Sex Hormones

"Sex Hormones"

by Dr. Abraham Kryger


Testosterone:
Important for normal muscle development, general health and libido


Testosterone:
Suppose someone told you there was a magical substance that could increase your sex drive, strengthen your bone and muscle tissue, reduce your body's fat production, deepen the tone and thickness of your skin, improve your thinking ability, boost your energy levels, and guard against the onset of depression and heart disease as you age. You might be skeptical-or you might be tempted to go out and buy a whole truckload of it. But in reality, these are all clinical effects of a substance produced naturally in your own body-the male sex hormone testosterone.


What is testosterone?
Testosterone is a powerful anabolic hormone. That means it stimulates the body's development of muscle, bone, skin, and sex organs, along with masculine physical features, such as hair growth. Recently, scientists have discovered that testosterone also improves mental power, by enhancing visual and perceptual skills. In men, testosterone is produced in the testes, by a group of cells known as Leydig cells. These cells begin secreting high doses of testosterone during puberty to trigger increased lean muscle mass, sex organ growth, bone formation, deeper voice, and higher energy levels. Peak testosterone levels are reached in a man's early to mid- 20s.

What happens to testosterone levels over the course of a man's lifetime?
As a man ages, the Leydig cells that secrete testosterone begin to wear away. Because of this, between the ages of 40 and 70, the average man loses nearly 60% of the testosterone inside his body! Other lifestyle factors, such as overtraining, stress and alcohol, can also hasten the deterioration of Leydig cells, and cause testosterone levels to drastically decline.
Although there's growing awareness of the vital role testosterone plays in health, the vast majority of men still don't recognize the key symptoms of testosterone deficiency. These include: depression, fatigue, low sex drive, irritability, loss of facial/body hair, thinning and wrinkling of skin, weight gain, and weakening of bone and muscle tissue. In some cases, there may also be a gradual decrease in the size of the sex organ.

Eventually, imbalances of testosterone can set the stage for the development of even more serious diseases. Low levels can disrupt the body's blood sugar metabolism, leading to obesity and diabetes. Chronic deficiencies may also promote the early onset of osteoporosis and heart disease.


How does testosterone affect my sex life?

Since ancient times men have searched for ways to increase their virility. Today, there are many popular medications that improve the physical factors (such as circulation) needed to sustain an erection. Yet many men do not realize that none of these medicines can work effectively without adequate testosterone in the body. That's because testosterone is, in a sense, your body's natural aphrodisiac. Only when there are sufficient levels are you able to feel and sustain sexual arousal.


Why is it important to get tested?

Although low testosterone can have damaging effects on health, just taking supplements isn't the answer. That's because extremely high testosterone levels can trigger unpleasant side effects and potentially increase the risk of developing prostate cancer. With testosterone, balance is the key-and this can only be achieved with accurate baseline testing of your hormone levels.


Serum levels

Total Testosterone
Lab Reference Range
200-825 ng/dl

Optimal Range
600-750 ng/dl


Free Testosterone
Lab Reference Range
35-195 pg/ml

Optimal Range
140-175 pg/ml


Saliva Levels

Bioavailable Testosterone

Lab Reference Range
100-475 pmol/l

Optimal Range
350-400pmol/l


Alexandersen P, Haarbo J, Christiansen C. The relationship of natural androgens to coronary heart disease in males: a review.

Atherosclerosis 1996; Aug 23 125(1): 1-13.

Bhasin S, et al. Testosterone Replacement Increases Fat-Free Mass and Muscle Size in Hypogonadal Men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1997; Feb 82(2): 407-413.

Bhasin S, et a!. Therapeutic Perspective: Issues in Testosterone Replacement in Older Men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 1998; Oct 83(10): 3435-3448


Estrogen:
Important for normal brain function and libido. Increased levels are related to enlarged prostate, obesity and heart disease.


Estrogen
Just as many woman are not aware that their body produces and relies on a small amount of testosterone for healthy function, most men are not aware that their body produces and depends on small amounts of estrogen as well. Estrogen is important in men for healthy function of the brain and libido.

Unlike woman where estrogen is primarily produced in the ovaries, in men it is produced directly from testosterone by the enzyme aromatase. This enzyme is present in all fat cells, the liver and even the muscles. There are three main forms of estrogen in the body, estradiol, estrone, and estriol. Estradiol is the most potent and biologically active form and alcohol can all cause excessive levels of estrogen to accumulate either by enhancing conversion of testosterone to estrogen or reducing the ability of the liver to eliminate excess levels of estrogen. High levels of estrogen can result in increases and difficulty losing body fat, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, prostate enlargement and reduced levels of testosterone by directly inhibiting it's production. A healthy young man in his 20's may have 50 times as much testosterone as estrogen while I have encountered older men where testosterone has dropped so low and estrogen risen so high that the ratio has declined as low as 3 to 1. Needless to say these men do not feel all that well.

Oddly enough the brain's thermostat (the hypothalamus) decides if enough testosterone is present in the blood based on how much estrogen is present. It knows that estrogen is made from testosterone and has evolved to believe that if estrogen is high, testosterone must be as well. Unfortunately, this was only a valid assumption when nutritional deficiencies, obesity, foreign drugs and chemicals that caused abnormal increases in estrogen weren't around. So high estrogen is a double edge sword. It is not only harmful in itself, but it actually causes a further decrease in testosterone.


Causes of increased production of estrogen are:
Increased activity of the aromotase enzyme.- This enzyme increases with age and body fat while high level of zinc and vitamin C decrease it.
Age- over 50 years old the body increases it's conversion to estrogen.

Obesity - the fat cells contain a high amount of the aromatase enzyme which converts testosterone to estrogen.

Zinc - the most important mineral for testosterone/estrogen balance.
Cigarette Smoking - nicotine and the cadmium interfere with zinc

The ability of the liver's P450 system to convert the more active estradiol into weaker forms.
Excessive Alcohol intake. I recommend less than 5 drinks weekly


Drugs or Medications

Anti-inflammatory medications - Aspirin, Tylenol, NSAIDS (Motrin etc.)

Antibiotics

Anti-fungal medications

Cholesterol-lowering medications

Antidepressants (Prozac, Zoloft)

Heart medications - beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers

Recreational Drugs - Marijuana, Amphetamines, Cocaine


Prolonged exposure to pesticides or chemicals. These contain xeno-estrogens (synthetic compounds that act like estrogen in the body)


Estradiol Levels:

Serum

Lab Reference Range
0-50 pg/mi

Optimal Range
20-30 pg/mi


Saliva

Lab Reference Range
2.8-8.0 pmol/l

Optimal Range
12.8-6.0 pmol/l


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Researched by:
@mannaglide
http://MannaGoods.blogspot.com



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