Men

If you’ve ever seen a commercial for a drug on the television, you know that many medications carry a host of potential risks and side effects. At times, the seemingly endless list of possible outcomes can even make some therapies seem worse than the conditions they treat. On the flip side, you’ve probably also taken medications without ever experiencing any side effects at all. So how concerned should you be regarding the risks of hormone replacement therapy?

If you’re trying to learn more about what to expect when you’re undergoing treatment to correct a hormonal imbalance, you’ve probably read that not all hormone therapies are created equal. More importantly, you’ve likely realized that many of the traditional treatments available to you can carry significant side effects and long-term risks. However, traditional hormones are not your only option. By understanding the benefits of bioidentical hormones, you can make an informed decision that will help you get the most out of hormone therapy while protecting your health and well-being.

Male hypogonadism, also known as testosterone deficiency, is a common issue that affects an estimated four to five million men in the United States. It can begin as early as fetal development, before puberty, or most commonly, during adulthood and in older males. While hypogonadism in males is more common, female hypogonadism is also possible.

Fluctuating hormones are most commonly associated with women. However, men experience this, too.

In fact, they even go through the male equivalent of the menopause. This is a subject that’s not talked about enough. The lack of conversation leaves many men in the dark about what their hormones are doing to their bodies.

You start with foreplay and hope that you will be able to function, perform, and please your partner, but sometimes erections don’t come that easy. If this happens often enough, it may be a sign that there’s something bigger going on. Erectile dysfunction (ED) can make it difficult to have a productive, satisfying sex life, which is only one of the many reasons why it should never be ignored if it starts to become a regular problem.

If you’ve ever been too embarrassed to take off your shirt at the beach, you’re probably familiar with the term “man boobs.” At least thirty percent of males are affected by gynecomastia—the medical term for male breasts—in their lifetimes. In fact, it’s the most common condition affecting breast tissue in men—and it doesn’t happen only when you put on weight. Additional upper body fat, and certainly obesity, will contribute to a fuller chest, but men at any weight can develop gynecomastia, and the cause is most often hormonal. Specifically, it happens when there is an imbalance between male estrogen and androgens, due to either an increase in estrogen production, a decrease in androgen production, or both. This leads to an enlargement of glandular tissue behind the nipples, or the dreaded “bosom” effect.

In 2016, a study published in the journal Diabetes Care offered new hope to men with type 2 diabetes. It found that six months of testosterone therapy significantly reduced insulin and glucose levels in men with type 2 diabetes who were also testosterone deficient. The therapy also reduced the men’s body fat by an average of nearly seven pounds, increased their muscle mass, improved their sexual function, and lowered their C-reactive protein levels, a blood marker of inflammation that has been linked to cardiovascular disease risk.

It’s become a common joke among expecting parents that the male partners have to shed “pregnancy weight” along with their female partners after the birth of their child. Whether those extra pounds were gained as a result of intentionally “showing support” or just indulging along with their partner’s pregnancy cravings, in the past, men just chalked it up to being a caring father-to-be. But new research has shown another part of the pregnancy experience that men share along with their female partners—hormonal changes!

Having a healthy sex life is important to the majority of adults—both men and women. Sex can be one of the most organic, beautiful, and satisfying experiences you can have. But when bodily dysfunctions get in the way of enjoying a healthy and satisfying sex life, many people don’t know where to turn.