Besides being famous as the hormone primarily responsible for masculine characteristics, testosterone is also necessary for aspects of general health, such as supporting muscle mass, muscle strength, sperm quality/production, dispersing fat throughout the body and maintaining good bone density.

Testosterone is an anabolic steroid, meaning it is a hormone that increases protein production in skeletal muscle cells and exerts numerous virilizing effects. Testicles produce testosterone in men while the ovaries produce small amounts of testosterone in women. The adrenal glands also produce minimal amounts of testosterone as well.¹

Why Men Experience Loss of Testosterone as They Age

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) regulates testosterone levels because it binds with testosterone receptors. Eventually, SHBG is inactivated as it is absorbed by testosterone. Because the binding capacity of SHBG intensifies in middle-aged men, they suffer detrimental health effects associated with lack of testosterone, such as muscle loss, loss of bone density and loss of libido.²

Testosterone also chemically interacts with digested food and conveys the resulting material to cells where it lends support in the production of energy. Healthy brain functioning also requires testosterone because testosterone affects levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter responsible for regulating moods, sleep, appetite and sexual desire.³

Adequate testosterone levels may also help reduce bad cholesterol, moderate blood pressure, correct abnormal heart rhythms and decrease the accumulation of body fat.⁴ These are a few reasons why testosterone is not only important for men but also for women.

Top 10 Benefits of Testosterone for Men and Women

1. Cardiovascular benefits of testosterone include reduction of cholesterol and decreased risk of heart disease. Research has found that bio-identical hormone replacement therapy for men and women improve cholesterol files while also lowering serum total cholesterol.⁵
2. Testosterone may decrease coagulating factors in the blood. When blood is prone to coagulating in veins and arteries, heart attacks and stroke risks rise in men and women.⁶
3. Low testosterone levels optimized by bio-identical testosterone seems to dilate blood vessels and reduce the risk of hypertension (endothelial resistance). Both benefits support cardiovascular health.⁷
4. Declining levels of testosterone in men and women often have a negative impact on mood, anxiety, and depression since testosterone plays a role in regulating serotonin release in the brain. Increasing testosterone levels with bio-identical hormone replacement therapy may help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression by supporting the re-uptake of serotonin similar to the way antidepressants work to regulate mood.⁸
5. Lower testosterone and sex-hormone binding globulin levels may make women prone to suffering carotid atherosclerosis. Evidence could suggest that postmenopausal women using BHRT may reduce their risk of being diagnosed with atherosclerosis.⁹
6. For men diagnosed with CAD(coronary artery disease), testosterone replacement therapy may help increase blood flow within and surrounding the heart while acting as an effective vasodilator.¹⁰
7. Men with erectile dysfunction may be suffering from low testosterone. BHRT, along with any necessary medical interventions, may help men overcome erectile dysfunction and low sex drive.¹¹
8. Low testosterone levels may be a risk factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease for both men and women.¹²
9. Replacing testosterone with bio-identical hormone replacement therapy may reduce the risk of osteoporosis by improving bone mineral density. Estradiol and testosterone therapy for women has shown to significantly benefit bone mass density after only 12 months of BHRT.¹³
10. Low testosterone levels in middle-aged, overweight men may correlate to diabetes and increased body mass index (BMI).¹⁴

What is Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Bio-identical hormones are synthetic hormones closely resembling the molecular structure of hormones produced by the body. BHRT primarily involves replacing low levels of testosterone, progesterone and estrogen, the three main hormones responsible for many health problems in older men and women.

Bio-identical hormones are made using plant-based ingredients, such as yams and soybeans, and contain unique substances that naturally bind to cellular hormone receptors. Consequently, your body easily accepts bio-identical hormones and processes them the same way it processes naturally made hormones.

Not only do you enjoy the benefits of increased testosterone as well as other hormones vital to overall health, but you enjoy them more quickly than you would be using traditional hormone replacement therapy.

To learn more about the physical, emotional and cognitive benefits of BHRT, call our clinic today to speak with a knowledgeable staff member.

References:

1. https://www.health.harvard.edu/
2. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/
3. https://renewmetoday.com//low-testosterone-levels-affecting-brain/
4. https://www.health.harvard.edu/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
8. https://www.mayoclinic.org/
9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
10. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
11. https://www.webmd.com/
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
13. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
14. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/