Andropause is a symptom analogy for low testosterone in males, comparable to the female version ‘menopause’. Men often attribute these symptoms to “getting old” however the symptoms of hypogonadism and low testosterone can have a huge impact on your health and the quality of the years you have left.
Symptoms can include decreased libido, decreased frequency or rigidity of erections and “morning wood,” obesity, decreased muscle mass and strength, decreased bone mineral density, hot flashes, mild anemia, decreased sense of well-being, decreased vitality and more. Low testosterone is also attributed to cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, insulin resistance, obesity, and muscle wasting. Not just our physical health but our mental wellness is also influenced by testosterone including anxiety disorders, depression, and apathy.
There is a natural decline in testosterone by 1-2% per year after age 30, however certain lifestyle habits and medical conditions can lower testosterone even more. Not every man will experience low testosterone the same. Not every man will experience low testosterone at all. Get evaluated to see if testosterone can restore your vitality!
Why have the number of low testosterone patients increased in the last 20 years? Well because men’s testosterone has continued to decrease in the last 20 years for a multitude of reasons. It’s a given that our environmental and lifestyle factors have changed drastically in the last 2 decades. It has become commonplace to experience decreased physical activity and high stress levels regularly. Obesity rates are the highest they’ve ever been! Chronic opioid therapy for pain management is at record levels! BOTH are known to induce several endocrine changes including lowering testosterone. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism as early as 2007 indicated there was a population decline and it has continued for the last 15 years: “On average, when we measured the testosterone in the blood of a 60-year-old in 1989 it was higher than that in a different 60-year-old measured in 1995,” said Thomas Travison, PhD, of the New England Research Institutes, Watertown, Massachusetts.
There are multiple factors that influence testosterone levels. A healthy diet and regular exercise are essential to maintaining your body’s own production of testosterone. At Vallee Health Repair, we support enhancing your body’s own production of testosterone as well as supplementing what our body’s can’t maintain, if it is safe for you. Each evaluation and treatment plan is individualized to meet your needs and treatment goals. There is nothing in healthcare that should be one size fits all and we specialize in individualized programs in a way that works for you.
