About Testosterone

Every day, millions of body cells die and every day they are replaced with new cells. When we are young, cells regenerate faster than they die, enabling us to grow. As we age, however, the rate at which cells die begins to outweigh the rate at which new cells are produced…this is the aging process.

Our sex hormones play an important role in the aging process because it is these hormones that control the rate at which new cells regenerate. If the sex hormones are deficient, cells die more rapidly than they regenerate, and we age more quickly. The skin looses its suppleness and begins to wrinkle; the muscles loose their tone and begin to weaken; our organs loose their vitality and we begin to suffer the diseases of aging…

One of the most instrumental sex hormones involved in the aging process is testosterone. It is present and necessary in both men and women. Testosterone is important to both genders in maintaining strength, stamina, libido, brain function, vitality and our vigor for life. At around the age of 25 to 30, testosterone levels begin to drop at a rate of 1% or more per year. The rate at which testosterone drops is dependent on many factors, but most significantly our stress level. Testosterone deficiency is a condition that is present most commonly in people over the age of 40, but it has become an epidemic that afflicts people of all ages, from 25 to 100.

The Solution…

Have your testosterone levels tested. Most insurance companies cover a blood test, and even if insurance is not available, testing testosterone via saliva testing is accurate and very inexpensive.

There are several options available for testosterone replacement therapy. Testosterone injections and testosterone cream are the routes I use most commonly with my patients. Both routes yield great results, although testosterone injections often work more quickly and are typically more convenient. Injections are given once a week to once a month, whereas, testosterone cream needs to be used every day of the month. The cream, on the other hand, is the most affordable way to administer testosterone.

For more information see our Bioidentical Hormones section.