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Men's Health

You're fatigued, you have less muscle strength and endurance, you seem to be putting on weight around the midriff, your libido has gone south and you're starting to worry that you may have a sexual dysfunction.

You may also have moments of depression emotional malaise, panic attacks, decreased short-term memory, and insomnia; or perhaps your skin is sagging and you have aches in your joints and muscles. Perhaps you feel inexplicably moody or irritable, or get angry easily, and thinking about your general state of health only strengthens these feelings.

You may be experiencing male menopause, AKA andopause. Signs and symptoms can occur as early as the mid 40s with a rapid decrease in serum testosterone levels. After you pass the age of 30, there is a gradual hormonal shift.

Lets explain some of the mechanisms. DHEA levels decrease, growth hormone decreases along with serum levels of testosterone. In addition general health issues can play a big role in this hormonal shift. For example, prolonged stress and anxiety, hyper or hypothyroid, hyperlipidemia, IBS, GERD, and anemia can rapidly decrease these vital hormones. An additional factor is the decrease in your basal metabolic rate.

Working Through Male Menopause

First we check a male hormonal panel and profile checking for imbalances between the thyroid adrenal glands and testicular function. We also check a comprehensive metabolic panel and CBC with differential. Toxic metal/chemical profile to see if chelation therapy may be beneficial. Once all the information has been obtained, we can structure the patients program. This individualized lifestyle/diet and additionally working towards trying to correct other medical conditions along with andropause. Some helpful suggestions are as follows:

Avoid pesticides, and herbicides. These chemicals can bind testosterone and increase estrogen levels Prolonged stress can decrease adrenal function rapidly. Consider a stress reduction program consisting of exercise and mediation. Use a multivitamin/multimineral made specifically for men (contact office for suggestions.) Avoid fatty hormonally fed beef and or chicken. Try to use an organic source if possible Avoid excessive weight gain; this will cause you to become more estrogen dominant.

If you would like a health questionnaire faxed on adropause, please call the office (520) 297-9664. This questionnaire will help you to determine the extent of your possible difficulty.