Category: GatekeepersofMen Series

Low Testosterone – Finding Optimal Levels

As men, we live in a very interesting time.  Our bodies are aging prematurely and become more fragile by the second.  You might wonder, why is that happening?   With social media, youtube, and TV entertainment at its highest, a sedentary lifestyle is limiting the mobility and exercise that our bodies need.  Then you add the constant assault from our environment and combine it with stress, lack of sleep and poor nutrition, and you end up with a fragile body without energy.   This premature aging, constant fatigue and lack of energy, in some instances, makes us question our own masculinity. Men’s health declines and because we are too busy running our daily lives, we don’t even pay attention to how we feel.  Ten, 15, 20 years pass by and then we realize that we not only feel old, but we ARE old. And all this time, our bodies lived in a desperate silence, longing for you to speak up, talk to someone about it, and look for help.  However,  there is hope.  That lack of sexual desire, loss of energy, constant fatigue has an explanation… Low Testosterone.

The stone-cold hard truth is: without testosterone, a man is not a man.

What causes low T?

Although there are many organic and pathological causes for low T, one common cause that most do not account for is AGE.  Research studies have shown that once we reach 30 years old, testosterone starts decreasing by 1 to 2% in every man.  However, some men are more sensitive to those decreases than others.

How common is it?

The prevalence of low T varies depending on the research study.  However, there was a recent study that showed that up to 40% of men lived with sub-optimal T levels.

Sub-optimal levels… what do you mean?

Testosterone levels carry a wide range of what is considered “normal levels” according to the laboratory, doctor who is evaluating you and, of course, insurance companies.   This range is, on most occasions, anywhere between 300 and about 1000.  However, imagine a 30 year-old man who used to live 5 years ago at the 700-800 range,  drop to a level of 350. How do you think he will feel?  At the same time, imagine a 65 year-old man with a level of 700…  Even though both are within a “normal level”, who do you think is at an optimal level and who is at a sub-optimal level?  The answer is a bit obvious.  When we try to box everyone within such a wide range, many men end up living in a sub-optimal level with a long list of symptoms.

For this reason, in our office, we do not check to see if you are within the normal range.  We focus on finding what is the optimal level for you.  We help you ‘listen’ to your body. In every visit: I will ask you how is your level of energy, how are your sleeping patterns, how is your sex drive, how are your erections, etc.  This way, together, we help you reach your optimal level to live life at its fullest.

 Health Concerns for the Middle-Aged Male

This week I was watching a movie and a quote resonated in my head for days. Then my wife sent me a message through Instagram about a 52-year-old marathon runner leaping of joy like a teenager. The caption of the picture was the same as the quote from the movie:  “We don’t stop playing because we are old, we grow old because we stop playing.” At this time, I knew…  I had to write about this. Many men find middle-age to be the prime time of their lives.   You’ve lived, you’ve made mistakes, and you’ve learned from them.  Your mind is still agile, and your body is strong enough to enjoy the fruits of your hard work.   A man in his middle-age years can take credit for his accomplishments and find time to enjoy the beginnings of well-deserved rewards for a lifetime of taking risks and working hard.