Your Mid-Life Crisis Could Be Andropause. A Hot Red Sports Car Won't Fix It!

By Greg Newell

Doctors have traditionally treated menopausal women with synthetic hormones. Recently bioidentical hormones have gained acceptance in the medical community as a safer, more natural alternative for both women and men. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT)requires the doctor to team up with a compounding pharmacy because the levels of hormones need to be tracked and the delivery process for these hormones is not something your local pharmacy can fill a prescription for. BHRT for men is an effective, rational approach to the "mid-life" crisis that won't cost you a marriage, a new girl friend and a new red, beautiful albeit impractical sports car.

Are you a man over the age of 40? If so, your body has already begun to produce less testosterone than it was ten years ago. Testosterone is the "man-maker" androgen, the hormone which determines male traits and characteristics.

Testosterone levels surge for the first time as boys enter puberty. The testes begin to produce large amounts of this hormone to facilitate biological processes such as the strengthening of bones, deepening of voice, heightening of libido and the ability to produce sperm. Testosterone levels remain at a peak production level for males through puberty and into early adulthood.

The male body begins a steady decline in the levels of testosterone it produces by the age of 40. There is also a rise in the production of a sex-hormone binding protein (SHBG) in males at this age, reducing the levels of "bioavailable" testosterone even further. When a man experiences a decline of male hormones, he is considered to be andropausal.

Andropause is the male equivalent of menopause in women, as both biological processes are the result of decreased hormones. Andropause is the condition of men who are experiencing a decrease in hormone levels of testosterone, thyroid, Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and human growth hormone (HGH). Andropause symptoms include a decreased libido, abdominal obesity, fatigue, mood swings and possible bouts of impotence.

The good news is that relief of andropause symptoms can be achieved through bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. Bioidentical hormones are molecularly identical hormones to the ones which are naturally produced by the body. By maintaining the body's personalized physiology, the risks associated with synthetic hormone replacement treatments are eliminated.

Through restoring healthy testosterone levels, men will be able to increase libido, lose extra abdominal weight and regain a positive mentality. Patients considering bioidentical hormone therapy are advised to discuss the possible benefits with a trusted medical professional.

In "Breakthrough: Eight Steps to Wellness," Suzanne Somers interviews twenty anti-aging specialists to contribute their expertise in the area of bioidentical hormones. Dr. Ron Rothenberg had this to say in regards to andropause: "Andropause is a dangerous disease, a critical disease, a lethal disease." Dr. Rothenberg further states the statistic, "In the 1980s average testosterone levels in men was in the 600s or so, but when you look at men of different ages today, it's somewhere around the 400s.That is a dramatic difference."

There are fantastic new discoveries to be excited about in relation to bioidentical hormones. However, optimal midlife health is dependent on making positive lifestyle choices, maintaining a healthy diet and implementing a personalized fitness routine.

Article source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/your-mid-life-crisis-could-be-andropause-a-hot-red-sports-car-wont-fix-it-4198848.html

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