Is testosterone the fountain of youth for men?

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Testosterone has become one of the go to prescriptions for men in their 50s and above. Some men even call it the “fountain of youth.” However, testosterone needs to be looked at in a different light and how it can benefit men and what are the issues that men should be aware of.

At the age of 35 men begin losing their testosterone about 1% every year, by the time you get to your 50’s you may start to experience:

  1. Low libido
  2. Lethargy
  3. Memory loss
  4. You don’t want to socialize

Bringing all these issues to the attention of your doctor he/she might prescribe:

Testosterone

  1. Gel
  2. Injections
  3. Patch

However, prior to starting any testosterone therapy make sure you set an appointment to speak with your Urologist. The Urologist will test your PSA (prostate-specific antigen) to ensure you’re within normal levels, check your prostate size, and testosterone levels. Testosterone is typically checked early in the morning due to circadian rhythm which means, your testosterone is typically lower in the afternoon and higher in the morning. A normal testosterone level is anywhere between 300 – 1000 ng/dl (nanograms per decilitre).

Is having low testosterone bad?

Too low of a testosterone level is not good for you and can lead to metabolic syndrome. Some of the symptoms are feeling tired, running out of energy, not wanting to do anything and feeling sluggish all the time.

If you do have low testosterone, you want to make sure that you see your urologist to ensure that he/she monitors your condition. If you are prescribed testosterone, ensure your levels don’t surpass the normal limits. Should your limits go above the normal limits, you are putting yourself in a category of increasing your chance of a heart attack by twice.  More isn’t always better. 25% of men that are currently on testosterone therapy have never had their blood levels checked. Which means, men are being incorrectly treated.

What should men do?

For men that are considering going on testosterone therapy should follow up with their Urologist, to make certain that you are below the testosterone and PSA required levels. Any of below might put you at risk for low testosterone:

  • Obesity
  • Diabetes
  • Heart Disease
  • Cholesterol problems
  • Depression
  • Fatigue
  • Libido

Obesity itself can cause a decrease in testosterone. In the belly fat there are enzymes that convert testosterone to estrogen. Gynecomastia (is the growth of abnormally large breasts in males) is a result to increasing estrogen which changes hormones.

Lastly, remember that libido is different than sexual function. Sexual dysfunction you will treat with prescriptions such as Viagra, Cialis, or Levitra. Libido, you are talking about testosterone. You may have the drive, but you are enduring a mechanical problem. Libido and Sexual dysfunction are different diseases that need to be treated with different treatments.  So make the right decision, and make sure that everything is passed through your Urologist. Just because you are taking testosterone and you feel great on the outside doesn’t mean that there might not be an underlying condition that you may have or may develop now or in the future.