Hormone Replacement Therapy
Testosterone Improves Quality of Life in Men with COPD
According to a study from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, testosterone replacement therapy can make a critical difference in supporting men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This study reviewed ten years of medical records for 450 men aged 40 to 63 who had COPD. They found that males with COPD in that age group were 5% less like to need hospitalization if they received supplemental testosterone.
The researchers also studied ten years of records for 253 men aged 66 and older who had COPD. They found that older men were 10% less likely to have been put in hospital if they were on low-dose testosterone.
But here’s the most important part. Men with chronic lung disease who manage to stay out of the hospital aren’t exposed to all the other infections encountered during hospital care. They miss less work. They remain more active for more years.
And they don’t have to pay enormous hospital bills for infections they don’t get.
Testosterone supplementation makes a measurable critical difference in the health of men who have COPD. It is not overstating the results to say that in up to 10% of cases, testosterone supplementation could make a life or death difference in supporting the health of men who have COPD.
But there have been 30 previous studies that show how testosterone supplementation improves their quality of life.
How Testosterone Improves Quality of Life for Men Who Have COPD
The underlying challenge that testosterone helps men with COPD overcome is breaking out of a vicious cycle of symptoms, medications, and side effects.
Usually, men who have COPD suffer shortness of breath. To help with shortness of breath, doctors typically give them prescriptions for steroids.
Steroids interfere with the way a man’s body produces testosterone. Ironically, testosterone deficiency aggravates COPD — leading doctors to increase the dosage of prescribed steroids.
Testosterone replacement therapy interrupts this vicious cycle.
The University of Texas study mentioned above confirms that testosterone helps prevent respiratory infections. But the way testosterone helps men with COPD isn’t like taking zinc and vitamin C when you feel you are coming down with a cold.
Testosterone helps men with COPD get through the inevitable upper respiratory infections they experience every year by building up the muscles that help them stay ventilated.
COPD devastates muscle mass all over the body.
The muscles lose “slow-twitch” fibers that give them strength and support long-distance endurance activities like marathon running. And, they gain “fast-twitch” fibers that make them more responsive but less able to respond to stress.
It isn’t just the muscles responsible for breathing that are affected by COPD.
Men with COPD lose strength in their leg muscles and, to a lesser extent, their arms, even without steroid therapy. Studies show the effect is much worse when these men have to stay on steroids for months or even years at a time.
Testosterone corrects this situation by stimulating the growth of muscle mass all over a man’s body.
When the muscles can support the lungs, problems with the airflow are reduced.
Men on testosterone therapy gain strength in the muscles that are involved with breathing and in their quadriceps.
And because they become more active, getting more exercise can build up even more muscle mass.
Testosterone therapy replaces a vicious, downward cycle with steady improvement.
The University of Texas announcement followed 30 studies conducted over the last 20 years that have found various benefits of testosterone therapy for men who have COPD. Among the other benefits of testosterone therapy are:
- They increased lean body mass. Clinical trials show that testosterone helps men with COPD lose fat and gain muscle without changing weight.
- They improved sex life. Men on testosterone therapy report stronger erections and greater lasting power for sexual intercourse. Men with COPD frequently experience a condition of penile and testicular shrinkage known as hypogonadism. Testosterone replacement therapy conclusively helps these men.
- Enhanced Quality of Life. Men with COPD who go on testosterone therapy feel better. They are more active. They are more engaged with life.
Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Also Helpful for Men Who Have COPD?
Bioidentical hormones are plant-derived natural substances that are identical to the hormones the body produces. All bioidentical hormones provide the same benefits as industrially produced synthetic hormones.
At Renew Health & Wellness, we use BHRT products with a long history of safe use in supporting health. We counsel our customers always to work with their doctors to get the best possible natural and mainstream medicine results together.
And because bioidentical hormone replacement is all we do, at Renew Health & Wellness, we are always up to date on the latest science.
We’re here to help.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://journals.sagepub.com
https://www.resmedjournal.com
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
According to a study from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston, testosterone replacement therapy can make a critical difference in supporting men with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
This study reviewed ten years of medical records for 450 men aged 40 to 63 who had COPD. They found that males with COPD in that age group were 5% less like to need hospitalization if they received supplemental testosterone.
The researchers also studied ten years of records for 253 men aged 66 and older who had COPD. They found that older men were 10% less likely to have been put in hospital if they were on low-dose testosterone.
But here’s the most important part. Men with chronic lung disease who manage to stay out of the hospital aren’t exposed to all the other infections encountered during hospital care. They miss less work. They remain more active for more years.
And they don’t have to pay enormous hospital bills for infections they don’t get.
Testosterone supplementation makes a measurable critical difference in the health of men who have COPD. It is not overstating the results to say that in up to 10% of cases, testosterone supplementation could make a life or death difference in supporting the health of men who have COPD.
But there have been 30 previous studies that show how testosterone supplementation improves their quality of life.
How Testosterone Improves Quality of Life for Men Who Have COPD
The underlying challenge that testosterone helps men with COPD overcome is breaking out of a vicious cycle of symptoms, medications, and side effects.
Usually, men who have COPD suffer shortness of breath. To help with shortness of breath, doctors typically give them prescriptions for steroids.
Steroids interfere with the way a man’s body produces testosterone. Ironically, testosterone deficiency aggravates COPD — leading doctors to increase the dosage of prescribed steroids.
Testosterone replacement therapy interrupts this vicious cycle.
The University of Texas study mentioned above confirms that testosterone helps prevent respiratory infections. But the way testosterone helps men with COPD isn’t like taking zinc and vitamin C when you feel you are coming down with a cold.
Testosterone helps men with COPD get through the inevitable upper respiratory infections they experience every year by building up the muscles that help them stay ventilated.
COPD devastates muscle mass all over the body.
The muscles lose “slow-twitch” fibers that give them strength and support long-distance endurance activities like marathon running. And, they gain “fast-twitch” fibers that make them more responsive but less able to respond to stress.
It isn’t just the muscles responsible for breathing that are affected by COPD.
Men with COPD lose strength in their leg muscles and, to a lesser extent, their arms, even without steroid therapy. Studies show the effect is much worse when these men have to stay on steroids for months or even years at a time.
Testosterone corrects this situation by stimulating the growth of muscle mass all over a man’s body.
When the muscles can support the lungs, problems with the airflow are reduced.
Men on testosterone therapy gain strength in the muscles that are involved with breathing and in their quadriceps.
And because they become more active, getting more exercise can build up even more muscle mass.
Testosterone therapy replaces a vicious, downward cycle with steady improvement.
The University of Texas announcement followed 30 studies conducted over the last 20 years that have found various benefits of testosterone therapy for men who have COPD. Among the other benefits of testosterone therapy are:
- They increased lean body mass. Clinical trials show that testosterone helps men with COPD lose fat and gain muscle without changing weight.
- They improved sex life. Men on testosterone therapy report stronger erections and greater lasting power for sexual intercourse. Men with COPD frequently experience a condition of penile and testicular shrinkage known as hypogonadism. Testosterone replacement therapy conclusively helps these men.
- Enhanced Quality of Life. Men with COPD who go on testosterone therapy feel better. They are more active. They are more engaged with life.
Is Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy Also Helpful for Men Who Have COPD?
Bioidentical hormones are plant-derived natural substances that are identical to the hormones the body produces. All bioidentical hormones provide the same benefits as industrially produced synthetic hormones.
At Renew Health & Wellness, we use BHRT products with a long history of safe use in supporting health. We counsel our customers always to work with their doctors to get the best possible natural and mainstream medicine results together.
And because bioidentical hormone replacement is all we do, at Renew Health & Wellness, we are always up to date on the latest science.
We’re here to help.
Sources:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://journals.sagepub.com
https://www.resmedjournal.com
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
