Tag Archives: hypogonadism

Straight, No Chaser In the News – Testosterone Therapy Doubles the Risk of Heart Attacks

Cardiology/Heart, Endocrine/Metabolic, Genital/Urinary, , , , , , , ,

testosterone and heart attacks 

Over the last few days, Straight, No Chaser featured discussions of low testosterone and male menopause (which often includes low testosterone levels as a component of the syndrome). More importantly, you may recall our Straight, No Chaser post that discussed managing low testosterone without receiving testosterone therapy. Well as it seems, you may want to read that post again if you’re suffering from low testosterone (hypogonadism).

Testosterone_mainYou should be aware of a study out of the University of California-Los Angeles, which notes two particularly disturbing findings about treatment of low testosterone:

  • The rate of developing a heart attack is nearly tripled in men less than 65 years old with a history of heart disease.
  • The rate of developing a heart attack doubled in men older than 65 years old with or without a history of heart disease.

The study, which was published in the journal PLOS One (Public Library of Science), followed a study with similar findings published in November 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

weight loss Miracle-Cure-Pill

Today’s message is rather simple: if you’re one of those individuals that view medicines as “magic in a bottle,” or if you’re someone so impressed by those commercials that you take testosterone just for an “extra boost,” this serves as another reminder that health has no shortcuts. Medications have risks, and health has benefits.
Alternatively, if you have serious health concerns consistent with low testosterone or male menopause (andropause), please discuss your concerns with your physician. You certainly can discuss your concerns with your Sterling Medical Advice expert consultant at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com or at 844-SMA-TALK. We’ll keep you informed of risks and benefits of medicines as well as how to appropriately address your medical concerns with and sometimes without medications. Your personal healthcare consultants are standing by.
Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels Without Replacement Therapy

Genital/Urinary, Endocrine/Metabolic, , , , , ,

Testerone2

Male virility is a fascinating topic medically. It is truly an example of how confidence and mental fortitude (or the absence thereof) can directly translate into physical performance. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise when TV ads seek to sow seeds of doubt into you. (“Don’t perform like you used to? Maybe it’s Low-T! Here’s a miracle pill!”)
As mentioned in the previous post, many factors control testosterone, most notably a natural drop associated with aging.  In fact, your levels are considered normal until about age 30, then you lose approximately 1% per year until you reach a state by age 70 where you’re expected to be clinically below normal – and that’s just due to the age-related considerations. Factors you can control affect not only your sexual health but your physical and mental health, too. These include appropriately managing your diet, exercise, sleep and stress. Let’s look at the effect each has on maintenance of healthy testosterone levels.
Diet:

testostdietfruit

It will forever be true that what you place in your mouth either strengthens you or slowly poisons you. Here’s a quick list of foods that are specifically good for boosting your testosterone levels.

  • Bananas – Banana are rich in B vitamins, which are needed to manufacture testosterone.
  • Brazil nuts – It’s the magnesium contained within that increases testosterone.
  • Chicken liver – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone levels.
  • Cruciferous vegetables – Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower help eliminate the hormone estrogen from the body, which increases testosterone. Choosing these healthy foods also helps weight loss, which in turn increases testosterone production.
  • Eggs – It’s really about the vitamin D contained within eggs; vitamin D deficiency has been shown to correlate with higher estrogen levels and lower testosterone levels.
  • Garlic (as part of a high protein diet) – This combination increases testosterone production.
  • Oysters – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone.
  • Pineapples – It’s the magnesium contained within that increases testosterone.
  • Pumpkin seeds – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone.

Here’s the other dietary consideration for you: In general, most anything you eat that adds to your level of obesity will result in lowered testosterone levels. Number one on that list is processed sugar—think fructose, meaning soda/pop, fruit juices. The relationship between diet and testosterone is way more intricate than this, but if you incorporate the steps just mentioned, you will see a difference in your overall health and sexual health.
Exercise: 

testosteroneexercise

I will limit this part of the discussion to two manageable considerations.

  • If you’re overweight, you are more likely to have low testosterone levels. Globally losing weight will work to your advantage.
  • Intense strength training also boosts testosterone levels. When strength training to boost testosterone, you’ll want to increase the weight, lower your number of reps and slow down the motion on each rep. Also try to work a large number of muscles, as occurs with dead lifts or squats.

Stress Management:

testostress

When you’re under a significant stress, your body releases high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol blocks the effects of testosterone. Over the longterm, stress chronically blocks the effects of testosterone, producing all of the undesired symptoms that accompany that state.
You know to how reduce your stress. Here are techniques shown to be effective in this setting.

  • Deep breathing
  • Laughter
  • Meditation
  • Positive visualization
  • Prayer
  • Yoga

Sleep: 

testostsleep

Here’s something you likely didn’t know. Testosterone is only produced by your testes at night. Even more impressive production coincides at a specific point in the sleep cycle immediately before REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep. This production and replenishment is most complete in men getting at least eight hours of sleep/night. Conversely, testosterone levels are significantly lower in those receiving less than six hours of sleep/night. Note this is total sleep at night, not consecutive hours of sleep (assuming you are able to rapidly fall back asleep). Get your sleep!
These are very important considerations. As is the case with many conditions, your health is not going to be found in a medicine bottle. The fundamentals of taking care of yourself are your best course of action for longevity and health. This is especially important in the management of low testosterone, given that testosterone therapy has serious side effects and increases risks for certain conditions, including signaling the body to stop producing its own testosterone and the following:

  • Acne
  • Prostate enlargement
  • Prostate cancer
  • Reduction in sperm production
  • Sleep apnea

Feel free to ask your SMA expert consultant any questions you may have on this topic.
Order your copy of Dr. Sterling’s new book Behind The Curtain: A Peek at Life from within the ER at jeffreysterlingbooks.com, iTunes, Amazon, Barnes and Nobles and wherever books are sold.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) and 844-SMA-TALK offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, like us on Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and follow us on Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2016 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser In the News – Testosterone Therapy Doubles the Risk of Heart Attacks

Endocrine/Metabolic, Cardiology/Heart, , , , , , ,

testosterone and heart attacks 

Over the last few days, Straight, No Chaser featured discussions of low testosterone and male menopause (which often includes low testosterone levels as a component of the syndrome). More importantly, you may recall our Straight, No Chaser post that discussed managing low testosterone without receiving testosterone therapy. Well as it seems, you may want to read that post again if you’re suffering from low testosterone (hypogonadism).

Testosterone_mainYou should be aware of a study out of the University of California-Los Angeles, which notes two particularly disturbing findings about treatment of low testosterone:

  • The rate of developing a heart attack is nearly tripled in men less than 65 years old with a history of heart disease.
  • The rate of developing a heart attack doubled in men older than 65 years old with or without a history of heart disease.

The study, which was published in the journal PLOS One (Public Library of Science), followed a study with similar findings published in November 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

weight loss Miracle-Cure-Pill

Today’s message is rather simple: if you’re one of those individuals that view medicines as “magic in a bottle,” or if you’re someone so impressed by those commercials that you take testosterone just for an “extra boost,” this serves as another reminder that health has no shortcuts. Medications have risks, and health has benefits.

Alternatively, if you have serious health concerns consistent with low testosterone or male menopause (andropause), please discuss your concerns with your physician. You certainly can discuss your concerns with your Sterling Medical Advice expert consultant at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com or at 844-SMA-TALK. We’ll keep you informed of risks and benefits of medicines as well as how to appropriately address your medical concerns with and sometimes without medications. Your personal healthcare consultants are standing by.

Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what  http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.

Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels Without Replacement Therapy

Endocrine/Metabolic, Genital/Urinary, , , , ,

Testerone2

Male virility is a fascinating topic medically. It is truly an example of how confidence and mental fortitude (or the absence thereof) can directly translate into physical performance. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise when TV ads seek to sew seeds of doubt into you. (“Don’t perform like you used to? Maybe it’s Low-T! Here’s a miracle pill!”)
As mentioned in the previous post, many factors control testosterone, most notably a natural drop associated with aging.  In fact, your levels are considered normal until about age 30, then you lose approximately 1% per year until you reach a state by age 70 where you’re expected to be clinically below normal – and that’s just due to the age-related considerations. Factors you can control affect not only your sexual health but your physical and mental health, too. These include appropriately managing your diet, exercise, sleep and stress. Let’s look at the effect each has on maintenance of healthy testosterone levels.
Diet:

testostdietfruit

It will forever be true that what you place in your mouth either strengthens you or slowly poisons you. Here’s a quick list of foods that are specifically good for boosting your testosterone levels.

  • Bananas – Banana are rich in B vitamins, which are needed to manufacture testosterone.
  • Brazil nuts – It’s the magnesium contained within that increases testosterone.
  • Chicken liver – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone levels.
  • Cruciferous vegetables – Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower help eliminate the hormone estrogen from the body, which increases testosterone. Choosing these healthy foods also helps weight loss, which in turn increases testosterone production.
  • Eggs – It’s really about the vitamin D contained within eggs; vitamin D deficiency has been shown to correlate with higher estrogen levels and lower testosterone levels.
  • Garlic (as part of a high protein diet) – This combination increases testosterone production.
  • Oysters – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone.
  • Pineapples – It’s the magnesium contained within that increases testosterone.
  • Pumpkin seeds – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone.

Here’s the other dietary consideration for you: In general, most anything you eat that adds to your level of obesity will result in lowered testosterone levels. Number one on that list is processed sugar—think fructose, meaning soda/pop, fruit juices. The relationship between diet and testosterone is way more intricate than this, but if you incorporate the steps just mentioned, you will see a difference in your overall health and sexual health.
Exercise: 

testosteroneexercise

I will limit this part of the discussion to two manageable considerations.

  • If you’re overweight, you are more likely to have low testosterone levels. Globally losing weight will work to your advantage.
  • Intense strength training also boosts testosterone levels. When strength training to boost testosterone, you’ll want to increase the weight, lower your number of reps and slow down the motion on each rep. Also try to work a large number of muscles, as occurs with dead lifts or squats.

Stress Management:

testostress

When you’re under a significant stress, your body releases high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol blocks the effects of testosterone. Over the longterm, stress chronically blocks the effects of testosterone, producing all of the undesired symptoms that accompany that state.
You know to how reduce your stress. Here are techniques shown to be effective in this setting.

  • Deep breathing
  • Laughter
  • Meditation
  • Positive visualization
  • Prayer
  • Yoga

Sleep: 

testostsleep

Here’s something you likely didn’t know. Testosterone is only produced by your testes at night. Even more impressive production coincides at a specific point in the sleep cycle immediately before REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep. This production and replenishment is most complete in men getting at least eight hours of sleep/night. Conversely, testosterone levels are significantly lower in those receiving less than six hours of sleep/night. Note this is total sleep at night, not consecutive hours of sleep (assuming you are able to rapidly fall back asleep). Get your sleep!
These are very important considerations. As is the case with many conditions, your health is not going to be found in a medicine bottle. The fundamentals of taking care of yourself are your best course of action for longevity and health. This is especially important in the management of low testosterone, given that testosterone therapy has serious side effects and increases risks for certain conditions, including signaling the body to stop producing its own testosterone and the following:

  • Acne
  • Prostate enlargement
  • Prostate cancer
  • Reduction in sperm production
  • Sleep apnea

Feel free to contact your SMA expert consultant with any questions you have on this topic.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what 844-SMA-TALK and http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2015 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: In the News – Testosterone Therapy Doubles the Risk of Heart Attacks

Endocrine/Metabolic, Cardiology/Heart, Medical Treatment, , , , , , ,

Testosterone_main 

If you’re a regular reader of Straight, No Chaser, you’ll recall recent discussions of low testosterone and male menopause (which often includes low testosterone levels as a component of the syndrome). More importantly, you may recall our Straight, No Chaser post that discussed managing low testosterone without receiving testosterone therapy. Well as it seems, you may want to read that post again if you’re suffering from low testosterone (hypogonadism).

In the news is a new study out of the University of California-Los Angeles, which notes two particularly disturbing findings about treatment of low testosterone:

  • The rate of developing a heart attack is nearly tripled in men less than 65 years old with a history of heart disease.
  • The rate of developing a heart attack doubled in men older than 65 years old with or without a history of heart disease.

The study, which was published in the journal PLOS One (Public Library of Science), followed a study with similar findings published in November 2013 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
If you’re one of those individuals that view medicines as “magic in a bottle,” or if you’re someone so impressed by those commercials that you take testosterone just for an “extra boost,” this serves as another reminder that health has no shortcuts. Medications have risks, and health has benefits.
Alternatively, if you have serious health concerns consistent with low testosterone or male menopause (andropause), please discuss your concerns with your physician. You certainly can discuss your concerns with your Sterling Medical Advice expert consultant at www.sterlingmedicaladvice.com or at 844-SMA-TALK. We’ll keep you informed of risks and benefits of medicines as well as how to appropriately address your medical concerns with and sometimes without medications. Your personal healthcare consultants are standing by.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what  http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels Without Replacement Therapy

Endocrine/Metabolic, Genital/Urinary, , , , ,

Testerone2

Male virility is a fascinating topic medically. It is truly an example of how confidence and mental fortitude (or the absence thereof) can directly translate into physical performance. Thus, it doesn’t come as a surprise when TV ads seek to sew seeds of doubt into you. (“Don’t perform like you used to? Maybe it’s Low-T! Here’s a miracle pill!”)
As mentioned in the previous post, many factors control testosterone, most notably a natural drop associated with aging.  In fact, your levels are considered normal until about age 30, then you lose approximately 1% per year until you reach a state by age 70 where you’re expected to be clinically below normal – and that’s just due to the age-related considerations. Factors you can control affect not only your sexual health but your physical and mental health, too. These include appropriately managing your diet, exercise, sleep and stress. Let’s look at the effect each has on maintenance of healthy testosterone levels.
Diet:

testostdietfruit

It will forever be true that what you place in your mouth either strengthens you or slowly poisons you. Here’s a quick list of foods that are specifically good for boosting your testosterone levels.

  • Bananas – Banana are rich in B vitamins, which are needed to manufacture testosterone.
  • Brazil nuts – It’s the magnesium contained within that increases testosterone.
  • Chicken liver – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone levels.
  • Cruciferous vegetables – Broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower help eliminate the hormone estrogen from the body, which increases testosterone. Choosing these healthy foods also helps weight loss, which in turn increases testosterone production.
  • Eggs – It’s really about the vitamin D contained within eggs; vitamin D deficiency has been shown to correlate with higher estrogen levels and lower testosterone levels.
  • Garlic (as part of a high protein diet) – This combination increases testosterone production.
  • Oysters – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone.
  • Pineapples – It’s the magnesium contained within that increases testosterone.
  • Pumpkin seeds – It’s the zinc! Zinc increases testosterone.

Here’s the other dietary consideration for you: In general, most anything you eat that adds to your level of obesity will result in lowered testosterone levels. Number one on that list is processed sugar—think fructose, meaning soda/pop, fruit juices. The relationship between diet and testosterone is way more intricate than this, but if you incorporate the steps just mentioned, you will see a difference in your overall health and sexual health.
Exercise:

testosteroneexercise

I will limit this part of the discussion to two manageable considerations.

  • If you’re overweight, you are more likely to have low testosterone levels. Globally losing weight will work to your advantage. Check these Straight, No Chaser posts to address obesity and weight loss.
  • Intense strength training also boosts testosterone levels. When strength training to boost testosterone, you’ll want to increase the weight, lower your number of reps and slow down the motion on each rep. Also try to work a large number of muscles, as occurs with dead lifts or squats.

Stress Management:

testostress

When you’re under a significant stress, your body releases high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol blocks the effects of testosterone. Over the longterm, stress chronically blocks the effects of testosterone, producing all of the undesired symptoms that accompany that state.
You know to how reduce your stress. Here are techniques shown to be effective in this setting.

  • Deep breathing
  • Laughter
  • Meditation
  • Positive visualization
  • Prayer
  • Yoga

Sleep:

testostsleep

Here’s something you likely didn’t know. Testosterone is only produced by your testes at night. Even more impressive production coincides at a specific point in the sleep cycle immediately before REM (rapid-eye movement) sleep. This production and replenishment is most complete in men getting at least eight hours of sleep/night. Conversely, testosterone levels are significantly lower in those receiving less than six hours of sleep/night. Note this is total sleep at night, not consecutive hours of sleep (assuming you are able to rapidly fall back asleep). Get your sleep!
These are very important considerations. As is the case with many conditions, your health is not going to be found in a medicine bottle. The fundamentals of taking care of yourself are your best course of action for longevity and health. This is especially important in the management of low testosterone, given that testosterone therapy has serious side effects and increases risks for certain conditions, including signaling the body to stop producing its own testosterone and the following:

  • Acne
  • Prostate enlargement
  • Prostate cancer
  • Reduction in sperm production
  • Sleep apnea

Feel free to contact your SMA expert consultant with any questions you have on this topic.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what  http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress

Straight, No Chaser: The Specter of Low Testosterone

Genital/Urinary, Endocrine/Metabolic, , , ,

low-testosterone-treatment

Are you someone who had never heard of Low-T until recent commercials starting telling you that you weren’t normal? Let’s review what all the fuss is about.
As most people know, testosterone is the most important male sex hormone that in many ways and for many defines “manhood,” contributing to the following:

  • Changes of puberty, including deepening of your voice
  • Production of pubic, facial and body hair
  • Production of sperm
  • Facilitation of sex drive
  • Maintenance of bone health, which assists growth

Low-T-In-Men-Tucson

In case you were wondering, this is what “male menopause” looks like.
Certain parts of the brain (hypothalamus and pituitary gland) signal how much testosterone needs to be produced. Most production occurs in the testes.
The symptoms of low testosterone are predictable. Symptoms include a reduction in sex drive, erections and sperm count. Men may also see an enlargement of their breasts. Additional symptoms (over the long-term) may include smaller testes, less energy, mood changes, loss of muscle size and strength, and weakened bones.

low-testosterone

The aging process normally reduces sex drive, sperm count and frequency of erections. Aging also reduces testosterone such that clinically low testosterone levels invariably occur by age 70. The presence of these two independent facts can make it confusing to know if these symptoms are simply part of the aging process or might be attributable to a disease in the areas that either produce or regulate testosterone. In other words, although a natural age-related reduction in testosterone level is normal, it may or may not be the cause of lower sex drive.

testostgraph_men

Low testosterone in the absence of aging really is thought to be more of a sign of disease than a disease unto itself. The primary goal is to ensure than none of the more serious causes of low testosterone are present. Some of the more serious causes and considerations leading to low testosterone include injury, infection or cancer to the testes, radiation therapy or chemotherapy, hormonal disorders such as pituitary gland tumors or diseases, liver and kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, obesity, certain genetic disorders and use of opiates (pain-killers).
Based on the cause and your health status, you may be prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. Testosterone replacement may occur via periodic injections, skin patches/gels, skin pellets or tablets that stick to the gums.
Testosterone replacement is not like taking a pill for an erection. These are hormones and come with long-term risks, the most notable being prostate cancer. Therefore, those males with prostate or breast cancer aren’t candidates for testosterone replacement therapy. Other side effects of testosterone replacement therapy include acne, breast enlargement, fluid buildup in the legs, ankles and feet, increased red blood cell count, prostate enlargement and sleep apnea.
Here are groups with significant enough risks from testosterone replacement therapy that they require monitoring if treated this way:

  • African-American men
  • Men over 40 years of age who have close relatives with prostate cancer
  • All men over 50 years of age

So what should you do with this information?

  • Understand that certain age-related changes occur naturally and don’t represent disease.
  • Understand that the premature presence of these symptoms could represent disease and need to be evaluated.
  • Understand that a desire to avoid the symptoms associated with low testosterone is best done with routine health measures (diet and exercise) that help the body function and maintain healthy levels of testosterone naturally.
  • Understand that a decision to seek treatment for these symptoms isn’t as simple as getting a pill or a patch. Hormonal treatment has real and serious associated side effects and risks and should only be done with the consultation and consent of your physician and endocrinologist (hormone specialist).

hrt

Feel free to contact your SMA expert consultant for any questions you may have on this topic.
Thanks for liking and following Straight, No Chaser! This public service provides a sample of what  http://www.SterlingMedicalAdvice.com (SMA) offers. Please share our page with your friends on WordPress, Facebook @ SterlingMedicalAdvice.com and Twitter at @asksterlingmd.
Copyright © 2014 · Sterling Initiatives, LLC · Powered by WordPress