Androgenix Blog

Testosterone is a sex hormone produced predominantly in the ovaries and adrenal glands of women and testicles of men. It is essential for dozens of crucial functions, including mood regulation, libido, energy levels, metabolism and hair growth. However, by the age of 30, the human body starts to produce testosterone at a reduced rate. At Androgenix Advanced Health and Wellness in North Palm Beach, FL, we understand the importance of testosterone in health and happiness. Today, we review some of the most powerful benefits of testosterone therapy.

10 Powerful Benefits of Testosterone Therapy

1. Restored Libido and Erectile or Vaginal Function

One of the most powerful benefits of testosterone therapy, for both men and women, is restored libido. Men often experience erectile dysfunction and difficulty ejaculating as a result of low testosterone levels. Women often experience painful or uncomfortable sex due to vaginal dryness. Testosterone replacement therapy can be used to restore your interest in sex, help you achieve or maintain an erection or restore natural lubrication to your vagina, making sex enjoyable once again.

2. Improved Cognitive Function

Testosterone plays several important roles in brain health. One of the scariest signs of low testosterone levels in both men and women is a noticeable cognitive decline. For some, this is forgetting something they have known for decades, such as their daughter’s birthday. For others, it is difficulty holding a conversation as they cannot remember the words they need to use to describe something.

Some people may have trouble remembering important events, like their grandson’s college graduation date or the doctor’s appointment they have at 10 on the second Tuesday of every month. If you regularly forget where you put your keys, find things in places they don’t belong, can’t hold a conversation for longer than a few minutes or forget things often, there’s a good chance that your body doesn’t have enough testosterone to keep your mind sharp.

3. Improved Mood Disorders

Just as testosterone plays a critical role in cognitive function, it is also important for regulating your mood. We all grew up with that cantankerous old man wagging his cane from his lawn chair in his yard at the kids playing too rambunctiously in the neighborhood. Such men exist all over the country because low testosterone causes irritability, or the inability to manage anger. Low testosterone levels can also lead to several other mood disorders including crippling anxiety and depression.

If you already suffer from a mood disorder, such as generalized anxiety, social anxiety or major depression, it is particularly important that you have your testosterone levels tested as you age. You may find that your prescription medications or cognitive behavioral therapy become less effective or stop working altogether.

As stated previously, your testosterone production rate begins to drop significantly at age 30. If you are between the ages of 34 and 70 and you have started to show symptoms of depression, anxiety or irritability, there is an excellent chance you could benefit from testosterone therapy.

4. Stronger Bones

We all know that the older you get, the more likely you are to fall and fracture a bone. There are a couple reasons for this. First, muscle strength and balance decline, mostly due to low testosterone levels. Second, bones weaken due to low testosterone levels. This is true in both men and women.

The lower your testosterone levels are, the more likely you will develop weak bones and osteoporosis from drastically decreased bone density. Strong bones mitigate your risk of fractures from accidents, support your internal organs and muscles and enhance athletic performance. Research has proven that if the testosterone treatment dose is high enough, bone density increases. For example, several clinical trials have shown that adequate testosterone replacement levels increased the bone density of the hip and spine.

If osteoporosis or bone fractures run in your family, it is particularly important that you ensure you protect your bone density through testosterone replacement and regular body weight exercises. While there is a stronger genetic predisposition to osteoporosis than fractures, the link still exists and osteoporosis is a significant risk factor for fractures.

5. More Muscle, Less Fat

Testosterone plays a key role in keeping your muscle mass high. Of course, you have to be physically active and eat enough protein. But, with low testosterone levels, even if you do all the right things, you will notice a drastic decline in lean mass. This results in both smaller muscles and less strength.

Unfortunately, a pound of muscle at rest burns more calories per hour than a pound of fat at rest. Therefore, if you consume the same number of calories and your activity level stays the same while you lose muscle, you will gain weight. Testosterone is also important for keeping your overall metabolism high. The presence of testosterone in the body tells your adrenal glands to produce growth hormones that allow for efficient fat metabolism. When testosterone drops, human growth hormone levels drop and you don’t burn fat as efficiently.

More importantly, you store more dangerous visceral fat around your upper abdomen. You are also more likely to store fat inside your vital organs, such as your liver, pancreas and kidneys. If pancreatic cancer or pancreatitis run in your family, it is crucial to keep your body fat percentage within a healthy range.

6. Happy Heart, Healthy Blood

You probably know that heart disease is the leading killer in America. But did you know that testosterone supplements can mitigate your risk of heart disease? One heart-related role testosterone plays is increasing the number of red blood cells in your blood. Red blood cells are produced by the marrow in your bones and are critical for healthy blood.

Moreover, adequate levels of testosterone have been proven to open up clogged arteries and other types of blood vessels afflicted by atherosclerosis. You may have hardened ventricles in your heart increasing your risk of a heart attack or stroke in the future. At the same time, the capillaries in your penis may be partially obstructed, as well. Depending on the extent of the localized blockages, it may be impossible for you to achieve a full erection.

7. Lucious Locks

Did you know that testosterone is key to your hair health? Most people don’t. Once your ovaries and adrenal glands or testicles have produced testosterone, it circulates throughout your body looking for receptor sites to latch onto. In the case of hair, these receptors are known as androgen receptors. They are found in the part of your hair follicle known as the dermal papilla. Once the testosterone binds to the targeted androgen receptors, it initiates any altered gene expression present. This may help or hurt the follicle depending on which gene is expressed.

Testosterone is necessary for every single hair on your body from your scalp hair and facial hair all the way down to your pubic hair and foot hair. It regulates the growth of all your hair by affecting how the follicle can produce the hair and which phase of the growth cycle the hair is in. The primary growth cycle phase is the anagen, or active growth phase. Roughly 80 to 85% of your hair is in this phase at any given time. The catagen phase, also known as the transitional phase, is the period during which your hair starts to stop growing.

The telogen phase is the final phase of the hair growth cycle and occurs when hair growth stops completely and your hair fibers fall out. Roughly 10 to 15% of your hair is in this phase at any given time. When you don’t have enough testosterone in your body, the anagen phase of the growth cycle cannot begin once the telogen phase is over. Therefore, you will notice your hair start to thin. Eventually, you will notice male or female pattern baldness.

8. Improved Sleep Hygiene

Getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do for your health. Unfortunately, you can’t make up the sleep you lost by sleeping longer the next day. Moreover, poor sleep quality and quantity is connected to low testosterone in a vicious cycle. Research proves that low levels of testosterone often occur in men diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

Obstructive sleep apnea, also known as OSA, is a type of sleep apnea that disrupts your sleep. You may have difficulty falling asleep, achieving the correct amount of REM sleep or wake up several times nightly. This is so dangerous because low testosterone is linked to poor sleep quality without any extenuating circumstances, like a physical impairment preventing oxygen flow at night. In turn, poor sleep quality causes side effects, such as cravings for unhealthy foods, irritability, depression, anxiety and the desire for a sedentary lifestyle.

9. Rejuvenated Skin

Just as testosterone is essential for strong, thick, healthy hair, testosterone plays a critical role in skin health. If you have naturally oily skin, you may find that a reduced testosterone level has resulted in regular, uncontrollable acne flare-ups. People with normal or dry skin offer suffer from eczema, rosacea, thick skin, dry skin, irritation, redness and itchiness.

The worst part about unhealthy skin caused by low testosterone levels is it is nearly impossible to treat with traditional methods. You may have used a prescription acne treatment for breakouts or corticosteroid cream to treat eczema. However, these treatment methods may no longer be effective. If the health of your skin is changing for seemingly no reason, there is an excellent chance that you are suffering from low testosterone and could benefit from testosterone therapy.

10. Increased Endurance

Just like testosterone revs your fat metabolism and gives you energy, it also gives you effortless endurance. In fact, men with low testosterone levels were given testosterone therapy and easily increased the distance they could walk by 33%. Imagine what you could accomplish if you had 33% more energy to put into any aspect of your life.

For some, this may be teaching their grandkids how to play King in the Corner. For others, it could be water skiing until the sun goes down. If you suspect your testosterone levels are low, have them tested and then ask what testosterone therapy can do for you.

Learn More About Testosterone Replacement Therapy Today

With age comes patience, wisdom and a deeper love and understanding toward our fellow man. But it also comes with a reduced production rate of testosterone. When your hormones become imbalanced, you experience muscle loss, fat gain, low libido and more.

For a deeper understanding of the powerful benefits of testosterone therapy, contact the professional hormone experts at Androgenix Advanced Health and Wellness in North Palm Beach, FL today to schedule your initial consultation. Hormone therapy may be just what you need to be the best version of yourself.