Hormone Replacement Therapy for Men

A decline in hormones in men, mainly due to age, leads to a condition called andropause or male menopause. There are a number of hormones involved in causing andropause. The most important among them are testosterone, thyroid and adrenal hormones. The reasons behind the fall of these hormones can be a result of injury to or infection in the testicles, thyroid or adrenal glands, alcoholism, chemotherapy, genetic abnormalities (e.g. Klinefelter's syndrome), cirrhosis, AIDS, or some chronic illness. Andropause begins in the late-twenties. Most men start experiencing andropause symptoms by the age of 35. The major symptoms are as under.

Symptoms of Andropause

• Decrease in mental alertness
• Decrease in sexual activity
• Decrease in energy level
• Decreased muscle tone
• Weight gain
• Night sweats and sleeping disorders
• Mood Swings

The condition of andropause can be postponed or delayed by taking a supply of responsible hormones from an outside source. There are synthetic hormones available in the market, which can be taken with a physician's recommendation. They are available in the form of patches, pellets, tablets and topical creams. Still, the synthetic hormones are chemically different from the natural ones, and thus, can produce numerous side-effects. The most common side-effects of synthetic hormone replacement therapy are as follows.

Side-Effects of Synthetic Hormone Replacement Therapy

• Peliosis Hepatis (formation of blood filled cysts in lever and kidneys)
• Excessive water retention, which further strains the liver and kidneys
• High blood pressure
• Decrease in good cholesterol level
• Jaundice
• Difficulty in urination due to prolonged prostate enlargement
• Increase in depression and aggression
• Heart diseases

Looking at the aforementioned negative effects of synthetic testosterone usage, it is advisable to opt for natural hormone therapy for men. In natural hormone replacement therapy for men, the hormones are derived from plants. Such hormones are bio-identical with the ones that your body produces, hence the name bioidentical hormones. The natural hormone replacement therapy is also devoid of any side-effects. There is a simple way to opt for hormone replacement therapy naturally. Follow these steps to make your task easy.

Natural Hormone Replacement Therapy for Men

Step 1: Get a hormone analysis of your body. The medical practitioner will take samples of your blood, saliva or urine to determine the levels of various hormones. As a result, you will get precise measurements of testosterone, adrenal and thyroid hormones. This will help your doctor identify the hormone whose level is low in your body.

Step 2: In addition to the hormonal levels, your health care provider will also consider some other facts related with you to design a program for natural hormone replacement therapy. These can be your height, metabolic rate, diet, weight, genetic inheritance, daily stress, exposure to environmental toxins, protein synthesis, etc. The doctor will give you a prescription of bio-identical hormones. The therapy can be either in the form of an injection or a patch. You can get the drugs from a compound pharmacy.

Step 3: In step 3, you need to take the recommended dosage of each bio-identical hormones up to a period of three months, or as prescribed by your doctor. In case, you suspect some problem with the dosage, consult your doctor for the necessary changes. After the completion of three months, the doctor will again ask you for a hormonal analysis. He will proceed further accordingly.

Treating male menopause with natural hormone replacement therapy is safe and effective, when diagnosed rightly and monitored regularly. Therefore, opt for it but under the supervision of a registered medical professional.