If you’re like a lot of guys I treat, you don’t need a test to tell you that your testosterone levels are plummeting. It’s a problem you can feel.Without enough testosterone on board, you might be feeling weak, tired all the time, and your libido may be in the dumps.But as miserable as low testosterone can make you feel, those symptoms may be just the tip of the iceberg. And replacing the testosterone you’re losing won’t just give your energy levels and love life a boost—it also could keep you safe from serious and even life-threatening diseases.
Testosterone actually plays several critical roles in your body. And when your levels start to crash, it can be a warning sign of more serious health problems ahead.As you know, running too low on testosterone can leave you feeling fatigued, make your muscles weak and frail, and impair your memory and focus. But low testosterone levels have also been linked to obesity, high cholesterol, and even osteoporosis.Testosterone has a direct effect on blood clotting and blood vessel health, which includes keeping blood pressure and inflammation in check. When you’re deficient, you’re actually at greater risk than ever for heart disease or a potentially deadly heart attack.
That’s right—having testosterone levels that are too low can actually kill you. A 2011 review of 12 studies found that low testosterone levels were associated with an increased risk of death—not just from cardio-vascular causes, but ALL causes.Even those you might not think have anything to do with testosterone.1Low testosterone is very common in men diagnosed with cancer,2,3 and in approximately 44 percent of men with end-stage kidney disease. A 10- year study of 1,822 men with kidney disease found that those who were also low in testosterone were more than twice as likely to die.4In fact, multiple studies have shown the link between testosterone deficiency and death from all causes, including respiratory disease, heart disease, and cancer.5,6 One study even found that testosterone levels seemed to be able to PREDICT the likelihood of hospitalization with a heart attack—and of dying after 30 days.7But a testosterone deficiency is by no means a death sentence. If it turns out that your testosterone levels are low—and if changing your diet, exercising, taking supplements, and other holistic protocols have not worked—there is still hope.
Nobody should have to live with low testosterone and the health consequences that come with it. You can put the testosterone you’re missing back into your body—and, with it, the spring back into your step.In fact, a number of studies in recent years have demonstrated that testosterone replacement therapy in men is very safe AND promotes good health. Even in men with COPD and asthma, testosterone has been proven to improve lean body mass, bone density, and sexual quality of life.8 9And testosterone isn’t just magic for your energy levels, strength and love life—it can also do wonders for your heart.10According to recent cardiovascular research,11 the risk of heart attack or stroke in men receiving testosterone replacement therapy is actually several times LOWER than in the general population! There was no increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and if the patients already had experienced a heart attack or stroke, testosterone didn’t worsen the condition.If you’re a man over the age of 40, have your testosterone levels checked yearly. If the results are low, talk to your doctor about testosterone supplementation. And make sure you insist on bioidentical hormones, which are the same structure and function as the hormones your body naturally produces.I find that bioidentical hormones deliver superior results and are safer than synthetic alternatives.Reprinted with permission from Health Revelations with Dr. Mark Stengler www.healthrevelations.com
1. Araujo, A.B., Dixon, J.M., Suarez, E.A. et al. (2011) Endogenous testosterone and mortality in men: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 96, 3007–3019.2. Fleishman, S.B., Khan, H., Homel, P. et al. (2010) Testosterone levels and quality of life in diverse male patients with cancers unrelated to androgens. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 28, 5054–5060.3. Garcia, J.M., Li, H.L., Mann, D. et al. (2006) Hypogonadism in male patients with cancer. Cancer, 106, 2583–2591.4. Kyriazis, J., Tzanakis, I., Stylianou, K. et al. (2011) Low serum testosterone, arterial stiffness and mortality in male haemodialysis patients. Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation, 26, 2971–2977.5. Shores MM, Matsumoto AM, Sloan KL, Kivlahan DR. Low serum testosterone and mortality in male veterans. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166:1660-16656. Khaw KT, Dowsett M, Folkerd E, et al. Endogenous testosterone and mortality due to all causes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer in men: European prospective investigation into cancer inNorfolk (EPIC-Norfolk) Prospective Population Study. Circulation. 2007;116:2694-27017. Militaru, C., Donoiu, I., Dracea, O. et al. (2010) Serum testosterone and short-term mortality in men with acute myocardial infarction. Cardiology Journal, 17, 249–253.8. Casaburi, R., Bhasin, S., Cosentino, L. et al. (2004) Effects of testosterone and resistance training in men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, 170, 870–878.9. Reid, I.R., Wattie, D.J., Evans, M.C. et al. (1996) Testosterone therapy in glucocorticoid-treatedmen. Archives Internal Medicine, 156, 1173–1177.10. American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) 23rd Annual Scientific and ClinicalCongress. Presented May 16, 2014.11. Medscape.com. www.medscape.com/viewcollection/3311312. Mulcahy, N. Meta-analysis. Testosterone Is Not a Risk for Prostate Cancer, But…Medscape.com. Accessed www.medscape.com/viewarticle/84490713. Schatzl G, Madersbacher S, Thurridl T, et al. Highgrade prostate cancer is associated with low serum testosterone levels. Prostate. 2001;47:52-58
