Low Libido

Sexual dysfunction is one of the common and more well-known low testosterone symptoms in men. A lack of libido and erectile dysfunction can be symptomatic of reduced hormones or a psychological response to other symptoms of reduced levels. If you look at the causes of low libido and Erectile dysfunction in men, such as obesity, lack of confidence, depression, and poor heart health, these are all contributing factors. Unsurprisingly these symptoms are also common amongst men with reduced levels of testosterone. So, a patient undergoing testosterone replacement therapy is likely to lose weight, gain muscle, improve blood flow, confidence, and generally feel much happier—all of which will enhance sexual desire and erectile function.

Fatigue

If caused by hormone imbalance, fatigue is not something you have to live with, although many do. Don’t accept tiredness as the new normal! One of the most common symptoms is fatigue. Not the ‘it’s been a long week, and I need a break’ kind of tired but the tiredness that continually chips away at your motivation and energy…afternoon nap anyone? Fatigue is a clear indicator that you should get your hormones checked. When your testosterone levels drop, lean muscle decreases, and you cannot gain strength like you used to. You inevitably begin to accumulate more body fat, particularly visceral fat, and energy levels decline. Your motivation to work out also falls. These issues often have a knock-on effect, preventing you from having a good night’s sleep, so you wake up feeling tired, unmotivated, and lacking focus. By correcting the hormone imbalance, you will find a massive boost in energy that potentially can change your life for the better. With an increase in energy, you will have the stamina and ‘get up and go’ needed to reclaim your energy levels and live life.

Memory Loss

When one thinks about memory or mental function, falling testosterone levels don’t usually come to mind. Yet, when we get age, our minds certainly are not a sharp as they used to be. How many senior moments have you had lately? It is no coincidence that when testosterone levels begin to decline, mental function often slows. Significantly, many patients who start our therapies report it is like a fog lifting, and mental clarity returns. Cognitive ability becomes much sharper, memory improves, and you will have an increased ability to work out problems. Ultimately testosterone plays a significant role in mental agility, affecting your ability to perform daily tasks to the best of your ability. Testosterone’s positive effects on sleep patterns, energy levels, and general well-being alleviate many of the causes of memory loss. When you are well-rested and generally fit and healthy, you tend to be sharper mentally and have more ability to think clearly. Many studies [2],[3] also show how testosterone replacement reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and can protect the brain against the damaging effects of amyloid-beta and tau proteins. These proteins build up in your brain, causing this degenerative condition. This benefit is hugely significant when considering hormone replacement therapy as preventative medicine. With BHRT, memory loss could become a memory you are happy to forget!

Depression

Incidents of depression in men increase with age; it is no coincidence that this follows the pattern of declining testosterone levels. Your hormones are chemical messengers that control many of your bodily functions and, importantly, your mental well-being. In your twenties, when hormones are well balanced, your mood is as well. You are full of energy, your metabolism is working like clockwork, and your motivation to better yourself is high. However, as you age, your hormone levels start to decline along with their positive effects. You begin to develop a ‘spare tire,’ your muscles begin to weaken, you feel tired all the time, and symptoms of sadness, low libido, and even depression creeps in. BHRT can reset your mental balance by tackling many of the causes of depression.

Sleep Disturbances

Reduced testosterone levels often cause fatigue, even for those who get plenty of sleep. Bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can ease many issues that cause a stormy night’s sleep and help rebalance your circadian rhythm. The relationship between testosterone and sleep is complicated. Normal testosterone production requires undisturbed and restful sleep called REM, refilling your hormone levels for the coming day. If you consider reduced testosterone symptoms, increased stress (cortisol), depression, anxiety, sexual issues, and low self-esteem, these issues make it harder to sleep. Couple this with the natural decline in testosterone as you age and the fact men tend to sleep less in later life (having less time to build testosterone levels). It becomes evident that hormone imbalance plays a significant role in a restful night’s sleep. BHRT has the potential to rebalance all the issues causing broken nights, trouble getting to sleep, and early rising. You will feel a return of youthful energy, feel more rested, and wake up ready to take on life head-on.

Weight Gain

Middle-aged spread, those immortal words men fear above all, it happens to us all, you hit 40 (ish), and boom, it’s like someone has removed a tight belt from around your waist, and your belly is set free! Unfortunately, that stubborn fat stored around your middle is the most difficult to get rid of, and the more it builds up, the more impossible it becomes to lose. But why? The biggest problem is stubborn visceral fat. Visceral fat is stored in and around organs inside your abdominal cavity and contains an enzyme called aromatase. This enzyme causes testosterone levels in your body to fall faster by converting testosterone into estradiol. When your body has too much estradiol and too little testosterone, your hormones enter a state of perpetual disparity. In this state of imbalance, your testosterone levels take a double beating, one from aromatase conversion into estradiol and two by the natural decline. Testosterone is the hormone that gives you the drive to take action about your weight gain and gives you the ability to build lean muscle and burn fat. There are also many secondary symptoms associated with reduced testosterone that many men experience. Symptoms that BHRT can also alleviate.