Andropause

The 55-year-old man enjoyed physical work on his farm.  He particularly enjoyed working his nephews and other high school students in the hay field.  This was hot, physical work.  Physical labor can be satisfying, at least for some.  The other enjoyment was that he could out work any of the young men.  Well, until one day while unloading at the barn in need of a break,  he though, “I must be losing my edge.”  At that moment one of the boys said, “Can we take a break?”  While giving quiet thanks, the older man said, “Sure, if you have to.”

As men age, sometimes our self-image does not match reality.  We can be overweight and bald and still think of ourselves in our youth.  What a wake up call when we discover that we cannot keep up.  The drive diminishes and we may become content to hold the remote in front of the boob tube. 

Is it time for a tune up?  Men can experience a decline in testosterone as they age.  The book,  "The Youth Effect", by Ronald Brown, MD, is written for women about hormone replacement.  Chapter 9 is for men in “andropause”.  There is the case of Harold, an 88-year-old that was not ready to lose his spark. 

Hormone replacement for men is not as popular as for women, but there are strong arguments for testosterone replacement therapy.  Testosterone replacement for men can contribute to male health including muscle mass, sex drive, mental function, motivation and a general sense of well being. 

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Natural Punctuation

The lady called her pharmacy with a question.  She recently started hormone replacement and within two month, her period started.  She had not had a period in 2 years.  The male pharmacist said, “That’s great!”  She was not amused.  The compounding pharmacist explained, “The longer a woman cycles, the healthier she will be.”  Of course that is easy for a man to say!

The book, "The Youth Effect", by Ronald Brown, MD cuts through the issues of hormone replacement for women.  The concept is that we age because our hormones diminish.  Of course time is inescapable.  As woman ages and goes into menopause; she stops ovulating and no longer has a period.  While women do not enjoy the transition due to hot flashes and night sweats, many welcome the cessation of this monthly event. 

A quote in Chapter 1, “Successful Aging”, says, “Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.”  While looking for the fountain of youth, not all agree that we should interfere with the aging process.  After all, it is natural to age and die.  At the same time, we naturally desire to keep our youth and vitality as long as possible.  We positively or negatively influence the aging process with every choice we make. 

Hormones are involved in so many functions.  Think of them as cellular communication that impacts our entire health.  This includes bone, muscle, and skin health.  Hormones also impact mental function and memory.  For some, the benefits also affect sexual health.  This is why many are saying yes to bio-identical hormone replacement. 

Stay Well