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Testosterone Replacement Therapy in Men This post takes an in depth look into testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for males. We will discuss various topics including
VO2 Max: Why you need to increase your VO2 max In order to engage in any aerobic or physical activity, our muscles require that oxygen
This post takes an in depth look into testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) for males. We will discuss various topics including
All humans naturally produce some level of testosterone. In males, testosterone production occurs via a detailed signaling pathway that begins in the brain and ends in the testes
Males begin life with approximately 700 million Leydig cells and they begin to lose about 6 million cells per year starting in their 20s. This correlates to a testosterone decline of 0.3% to 1.5% per year starting in a male’s 20s.
When a male is found to have low testosterone, they can be categorized as having either primary testosterone deficiency (TD) or secondary testosterone deficiency
There is another term known as Adult-Onset hypogonadism. This group accounts for 89% of all secondary TD and has no identifiable cause. Meaning, the vast majority of males with testosterone deficiency have no identifiable cause for it.
Although male testosterone levels begin to decline during the third decade of life, it is well established that some males maintain normal testosterone levels well into their 70s and therefore low testosterone is not simply a byproduct of aging.
Although the vast majority of men with low testosterone have no identifiable cause, there is plenty of evidence that shows numerous modifiable conditions and lifestyle factors being related to low testosterone.
Most males seeking out testosterone replacement therapy usually have a single goal in mind… increased libido. But having normal testosterone levels is critical for many other areas of your health. Having low testosterone levels has been associated with the following
There are a number of different symptoms a male can experience secondary to low testosterone. Given that many of the symptoms could be contributed to various other causes, many men do not even realize that they are experiencing symptoms associated with low testosterone. The following symptoms have the strongest support for being symptoms of testosterone deficiency
Additional symptoms that could occur secondary to testosterone deficiency include
Additionally, there are validated questionnaires to screen for low testosterone. They include the following and can be found online.
Given that many of the symptoms of low testosterone are vague, it is recommended that men get laboratory evaluation of their testosterone levels for complete evaluation.
The normal range for serum total testosterone is 300-1100 ng/dL. Numerous factors can alter your T level on the day you test so the following is recommended.
Additionally, total testosterone doesn’t tell the entire picture. It is recommended that males have their free testosterone & sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) tested as well.
The vast majority of your testosterone is bound to carrier proteins. About 45% of total testosterone is bound tightly to SHBG and about 50% is weakly bound to albumin. Testosterone is unavailable for bio activity (inactive) when bound to these proteins. The only testosterone that has any biological effect is the testosterone that is unbound to protein (aka FREE T)
Free (active) testosterone makes up only 1-3% of total testosterone. Hence the importance of checking your SHBG levels. A male with elevated SHBG could potentially have low free testosterone despite a normal total testosterone
Examples
In the above scenarios, the male with the lower total T actually has more active (free) T.
Influences on sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels include
Potential side effects of TRT have led to conservative recommendations as to when TRT should be used. The following laboratory values and conditions should be evaluated before initiating TRT.
Although the following are not contraindications to initiating TRT, males should be aware of these potential side effects
For males not interested in starting TRT or for those who have contraindications, there are various other ways to naturally increase testosterone levels
#1. Increase Production
#2 Testosterone transport —> Lower SHBG to increase free (active) T
#3 Detoxification
Various toxins can lead to lower testosterone levels. These include alcohol, marijuana, phthalates & pesticides to name a few.
Additionally, during natural steroid metabolism, testosterone gets converted to estrogen and DHT by enzymes. Elevated levels of these enzymes can result in more testosterone conversion and therefore lower testosterone levels.
Testosterone is converted to DHT by 5-alpha reductase. The following foods, herbs and supplements may lower 5 alpha reductase activity and therefore increase testosterone
Foods that inhibit 5 alpha reductase
Herbs that inhibit 5 alpha reductase
Nutrients/phytonutrients that inhibit 5 alpha reductase
Testosterone is converted to estrogen by aromatase. The following foods, herbs and supplements may lower aromatase activity and therefore increase testosterone
Foods associated with lower aromatase activity
Herbs associated with lower aromatase activity
Nutrients and Phytonutrients associated with lower aromatase activity
If you and your physician decide that testosterone replacement therapy is right for you, there are multiple options available. The following are the most common routes of administration along with preferences of Marathon Direct Primary Care. The preferences should not be construed as medical advice and you should consult with your physician to determine the route, frequency and dosing that is right for you.
Subcutaneous/Intramuscular Injection
Oral
Pellets
Topical
The FDA recommends testosterone replacement therapy for males experiencing symptoms with a testosterone level BELOW 300.
But many men can still experience symptoms despite having a total testosterone level within the reference range (above 300). The following has been shown
Therefore, the term testosterone optimization has been coined. Testosterone optimization does not strictly focus on a lab value. Instead, testosterone optimization focuses on the patient’s symptoms and on the known health benefits of maintaining optimal levels of testosterone.
As we have learned, males can potentially optimize their testosterone levels just through lifestyle modification and may not require replacement.
At Marathon Direct Primary Care, we recommend that all adult males OPTIMIZE their testosterone levels. We recommend adult males receive a full evaluation by their physician to discuss their testosterone and whether or not treatment is right for you
All materials contained in this blog post are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice. Please consult with your physician concerning any and all medical questions and/or problems.
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