Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones (27 page)

Prostate cancer is a serious concern. Most researchers agree that high testosterone is not itself a risk factor for this cancer. However, if cancer is present, it is thought that testosterone can fuel its growth. For that reason, many antiaging doctors are reluctant to use testosterone replacement in the presence of prostate cancer. Yet in Europe, where medicine is more progressive, testosterone is actually being used as a treatment for prostate cancer with great results. Obviously more research is needed, but it makes you think: Young men make buckets of testosterone all day long, young men don’t get prostate cancer as a rule … so it doesn’t make sense that taking
away testosterone in an older man would be the way to go (as many doctors interviewed in this book have concurred).

ESTROGEN

For a man to be a “man,” he must have estrogen. A male has more testosterone than estrogen, but it is the correct ratio that makes him a “man.” As men age, they lose testosterone, and in doing so, they overproduce estrogen. When there is more estrogen than testosterone, the man is no longer a male. He really can’t “get it up” at this point. Now it really is all about erections! His body becomes feminized; he develops a flabby stomach and small breasts; his voice becomes higher and softer; his vitality diminishes and his energy dissipates; he appears to give up on the world and drop out. You’ve seen this decline in men you know or in your fathers. They just aren’t the same guy anymore. To stay in the game, correct bioidentical hormone replacement is the answer. Frequently, men over fifty have estrogen levels that are even higher than those of women of the same age. Too much estrogen in the male body can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke and lead to inflammation of the prostate. To make matters worse, too much estrogen can also suppress testosterone production in the testes.

Estrogen is as important a component of a man’s hormonal makeup as it is of a woman’s. It is important to have the correct ratio of estrogen to testosterone. If a man is overweight, he can become estrogen-dominant just as a woman can, because fat cells produce and store estrogen. What’s more, exposure to estrogenic chemicals in the environment such as those commonly used in pesticides can also create an estrogen imbalance in men. Many researchers link these chemicals to the rising rates of infertility and impotence in American men. Estrogen dominance in men stimulates breast cell growth and benign prostatic hypertrophy (enlarged prostate). It is extremely important to work with a qualified doctor to replace testosterone in the correct amount with bioidentical hormones. A knowledgeable doctor will know to not only check testosterone levels through labwork, but also to get estrogen levels.

Some symptoms of estrogen dominance or excess in men include:

• hair loss
  
• headaches
  
• breast enlargement
  
• weight gain
  
• irritability
  
• bloating and or/puffiness
  

Excess estrogen in men can be corrected and rebalanced. Helpful changes for men with excess estrogen include proper diet, regular exercise, and, of course, bioidentical hormone replacement. Sometimes a natural testosterone/estrogen blocker such as indole-3-carbinol might be advisable.

PROGESTERONE

The male body also produces progesterone, although in tiny amounts in the testicles and in the adrenal glands. Even though the amounts are small, progesterone is vital to a man’s hormonal health and helps balance the estrogen that builds up in his body.

Progesterone is a precursor, or building block, to cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, and other hormones. All hormone levels drop with age, and so does the level of progesterone, causing more depletion of other hormones. Being under stress further depletes progesterone, because stress increases the demand for cortisol. If progesterone is low or missing, you can experience symptoms such as:

• low energy or fatigue
  
• decreased libido
  
• increased body fat
  
• enlarged prostate
  

To counterbalance the effects of excess estrogen, natural progesterone is often recommended for men over forty years of age or even younger, especially if there is a history of prostate cancer or BPH.

THYROID

Thyroid imbalance is common in men and women of all ages. A qualified doctor can correct this imbalance with T3, T4, a combination of both, or a natural thyroid extract. Diet and exercise are also a vital part of keeping the thyroid in balance.

Here are some of the symptoms of low thyroid:

• stiffness of the joints
  
• intolerance to cold or heat
  
• fatigue, lack of energy
  
• weight gain or difficulty losing weight
  
• low body temperature
  
• fluid retention
  
• constipation
  
• pale, dry skin
  
• puffiness in face, hands, and feet
  
• depression
  
• anxiety
  
• irritability
  

H
ORMONAL
B
ALANCE

The good news is that andropause can be treated successfully and safely. It is so much easier for men to become hormonally balanced than it is for women. Men don’t have a cycle, so it’s a matter of determining the correct amounts to replace. Too much estrogen and not enough testosterone, plummeting DHEA levels, and low HGH levels are all correctable. Loss of testosterone in middle age can leave men feeling as if their life force is draining out of them, and depression is often the result.

Just as with women, the object is not to push hormone levels higher blindly, but rather to mimic the body’s healthiest prime. You don’t want hormones that are normal for your age … your age is in decline. You want the hormone levels when you were feeling your
best and were at your healthiest. That is the great news. Men in their forties, fifties, sixties, seventies, eighties, and beyond can maintain a hormonal environment similar to that at their healthiest physical peak. It’s like stopping the clock. The results are spectacular.

Men’s hormone levels need to be established by blood and saliva tests. When increased estrogen levels accompany low testosterone levels, it will show up in the blood. This testing information is important to ensure testosterone replacement is appropriate for men.

Just as with women, there is no “one amount fits all”; every man is different. It takes the skill and perception of the doctor to access the clinical picture by looking at the patient and asking how he feels. Hormone therapy is a creative collaboration between doctor and patient using not only science, but also the powers of observation, intuition, and insight that no test tube can replace. When the physician is not measuring the estrogen simultaneously to get the correct ratio, for example, testosterone can be aromatized into estrogen, thus creating the opposite effect. So do not do this on your own.

This is why you must find a qualified antiaging physician. If testosterone is not administered correctly, testosterone replacement can be useless or can drive the testosterone/estrogen ratios even lower. In an effort to get the desired effect, some men will increase their dosage to harmful levels. Unfortunately, this will not work and may even backfire. Remember that hormones must never be played around with. Too much is too much, and too little is too little. You have to find the levels that are just right. You will know when your levels are in the right balance. Your body will feel better than ever, and you will have the energy you had as a youth.

I have simplified this information for you, but I’m sure you have now gotten the message that the best friend you can have regarding your health is a qualified doctor. No matter how far you have to drive or fly, it is worth it. We’re talking about your life and your health. Hormone replacement is not a “do it yourself” proposition. You need to work with a doctor who understands the complexities of testing, hormone balance, and interaction. By reading this information, you will be armed with enough knowledge to be an informed patient and have the ability to question when something doesn’t feel right.
Your doctor is not a god. Ask your doctor to please be honest with you, and when he or she doesn’t know the answer, to let you know so you can continue your search for the solution to this tricky passage. If it were only about feeling better, a lot of people wouldn’t bother, but it is the combination of feeling great and the incredible health benefits that make this effort worthwhile. This is your chance … this is new medicine; it has never been available before in the history of man. You can actually slow down the aging process. Most men are rejuvenated by this therapy, essentially feel young again. This is a true gift you can give yourself.

I look at my husband every day. He is now seventy years old and has been on bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for seven years. The turnaround in his health and vitality has been astounding. He went from being an aging man to a man with the energy of a thirty-five-year-old. His skin is thick and unwrinkled. His muscles are defined. His weight is better than it has ever been, and his waistline has returned to its youthful measurement. He has vitality, energy, charisma, sexuality, and happiness and is in perfect health. In other words, he is a “hunk.” This true fountain of youth is available for all men. It is cutting-edge, and those who jump on this bandwagon will be the winners.

Let me close this chapter with a letter from a man, Larry G., who did jump on this bandwagon. This is the kind of enthusiasm I hear on a regular basis from people who are tired of feeling tired. Those who take the leap and decide to embrace the new medicine have this kind of passion for life and their newfound health. I think you will enjoy what this man has to tell you. His results speak for themselves. And I must say I enjoyed the compliments he gave me.

Dear Suzanne
,

I had just turned 65 and was feeling old and useless. I couldn’t remember who I was calling when I picked up the phone. I couldn’t remember why I walked into a particular room in my house. I couldn’t remember the stuff my wife told me to pick up on my way home. I couldn’t remember anything, not even the names of close friends
.

And I was loving my bed too much, sleeping in because I was up and down all night, sweating during the night for no reason, napping a lot
during the day. I was bitchy and short with colleagues and friends. And my muscles were going away after all my exercise with weights, followed by a paunchy stomach, which I had never had
.

I noticed the skin on my hands thinning and starting to look like my dad’s hands. I snacked on simple carbs for energy during the day, which of course put on many pounds. I felt my libido waning, and my erections were not as dynamic or long-lasting. This is what really got me to take a good hard look at myself, my body, and my forgetfulness that I always excused with a laugh, “Oops, I am having a senior moment,” which in retrospect is not funny. It is a warning of things to come down the line: senility, Alzheimer’s, or any number of diseases of aging
.

I decided to do something about it, so I picked up Suzanne Somers’ book
The Sexy Years,
and read about not only me and my issues, but my wife’s as well. She had just slipped into the forgetfulness thing, but not as bad as me. She was also experiencing the 7 dwarfs of menopause, but not as bad as Suzanne had
.

And because my wife is my high school sweetheart, and we have a lifetime of great times, and we are very physical together, we both decided to take the Suzanne Somers’
Sexy Years
journey
.

My wife started first with bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and felt good within a few days. I started with testosterone and then DHEA, followed by a handful of supplements and oral drops, and as of three months ago, human growth hormone
.

How do I feel? I feel better physically than I have ever felt, ever! Even better than when I was in my prime. I feel biologically young, perhaps in my thirties. And I am able to do anything physically. My muscles returned. My libido returned with a vengeance, and my wife keeps looking at me with that what-happened-to-you look
.

I have turned into a hiking fool and need to go straight up a mountain to get rid of this excess energy, and for the first time in my life, I am experiencing endorphins, which I love
.

When I took my annual physical, which involved a stress test on the treadmill, instead of a slight decline over the previous years, which had been the case, I was 20 percent to 30 percent more fit
.

My doctor is now reading
The Sexy Years
and recommending it to his patients
.

I needed testosterone to build up my muscles, and my brain needed testosterone to function at peak performance. I don’t know where all this is going, but I love hearing from my friends that I look fabulous. A couple of them have suggested that I had plastic surgery because my wrinkles have diminished, and my skin tone glows, and I appear to have more musculature in my face. Not bad for an old guy
.

Most of my doctors told me not to do anything. “Let nature takes its course. We don’t know enough about testosterone and human growth hormone yet. Most of those supplements you are taking are probably ending up in Santa Monica Bay. Why do you want to do this?”

I dumped all my doctors and found new ones who are young and forward-thinking. The new age of medicine is not the old school of doctors terrified to do anything other than what the drug companies tell them to do. The new age of medicine is Eastern-influenced and homeopathic and designed to heal rather than cover up, which is what most prescriptions do. Think about it: If the drug companies make something that actually heals, they will soon be out of business, and their many shareholders would be very upset
.