25 August 2009

Men Who Lose their Hair

By Anju Mathur, MD

Andropause is sometimes called the male equivalent of female menopause. There are differences in symptoms, but both start around the age of 40-50, and both are a result of endocrine glands, which no longer produce the same amount of hormones that they did at a younger age. In men, one of the symptoms of the dwindling supply of hormones is hair loss - baldness.

The word andropause comes from the word androgen, which merely means any male hormones - such as testosterone - responsible for male characteristics. Although male reproductive organs do not shut down during middle age, as do female reproductive organs, the glands produce a gradually diminishing amount of hormones, as a man gets older.

Not only baldness is a symptom of andropause - decreased muscle mass and strength, loss of libido, insomnia, nervousness, depression, low energy and weight gain can be symptoms as well. So are these results of aging inevitable? What can be done about it? That is what we will explore in the following paragraphs.

As women can benefit from hormone replacement therapy, so, too, can men. The important steps to take in order for hormone replacement therapy to succeed are making sure the replacements are bioidentical and replacing all of the dwindling hormones, not just testosterone.

Many substitute hormones being sold are not exactly the same as the ones the body produces. Bioidentical means that the hormones match the ones produced by the body. This is important as obviously the body will recognize and use an identical hormone and not use a substitute that differs.

The amount of hormones lost may not be the same in every person - different ages and physiques and diets affect hormone loss. To determine the exact amount of which hormones to replace, one needs medical testing.

Extensive testing and determination of the dwindling supply of hormones in the body, and replacement in the exact amounts needed to return the body to a youthful level or hormones can work seeming miracles for men in middle and old age. Expect symptoms to slow down or even disappear. End hair loss, gain more energy and interest in life, re-invigorate libido, and even sleep better!

There are thousands of men who have benefited from hormone replacement therapy with no side effects. It is a natural way to slow the aging process and bring new vigor to a sluggish lifestyle. There's no reason to mope because you reached middle age - do something about it!

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