With age, our hormone levels naturally begin to decrease, a significant factor in the aging process. The human body does not function at an optimal level without adequate hormone balance. At some point, in the lives of both men and women, the endocrine glands fail to  maintain adequate hormone levels, and the older we get, the more depleted our hormones become. It is at this point that replacing those hormones becomes desirable and leads to a happier, healthier life.

Testosterone is a very important hormone for men and women. The body’s endocrine system consists of glands that manufacture hormones. The hypothalamus, located in the brain, tells the pituitary gland how much testosterone the body needs. The pituitary gland then sends the message to the testicles. Most testosterone is produced in the testicles, but small amounts come

from the adrenal glands, which are located just above the kidneys. In women, the adrenal glands and ovaries produce small amounts of testosterone.

A male begins to produce testosterone as early as seven weeks after conception. Testosterone levels rise during puberty, peak during the late teen years, and then level off. After age 30 or so, it’s normal for a man’s testosterone levels to decrease slightly every year. Low T levels in women can be caused by removal of the ovaries as well as diseases of the pituitary, hypothalamus, or

adrenal glands. As women age, the natural amount that the adrenals and ovaries produce also declines.

Unsurprisingly, testosterone levels are much higher in men than in women. Yet the hormone plays several vital roles in women, too. One of its most important functions in both genders is to

maintain muscle mass and promote muscle growth and bone strength. Your levels decline with age, partly explaining age-related muscle and bone loss. Not only does deficiency suppress

muscle growth and maintenance, but it may also promote weight gain.

While testosterone promotes muscle growth, it may also suppress fat gain. As a result, some testosterone-deficient men tend to gain fat more easily than their healthy peers. Muscles burn far more calories than fat tissue. Lack of muscle thus puts people at a higher risk of eating too much and storing the excess calories as fat. In fact, some researchers believe that reduced muscle mass is the primary reason deficiency leads to weight gain.

Low levels of testosterone, also called low T levels, can produce a variety of symptoms in men and women, including decreased sex drive, less energy, weight gain, feelings of depression, moodiness, low self-esteem, erectile dysfunction and thinner bones. are experiencing a high percentage of the above symptoms, it may be time for an evaluation.

Testosterone replacement therapy can safely be administered by injection, transdermal cream, gel or subcutaneous pellets. Testosterone should be prescribed by a licensed physician and monitored carefully.

Deb Read is a Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy consultant, nurse and office manager with Biosymmetry, located a 265 Racine Dr., Ste. 102, Wilmington. The practice is currently  accepting new patients. For more information, to schedule an appointment with Dr. Chris Pate or request a consult for any of their services, call or text 910-399-6661, email [email protected] or visit Biosymmetry.com. See ad, page 7.