Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for Men
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for men is a medical treatment aimed at addressing the natural decline in hormone levels, particularly testosterone, which occurs as men age. This decline can lead to various symptoms such as fatigue, decreased libido, weight gain, and mood swings. HRT involves the administration of bioidentical hormones to restore hormonal balance and alleviate these symptoms.
Who is a Candidate for Hormone Replacement Therapy?
When it comes to Hormone Replacement Therapy, men of any age and health background could be a candidate. Factors that contribute to hormonal imbalance include processed foods, stress levels, poor sleep quality, lifestyle, excessive alcohol use, age, and even certain medications.
The Benefits of Advanced Hormone Testing
When certain hormones are under or over-produced, physical, mental, and reproductive health issues can be presented by the resulting hormonal imbalance. An important role in diagnosis and treatment is played by advanced hormone testing. If certain symptoms are being experienced, a hormonal imbalance may be responsible. Many times, certain symptoms that are being experienced are not realized by patients to be due to a hormonal imbalance. This is why testing is deemed important. Your blood test results and symptoms will be analyzed by our providers to come up with a plan tailored to your individual hormonal needs.
Take Control of HORMONAL IMBALANCE
Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for Men
Which Hormones Do You Focus on When Testing?
We focus on a variety of hormones and basic body systems such as liver, kidneys, blood counts, and more. Below are a list of the hormones we frequently test.
Cortisol and Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulfate (DHEA-S)
Both cortisol and DHEA are produced in the thyroid gland, though a small portion of DHEA is also produced in the ovaries. These are considered to be “stress hormones.”
Estradiol, Estrone and Estriol (Estrogens)
Estrogen is a category of sex hormone largely responsible for regulating the female reproductive system. Estrodiol, estrone, and estriol are three types of estrogen. Each estrogen is responsible for different functions in the body.
Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH)
This hormone is produced in the pituitary gland and vital to reproductive health. Low or high levels of FSH may cause infertility.
Luteinizing hormone (LH)
The Luteinizing hormone spurs ovulation and is vital to female reproductive health. Luteinizing hormone is a hormone produced by gonadotropic cells in the anterior pituitary gland.
Triiodothyronine (T3) and Thyroxine (T4)
The two main hormones produced by the thyroid.
Thyroid antibody testing (TPO)
This is helpful to diagnose conditions such as Hashimoto’s, a popular thyroid condition.
Testosterone (Total & Free)
Testosterone is a sex hormone to regulate reproductive health and secondary sex characteristics. Women and Men need testosterone in the body because it is vital to many functions. Many of our hormone panels measure total testosterone, which shows the total measure of testosterone in your blood. Free testosterone is the measurement of the amount the body has as usable testosterone.
Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH)
TSH is a snapshot of your thyroid function
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG)
A protein made by the liver. SHBG binds certain hormones, like estrogens and androgens, together.
Progesterone
Progesterone is the most important progestogen in the body. It is an endogenous steroid and progestogen sex hormone involved in the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and embryogenesis of humans and other species.
Dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
DHT is the sex hormone that stimulates the development of male characteristics.
*Additional lab tests completed as recommended by the provider on an individual basis.
Thyroid Conditions and HRT
Often, hormonal imbalances that affect your metabolism may be related to an issue with the thyroid gland. The thyroid is a small endocrine gland that regulates the production of certain hormones, including thyroxine or tetraiodothyronine (known as T4) and triiodothyronine (T3).
The thyroid is a controller of the metabolism and having a thyroid imbalance can cause weight gain or weight loss. Patients with untreated thyroid disorders can also have mental health complications because the thyroid helps to regulate the body on many levels.
Stress and Hormones
Stress can cause hormonal imbalances specifically affecting the adrenal glands. Two adrenal hormones are cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), known as the stress hormones. A cortisol and DHEA imbalance may lead to depression, irritability, and fatigue. Hormone testing is important to check for possible adrenal issues, which may include Addison’s disease, a form of adrenal insufficiency where the adrenal gland does not produce enough of certain hormones.
Erectile Dysfunction and Hormones
Erectile dysfunction can be related to hormonal imbalances such as low testosterone. We are able to treat ED with a variety of treatments from Testosterone injections, to Generic Cialis, Generic Viagra, or Trimix injections. We first will evaluate the patient to determine the cause of the erectile dysfunction and then prescribe a treatment specific to the patient.
Hair Loss and Hormones
Hair loss is a leading cause of depression in men. It can be very devastating to lose hair. We have several treatments for hair loss including Finasteride a pill that is taken daily to block the formation of DHT, a major cause of hair loss in men. We offer several topical options including topical foams and liquids that help hair growth at the follicular level.
Hormones and Exercise
Hormones help with the healing process after a workout. If your hormones are balanced, you will heal faster and have faster results when building muscle. It is very hard to build muscle and reduce body fat with a hormonal imbalance working against you. Many times patients are exercising a lot with little to no results. After implementing hormone replacement, you will see results with less downtime.
Symptoms of Hormonal Imbalance in Men
- Low sex drive
- Hair loss
- Increased body fat
- Increased belly fat
- Male breasts
- Decreased muscle mass
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Weight gain
- Anxiety
- Inability to lose weight
- Inability to keep erections
- Trouble orgasming
- Insomnia
- Increased appetite
- Facial wrinkling
- Loss of ambition or drive
- Reduced collagen production
- Swollen lower abdomen
- Constipation
- Weakness
- Brain fog
- Acne
- Dry skin
- Hot flashes
- Stiff joints
- Sensitivity to heat or cold
- Infertility
- Facial puffiness
- Muscle aches
- Sagging skin
Frequently asked HRT questions
We use a variety of treatments for male hormone replacement. The most common treatments are injections, creams applied topically, and oral pills or troches.
- Andropause – this can occur at a younger age but a lot of times it is at age 35 or over. This is also known as “male menopause” when testosterone tends to decline causing symptoms of hormonal imbalance.
- Excessive estrogen – when men have estrogen that is elevated this can cause a variety of symptoms including mood disturbances, male breasts, elevated blood pressure, and more.
- Thyroid conditions – having an overactive thyroid or an underactive thyroid can cause many symptoms such as anxiety, fatigue, weight changes, and more.
We have several options for hormone replacement treatment. Our treatment options for women include injections, creams applied topically, creams applied vaginally, pills, and dissolvable troches. Our provider will go over multiple treatment options to tailor one for you and your lifestyle.
HRT can:
- Improve your sex drive
- Increase your energy
- Increase your muscle strength
- Decrease your joint pain
- Increase your sense of well-being
- Decrease your recovery time in the gym
- Improve your sleep
- Increase your cognitive ability
- Improve erection quality
- Decrease your body fat
- Help to heal joints, tendons, and ligaments
- First, we will send you a lab form to have blood work completed prior to your visit.
- When we get the lab results back, we will schedule an appointment for you to meet with the provider to review everything.
- Meet with the provider to go over and review all labs. Currently, visits can be done through telemedicine.
- If medications are prescribed as part of a plan, the pharmacy will ship medications to your home or office.
We will schedule a follow up visit and labs to be completed in 4-6 weeks to see how everything is working in the body. At this time, adjustments will be made if needed. We check in with patients regularly to see how the program is working.
The safety of HRT depends on individual factors such as health history, age, and type/duration of use. While HRT can provide multiple benefits, there are also risks associated with its use. Risks may include an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, heart disease, and dementia. It is important to discuss these risks with your doctor before starting HRT treatment and to use HRT only under medical supervision.
Men of any age and health background could be a candidate for hormone replacement therapy. Factors that contribute to hormonal imbalance include processed foods, stress levels, poor sleep quality, lifestyle, excessive alcohol use, age, and even certain medications.
The effects of HRT can vary depending on individual factors such as the form of HRT used and the person’s symptoms. However, typically, HRT may take several weeks for the hormonal levels to stabilize, resulting in the easing of symptoms. The duration of HRT treatment may vary depending on the severity of symptoms, the form of HRT, and a person’s overall health, among other factors.
At Padgett Medical Center, we do not recommend or use pellets in our treatment plan for several reasons.
- Hormone pellets are placed in the body and blood capillaries form around them differently every time which changes the amount of hormones that are absorbed in the body.
- There is no option of removing pellets once they are placed, due to possible migration. Therefore, if you are having side effects from the pellet such as hair loss, facial hair, deepened voice, or clitoral enlargement; you have to wait for the pellet to absorb in the body. This is very stressful for anyone experiencing side effects to have to “wait it out.”
- There is no option to change the dose after the pellet is placed. You have to wait 3-6 months until the pellet is absorbed to change dosing.
- Example: You can have sally with a testosterone level of 13 and give her testosterone pellets in January. Her labs may come back with a testosterone level of 75. Then 6 months later in June we repeat the same pellet dose and her labs go to a testosterone of over 200. Then 6 months later we repeat the same pellet dose and her testosterone is a 45. You can see the inconsistency. It is impossible to control.
Two Convenient Locations
HRT Tampa
- 6904 W. Linebaugh AveTampa, Florida 33625
- (813)-888-7710
HRT Ocala
- 200 SW 8th StreetOcala, Florida 34471
- (352) 369-0104
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