MERIDIAN, IDAHO — Speaking from experience, most men historically don't take the best care of themselves as they get older. This becomes problematic once we pass certain milestones.
"We know that when men hit about 40, and some say even 30, but 40 is kind of the standard, that your testosterone will probably go down by one-percent every year," said Idaho Urologic Institute Urologist Wade Muncey, MD.
And that's a problem as testosterone isn't something we only need as young bucks.
"It's important for secondary sex characteristics like beard growth and things like that, but also for bone health, muscle mass, libido, erectile dysfunction," said Dr. Muncey.
He adds the fact that testosterone is a metabolic driver, meaning doctors will often find that men who are seriously overweight or might have certain diseases like diabetes often have low T.
"The reason for that is actually because testosterone actually gets converted to estrogen in our fat tissue, so it's sort of like a cyclical problem. If you're T isn't very high then you start to gain weight, then you're having less T as a result," said Dr. Muncey.
If you suspect you might have a problem with low T and have that confirmed after a visit to the doctor, you'll have several options for fixing it, including injectables, a daily cream, tic-tac-sized pellets that go under the skin, or a newer fix that's becoming popular for obvious reasons.
"When it comes to oral testosterone, the benefit is, number one, it's oral. Men would usually rather take a pill than inject themselves, it's not messy like the gels, and it's not a procedure like the tic-tacs. But it is something you need to remember to take every day," said Dr. Muncey.
And the benefits of oral testosterone don't end with convenience.
"It's always been shown to raise the free testosterone to a higher degree, which is beneficial, that's a potent form of testosterone, and compared to some of the other forms, it's actually less likely to boost the blood counts to the extent that we start to get concerned," said Dr. Muncey.
And as for the non-prescription testosterone boosters that you might find at stores or on infomercials?
"The stuff over the counter is not going to be the fix-all, but it's mixed marketing in the sense that some of what's in there could be helpful, but a lot of it is just fluff, if that makes sense. It's not gonna do much," said Dr. Muncey.
Gentlemen, low T or not, if you are feeling like something is generally off, drop the macho act and go see a doctor. There's a chance it could save your life.
"So like often I'll see a guy for testosterone issues but it turns out his PSA is elevated so potentially he could have prostate cancer. Or he could have other problems that he's kind of been putting off, even like sexual stuff like erectile dysfunction or Peyronie's Disease, so often you come in for testosterone but you leave with other issues being taken care of," said Dr. Muncey.
But don't forget the basics. Before testosterone levels even become a potential problem, take care of yourself ahead of time.
"If you lose weight, your testosterone levels will go up. There's been good studies that show that even just two to four hours a week of moderate exercise will increase your testosterone, so, those are some basic things that I think we tend to forget that can help," said Dr. Muncey.
