone with advancing age creates a more hostile neural environment that promotes accumulation of toxic beta-amyloid beta-am yloid protein while leaving neurons less able to survive the insult," he added. Pike and his colleagues seek to determine the mechanism by which testosterone depletion places the brain at increased risk r isk for the mentally debilitating disease. Drew Voight
Levels of Testosterone Testosterone Male scientists are good at research because they have the hormone levels of women and long index fingers, a new study says. A survey of academics at the University of Bath has found that male scientists typically have a level of the hormone estrogen as high as their testosterone level. These hormone levels are more usual in women than men, who normally have higher levels of testosterone of testosterone.. The study draws on research that suggests that these unusual hormone levels in many male scientists cause the right side of their brains, which governs spatial and analytic analy tic skills, to develop strongly.
The study, which as been submitted to the British Journal of o f Psychology, Psychology, also found that: 1) These hormonal levels may make male scientists less likely to have children. 2) Those men with a higher level of estrogen es trogen were more likely than average to have relatives with dyslexia, which may in part be caused by hormonal levels. 3) Women social scientists tended to have higher levels of testosterone, making their brains closer to those of males in general. The study drew on work in the last few years which established that the levels of estrogen and testosterone a person has can be seen in the relative length of their index (second) and ring (fourth) fingers. The ratio of the lengths is set before birth and remains the same throughout througho ut life.
Finger Length The length of fingers is genetically linked to the sex hormones, and a person with an index finger shorter than the ring finger will have had higher testosterone levels leve ls while in the womb,
and a person with an index finger longer than the ring finger will have had more estrogen. The difference in the lengths can be small – as little as two or o r three per cent – but important.
Testosterone and fingers A survey of the finger lengths of over 100 male and female acad emics at the University by senior Psychology lecturer Dr Mark Brosnan has found that those men teaching hard science like mathematics and physics tend to have index fingers as long as their ring fingers, a marker for unusually high estrogen levels for males. It
also found the reverse: those male academics with longer ring fingers than index fingers – the usual male pattern – tended not to be in science but in social science subjects such as psychology and education
A further study also suggests that prenatal hormone exposure, and hence index finger length, can also influence actual achievement levels. In a survey of male and female students on a JAV JAVA programming course at the University, University, the researchers found a link between be tween finger length ratio and test score. The smaller the difference between index and ring finger - the higher the test score at the end of the year. "The results are a fascinating insight into how testosterone and estrogen levels in the womb can affect people's choice of career and how these levels can show up in the length of fingers on our hands," said Dr Brosnan. In the general population, men typically have higher levels of testosterone than women, but the male scientists at the University of Bath have lower testosterone levels than is usual for men – their estrogen and testosterone levels le vels tend to match those of women generally.
Brains involved too This research now suggests that lower than average testosterone levels in men lead to spatial skills that can give a man the ability to succeed in science. Other research has in the past also suggested that an unusually high level of testosterone can do the same thing by b y encouraging the development of the right hemisphere. This right brain development is at the expense of language abilities and people skills that men with a more usual level of testosterone develop de velop and which can help them in social science sc ience subjects like psychology or education. Dr. Brosnan said that men having levels of testosterone very much higher than normal for males would also create the right hemisphere dominated brain, which could help in science. The extremes of low testosterone and high testosterone for men would create the scientific brain, and the normal range in the middle would create the 'social science' brain. The question also arises as to why more women, who have this lower level of testosterone, are not in science, which is male-dominated, with only one in 40 science professors being a
woman. The short answer is that we don't know: the high levels of estrogen in women may act differently on the brain and not give them the spatial skills that men with similar levels of the hormone have. There may be social reasons: science has been male-dominated the past and this may be putting women off entering it, even though they are able to. Why male scientists should have fewer children is not known. "The study of my colleagues at the University of Bath was also interesting in that it shows that women in social science tend to have a higher level of testosterone level relative to their estrogen level, making their brains closer to those of men in general, said Dr. Brosnan." Drew Voight
Testosterone Replacement Therapy The movie 'Grumpy Old Men' provided us a stereotype of the older adult male. Wanning sexual ability, testosterone replacement therapy , decreased strength and muscle mass, weight gain, a general lack of energy and erectile dysfunction. dysfunction. Of course, these all point to what some call "male menopause", male pmsor pmsor more specifically "andropause andropause." ." American men are fighting back the hands of time however. Ever increasing numbers are turning to male hormone replacement therapy in an attempt to fight off declines in circulating testosterone.. Even though there some experts testosterone expe rts claim the lack of reliable data on not only onl y the benefits but also the risks facing these grumpy gru mpy old men. "Although some people talk about 'male menopause,' obviously, obviously, men don't have hav e menopause. It's a misnomer," said Dr. Glenn Cunningham, a spokesman for the Endocrine Society, Society, and a professor at Baylor Ba ylor College of Medicine in Houston. But it's known men experience a horome imbalance with aging. Cunningham said another popular term -- "andropause" is probably incorrect for similar reasons. "It's been picked up by the lay press and used for some time now, however, so it's what people understand," he said. What W hat is clear is that all men experience some level of gradual decline in physical, sexual and hormonal activity as they enter middle age. Wow , just think what I've got forward to looking to huh? "There's also no question that testosterone levels decline with advancing age," said Dr. Shalender Bhasin, chief of the division of endocrinology endocr inology at Charles R. Drew University in Los Angeles, and a professor of medicine med icine at UCLA School of Medicine. "But are the [physical]
declines seen in older men related to declining testosterone levels? On that point there's no agreement," Bhasin said. A large-scale, prospective clinical trial into the risks and benefits of testosterone replace ment therapy could provide answers, of course. But at this point, "there's only about a dozen studies, all of them short-term studies that included a small sma ll number of men," Bhasin said. While some men enrolled in these smaller trials did experience some improvement, "none of these studies was large enough to show clear-cut benefits on the health of older men," Bhasin added. Risks associated with long-term use of a powerful hormone such as testosterone are equally unclear, he added. "The two major areas of controversy controver sy are whether giving testosterone therapy to older men will increase their risk r isk of prostate of prostate cancer , including other diseases, and whether it will increase or decrease their risk for heart for heart disease. disease. There's no evidence right now in either direction."
Testosterone Replacement Therapy cont. Bhasin, along with three other expert endocrinologists, recently applied to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) for a grant to fund a large-scale clinical trail into the issue, but were turned down. Instead, the IOM panel recommended a series of smaller trials that would first establish whether or not testosterone therapy had real health benefits before moving on to a large trial focused on its safety. safety. While he understands that decision, Bhasin said, "the practical consequence of this is that studies demonstrating the risks of testosterone supplementation supp lementation won't even be initiated in the coming decade." In the meantime, increased media attention and an aging population have led thousands of American men to turn to supplemental testosterone use in the absence of good scientific scien tific data, he said. "Testosterone "Testosterone sales have ha ve been growing exponentially," exponentially," Bhasin said. "In each of the past four years sales have doubled, and they are projected to have exceeded half a billion dollars this past year. Some of these sales are for unapproved indications, a nd in the age of the Internet, getting androgen products isn't very difficult." On the other hand, this surge in demand d emand indicates a legitimate and growing need among older men, he said. "People are living longer, and older men and women are interested in having a better quality of life," Bhasin said. "And that's not unreasonable." unreaso nable." Cunningham points out that declines in testosterone vary widely between individual men, and replacement therapy is certainly not for everyone. "I think only those men who have a
testosterone deficiency should be considered for replacement therapy," he said. "And if men who are 40 or 50 choose ch oose to be on treatment, they should be followed carefully." carefully." "There's tremendous polarization of opinion," Bhasin said. "There are proponents who almost recommend putting testosterone in the water supply suppl y, and then there are opponents opponen ts who believe treatment would be tantamount to malpractice. And the fact is that we just don't know." know." Drew Voight
Hormones Hollywood and independant filmmakers all know they the y can alter the way a person feels about themselves and their current life situation by what they see on the silver screen. Case in point ... whenever I see Julia Roberts up u p there, all I can think about making that long needed dental appointment. A new study though ... reveals much deeper findings. In men, testosterone levels increased after they watched scenes of violence, while a romantic film boosted a hormone in both sexes sexe s that's linked to relaxation and reproduction. "We usually think of movies and cultural products that entertain us as engaging our mind and psyche," said study co-author Oliver C. Schultheiss, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Michigan. "The interesting thing is that it goes beyond that. Our whole body responds to these artfully crafted social stimulae. They work not just on your psyche, but also on your body." body." Schultheiss and his colleagues tested the hormone hor mone levels of three groups of men and women before and after they watched romantic scenes from The Bridges of Madison County, a movie famously identified as a "chick flick" despite co-starr ing the ultimate tough guy, Clint Eastwood; scenes from The Godfather, Part II, in which a young Vito Corleone gained power and influence by killing a rival; and an innocuous nature documentary. The findings will appear in an upcoming issue of Hormones and Behavior. Levels of the hormones progesterone and testosterone remained stable after the nature documentary. Progesterone levels, however, however, rose in both men and women after watching the romantic movie. The full role of progesterone in people pe ople isn't entirely clear, Schultheiss said, although it definitely contributes to reproduction. It seemed to decrease anxiety and libido libido,, he said. "It might play a role in affiliation motivation, how we bond with other people, how much satisfaction we dra w out of close, satisfying relationships," he said. Testosterone, of course, course , is linked to aggression. aggr ession. After watching the Godfather scenes, hormone levels increased 30 percent in the men who already had the highest testosterone
levels before the tests. Those levels went down, however, after men watched Meryl Streep and Eastwood begin making a love connection in the Madison County movie. Testosterone exists in women, too, although in much smaller amounts than in men. Their levels of the hormone tended to drop dr op after watching Godfather II. However, "it's less clear what role testosterone plays in females with regard to motivations for dominance and power," Schultheiss said. Dr. Ted Ted Quigley, a reproductive endocrinologist at Scripps Memorial-La Jolla in California, cautioned that it's difficult to study hormone levels because they regu larly change on a minuteto-minute basis. Even the stress of a needle prick in a blood test can make them spike, he said. As for the effect of movies on testosterone and progesterone, he said it's well-known that "hormones affect emotions, and emotions affect hormones." He added that "watching a 'chick flick' may ma y have an effect on certain hormones, but its the impact in the real world, in everyday ever yday living, that needs to be determined." Sam Fields
Diabetes and Low Testosterone Testosterone Low testosterone production appears to be a common complication of type of type 2 diabetes in men, men , affecting one out of three diabetic patients, a new study has shown. Moreover, results of the investigation show that this condition, known clinically as hypogonadism,, is caused not by a defect in the testes, where testosterone is produced, but by hypogonadism improper functioning of the pituitary gland, which controls pr oduction of testosterone, or of the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that controls the pituitary. pituitary. "This starts a whole new story on the crucial complications of type 2 diabetes," said Paresh Dandona, senior author on the study and director of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at UB and Kaleida Health, where the study was conducted. Results of the study appeared recently in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Sandeep Dhindsa, assistant professor of medicine and first author on the study stud y, said the findings are important because hypogonadism has not been recognized as a complication of type 2 diabetes, and the high prevalence of 30 percent was unexpected. "The surprisingly high prevalence of low of low testosterone levels was associated with lower levels of pituitary hormones called gonadotrophins, suggesting that the primary defect in these patients was either in the pituitary or higher up in the hypothalamus," he said. "Since
gonadotrophins drive the testes to produce testosterone, this finding gives us an insight into the pathogenesis of this complication of type 2 diabetes." Earlier studies, including those conducted by this research group, found that diabetic subjects with erectile dysfunction and low testosterone levels often have low levels lev els of pituitary hormones. However, conclusions from prior studies have been fraught with problems with testosterone assays, Dhindsa noted. "A large portion of testosterone in the blood is bound to proteins, but a small portion is unbound and largely determines the amount of testosterone that is available to the tissues," said Dhindsa. "This active portion is called free testosterone. Assays to accurately determine it are delicate, tedious and time-consuming. "This investigation set out to determine, in a prospective prospe ctive fashion, the prevalence of low total testosterone, accurately measure free testosterone in male patients with type 2 diabetes and to attempt to determine the seat of the problem in those with low free testosterone."
Low Testosterone Study The study involved 103 consecutive males with type 2 diabetes who were referred referr ed to the Diabetes-Endocrinology Center of Western New York York for treatment. None of the men had been diagnosed previously with low testosterone levels. The resea rchers collected fasting blood samples from the participants and analyzed them for testosterone levels and for hormones associated with testosterone production. They also measured cholesterol and glucose levels, and a blood marker for how well glucose was controlled during previous months, called hemoglobin A1c. Data on height, weight and diabetic complications, including erectile dysfunction, neuropathy, retinopathy and coronary artery disease, were recorded. Results showed that nearly one-third of the men had hypogonadism. Although obesity is associated with hypogonadism and is prevalent among type 2 diabetics, only 10-15 percent of the variation in low free testosterone levels could be attributable to body mass index, Dhindsa said. More than 30 percent of lean patients also were hypogonadal. "Equally important, most of the men who had low testosterone levels also had lower levels of gonadotrophins, as compared to men with normal testosterone levels," he noted. "Furthermore, the gonadotrophin concentration in the blood correlated positively with free testosterone levels, supporting the notion that the cause of the defect is in the pituitary or hypothalamus." The high prevalence of low testosterone in diabetic men is concerning, said Dhindsa, because in addition to lowered libido and erectile dysfunction, the condition is associated with loss of muscle tone, increase in abdominal fat, loss of bone density, and can affect mood and cognition. "Further studies will help us determine why type 2 diabetic patients are more prone to developing hypogonadism," he said. "While obesity obesit y may explain part of the high prevalence of hypogonadism, it is likely that other factors associated with type 2 diabetes also contribute significantly. significantly. This area is clearly ripe for further investigation."
Drew Voight
Testosterone helps strokes Testosterone – the hormone responsible for a man's sexual characteristics – may help him recover from a stroke. Researchers will present their findings at the annual meeting of the American Neurological Association in October. “It looks like testosterone speeds up the recovery recover y from a stroke,” said Yi Pan, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of neurology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and principal investigator on the study stud y. “While the results are encouraging, this is still very preliminary and we need to do more research.”
Stroke study The scientists compared two groups of castrated rats that had suffered strokes. Half received testosterone and half a placebo. The rats that received testosterone showed significant improvement in neurological deficits while those in the control g roup did not. Based on the promising findings, plans are on the drawing board to test whether testosterone helps people recover from strokes, strokes , said Aninda B. Acharya, M.D., assistant professor of neurology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine and a researcher on the project. “We are trying to find newer, better techniques including pharmacological techniques to improve the outcomes of patients who have had strokes,” Dr. Acharya says. “Many of the techniques for physical rehabilitation re habilitation were designed for people returning from combat without a limb. They may not be applicable for stroke patients.” He acknowledges that testosterone replacement therapy usually is given to men who have low testosterone, whose symptoms include low libido libido,, poor muscle strength, depression and cognitive problems. “We’re studying giving testosterone for a different indication than people are used to. But the patients who have low testosterone have the same symptoms we treat in stroke patients. If you look at what happens to patients with strokes, their strength is affected. Their thinking is affected. They’re depressed. Their sex Their sex drive is decreased. There are all sorts of similarities. I don’t think they’re superficial similarities.” Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first M.D. degree west of the Mississippi River. Saint Louis University School of Medicine is a pioneer in geriatric medicine, organ transplantation, chronic disease prevention, cardiovascular disease, neurosciences and vaccine research, among others. The School of Medicine trains physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health services on a local, national and international level. Drew Voight
Testosterone Deprivation Deprivati on Oregon Health & Science University researchers studying how testosterone cancer therapy deprivation affects verbal memory found that men undergoing the prostate cancer therapy forget things faster than their healthy counterparts. counterpar ts. Scientists in the OHSU School of Medicine's departments of Behav ioral Neuroscience and Medicine, and the OHSU Cancer Institute, in a study presented Sunday to the Society for Neuroscience in San Diego, found that word retention drops sharply after only two minutes among men undergoing testosterone deprivation therapy ther apy..
Testosterone's Effects However, initial learning of the words, or encoding, was the same for testosterone-deprived and healthy men, according to the study titled "Androgen ablation impairs hippocampal-dependent verbal memory processes." Men who have undergone testosterone deprivation "are able to encode these words well, and if I ask them immediately, immediately, they can recall them as easily as non-hormone-deprived men," said Joseph Bussiere, a graduate student in behavioral neuroscience and the study's lead author. "But after only two minutes, there's a marked drop-off. When you stretch the time between encoding and retrieval, that's where the problem lies." In testosterone deprivation or "ablation," the testicles are surgically removed or medications are given to block the production of male hormones, principally principall y testosterone, that can promote prostate cancer growth. This common treatment for prostate cancer wipes out most male hormones found in the body.
Testosterone's Importance Bussiere and Jeri Janowsky Jano wsky,, Ph.D., professor of behavioral neuroscience neuros cience and neurology, OHSU School of Medicine, say the rapid drop in memory suggests the lack of and low testosterone levels affects the function of the hippocampus, a curved, elongated ridge in the brain that controls learning and memory. memory. In fact, Janowsky said, similar deficits - the ability to encode information initially but forget it quickly - is seen in individuals with well-known cognitive disorders. "A colleague looked at (the study results) and sa id, 'Wow, 'Wow, that looks exactly like what happens with a lesion in the hippocampus,'" Janowsky said. "When others have done studies like this on people who have hippocampal damage from early Alzheimer's disease or lesions due to strokes, this is the pattern." The study examined 30 individuals - 14 men undergoing androgen deficiency treatment for prostate cancer and 16 healthy, age-matched men - from the Portland area. Participants were shown lists of words and, to encode them, were asked to identify whether the words were in capital or lowercase letters, which requires shallow or "perceptual" processing, or whether they
represented objects that occurred in nature or were artificially made, which requires deep or "semantic" processing. Participants were then shown another list containing words they'd just seen as well as new words and were asked whether they'd seen each word before. This test was performed at three time intervals: immediately, after two minutes and after 12 minutes. Low Testosterone men can "immediately get the information in, but then the hippocampus hippocampu s can't consolidate it and send it off for storage," Janowsky said. "When you look at their memory, they're perfectly normal when they're immediately asked to recall reca ll something, but they can't hold or save the information as well in order to recall it over ove r a retention interval, over a period of time. They're faster at forgetting."
Low Testosterone Effects These results, Bussiere and Janowsky say, point to a negative effect of testosterone deprivation in the hippocampus, which is responsible for storing information from the first few seconds on. Both the prefrontal cortex and hippocampal memory systems commonly show declines with aging and are associated with problems in attention and memory. "But for longterm memory, the critical structure is the hippocampus. It doesn't mean the prefrontal cortex doesn't participate, but it's the hippocampus that's important for these results. After the information gets in, the hippocampus and other nearby structures are responsible for processing and storing it over minutes, to days and weeks," Janowsky said. Janowsky, Janowsky, whose laboratory focuses on o n how cognition changes with aging, said healthy health y older men, on average, have about a 40 percent loss in their normal levels of testosterone as they age, from the ages of 20 or 30, to 70, but that some men in their 80s can c an have normal and high testosterone levels like men half their age. "This is an important first step in an effort to fully understand how prostate cancer therapies adversely affect memory and other brain functions, and to develop therapies that do not produce such undesirable u ndesirable effects," said Tomasz Tomasz Beer, M.D., associate professor of medicine and director of the OHSU Cancer Institute Prostate Cancer Research Program. Beer was a coinvestigator in the effort. Drew Voight
Symptoms of Low Testosterone According to a national survey surve y of Canadian men and their female partners, most couples have little awareness about the signs of low of low testosterone and associate the symptoms merely with old age. In fact, more than half are more likely to attribute them to a mid-life crisis, women notably more so than men (53%). The survey, conducted by Leger Marketing, found that 70 per cent of respondents when given the list of symptoms s ymptoms for low testosterone were unable to name this medical condition, a hormonal insufficiency that leaves men feeling their age. Characterized predominantly by a reduced sex drive that may result in erectile difficulties, difficulties,
the symptoms of testosterone of testosterone deficiency can include depressed mood; lack of energy; reduced muscle mass; and decreased bone density. density. "While all men experience a decline in testosterone levels as they grow older, after the age of 45, ongoing emotional, physical and sexual symptoms may signal a testosterone insufficiency that makes daily activities challenging," said Dr. Jerald Bain, endocrinologist and president of the Canadian Society for the Study of the Aging Male. "Today "Today,, low testosterone is a medical condition that can be easily treated to restore r estore testosterone levels and improve quality of life. If left untreated longer term, testosterone insufficiency has the potential to res ult in an increased risk for other health conditions such as anemia and osteoporosis." Among the majority of couples surveyed (51%) said a decrease in the man's strength or endurance affected their day-to-day life, while falling asleep after dinner and a decrease in sex drive affected one-third (37% and 31% respectively). If the men were to have greater energy levels, both men and women agreed that they would most likely increase walking, hiking and sexual activities. Despite the implications, more than half said they hav e not seen a doctor to discuss any of these symptoms, although they the y would if they knew that their symptoms were part of a treatable condition. Less than 10 per cent of respondents said their doctor has ever discussed testosterone insufficiency with them.
Symptoms of Low Testosterone Most couples do not recognize the full range of symptoms of low testosterone, and instead a single symptom may be addressed rather r ather than the underlying medical condition. Notably Notabl y, onein-four men surveyed said they have taken some type of vitamin supplement or medication to help with energy levels, a factor identified as having an affect on their daily lives. The Androgen Deficiency in Aging Aging Men (ADAM) Questionnaire is a useful tool to help he lp men identify symptoms of testosterone insufficiency and can act as a guide for discussion between men and their doctors. The 10-question self-screening self-scre ening tool can be found online at canadianagingmale.com . The range of treatment options for testosterone insufficiency include the AndroGel once-a-day 1 per cent testosterone gel pump dispenser or sachet, as well as multi-dose tablets, weekly injections by a physician, phy sician, or a patch that is applied to the arm. "Men, along with their partners, should speak to their doctor about all symptoms of low acc urate diagnosis and the most effective testosterone that persist over time to ensure an accurate treatment," said Dr. Bain, who presented at the first North American Congress on The Th e Aging Male in Vancouver Vancouver this past week. "Important health issues associated with male aging, such as the effects of low testosterone, are gaining fast recognition and increased attention from the medical community." Drew Voight
How to make Testosterone
Well, I decided after my last report I'm not responsible for being a wimp. I think I've got low testosterone and I need to learn how to make testosterone . I'm 32 years old and I'm just now no w starting to not become erect like I used to. There, I said it. I'm starting to loose my ability to perform. But in researching this topic, I've discovered for you (and myself) how we can increase our testosterone levels and possibly decrease my m y, I mean your "shortcomings".
Low Testosterone How do you know if you've got low levels of testosterone? Here's a quick list: Decreased sex drive. drive. Decreased ability to perform. Increase in body weight. Difficulty concentrating on task at hand. Under chronic stress (business/relationship). Decreased energy en ergy.. I don't know about you...but I've got 4 out of 6. A study in 1996 reported in the New England Journal of Medicine followed three groups of men. One group was given testosterone and prescribed a strength training program, one group was given testosterone and told not to exercise and one group was just given a training program without testosterone. To no surprise the group who exercised on testosterone gained the most muscle and lost the most fat, but to the researchers resea rchers surprise the group grou p who took testosterone without exercise actually had greater grea ter improvement in muscle and fat composition than the group who trained without it. They also reported repor ted improved sexual performance. performance. How come I never got a chance to get in on those kind of studies on campus? Oh well, I did discover 13 ways to increase incr ease "the juice" inside of me safely and naturally... naturally...
Get rid of the flopping belly If you ever say "do these pants make my flesh apron show" listen up. Carrying excess body fat elevates your estrogren levels and THAT can cause your testosterone levels to sink says Joseph Zmuda, Ph.D at the University of Pittsburg. On top of that, you'll grow a pair of fetching breasts. Comedian Louie Anderson is fitting proof. Two or three extra pounds won't cause this hormone shift; it occurs once your roughly 20% over your ideal body weight.
Loose only one pound per week What you DON'T want to do is starve yourself while exercising like a madman. One of the many reasons this stops working in your late 20's, early 30's and when your natural testosterone levels start dropping is pretty simple: Cutting your caloric intake by more than 15% makes your brain think you're starving, so it shuts down testosterone production to wait
out the famine. "There's no need to reproduce if you're starving" explains e xplains Thomas Incledon, C.S.C.s., R.D., of Human Performance Specialist in Plantation Florida. Ironically, this dive in circulating testosterone stops you from buring body fat efficiently, efficiently, so you're actually stopping your hard efforts to melt the spare tire.
Have morning nookie I'm all over this one...now I just need a partner. Scientist in Germany (seems like all the good stuff and findings come from those guys) found that simply having an erection causes your circulating free testosterone levels to rise dramatically and significantly. On top of that having an erection will burn fat. Well right now I'm burning fat and it's 7:30 am, I need to go! Sam Fields
Increase Testosterone Whew...it's Whew...it's 8:00 am and I feel like a new man. I wonder if my m y barber can do a good close-cropped hair cut? So ... obviouosly after going after my previous list I do indeed have a low testosterone problem. That could explain alot of different things. Now what can I do to increase my m y testosterone ... where's that list?
Now, let's see where I was...oh yeah here's the rest of my list to increase testosterone naturally.
Skip the Fad Diets Research suggests that eating a high protein, low carb diet can cramp your testosterone your testosterone levels.. High amounts of dietary protein in your blood can eventually lower the amount of levels testosterone produced in your testes. (there go my power bar snacks) Your Your protein intake should be about 16% of your daily calories. If you're the average 170 pound man eating 2,900 calories per day, you should be eating as part of that 140 grams o f protein which is about the amount found in two breasts (chicken, not hers) and a 6 ounce can of tuna.
Stick with Tough Exercises To beef up your testosterone levels, the bulk of your workouts should involve "compound" weight-lifting exercises that train several large muscle mus cle groups, and not just one or two t wo smaller muscles (say like your eyelids). Example: studies show that doing squats, bench presses or
back rows increase your levels more than doing curls, tricep push-downs, etc...even though the effort may seem and feel the same. That's why doing squats can c an help you build bigger biceps. If taking a squat would do the same thing, I'd be the next Hulk Hogan.
Do Five Reps Per Set Throwing around 5 pound dumbells d umbells won't help you effect a rise in testosterone, neither will lifting 12 packs. Start off by using a heavy weight that you can only lift five times. That weight is around 85% of your one-rep one-r ep maximum. A Swedish study found that this workload produced the greatest boosts in testosterone levels in men. men. They also found it created a hunger for Lutefisk and Volvo's.
Do Three Sets of Each Movement Penn State University scientists determined that this fosters grea ter increases in testosterone than just one or two sets. Rest a full minute between bet ween sets (use this time to perform a thongcheck), so you can regain enough strength to continue lifting at least 70% of your one-rep maximum during the second and third sets. s ets.
Rest Harder than You Work Out If you overtrain - meaning you don't allow your body to recuperate adequately between your training sessions - your circulating testosterone levels can plunge by as much as 40 PERCENT as was discovered by studies performed at the University of North Carolina. The symptoms of over training aren't hard to miss: irritability, insomnia, muscle shrinkage and collecting Enya cd's. T To o avoid overtraining, make sure you sleep a full 8 hours at night and never stress the same muscles with weight-lifting movements two days in a row. Getting adequate rest is probably one of the best testosterone increasers underutilized by men everywhere. OK, let's look at my planner from today: Had an erection, had morning sex, lost one pound po und today, today, quit my Adkins diet, did 5 reps of push-ups. I'm becoming a stud. Next time, I'll try to finish my 13 ways (5 more to go) but don't push it or I'll slap ya to the ground like the girlie you are. Sam Fields
Testosterone Levels in Men Men who want to become fathers adjust their testosterone their testosterone levels to make conception more likely, according to new research. Katharina Hirschenhauser, an expert in sex hormones, and her team at the Institute of Applied Psychology in Lisbon, Portugal, set out to see if there was any link between men's testosterone levels and their sexual behaviour.
They asked 27 volunteers to measure the testosterone in their saliva every morning for 90 days. Over the same period, the men also recorded their sex lives in intimate detail, documenting the "intensity" of each encounter, whether with their regular partner or not. All the men had different patterns of testosterone peaks and troughs over the period. But in men trying for a baby, peaks in testosterone levels coincided far more often with per iods of intense sexual activity. Hirschenhauser says the finding shows men can subconsciousl y influence their hormone levels. "Males can be responsive to their partners, but only on ly if they want to be," she says. Jim Pfaus, an expert in sexual neurobiology neuro biology at Concordia University in Montreal, says sa ys this could overturn a common and uncharitable belief about men. "We tend to think of the little brain being disconnected from the big brain," he says. Coordinating sexual activity with peaks in testosterone mak es sense for men who want to be fathers. Rises in testosterone also trigger a hormonal pathway that increases sperm production, making conception more likely. "In short, you're less likely to shoot blanks," says Pfaus. There may be more to it than wannabe fathers simply having more sex when their testosterone is high, adds Pfaus. It is well known that women are more receptive to sex around aro und the time of ovulation. Previous studies have also shown that women who live together synchronise their periods - probably through pheromonal cues. Perhaps, says Pfaus, men who want a baby respond directly to their partner's pheromones and synchronise their testosterone peaks with the mid point of their partner's cycle, when they are most likely to conceive. Hormones and Behavior (vol 42, p 172) Sam Fields
On top of the Testosterone World Allrighty then. I've got a new haircut, met a girl from the Internet (she comes over in the mornings) and I'm working out harder which is increasing my testosterone levels . Let me check my list so far of things that will increase my Testosterone Testosterone levels ...
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Get rid of the flopping belly Loose only a pound every week Have morning sex (thanks Mary and thank-you chat rooms!) Skip the Adkins diet crap Stick with tough exercises Do 5 rep's per set Do 3 sets of each weight lifting movement Rest harder than you work out
Let me check that journal...oh yeah here's the rest ...
Make nuts your midnight snack "Nuts are good for your nuts" my physiology professor told us in school. Studies found that men who ate diets rich in monounsaturated fat - the kind found in peanuts - had the highest levels of testosterone. It's not really understood wh y this happens but some scientists believe that the monounsaturated fats have a direct effect on the testes. Nuts, olive oil, canola oil and peanut butter are all good sources. sour ces. It also explains the high birth rate in the state of Georgia.
Drive home sober To maintain a healthy count (that's count with an "O") cut yourself off after three drinks. Binge drinking will kill your testosterone levels. Maybe that's why my frat brothers girlfriends never got pregnant? The truth is, alcohol affects the endocrine system, s ystem, causing your testes to stop its production. That's one reason why drinking often causes ca uses you to loose your erection at the moment of truth - or to start blubbering about your ex-girl like Jimmy Swaggert.
Have a sandwhich in the afternoon Your body needs a steady and ready supply suppl y of calories to make your testosterone so regularly skipping meals or going for long stretches s tretches without eating can cause your levels to plummet. Maybe that's why Wardens don't feed their prisioners?
Convince her to buy fried tortilla chips
Eat a diet of 30% fat and not much less. Your Your body needs dietary fat to produce testosterone so eating like a vegetarian aerobics instructor will diminish you to drastic low levels. This is bad....unless your actually a vegetarian aerobics aerob ics instructor. Plus it gives her something to vacuum up while you watch the game.
Stop surfing for porn until 2 a.m. Although it's fun trying to close all of the pop-up windows on your favorite porn sites, Sleeping less than 7-8 hours a night nig ht can screw up your body's circadian rhythm. That's why it's no wonder your testosterone levels lev els are higher in the morning after a good goo d night's sleep. So if your work or social schedule keeps you stooped over in perpetual jet lag, you will stop craving sex. Well, that covers all 13 ways to increase your testosterone naturally. It's It's late and I just closed my last pop-up window (hey, nobody's perfect) and I gotta get to bed. Mary's coming in the morning. Sam Fields
Increasing Free Testosterone What do trial lawyers, masculine women, violent criminals, hell-raising frat boys, German soccer fans and battle-hardened Marines have in common? Close-cropped haircuts right? Wrong. Actually it's high levels of free testosterone . Jim Dabbs PhD, a social psychologist at Georgia State University discovered all of the above groups were frothing with the male hormone testosterone testosterone.. In fact saliva tests revealed most of them had testosterone levels 10%-20% above average.
On top of the Testosterone World Allrighty then. I've got a new haircut, met a girl from the Internet (she comes over in the mornings) and I'm working out harder which is increasing my testosterone levels . Let me check my m y list so far of things that will increase my Testosterone Testosterone levels ...
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Get rid of the flopping belly Loose only a pound every week Have morning sex (thanks Mary and thank-you chat rooms!) Skip the Adkins diet crap Stick with tough exercises Do 5 rep's per set Do 3 sets of each weight lifting movement Rest harder than you work out
Let me check that journal...oh yeah here's the rest ...
Make nuts your midnight snack "Nuts are good for your nuts" my physiology professor told us in school. Studies found that men who ate diets rich in monounsaturated fat - the kind found in peanuts - had the highest levels of testosterone. It's not really understood wh y this happens but some scientists believe that the monounsaturated fats have a direct effect on the testes. Nuts, olive oil, canola oil and peanut butter are all good sources. sour ces. It also explains the high birth rate in the state of Georgia.
Drive home sober To maintain a healthy count (that's count with an "O") cut yourself off after three drinks. Binge drinking will kill your testosterone levels. Maybe that's why my frat brothers girlfriends never got pregnant? The truth is, alcohol affects the endocrine system, s ystem, causing your testes to stop its production. That's one reason why drinking often causes ca uses you to loose your erection at the moment of truth - or to start blubbering about your ex-girl like Jimmy Swaggert.
Have a sandwhich in the afternoon Your body needs a steady and ready supply suppl y of calories to make your testosterone so regularly skipping meals or going for long stretches s tretches without eating can cause your levels to plummet. Maybe that's why Wardens don't feed their prisioners?
Convince her to buy fried tortilla chips
Eat a diet of 30% fat and not much less. Your Your body needs dietary fat to produce testosterone so eating like a vegetarian aerobics instructor will diminish you to drastic low levels. This is bad....unless your actually a vegetarian aerobics aerob ics instructor. Plus it gives her something to vacuum up while you watch the game.
Stop surfing for porn until 2 a.m. Although it's fun trying to close all of the pop-up windows on your favorite porn sites, Sleeping less than 7-8 hours a night nig ht can screw up your body's circadian rhythm. That's why it's no wonder your testosterone levels lev els are higher in the morning after a good goo d night's sleep. So if your work or social schedule keeps you stooped over in perpetual jet lag, you will stop craving sex. Well, that covers all 13 ways to increase your testosterone naturally. It's It's late and I just closed my last pop-up window (hey, nobody's perfect) and I gotta get to bed. Mary's coming in the morning Adrian Dobbs, M.D. of Johns Hopkins University Universit y stated clearly..."Having clearly..."Having a normal testosterone level is critical for maintaining lean muscle mass, sexual potenc y and cognitive function". Ken Goldberg M.D. of the Male Health Center in Dallas states between 8- 12 million men have low or borderline low testosterone levels and 95% of them don't know it. Now don't think just because your under 30 years of age you're invincible. Research shows that Men in their late 20's have decreased dec reased testosterone levels. Testosterone levels are at their highest normally n ormally during a man’s early twenties and naturally naturall y decline with age, gradually declining to about 20% of their maximum. While you are almost assured to have diminished testosterone at an advanced age, a number of other factors are now known to accelerate testosterone loss at early ages. Stress, physical inactivity, excessive training, illness, smoking, alcohol and the use of both prescription and "recreational" drugs, can contribute to less than ideal levels of testosterone. All of these things are pervasive in our society and have contributed to the onset of the low testosterone syndrome. Damn. I thought I was safe. I guess I better put down my glazed donught, get off the couch and do some pushups or something... Until now, the only reliable way to restore normal testosterone has been throug h prescription testosterone medications. However, these treatments typically include the use of irritating and unconcealed patches, painful injections, surgical implants or toxic pills. But guess what I discovered? Restoring testosterone to a normal level is painless and once you do, you'll ... •
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Increase your muscle mass Enhance your ability to burn fat. Improve your libido your libido and sexual performance Improve your ability to cope with stress. Improve your memory, concentration and visual acuity
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Protect you from heart disease Protect your prostate
Testosterone can be increased. I'll tell you how in my next report...I feel like I'd better go jog or something Sam Fields
Testosterone Information Testosterone is the most important representative of the male sex hormones collectively called androgens. Using cholesterol as a base, the male gonads (testes) produce between 4 and 10 mg of testosterone per day. day. Testosterone Testosterone itself is responsible for three major functions in animals. 1) The development of secondary male sex characteristics also called the androgenic functions of testosterone. Some examples of these characteristics are increased growth gr owth of body hair, beard growth, deep voice, increased production of sebaceous glands, development of the penis penis,, aggressiveness, sexual behavior, libido libido,, and the maturation of sperm of sperm..
re sponsible for the highly anabolic 2) Promotion of the protein biosynthesis that are responsible characteristics of testosterone. This is a pretty important function. It accelerates muscle buildup, increases the formation of red blood cells, speeds up regeneration, and speeds up recovery time after injuries or illness. It also stimulates the entire metabolism which results in the burning of bodyfat. 3) Inhibition of the gonad regulating cycle, including the hypothalamohypophysial h ypothalamohypophysial testicular axis, which regulates the amount of testosterone produced in the organism. If the testosterone levels in the blood is high, the testes will signal the hypothalymus h ypothalymus to release less LHRH (leutenizing hormone releasing hormone). Thus the hypophysis releases less gonadotropin LH (leutenizing hormone) and FSH (folic ( folic stimulating hormone). Consequently, Consequently, the Leydig's cells in the testes reduces the production of testosterone. In other words, if you have too much testosterone, your body will tell itself to reduce or even stop production of it until it is back down to its normal levels.
During puberty, testosterone levels are at their lifetime peak. They begin to decline around the age of 23. This is where testosterone therapy comes into play. Many men and women suffer s uffer from the lack of important hormones and testosterone replacement therapy is simply the most effective way to combat the signs of aging. Jim Shaw
Testosterone Increasers
While looking for answers on how to increase levels of Testosterone, Testosterone, I happen to stumble upon some of the following recent studies
Soy increases Testosterone While soy is a powerhouse in the fields of heart health and cancer fighting, boosting anabolic hormone levels isn't its forte. In fact, results of a recent report suggest sugges t that isoflavones found in soy, such as genistein may be indiscriminately targeting valuable testosterone while doing the work of eliminating bad estrogen. A Japanese study found that men who ate the greatest amount of soy products not only had the lowest levels of estrogen, they also had the lowest levels of testosterone. It seems that too much genistein and other soy flavones reduces testosterone production byt he testes and increases its desctruction by the liver. This is not to say you should avoid soy products, which have a number of healthy benefits. Just don't overdo it on edamame and avoid high-dose supplementation of isoflavones.
Glutamine increases Testosterone Another way to increase IGF-1 levels is to take growth hormone shots. However, these trendy GH injections increase the risk of cancer, carpal tunnel syndrome and high blood pressure. In fact, GH shots are more expensive per ounce than reactor grade plutonium. An alternative may be to take 10 to 15 grams of glutamine each day. In a study performed, as little as 2 grams of glutamine per day da y was found to produce a significant rise in GH levels without negative side effects.
Meal cycling increases Testosterone For years bodybuilders have hav e used cycling eating patterns to great advantage. A popular method is to cycle calories every ever y 14 days as a way to optimize anabolic anabo lic homrone levels while minimizing fat gains. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed the effects of 21 days of eating more calories than normal. Insulin, testosterone and IGF-1 levels rose progressively pr ogressively and peaked at day 14. After 14 days, anabolic hormone levels began to decline. A researcher from Sweden, S weden, Torbjorn Torbjorn Akerfeldt suggests adding a two week "bulking" phase to your eating plan in conjunction co njunction with intense weight training. The best approach to doing a two week "eat big" phase is to take in more substantial meals more often, emphasizing whole grain products, fruits, nuts, fish and poultry over Domino's and Krispy Kremes.
Workout fuel What you eat, or don't eat, before you go to the gym has a big impact on the GH bang you'll get from your workout.
In a study found in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, scientists found that eating a fatty meal 10 minutes prior to high intensity cycling blunted the resulting GH surge by by 54 percent. However, eating a carb rich meal before (even a zero calorie meal) did not hamper the GH release at all. Conclusion: If you like to eat a small meal before your workout and want full anabolic benefit from GH, keep the fat content low. Drew Voight
Testosterone deficiencies are becoming more common in younger and younger youn ger men. Low testosterone, once the sole-possesion of older men, now is standing upon the doorstep doo rstep of the thirty-something crowd
Midlife Crisis in Men Welcome to your midlife crisis where men notice that their former youthful exuberance and ravenous virility are slowly diminishing when they reach the age of 40 and onwards. The culprit? It's rather simple .... steadily decreasing levels of the male hormone testosterone. This is when males experience hair loss, loss, bone loss, insomnia or other sleeping problems, and problems with memory memor y and calculation. They often feel cranky crank y, fatigued, and less motivated. Or sometimes these are accompanied by b y sweating and flushing, loss of muscle mass and strength, aches and pains, increased fat, decreased performance in the bedroom or erectile or erectile dysfunction,, and depression. dysfunction Most men who reach midlife will basically experience one or all of these in varying degrees. Rather similar to the female menopause, this male phenomenon is what is known as andropause.. Also called Partial Androgen Deficiency andropause Deficienc y in the Ageing Male (or PADAM) or Aging Male Syndrome (AMS), it refers to the natural and gradual decline of testosterone (or the male hormone) levels starting at the age of 30 and which continue to do so at a staggering rate of 10 percent per decade. Since testosterone is a hormone that helps maintain sex drive, drive, sperm production, production, pubic and body hair, muscle, and bone, the consequences of andropause slowly emerge as a man ages. This “mid-life crisis” poses a great impact in the quality of most men’s lives. Life is finally taking its toll on the aging body. body. Moreover, andropause leads to other long-term and silent effects such as increased cardiovascular risk and osteoporosis osteoporosis..
But you can opt to battle it out and alleviate or even avoid the symptoms brought about by by andropause. You You should have a strategy that incorporates lifestyle approaches such as optimal diet, regular exercise, stress management, and reduction of tobacco and alcohol intake. Jim Shaw
Testosterone Cream Testosterone cream is a form of testosterone of testosterone hormone replacement therapy that is used to raise the levels of testosterone in males that are experiencing a deficiency deficienc y. When men have a low testosterone level in their body, they generally experience several different symptoms that can adversely affect their quality of life. These symptoms include: •
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Hair loss and premature balding (keeping in mind that this can be hereditary and not related to a deficiency). Problems with the reproductive and sexual organs. Weakening bone mass. Mood swings, anxiety, and depression. Fat deposits that are difficult to get rid of through exercise. Impotence.. Impotence Decrease in sex drive. drive.
When the above symptoms occur, a doctor will prescribe testosterone hor mone therapy to increase testosterone levels in the body and to alleviate some of the deficiency symptoms.
Testosterone Cream Side Effects When testosterone cream is applied, there are some side effects that can occur. In most cases the side effects are mild; yet they can grow more severe if untreated. These side effects can include: •
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Depression, anxiety, anxiety, and possible mood disorders. Indigestion and other stomach disorders. High blood pressure due to fluid retention. Headaches and dizziness. Prostate problems. (Keep in mind that men who already have prostate problems won’t be able to use testosterone cream or any other type of testosterone therapy.) Skin irritation where the testosterone cream is applied.
And just in case your the curious type, or if you would simply like to know kno w, here's how to apply Testosterone cream ..
Drew Voight
Testosterone Cream Application Testosterone cream is easy eas y to use, easy to apply and very ver y effective against Testosterone deficiency.. More and more doctors are prescribing testosterone cream because there is less deficiency chance of skin irritation then when a testosterone patch or gel is used. The testosterone cream is applied once every 24 hours and can be applied to different areas of the body that include the upper uppe r arms, shoulders, thighs, and stomach area. If irritation occurs the testosterone cream can be applied to other areas of the body and the location can be rotated to further reduce the possibility of skin irritation. Testosterone cream can be used use d for a continuous eight weeks before a break is needed. There is a strong demand for research advancements with respect to testosterone creams. This demand is increased for men with prostate problems, who cannot use testosterone creams (or gels, or any other kind of topical solution for testosterone deficiency). As a result of this push for more research, some natural methods have been researched. Although these natural methods of testosterone of testosterone therapy aren’t reportedly as fast and effective as compared to testosterone cream, the preliminary research results are still quite positive Drew Voight
Testosterone Deficiency A testosterone deficiency means that the body is deficient in the hormone needed for the adequate development of the male reproductive and sexual organ. This includes the proper development of the prostate, the penis, the scrotum, the testicles and poor clothing choices. Reasons for a testosterone deficiency arise when damage has occurred to the areas of the body that control the secretion of the testosterone hormone. In addition, as men age, testosterone levels in the body start to decline even though Testosterone is produced by the pituitary gland, the testicles, and the hypothalamus.
When a male has a testosterone deficiency, deficiency, other areas of health are affected. This includes the distribution of fat, muscle growth, the concentration of bone mass, and the way the hair grows. A testosterone deficiency can also affect the way a man feels sexually, and can affect the amount of energy that he has as well as sex drive. drive.
Testosterone Deficiency Problems There are three different types of testosterone deficiencies. In some cases, there can be a testosterone deficiency from birth. This testosterone deficiency is kno wn as a “congenital” problem. In most cases, however, a testosterone deficiency occurs for other reasons and is generally classified according to where the problem first occurs. These types of testosterone deficiency are: •
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Primary testosterone deficiency (testicles) Secondary testosterone deficiency (pituitary gland) Tertiary testosterone deficiency( hypothalamus)
There are many reasons (aside from aging) that can cause testosterone deficiency, including: •
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An infection such as the mumps or syphilis syphilis.. Any radiation treatment. Trauma or damage to the testicles. A course of chemotherapy. Trauma or damage to the pituitary gland. Trauma or damage to the hypothalamus. Any tumor on the testicles, pituitary gland, or hypothalamus.
Continue with Testosterone Deficiency Help .. Drew Voight
Testosterone Deficiency Help The solution for a testosterone deficiency is a hormone replacement therapy known as “testosterone “testosterone replacement therapy”. therapy”. This type of hormone therapy needs to be taken permanently to alleviate the symptoms of a testosterone deficiency. deficiency. A doctor will help to decide which type of hormone therapy will work best. There are several ways that testosterone replacement can occur and not each treatment option works for every guy. •
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Orally. Oral capsules are taken once a day. By injection. Injections are give once every two weeks. Implants. Implants are placed in the lower area of the stomach and need to replaced every six months. Testosterone Gels. Gels . Testosterone Patches. Patches . Wearing a patch will give a consistent daily release of testosterone. Testosterone Creams. Creams .
New studies show that alternative methods of treatment are available to treat testosterone deficiency. deficiency. It’s vital that males choosing alternative forms of testosterone hormone replacement monitor their condition carefully. •
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Diet and exercise. Many times males forget that what they eat and how much they exercise can have an effect on their entire well being. Men need to concentrate on their nutrition as much as females do but this is often overlooked as men reach for high fat foods that are easy to prepare and eat. Reflexology.. Reflexology is when certain reflex points on the body are Reflexology manipulated. Studies show that when the pituitary gland is stimulated by reflexology that testosterone levels in males can increase. I know this sounds bizzare, but recent studies from major Universities are confirming this fact. They don't know why it happens, they just know it happens.
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Acupuncture. I'm no expert but if you don't have a problem with needles, the reported results on increasing testosterone and reversing any deficiencies are pretty remarkable. Strength training exercises. Utilizing the larger and stronger core body muscles will automatically kick whatever Testosterone Testosterone production your body has into overdrive. Think of strength training as your own nonprescription steroid enhancer.
Reversing testosterone deficiencies can also be done naturally, as long as the effort is made and rigorously followed. Drew Voight
Testosterone Gel Testosterone gels are a fairly new form of hormone therapy that many doctors are prescribing to raise the levels of testosterone in men around the world suffering from testosterone deficiency. deficiency. Low levels of testosterone lead to mood swings, hair loss, impotence impotence,, weakening of the bones and a low sex drive. drive. Testosterone gels provide a steady and constant level of testosterone to the body via the skin. The testosterone is absorbed into the body over a period of 24 hours before the next dose is applied. When using a testosterone gel for low testosterone, there is the possibility that the gel can come into contact with a partner or with children, so males using a gel may want to choose body skin that won’t come into direct contact with someone else. Another drawback to using a testosterone gel is that they are more expensive to use than other types of testosterone of testosterone therapies.. therapies
Testosterone Gel Application Testosterone gels are colorless and easy to apply. They are a mixture of water, alcohol, and the testosterone hormone. Testosterone Testosterone gel is clear and dries extremely fast. The gel is applied once every 24 hours and during this time period the testosterone levels in the male body are regulated and normalized. When a testosterone patch is used there is often some degree of irritation to the skin that can occur. This possibility of skin rash and itchiness is decreased with the use of testosterone gels. The gel can be applied at various var ious locations on the body, such as the shoulders, arms, stomach area, and thighs and because of its ease of use, and minimal skin irritation, using testosterone gel is becoming the primary choice for men undergoing testosterone replacement therapy. therapy. Drew Voight
Testosterone Patches Testosterone patches are ar e available via medical prescription, and are designed to help men recover from low testosterone levels (a male hormone that is necessary for the optimal health). Younger and younger men are learning their symptoms aren't just from too much studying or too much partying.
When men have a low amount of testosterone they can experience the following symptoms: s ymptoms: •
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Tiredness - Fatigue Depression Impotence Loss of interest in sex Hair loss Problems with the male sexual s exual and reproductive organs functioning properly
Prescribed by a physician, the testosterone patch works by passing a constant and steady dose of testosterone of testosterone into the body via the skin. Since testosterone patches patch es deliver an active male hormone transdermally, their use must be monitored carefully since there are some short term and long term side effects that must be considered.
Testosterone Patch Use Testosterone patches are ar e easy to use and to apply app ly.. The patches can be applied to different d ifferent areas of the body depending on what type of patch they are. A testoderm patch is applied each day to the skin on the scrotum. This is because becaus e the skin on the scrotum is thin which allows for the easy transfer of testosterone into the body. body. These types of testosterone patches are worn at least 22 hours of each day, and the dose can be continued for no more than eight weeks. Another type of testosterone patch is the androderm andr oderm patch. These testosterone patches can c an be applied to different areas of the body, such as the thighs, back, arms, and stomach. Patches are left on for a full 24 hours before being replaced with a new one. The area of the body where these testosterone patches are applied should be alternated at least once every seven days to avoid skin irritation. The dose of testosterone from the testosterone patches can be continued for up to eight weeks. When applying any testosterone patch, it’s important to shave the skin, wash it well, and keep it dry when applying. As soon as there is any skin irritation, or other side effects, a doctor should be consulted before continuing treatment.
Drew Voight
Male Menopause If you think only women experience the uncomfortable s ymptoms of menopause, think again. Experts say erectile dysfunction, dysfunction, tiredness, low sex drive and even middle-age paunch can be telltale symptoms of male menopause or andropause or andropause..
Four million U.S. men may be affected, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine in January. "There's probably a lot more than we think," said Dr. Robert Waldbaum, chairman of the department of urology at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset. "If we had a good test for the level of active testosterone that works in the body, then we would be able to diagnose a lot more men and help a lot more people through this aging process." "Testosterone is the major male hormone," said Dr. Craig Niederberger, chief of the division of andrology at the University of Illinois in Chicago. "It makes guys virile. We call it an androgen or an anabolic steroid, meaning one that builds up the body. It gives them muscle mass, libido libido,, keeps them from becoming depressed, gives them energy and dense bone structure. In a certain odd sense, it's the male equivalent equiva lent of estrogen, but it acts opposite. Testosterone Testosterone makes the guy a guy. Estrogen makes the woman a woman." In females, estrogen levels drop rapidly rapidl y, bringing menopausal symptoms, such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes and mood swings. In men, menopause is more gradual. Testosterone levels start to decline around age 30 3 0 and drop at a rate of 1 percent per year thereafter, there after, said Dr. John Morley, Morley, an endocrinologist and chairman of the division of geriatric medicine at Saint Louis University School of Medicine in St. Louis. When testosterone levels drop far enough, it can cause low sex drive, anemia, depression, and emotional, psychological and behavioral changes. "Some men age, and their testosterone levels stay the way they were all along. There are men whose testosterone is low who can still produce sperm to fertilize women," Waldbaum said. "It's not the clear definition that female menopause is." "Many people we see tend to find they the y don't do as well in sports," Morley Morle y said. "Their golf game is off. They lose height because of osteoporosis. They're not as strong as they were. They're not thinking well. That's been shown in controlled studies."
Testosterone replacement Although controversial, testosterone replacement therapy is widely available. It carries the potential for serious side effects, including infertility and acceleration of tumor gro wth if
prostate cancer is cancer is present. In the past, the only option was weekly wee kly or monthly injections. "The downside was you would have a sudden increase that dropped down precipitously," said Dr. Bruce Gilbert, a urologist in Great Neck. "Y " You would have highs and lows, and it wouldn't be as your body would normally produce it." Now, men find relief in an assortment of gels, creams and testosterone patches that help in increasing testosterone levels. levels. Some men say the improvement is remarkable. "It's difficult to capture, but the men who take it say sa y they feel much better, and when they stop taking it, they feel terrible," Morley said. "Overwhelmingly, it improves your enthusiasm for sex and your s ex life. A number of my patients say their golf game is improved, impro ved, and that they hit a baseball better and farther. Others say it's not worth it." Robert, a 72-year-old male from Nassau Nas sau County, County, who doesn't want his last name used, has been taking testosterone for the past five years. "It keeps me energetic. I take it so I don't sit in a chair and stare into space. I take it to avoid the feeling of malaise and fatigue." Doctors believe the effect may be psychological, as well as physiological. According to Dr. Barry Shepard, a urological surgeon with Winthrop-University Hospital in Mineola, "When a guy has no sex drive and his erections are poor and we say sa y, 'we found the reason; you have low testosterone, testosterone, and we're going to replace it,' after a week they tell me they feel great. Physiologically, Physiologically, that's impossible, but there is some psychology ps ychology to this." Drew Voight
Equi-Bolan Sometimes spelled as EquiBolon , this muscle-building supplement is also manufactured by the same company in Colorado that makes DermaGain which you can get here here.. While EquiBolan is not the only answer to building muscles, - because there are other products available in the muscle building market - it has become popular in the gym. gy m. Most importantly, importantly, EquiBolan is a legal steroid alternative, alternative, and therefore not banned by b y the US Food and Drug Administration. Or at least that’s what the marketers are saying. Perhaps the following scenario applies to you ... He seems the type who graduated from military training showing discipline in everything he does - including his gym workouts. He gets up at the crack of down, do wn, eats all the protein that he can lay his hands on and systematically follows the program that his trainer especially designed for him. He works out 5-6 days a week, increasing the weights as he rotates muscle groups. He looks good, his body is toned and is proud of his “buffed” look ... but there’s just one problem. He’s been going to the gym for three years, years , has not once missed a workout, and has been through several programs which he and his trainer change every three months, and yet his muscles are not showing the size he’s been working so
hard to get. The other men in the gym, however, have monstrous pecs, biceps and calves, and abdominals as firm as rocks, and here he is, feeling tiny and embarrassed about his pea-sized frame. Desperate, he approaches one of the muscled guys and asks the question. The other guy looks at him with pity and is shocked, saying sa ying “you mean you still haven’t started EquiBolan ?”
Equi-Bolan's Popularity EquiBolan has been described as a “muscle stacker.” Surely you’ve seen photographs of great bodybuilding personalities displayed on the shelves. You ever notice how gym regulars love to look alternately at themselves in the mirror, and then gaze at these photograp hs with envy? That’s because when they’re training – competing especially espec ially – the muscles of these men look like they’re “stacked” one after the other. Chances are, they are taking either EquiBolan or a different anabolic steroid. steroid. On www.anabolic factory.com, factory.com, EquiBolan has been be en described as promoting solid muscle gains and dramatic muscle hardness. It’s even been described de scribed as bringing about “titanic “ titanic vascularity.” vascularity.” It is recommended that EquiBolan be taken with the Pro Bodybuilding System to obtain gains of as much as five, eight and up to ten pounds of new fat free muscle in as little as ten days. A bottle containing 90 capsules retails between $90.00 and $95.00.
Equi-Bolan Dosage Authorities on fitness recommend that people who take EquiBolan or any other supplement must stop after a certain number of days. This on and off cycle is advised to give your body b ody a break. Components of EquiBolan include 5a-treebinol, 5a-tree binol, eurycoma longifolia, and rhodiola. This last component is claimed to have the capability to increase oxygen intake and blood cell ce ll production. A look into one message board reveals a comparison between be tween d-bol and EquiBolan. D-bol, for instance when taken for 14 days suppresses the hypothalamus, whereas EquiBolan does not. In fact it does not affect your hormone production.
Conclusion Equi-bolan is a dynamite and effective tool for men looking to improve their physique. Drew Voight
Dermagain Here is another topically-applied product that gym fanatics and muscle fans may be interested in. As one user, P. P. Ringley, Ringley, said: “I have never seen anything an ything work so fast and produce such visible results! DermaGain works!”
Described as a fast acting anabolic gel, DermaGain is promoted as an alternative to steroids.. steroids We highly recommend for those of you interested in quickly increasing your muscle mass and physique to check out Dermagain here at a very low cost. cost. Transdermal application is a key feature of DermaGain. By this is meant that it works its way into the body through the skin, therefore bypassing the digestive system. This is certainly a benefit as substances that are digested change in certain ways, thus reducing their effectiveness. Another Another benefit is convenience. Some substances taken orally need to be taken many times a day to sustain their effects, with DermaGain, on the other hand, it requires only one application daily. daily.
Why Use Dermagain? Individuals who take their gym workouts very seriously tend to look for supplements to speed up the growth of their muscles – notably the biceps, pectorals, calves – which DermaGain is known to be most effective for. Because of over-training, athletes tend to either burn out or plateau and experience stagnation; i.e. they’ve reached their optimal level and their muscles mus cles do not grow or blast as much. Since working with heavier and heavier weights tend to take its toll on the body, athletes are looking to recover from the wear and tear of an intense workout, and maintain their energy levels so that they can tackle their next workout workou t at the gym.
Dermagain and Lactic Acid The manufacturer of DermaGain claims that the pumping effect e ffect of DermaGain begins as soon as it is applied on the skin. By B y the time the user makes it to the gym, the feeling of pumping muscles is already being felt. Would DermaGain help the bodybuilder bod ybuilder do more repetitions, thus obtaining maximum benefits from his workouts? The answer appea rs to be yes. One claim is that DermaGain has a very strong buffer against lactic acid, thus protecting individual muscles from excessive amounts of lactic acid. It is this buffering quality that makes mus cle recovery faster.
Dermagain a Steroid Alternative? DermaGain has also been mentioned as an effective steroid alternative. alternative. For example, on the website, www.thesteroidworld.com, DermaGain has been mentioned a few times as a safe alternative to steroids. To To name a few examples of steroids that can be substituted by DermaGain: anadrol anadrol,, anadur, anavar, androgel androgel,, deca-durabolin deca-durabolin,, finajet, implus, laurabolin, and other steroids.
Dermagain Cautions As with most supplements not officially endorsed by the US Food an d Drug Administration, prudence is in order. In fact web sites who market DermaGain make it clear to researchers that statements contained on their web site have not been evaluated by the federal government gover nment
agency. They further state that DermaGain must be used in conjunction with a nutrition and exercise program. DermaGain is also not intended to cure or prevent any disease. Drew Voight
Androstederm In researching AndrosteDerm, there are common elements that one comes across. In reading about this product, the words and phrases that recur frequently are: testosterone testosterone,, topical application, dietary supplement and gel preparation. prepar ation. Before providing the facts on AndrosteDerm , some background information is essential. Let us start with testosterone. It is the most important hormone in a man’s body. body. Young and old men alike periodically suffer from decreased d ecreased energy energ y, diminished libido and reduced muscular size. All of these are caused by low testosterone levels. Low levels of testosterone in turn are caused by stress, over training, obesity and that dreaded cause of all – aging. This is where AndrosteDerm comes in. The manufacturer claims that it can continually provide healthy levels of testosterone. testosterone. Note that when reading about this preparation, prepar ation, the name AndrosteDerm is the former name of Andro Sports Crème, and is primarily advertised as being for “those who are interested in enhancing their energy energ y, mood and sexual vitality.” vitality.”
Androstederm Formula Athletes and gym fanatics who train intensely can benefit from using AndrosteDerm, given its energy-enhancing and restoration qualities. It is a proprietary formula containing the following substances: Androstene-3, 17 dione, Androstene-3, 17 diol. It is manufactured and marketed by a company called MedLean, and is not available in stores. Topical application is another feature. AndrosteDerm is rubbed on the skin as a “percutaneous gel preparation.” It is unique in that unlike other dietary supplements, it is not taken orally and therefore bypasses the digestive system.
Androstederm Application AndrosteDerm is applied lightly on the skin. After a minute or two, the skin absorbs it and after several days, the testosterone elements are a re released into the body. AndrosteDerm is said to support the natural circadian rhythm of the body. An important word of caution: men who have ha ve cancer must refrain from using AndrosteDerm. Men over 50 years of age who want to use it must have a prostate exam, and men of all ages using AndrosteDerm must also submit to hormone hor mone testing regularly regularl y. If using AndrosteDerm, carefully monitor for potential interactions with other medications as well.
Androstederm Update Androstederm has been taken off of the market by it's creator Medlean because of the crackdown by the FDA on prohormone supplements. While Androstederm was a completely safe, legal and effective testosterone enhancing supplement, because of the steroid abuse scandals and Andro hype in professional sports, the makers have decided to focus their interest's in another direction. Drew Voight
DHEA We'd like to introduce to you two unlikely bedfellows ... Andropause and DHEA. It appears the latest research is establishing dhea as a viable treatment option for andropause. Dhea is a steroid hormone produced pro duced in the body. A lack of DHEA, known as Dehydroepianodrosterone in medical circles, is direc tly correlated with impotence in men, also referred to as erectile dysfunction. dysfunction. Quite simply, simply, the more DHEA there is in your body – the better off you are. It acts as a replenisher – pumping life into various processes such as lowering cholesterol levels, reducing fat, and regulating healthy blood pressure. DHEA is synonymous with versatility – it simply branches out throughout your body serving as a cleaner and a regulator. The effects of Andropause can be effectively reduced by using DHEA as a hormonal supplement. Produced in the adrenal glands, Dehydroepianodrosterone is responsible for producing chemicals that influence the growth of testosterone in the body. Used as a dietary supplement, DHEA can do wonders for you. The enhancement of memory memor y, stamina build up, and increased levels of libido can restore a man back to his natural state. It is a great treatment for men with erectile er ectile dysfunction, a common symptom of Andropause as well. There have been plenty of tests using DHEA and placebos where libido and erectile function improved significantly in the men using this hormone than those that didn’t. It has been said that low levels of DHEA is linked with a speeded up aging process. Before research efforts were placed into discovering more about this hormone, it was associated with helping in weight loss. Tests done on mice in laboratories showed that DHEA controlled their levels of obesity. Soon after, it was associated with a slew of other health benefits. Bodybuilding enthusiasts should look closely into making DHEA part of their nutritional supplement regimen. The hormone plays a part par t in helping grow muscle mass (similar to the same rate as other over the counter products such as creatine and whey protein), reversing osteoporosis by building stronger bones and strengthening bone tissue, and regulating sex
hormones in both men and women (estrogen and testosterone testosterone.) .) It works along the same plane as human growth hormone, another anti-aging drug given to menopause sufferers in particular. As stated previously, hormones are not synthetic. There are human derived hormones that are packaged in capsules and pills and sold to the general public to increase the amount of hormone already present in the body. body. The production of DHEA in the adrenal glands is highest during the childhood and teenage years, yea rs, trailing off later on during mid-life. Men produce more of this hormone than women, and senior citizens around the age of 65 have the lowest levels of all. Combat Andropause by using DHEA as a hormonal supplement. Yes, Yes, that’s the wise advice we’re giving you today. However, However, as your parents might’ve told you already – too much of a good thing is a bad thing. If you take too much, your body will stop producing its own natural amount. An excess of DHEA can skyrocket your levels your levels of testosterone, testosterone, amplifying your male features. Jim Shaw
Testosterone Supplements Men who take testosterone supplements should be screened regularly for prostate cancer , according to a report published in The Journal of Urology.
Testosterone is a male hormone produced mainly by the testes testes.. Since it is known to stimulate the growth of some prostate cancers, effective treatments for prostate cancer include suppression of testosterone of testosterone levels by surgical removal of the testes or treatment with testosterone-lowering drugs. Given this link between bet ween testosterone and prostate cancer, there is interest in understanding whether use of testosterone supplements to treat sexual dysfunction or for “rejuvenation” increases increas es a man’s risk of prostate cancer. This is a particularly important question for older men, who are the most likely to receive testosterone supplements and most likely to have undetected prostate cancer that could be stimulated by testosterone. To describe the characteristics of prostate cancer in men taking testosterone, researchers rese archers reviewed 20 cases of prostate cancer that developed among men undergoing testosterone therapy.. A majority of these cancers developed during the first two years on testosterone, and therapy roughly one-third developed in the first year. Prostate cancer was detected by abnormalities in both prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and findings on digital-rectal exam (DRE) in 40% of men, by abnormal DRE alone in 35% of men, and by elevated PSA alone in 25% of men. Screening for prostate cancer before befor e treatment with testosterone varied across patients. All of the men who received their testosterone prescription from a urologist were screened for
prostate cancer with PSA and DRE before starting testosterone. Of the men who r eceived their testosterone prescription from another type of doctor, 75% had a PSA test, test, but only 25% had a DRE before starting testosterone. Based on this review of 20 patients pa tients who developed prostate cancer while taking testosteron e supplements, the researchers recommend that PSA testing and DRE be performed frequently during testosterone treatment. Because this report describes only men who developed prostate cancer while on testosterone, without providing information about men who did not develop prostate cancer while on testosterone, it is not possible to draw conclusions from this study about whether, and by how much, testosterone supplements increase the r isk of prostate cancer. But given a plausible link between testosterone and prostate cancer, men who take testosterone supplements may wish to talk with their doctor about their prostate cancer risk and the recommended frequency of prostate cancer screening. Additional studies are underway to better understand the link (if any) between testosterone supplementation and risk of prostate cancer. Drew Voight
How Low Can You Go? The symptoms just didn't appear out of nowhere, nowhe re, nor did they come upon him like a NFL runningback on a draw play. Poor sleeping. Sweating at night. Mood swings. Loss of libido of libido.. "I knew something was up when my sex drive took an extended vacation" Bob stated. "I decided to do some checking on the Internet about my symptoms and they would always lead me to the same pages and conclusions. Menopause? I can't have menopause! I just couldn't figure it out and actually it was my m y suggestion when I saw my doctor. She wasn't even considering the possibility of low testosterone. It turns out, I knew more about the subject than she did."
Testosterone Facts The American Urological Association states that 1 in 10 men between the ages of 40 and 60, while 2 in 10 men over the age of 60 have low testosterone levels, which is medically referred to as Androgen Deficiency in the Aging Male .
Generally, Generally, the only time physicians begin to think "low testosterone" is when men begin to complain of low of low sex drive or sexual desires. With some men however, their testosterone levels are so low that depression and loss of life interest take place. Testosterone is the most important sex hormone in the male body. It is responsible for physical changes during puberty pubert y, such as facial hair, a deep voice and muscle mass. Throughout adulthood, testosterone helps maintain sex drive and keep a man’s muscles and bones healthy. healthy. Some men, however, some do not produce enough of this hormone, resulting in low testosterone.. And this can affect men of any testosterone an y age. Men who are obese, have hypertension or are diabetic are twice as likely to have low testosterone. Genetic abnormalities, as well as problems in the testes, hypothalamus or pituitary gland, can also cause testosterone deficiency. deficiency. Testosterone levels also slowly decline as men me n age. Levels drop by about 10 percent every decade starting at age 30. In some older men, whose levels drop below belo w the normal range, this may be accompanied by various physical symptoms. Some signs to watch for include low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, dysfunction, reduced muscle mass and strength, decreased bone density densit y, difficulty concentrating, depression and unusual fatigue.
Testosterone Replacement Methods Low testosterone is typically treated with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) to increase testosterone levels to the normal range. There are also several FDA-approved therapies available, such as: GELS — Testosterone replacement gels are applied once daily to the upper arms, shoulders and/or abdomen. The gel dries quickly and is absorbed by the skin, releasing testosterone into the bloodstream. replac ement patches are worn for 24 hours and changed daily. The PATCHES — Testosterone replacement patch is applied to the upper arms, thighs or torso. Testosterone injections are either self-administered or given by a doctor at INJECTION — Testosterone regular intervals. Testosterone levels peak about three days after the injection and slowly decline over time. The benefits of these therapies include enhancement of energy level and mood, increased lean body mass and muscle strength, decreased body fat, improvement of sex drive and erectile function, and increased bone mineral density, which can reduce fracture risk. However, there are possible side effects, including sleep disturbances — called “sleep apnea” in men who are overweight or who have lung disease — increased red blood cell count and an increase in prostate size. Men who are on testosterone replacement therapy are checked twice a year for prostate cancer. Bob of Detroit said the testosterone cream gave him immediate results.
“I felt I was 18 for about two weeks,” he h e said. “My libido has returned and my energy level came back. I bet there are a lot of guys out there who have no clue this might be happening to them. Very much like women, men go through a hormonal change. It happens.” Drew Voight
Low Testosterone Testosterone Symptoms Low testosterone symptoms are usually mistaken for the naturally occurring aging process.
When a man hits thirty and gains a little weight around the middle, he may think it’s just because he doesn’t move around as much. But certain low testosterone symptoms can raise a red flag to let your body know that you don’t have to sit back and watch your energy drain rapidly and your muscles weaken more each day. The low testosterone symptoms that generally make the headlines are loss of libido and hair loss for men. men. Bodybuilders aren’t even as concerned about their testosterone their testosterone levels because they aren’t really experiencing low testosterone symptoms – they just know that extra testosterone can boost their physical ph ysical strength and athletic abilities. Both patients and the doctors treating them often o ften overlook some low testosterone symptoms s ymptoms entirely!
Low Testosterone Cycle Think getting older has just made you more cynical and highly irritable or grumpy? It could be that your bad mood is one of the low testosterone symptoms that people mistake for an outlook on life. Low testosterone symptoms are like a vicious cycle because a loss of testosterone can result in serious mood swings and depression. However, stress in the workplace or at home can actually result in low testosterone symptoms s ymptoms as your normal range of the hormone gradually drops off. Have you laughed about an older gentleman you know shrinking right before your very eyes? People may joke about it, but one of the many low testosterone symptoms you may notice is a loss of height. Is every meal having the same effect on you as a huge Thanksgiving turkey feast? Getting sleepy right after meals is one of the low testosterone symptoms you have to watch out for so that you can help medical help when necessary. Has your boss pulled you aside to reprimand you on the quality of work you’re producing these days?
One of the low testosterone symptoms is poor performance mentally as well as physically ph ysically.. People whose levels of this hormone have dropped off significantly have trouble concentrating. Even young men occasionally experience low testosterone symptoms. When a young man’s voice fails to deepen, as usually happens when a young man reaches puberty, puberty, it could be that he’s lacking normal amounts of the hormone. Low testosterone symptoms should never neve r be ignored or brushed off as simple aging side effects. When help is available, isn’t it better to seek out treatment than to sit and suffer in silence? Drew Voight
Male Hormone Replacement Therapy For years, doctors have focused on woman’s needs and studied the various ways they can develop female-specific, and not male hormone replacement therapy . But now male hormone replacement therapy is taking a front seat – and the news is looking positive for men. (
Male hormone replacement therapy, therapy, also known as TRT testosterone replacement therapy) therapy) is a man’s answer to male menopause.. Didn’t think men suffered from menopause? Think menopause again – it’s just under the name andropause! Andropause is a change in the male hormone balance.
We're All the Same Just like women, men’s bodies were getting hit by osteoporosis, mood swings, hot flashes at night, loss of libido of libido,, and decreased energy and strength – sure signs that male hormone replacement therapy was not only interesting, but necessary. Many men and women make the mistake of thinking the symptoms they’re having – joint pain, loss of energy, etc., are just normal aging conditions. But male hormone replacement therap y can bring a halt to those symptoms and restore an older person’s life to how it used to be. Before undergoing male hormone replacement r eplacement therapy, your doctor will most likely want you to undergo repeated tests to see what your normal levels of testosterone are. After testing, the male hormone replacement therapy therap y will usually begin right away – in the form of pills, pellets, implants, gel, or injections. Although many men do not want to seek out professional help for their symptoms, s ymptoms, those who have received male hormone replacement therapy tout its benefits and are glad they have an answer to why their bodies were deteriorating so quickly – sometimes at the age of fifty. fifty. Male
hormone replacement therapy can help a man with 70-year old levels of testosterone return to levels that are within normal range for his true age. As more men discover what male hormone replacement therapy can do for them researchers are working hard to make advancements in the field and provide maximum benefits with minimal side effects. It’s important when you undergo male hormone replacement therap y that you allow your doctor to continually test your testosterone levels so that you stay within normal limits. Some people are using male hormone replacement therapy in an immoral way. It is rumored that young men in competitive industries such as stocks, are abusing testosterone in order to make them more aggressive and cutthroat. But on average, male hormone replacement therapy is being used for the betterment of society – helping men restore the vitality of their life. Drew Voight
Testosterone Enhancers Testosterone enhancers are often confusing to beginner bodybuilders or those who just want to waste no time getting lean and adding plenty of muscle.
Testosterone is probably the most vital hormone coursing through a mans body. Not only is it important for strength as well as overall fitness ... it's also important for sexual ability, male characteristics and normal brain function. When testosterone levels are reduced ... a myriad of syndromes and problems can pop-up in mens lives. You might hear terms thrown thro wn around such as stacking, cycles, c ycles, and post-cycle therapy when discussions of testosterone enhancers and bodybuilding supplements take place and not know how to safely build your own program.
Cycling The first thing you need to know is how to determine the best cycle for your testosterone enhancers ... and no, we're not talking about something with two wheels. A cycle is the length of time you take the drug along with the dosage of the testosterone enhancers you’re taking, and you must be careful which chemicals you mix together because some may be virtual duplicates or increase the occurrence of negative side effects. Most bodybuilders create cycles cy cles of two, four, six, or eight-week cycles for testosterone enhancers. There’s a delicate balance of making sure that you get the maximum benefits from taking testosterone enhancers while
minimizing the risk that you’ll suffer from negative side effects, so you may want to start off right in the middle with a four or six week regimen. Stacking testosterone enhancers is when you add more than one drug to your cycle. Some testosterone enhancers complement one another. For instance, one chemical might be the testosterone booster itself, and the other an anti-estrogen drug to prevent the testosterone from morphing into the female hormone. The most commonly stacked testosterone enhancers are 4AD – and they are typically combined with Nordiol, 1AD, and 1-test. Before deciding on which testosterone enhancers you want to stack with which, make sure you learn the benefits and drawbacks of each one. After a set amount of time taking the testosterone prohormone enhancers, enhancers, your cycle will end and you’ll need to begin post-cycle post-c ycle therapy. therapy. The purpose of beginning a post-cycle post-c ycle routine is to increase the effects of your testosterone enhancers and reduce the possibility of any presence of estrogen hormones. Post-cycle therapy will start the day after you stop taking your testosterone enhancers. There are also other ways you can come down off of your cycle. Flax oil and cutting down on your workouts are also things you can employ in your post-cycle regimen from taking testosterone enhancers. Before beginning any testosterone enhancers, you should check to see what the recommended dose is. Many bodybuilders use many more times the recommended dose of testosterone enhancers, but if you’re just starting out, it’s best to stick to the low end and wait to see how your body is going to react. Drew Voight
Testosterone Treatment Because testosterone is such an important hormone in the body, body, controlling the sexual and reproductive functions, testosterone treatment is becoming a popular way to boost the libido and sexual health of aging men. Testosterone treatment ranges from altering your diet and adding more testosterone-friendly foods to obtaining prescription-dose quality testosterone to return levels back to their normal state. However, testosterone treatment isn’t always universal in how it affects patients.
Testosterone Treatment Side-Effects Some testosterone treatment results in severe negative side effects. Some injected forms, for instance, can cause pain so severe at the injection site that it makes it difficult to walk. Other testosterone treatments have milder side effects, such as heada ches, water retention, and a low sperm count. count.
It will be up to you to decide which route you want to go when you choose choo se a testosterone treatment plan. If you go it alone, make sure you conduct a lot of research on different methods of implementing a safe testosterone treatment plan. A doctor can monitor and alter your testosterone treatment if you do it under unde r his care. Testosterone treatment, also known as testosterone therapy, therapy, is available for both men and women. Some women benefit from testosterone treatment because it helps them halt the process of osteoporosis, a bone density disease that can mean higher incidence of fractions – especially in aging adults. Men generally turn to testosterone treatments once they notice the signs of a deficiency deficienc y of the hormone. After noticing a steady hair loss, loss, finally realizing that they can’t lift as much as they once did, or discover they have trouble getting an erection, erection , they will seek out testosterone treatments either on their own or with the help h elp of their physician. It’s smart to see a doctor before you begin b egin any type of testosterone treatment program on o n your own. Sometimes, the deficiency of testosterone can signal a more serious disease, such as diabetes.. diabetes For men who have been diagnosed with cancer of the prostate, prostate, testosterone treatment may be out of the question. That’s because testosterone treatment can sometimes contribute to the growth of a tumor already in existence. e xistence.
Treatment Forms You’ll also want to look into the various forms of testosterone treatment. Some plans, such as using a topical testosterone gel, gel, can have fewer side effects than an injected or implanted form of testosterone treatment. You may want to see how your body reacts to a lighter form before undergoing a more serious testosterone treatment plan. Jim Shaw
Natural Testosterone Supplement During the normal aging process, many men have discovered that they have a small amount of testosterone of testosterone coupled with a high level of estrogen. Absent of any severe medical condition, you can treat this by purchasing a natural testosterone supplement designed to boost your levels back to their normal state. For men who have noticed signs of low of low testosterone symptoms, symptoms, such as loss of libido or impotence or impotence,, mood swings, and decreased strength, a natural testosterone supplement can provide pro vide relief without the risk of an anabolic steroid. steroid.
When administered, a natural testosterone supplement can c an halt the naturally occurring testosterone from being transformed into estrogen.
'Stop Being A Girly Man' Excess estrogen interferes with a man’s ability to boost or retain his own testosterone, which is why a natural testosterone supplement is helpful in overriding the effect of estrogen creation in aging men. It results in weakness and other side effects if the man goes without treatment for too long. A natural testosterone supplement costs much less than prescription testosterone, a nd the risks are minimal compared to the injected steroid stero id version. In addition to taking a natural testosterone supplement, men may want to consider using an anti-estrogen drug to reduce the presence of that hormone even more and allow higher levels of testosterone to exist. Aging women suffer from a decrease in estrogen, estrog en, and in some cases, where patients did not take a natural testosterone supplement, levels of estrogen in the men were higher than the women in the same age group of people over the age of fifty. Symptoms and signs may indicate to you that you need to begin taking a natural testosterone supplement. But you may also want to enlist the help of your doctor and see exactly exac tly what your levels are before you start taking any drug, including any natural testosterone supplement that’s sold over-the-counter.
Nature's Muscle Herbal extracts are one way to ingest a natural testosterone supplement. Chrysin is a plantbased bioflavonoid that can help reduce the production of estrogen and boost testosterone levels. There are many natural testosterone supplements supp lements that can stop the aromatization of testosterone to estrogen in a man’s body bod y. To enhance their effect, sometimes you have to add another supplement such as pepper extract called piperine, to a natural testosterone supplement in order to get it into the bloodstream so that it can do its job more effectively. effectively. Drew Voight
Depo Testosterone There are many reasons people take depo testosterone – ranging from specific medical conditions to building mass for bodybuilding goals. Like other androgens, depo testosterone replaces testosterone in men who need the drug for personal or health-related reasons. For men who have undergone castration or suffer impotence suffer impotence or erectile or erectile malfunction, malfunction, depo testosterone can alleviate the problem and raise r aise the otherwise low testosterone levels. Women
can also benefit from taking depo testosterone if they are being treated for osteoporosis because it helps stimulate growth in the bones. For men, the dosage of depo testosterone testosteron e ranges from 100 to 400 mg every three to ten weeks, depending on the treatment. Women take depo testosterone at h igher levels – from 200 to 400 mg every ever y three to four weeks if it’s being used to increase bone density. density.
Depo Side-Effects Depo testosterone is generally injected into the buttocks and comes in 100 mg vials. It can also cause side effects in both genders. For men, depo testosterone may result in breast growth, extremely firm erections that can sometimes be painful, low sperm count, count, and the urge to urinate. Make sure when using depo testosterone that you’re already healthy health y, if it’s for building mass. This medication can increase the calcium in your you r blood, so you need to be able to exercise because bedridden people may not handle the increased calcium levels depo testosterone often causes. When you begin taking it, try to cut down do wn on your salt intake. Your Your goal in taking depo testosterone is to build body mass – but not through fluid retention. Depo testosterone makes you retain water just like salt, and this can affect your liver if you don't use caution. If you’re mixing medications, make sure your doctor knows that you’re on depo testosterone. It can interact in a negative way with some drugs. Just because a medication may react to depo testosterone doesn’t mean you’ll have to stop taking it completely – your doctor may just want you to take a different dose or he can prescribe a new drug that will not be affected by your intake of depo testosterone. Depending on the reason why you need it, depo testosterone may be covered by your insurance company. If it’s it’s for medical reasons, then it’s most likely covered if you have a prescription benefit plan. But bodybuilders using depo testosterone will have to cover the cost themselves. Drew Voight
Prescription Prescripti on Testosterone Testosterone There’s been a high demand recently for prescription testosterone among middle-aged men who want to restore their body to a natural level of testosterone. Doctors are now weighing their options on whether or not to offer prescription testosterone. Some physician, try to get their patients to opt for more natural testosterone supplement rather than use a prescription
testosterone. But many men are saying sa ying they want immediate results for conditions such as impotence – that only prescription testosterone can provide.
Reasons for Prescription Testosterone Prescription testosterone comes in many man y forms – oral, injected, patches, implants, and gel. Both older men and women are flocking to doctor’s offices to try to get their hands on some prescription testosterone to restore their sexual their sexual drive and enjoy life Some do it for vanity reasons – hair loss, loss, loss of libido. libido. But some want a prescription testosterone because it will alleviate more drastic symptoms, such as osteoporosis. In 2002, more than 800,000 patients were given a prescription testosterone – and that number is expected to rise over the years as research touts the benefits of testosterone. For men with hypogonadism hypogonadism,, a condition where the body doesn’t make enough testosterone, getting prescription testosterone may be easier now that the FDA has approved therapy for it. Doctors are concerned that giving prescription testosterone may result in the same backlash that accompanied hormone replacement therapy for women. But will a prescription testosterone have the same ill effects on men as hormone replacement therapy had on women? Studies are being conducted to find out, but there is a risk that increasing testosterone levels for a prolonged amount of time may ma y increase prostate cancer . By avoiding taking a prescription testosterone, and maybe opting for natural supplements, men may be able to avoid the risk r isk altogether. The decision will need to be made on a case-by-case instance.
Naturally Deceived Many supplements will claim to have the same formula as a prescription testosterone, so do your homework carefully before you invest your money. While over-the-counter supplements may not pack the same punch as a prescription testosterone, they can still provide many benefits similar to the one your doctor can prescribe. If your doctor does agree to give you a prescription testosterone, make sure you have him monitor and regulate your intake regularly regularl y. You You may find that the side effects of taking a prescription testosterone are too negative nega tive and you wish to transition to a supplement instead. Drew Voight
