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Men's testosterone levels decline with age, exacerbated by environmental pollutants which wreak havoc with hormones. But a number of natural substances can protect men's health.
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In today's world, our sex hormones are a mess. Synthetic chemicals which act like estrogens abound. Hormones commonly causes estrogen dominance in women, resulting in the creation of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancers, fibrocystic breast disease, and other disturbing health problems like PMS, depression, anxiety, insomnia, infertility, and lack of sex drive.
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Men also share in these problems with infertility and loss of sex drive and vitality with aging. Excessive estrogens or a deficiency of testosterone (the dominant male hormone) may also be responsible for enlargement of the prostate, depression, osteoporosis, and vascular disease. Xenobiotic (Man-made, chemical) estrogens such as DDT, PCBS, formaldehyde, and hundreds more damage the body and cause this excessive feminization.
Male menopause - or andropause doesn't happen as swiftly in men as it does in women. Women can lose 90% of their sex hormones in two or three years, frequently causing the dreaded hot flashes, depression, vaginal dryness, and lost sex drive. Men's testosterone levels go down decade by decade, and the associated symptoms appear more gradually. Increased nervousness, irritabill insomnia, depression, antisocial tendencies crying spells, suicidal tendencies, inability to concentrate, weakness, fatigue, muscle spasms, muscle loss, weight loss, constipation, decreased urinary force, urinary frequency and hesitancy, reduced sex drive, and decreased erections are but a few of the male climacteric (menopausal) symptoms. Some males maintain a high testosterone level into old age, but many men who gradaully lose their vitality will find that their testosterone levels have also fallen into a sub-par level. This level is different for every man but these levels should be monitored by your doctor to establish a baseline level in the 30's or 40's.
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Dr. Eugene Shippen M.D., in his excellent book, The Testosterone Syndrome, reminds us that estrogen is found not only in women, but is an important part of a male's hormonal balance. There are many factors which can cause excessive estrogen buildup, including alcohol, stress, and chemical estrogens. There is also another very serious biochemical change that happens in men as they age. Their testosterone is converted 'increasingly to estrogen by an enzyme called aromatase. As our estrogen increases, it blocks many of the good effects of testosterone, causing abdominal and under-the-chin fat buildup and lower sex drive and vitality. When measuring men's testosterone levels, it is most important to look at the level of free testosterone, because it is the free (not bound to protein) testosterone found in the blood serum that is the active one. There are several herbs, including Nettles, which convert bound testosterone to the free form.
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Conventional Protocols
In conventional medicine, when men have low or low-normal testosterone levels, and complaints of lowered vitality and sex drive, testosterone replacement is often recommended. Before even considering testosterone replacement a careful evaluation of prostate health must be performed. Blood PSA (Prostate specific antigen) and a physical exam of the prostate is a must. Although many authors argue that prostate enlargement and cancer is an old man's disease and may, indeed, be prevented by supplementing testosterone, adding testosterone to a pre-existing prostate cancer may be like adding gasoline to a fire. Be careful about your medical work-up and consult with physicians who are knowledgeable about this process. Urologists, in general, prescribe less testosterone, and use drugs, surgery, or radiation to control prostate problems - problems that alternative medical practitioners would treat far less invasively with herbs and nutrients.
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For many years doctors prescribed testosterone shots every few weeks or monthly. But it is now becoming clear that because of excessive levels in aromatase in the aging male, the high levels of testosterone in the shot can fairly rapidly be converted into elevated estrogen levels. This can result in weight gain, male breasts, and red hands. A testosterone skin cream, applied to the scrotum, does not have the same problem of being rapidly converted into estrogen, and is more effective. Timerelease pellets, implanted into the buttocks under local anesthesia every six months or so, also keep excessive estrogen at bay. It is very important for anyone going this route to check the free testosterone/estradiol ratio for testosterone replacement to be optimally effective. Other hormones like Human Growth Hormone and drugs like Deprenyl are used to increase testosterone levels as well. But unless the dosages are extremely precise they can be counterproductive. Excessive Deprenyl, for instance, can produce an abundance of free radicals with resulting cell damage.
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Natural alternatives
But conventional protocols - with their dangers, and side effects of actually creating more of a hormonal imbalance - may not at all be necessary to maintain proper hormonal balance. Your health food store is now a treasure trove of wonderful products for men. Besides boosting energy, memory and mood, many products also boost male hormone levels and increase vitality and sexuality. DHEA, for example, along with Androstenedione are precursor hormones (mother hormones) for testosterone. Although not as powerful as testosterone, they do increase libido and sex drive somewhat. DHEA can compete for binding sites with testosterone and may give lots of energy, but not as much sex drive as once thought. Androstenedione, made famous by Mark McGuire, only stays in the body for several hours. When combined with Yohimbe, a South American herb which is also sexually and physically stimulating, and taken one hour before intercourse, its effects on sexual performance can be remarkable. Yohimbe can be overstimulating if taken in too large a dose, or in a physically frail individual.
Arginine is a commonly available amino add which makes nitric oxide (NO), a body chemical which does many things, including lowering blood pressure. The nitric oxide, however, is also important for increasing blood flow to the penis and for erections. (NO is a vital part of how Viagra works.) NO is also lowered by alcohol, which can help explain why excessive alcohol intake can lead to sexual dysfunction. Fairly hefty doses of arginine are required to be effective, from 3 to 6 grams per day or more. If you are sensitive to herrpes breakouts, it is a good idea to balance your arginine with increased doses of lysine, an essential amino acid which it mimics.
Saw palmetto, taken by capsule, is very protective of the prostate. It locks conversion of testosterone into didrotestosterone (super testosterone), which can cause enlargement of the prostate. Large doses of saw palmetto have proven to improve libido, force of ejaculation and (some authors think) can cause the penis to enlarge. Pygeum afticanum, pumpkin seed oil, zinc, and primrose oil all help in protecting the prostate and improving libido. Vitamin C increases testosterone production, as does vitamin K. Soy products, crudferous vegetables (broccoli and cauliflower), oysters, and grape skin compounds also decrease estrogen levels. Acupuncture has proven that it can be effectively employed in treating for prostate problems and improving sexual performance. It can stimulate the kidneys, which are the seat of overall vitality. It can increase the blood flow into the sacral plexus. Placing needles into the what is called the Chong Mo circuit can work directly to restore hormonal balance. Enjoy better health, a better quality of life, and prevent disease by keeping your sex hormones in good shape!
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CAUTION
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is an important adrenal hormone that can be converted into both testosterone and the estrogen estradiol (E2). DHEA deficiency is a common condition, and, as a remedy, it is often prescribed as a supplement. But DHEA can also easily be over-stimulatng if taken in excess, especially in women, who can become very irritable and nervous.
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