by Dr. Chandra Prasad and Dr. Robert Ferris
In 1920, women outlived men by an average of only one year. Women now outlive men by an average of five years.
There is a health gap between American men and women, and part of the reason for this gap is that men don’t value preventive care as much as women. Men are more likely to engage in unhealthy behaviors and less likely to seek care when symptoms first arise and participate in annual physical exams. Men, on average, work in more dangerous occupations, and as a result, men die younger and in greater numbers from heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and many other diseases. Men also face their own unique health issues, such as prostate cancer and benign prostate enlargement.
Being proactive about your health is an important starting point in the process of staying healthy. Some steps are self-evident, but some men may need help in taking the initiative toward good health. Recognizing that living healthy is a lifelong commitment is an important key to longevity. Nobody is perfect, but the ultimate goal is to have more good habits than bad. Here is a checklist to promote a healthier lifestyle and a longer, healthier life for the modern man:
- Stop smoking
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise daily
- Eat a heart healthy diet
- Get routine medical care and physical examinations
- Perform routine home testicle exams
- Keep mentally active
- Most importantly, maintain testosterone, Thyroid T3, and vitamin D at optimal levels
The aging process leads to low testosterone in men. This process occurs gradually over the years and usually starts in the mid-thirties. Low testosterone in aging men is called andropause, popularly known as male menopause. (That’s a bit of a misnomer, as men are still fertile after andropause.) Not all men become symptomatic with andropause, but symptoms typically appear in the 50s.
Low testosterone, low thyroid, and low vitamin D among the male population are at a crisis point. Men with low testosterone feel fatigue, insomnia, and have decreased memory, focus, and concentration. They also will experience decreased libido and sexual performance. Workouts are less productive, and they will begin to lose muscle mass despite adequate exercise. Over their lifetime, men with low testosterone have an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, prostate cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, fractures, and muscle loss.
Thyroid imbalance plays a role in many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, obesity, and diabetes.
Vitamin D deficiency is implicated in many different forms of cancer, is necessary for optimal function of the heart, and plays an important role in the immune system.
There are three paths when choosing any course of medical treatment. The first is the easiest: do nothing and hope you will feel better. Obviously, this is one of the most common choices, and the results speak for themselves. The second is going the conventional medical route and trying medications only. Pharmaceutical medications tend to work somewhat but can be very expensive and have unwanted side effects. If you do not combine them with changes in your lifestyle, you will not see any meaningful results. The third is to consider the perspective of preventative medicine by optimizing your hormones with BioTe subcutaneous pellet therapy. Implants are placed under the skin in the subcutaneous fat and will continuously release the appropriate doses of hormones. BioTe pellets are unlike typical testosterone injections and other transdermal forms of therapy, which can produce “roller coaster” hormone levels resulting in mood and energy fluctuations and no real health benefits for the patient. BioTe pellets for men will need to be re-inserted approximately every six months.
Patient satisfaction and compliance reports show that one of the most effective methods of regaining testosterone balance is bio-identical hormone replacement therapy pellets. Pellets are inserted quickly in the office and are virtually painless. Within seven to 10 days after the pellet insertion, bio-identical hormone replacement therapy begins to work, and BioTe patients are back enjoying their active lifestyles.
If you believe you are suffering from low testosterone and would like to try a natural method of relief, seek care from a qualified bio-identical hormone replacement specialist.