Bahamas Anti-Aging Medical Institute

We live in exciting times when it comes to the serious study of men's health. Scientists are developing an increasingly detailed understanding of the interplay of hormone levels with other body chemistry, and their cumulative impact on conditions once thought to be simply the inevitable effects of aging: hypertension, atherosclerosis, diabetes, cognitive decline, and many others ¹.

At the forefront of medical advances is the topic of male hormone restoration, or hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A fierce controversy has existed for a number of years about how and whether replacing the key male hormone, testosterone, can favorably affect aspects of aging ². Some of this debate has been informed by valid concerns about the abuse of testosterone supplements in sports ³, and also about possible increased risks of prostate cancer ⁴. Breathtaking new data are emerging to suggest that, in fact, testosterone (or simply “T”) replacement therapy can have substantial positive impact on men as they age, and that careful monitoring can alleviate downside risks ⁵. Here are just a few facts from the most recent medical literature:

• Declining levels of testosterone with age were long thought to be simply a side effect or result of aging itself – modern analytical techniques have shown that testosterone deficiency, or hypogonadism, is in fact an abnormal state and is much more common than previously believed ^2,6
• Newer studies also suggest that standards for “normal” testosterone levels have been in error and have been set much too low, resulting in potentially inadequate treatment in many men who might have benefited ⁶
• Low T levels are associated with development of the metabolic syndrome which is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic health conditions ⁷.
• Low T levels are also associated with decreased physical performance, increased body fat content and reduced muscle mass, as well as reduced hemoglobin concentrations and poor glucose utilization, all of which contribute to poor performance in many physical pursuits ⁸.
• Low T levels are associated with decreased cognitive function and depression ⁸.
• According to one recent expert review, “By restoring serum testosterone levels to the normal range using testosterone replacement therapy, many of these symptoms can be relieved” ⁹.
• Long-term T replacement therapy has been shown to improve sexual symptoms such as decreased libido, erectile dysfunction and reduced energy levels ¹⁰.
• Long-term T replacement can actually retard or reverse prostate growth and reduce blood levels of PSA, a chemical marker associated with prostate cancer risk ⁴.
• T replacement produces improvement in mood in men with depressive symptoms, including some who failed to respond to standard prescription anti-depressants ^11,12.
• T supplementation improves spatial and verbal memory and other aspects of cognition ^13-15.

More data on the role of hormone replacement therapy, as well as on other breaking developments in men’s health will soon be available on this website (for example, did you know that men are at risk for osteoporosis, just like women?). Meanwhile, read more about these subjects in the Life Extension Foundation’s Health Concerns Textbook, at http://www.lef.org/protocols/male_reproductive/male_hormone_restoration_01.htm.

References

(1) Beg S, Al-Khoury L, Cunningham GR. Testosterone replacement in men. Curr Opin Endocrinol Diabetes Obes. 2008;15:364-370.

(2) Miner MM, Seftel AD. Testosterone and ageing: what have we learned since the Institute of Medicine report and what lies ahead? Int J Clin Pract. 2007;61:622-632.

(3) Handelsman DJ, Heather A. Androgen abuse in sports. Asian J Androl. 2008;10:403-415.

(4) Pechersky AV, Mazurov VI, Semiglazov VF, Karpischenko AI, Mikhailichenko VV, Udintsev AV. Androgen administration in middle-aged and aging men: effects of oral testosterone undecanoate on dihydrotestosterone, oestradiol and prostate volume. Int J Androl. 2002;25:119-125.

(5) Rhoden EL, Morgentaler A. Risks of testosterone-replacement therapy and recommendations for monitoring. N Engl J Med. 2004;350:482-492.

(6) Newman JD, Doery JC. Assessing hypogonadism in men - How helpful are current testosterone assays? Aust Fam Physician. 2008;37:670-671.

(7) Kapoor D, Jones TH. Androgen deficiency as a predictor of metabolic syndrome in aging men: an opportunity for intervention? Drugs Aging. 2008;25:357-369.

(8) Zitzmann M. Effects of testosterone replacement and its pharmacogenetics on physical performance and metabolism. Asian J Androl. 2008;10:364-372.

(9) Nieschlag E, Behre HM, Bouchard P et al. Testosterone replacement therapy: current trends and future directions. Hum Reprod Update. 2004;10:409-419.

(10) McLaren D, Siemens DR, Izard J, Black A, Morales A. Clinical practice experience with testosterone treatment in men with testosterone deficiency syndrome. BJU Int. 2008.

(11) Pope HG, Jr., Cohane GH, Kanayama G, Siegel AJ, Hudson JI. Testosterone gel supplementation for men with refractory depression: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Am J Psychiatry. 2003;160:105-111.

(12) Seidman SN, Rabkin JG. Testosterone replacement therapy for hypogonadal men with SSRI-refractory depression. J Affect Disord. 1998;48:157-161.

(13) Cherrier MM, Asthana S, Plymate S et al. Testosterone supplementation improves spatial and verbal memory in healthy older men. Neurology. 2001;57:80-88.

(14) Cherrier MM, Plymate S, Mohan S et al. Relationship between testosterone supplementation and insulin-like growth factor-I levels and cognition in healthy older men. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2004;29:65-82.

(15) Cherrier MM, Craft S, Matsumoto AH. Cognitive changes associated with supplementation of testosterone or dihydrotestosterone in mildly hypogonadal men: a preliminary report. J Androl. 2003;24:568-576.