Healthy Men's Hormones
Life Is short why not feel the best you can?
Suppose someone told you there was a magical substance that could increase your sex drive, strengthen your bone and muscle tissue, reduce your body's fat production, deepen the tone and thickness of your skin, improve your thinking ability, boost your energy levels, and guard against the onset of depression and heart disease as you age. You might be skeptical - or you might be tempted to go out and buy a whole truck load of it. But in reality, these are all clinical effects of a substance produced naturally in your own body - the male sex hormone testosterone.
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is a powerful anabolic hormone. That means it stimulates the body's development of muscle, bone, skin, and sex organs, along with masculine physical features, such as hair growth. Recently, scientists have discovered that testosterone also improves mental power, by enhancing visual and perceptual skills.
In men, testosterone is produced in the testes, by a group of cells known as Leydig cells. These cells begin secreting high doses of testosterone during puberty to trigger increased lean muscle mass, sex organ growth, bone formation, deeper voice, and higher energy levels. Peak testosterone levels are reached in a man's early to mid-20s.
What happens to testosterone levels over the course of a man's lifetime?
As a man ages, the Leydib cells that secrete testosterone begin to wear away. Because of this, between the ages of 40 and 70, the average man loses nearly 60% of the testosterone inside his body! Other lifestyle factors, such as smoking and stress, can also hasten the deterioration of Leydig cells, and cause testosterone levels to drastically decline.
Although there's growing awareness of the vital role testosterone plays in health, the vast majority of men still don't recognize the key symptoms of testosterone deficiency. These include: depression, fatigue, low sex drive, irritability, loss of facial/body hair, thinning and wrinkling of skin, weight gain, and weakening of bone and muscle tissue. In some cases, there may also be a gradual decrease in the size of the testes.
Eventually, imbalances of testosterone can set the stage for the development of even more serious diseases. Low levels can disrupt the body's blood sugar metabolism, leading to obesity and diabetes. Chronic deficiencies may also promote the early onset of osteoporosis and heart disease.
How does the Male Hormone Profile work?
Testosterone is released in your body in a daily cycle that shows a clear rhythmic pattern. Levels are highest in the early morning, and gradually fall throughout the rest of the day. To ensure accuracy, the Male Hormone Profile measures your testosterone levels from saliva samples collected at 4 different times: morning, noon, afternoon, and midnight.
Why is it important to get tested?
Although low testosterone can have damaging effects on health, just taking supplements isn't the answer. That's because extremely high testosterone levels can trigger unpleasant side effects, and increase the risk of developing prostrate cancer. With testosterone, balance is the key - and this can only be achieved with accurate baseline testing of your hormone levels.
How does testosterone affect my sex life?
Since ancient times men have searched for ways to increase their virility. Today, there are many popular medications that improve the physical factors (such as circulation) needed to sustain an erection. Yet many men do not realize that none of these medicines can work effectively without adequate testosterone in the body. That's because testosterone is, in a sense, your body's natural aphrodisiac. Only when there are sufficient levels are you able to feel and sustain sexual arousal.
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