The Testosterone Syndrome

The book The Testosterone Syndrome, written by Eugene Shippen, M.D. and William Fryer is a well written book on the subject of aging. Dr. Shippen’s clinical experience, combined with concise explanations and scientific studies, provides an informative description of aging, the role of hormones and the benefits of hormone boosting and replacement. The book focuses on testosterone, though it covers other hormones as well, making special note of the relationship between testosterone and estrogen.

The natural process of aging, often marked by illness and a decline in the quality of life, has largely been ignored in males. Symptoms are often overlooked or written off as depression. While many women benefit from hormone replacement, the same choice has not been widely available for men. Declining hormone levels in both men and women cause much of what we commonly call aging. When proper hormone balance is restored, significant improvement is seen.

Men experience a midlife menopause, or andropause as some prefer to call it, similar to that of women. However, this has not been widely accepted in the mainstream medical community because presenting symptoms of male menopause are not the same as those of women. Male menopause is a slower, steadier process, often occurring over a decade or longer. Additionally, the symptoms are different and more variable among patients. Though this change can be caused by a variety of factors, it is rooted the body’s reaction to hormonal decline. This is seen in the fact that older, healthy men have high testosterone levels. Likewise, a man’s health will steadily decline with a corresponding decline in testosterone levels.

Hormone boosting or replacement can reverse many signs of aging. Common risk factors for death are closely related to hormone levels. Thus, balancing the hormones can reverse many of these risk factors. Hormone balancing can be achieved either through the use of natural methods or hormone replacement therapy. Bringing hormone levels up to optimal levels will allow the latter years to be filled with strength, vigor and vitality, as opposed to increasing depression, lack of strength and waning sexual performance.

Testosterone, known as the male hormone, is more important than most people realize. It is involved in making protein, creating bone, helping to control blood sugar and maintaining a healthy immune system just to name a few of its many functions. It also appears to affect concentration and mood. Thus, replacing declining testosterone levels in both men and women improves the quality of life and these effects have been shown in numerous case studies on the subject.

The aging process is not a necessary evil. While no one can live forever, the latter years need not be filled with sickness and lethargy. Instead, through the proper use of hormones, a vital and active life can be recouped and lived healthily and enjoyably. Testosterone is an important component of good health in both men and women, making it a necessary piece for improved health and functioning.

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Hormone Therapy Helps Fight the Effects of Aging

In his book, “The Hormone Solution: Stay Younger Longer with Natural Hormone and Nutrition Therapies”, Dr. Thierry Hertoghe, a fourth generation physician, advocates a holistic approach to personal health involving balanced nutrition and bio identical hormone replacement. By following these key principles, he says that optimum hormone levels (which naturally occur in a person’s twenties) in the body can be achieved. The reason that the average person usually does not achieve these levels is due to environmental factors and aging.

What exactly are hormones and what do they do? Hertoghe states that hormones (coming from the Greek “hormone” meaning “to set in motion”) are made in the endocrine glands and then flow into the bloodstream where they are carried to every part of the body. They direct, coordinate, and ensure the proper functioning of the body’s cells. Basically put, hormones are vital to the functions of the human body. The brain helps regulate the production of more than 100 different types of hormones in the body. If these hormones are in balance then the body will function properly and good health will follow. On the other hand if only one hormone is missing or insufficient then many others will be negatively affected resulting in poor health.

Regulating heartbeat and breathing, enabling the ability to go to sleep at night and to wake up in the morning, controlling blood pressure, building bone, maintaining muscle tone, lubricating joints, governing growth, making the body produce energy and heat, burning fat, governing the menstrual cycle, fighting stress, preventing fatigue, calming anxiety, relieving depression, making and keeping memories, maintain correct sugar levels in the blood and tissue, resisting allergic reactions and infections, soothing pain, controlling sex drive, and stimulating the brain and immune system are just some of the bodily functions that hormones are responsible for.

The method that Hertoghe outlines in his book is not a one-size-fits-all approach but it requires a certain degree of personalization. He first emphasizes the role of a balanced, nutritious diet in helping the body to produce the necessary hormones in the right proportions. Eating right is not enough because as the body ages, all hormone levels drop in men and women. With bio identical hormone replacement, hormones of the same molecular structure as ones naturally produced in the body can be used as supplements so that hormone levels can be balanced and overall health improved. Hertoghe also warns against the improper use of hormone supplements. Often health problems can be caused by multiple hormone deficiencies and the solutions to these problems is also a combination of hormone supplements. Using doses that are too large can overwhelm the system and synthetically created hormones do not have the exact molecular structures as their naturally occurring counterparts. Bio identical hormone replacement solves all these potential problems. There are many companies that specialize in this type of hormone therapy, one of which is www.RevitaAntiAgingCenter.com.