1. Understand your own risks for osteoporosis.
It is impossible to predict who will get osteoporosis. However, there are several factors that can put certain men at increased risk. These include:
- Age
- Low testosterone levels
- Family history of osteoporosis
- Thin and/or small frame
- Use of certain medications such as corticosteroids, anticonvulsants and anti-rejection drugs
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Smoking
- Lack of weight-bearing exercise
2. Talk to your physician about the role testosterone replacement therapy can play.
Just as with estrogen replacement therapy in women with menopause, testosterone replacement in selected men with Andropause has been shown to be highly effective and very beneficial. It's not for every man, of course, even men who have the symptoms on the previous quiz may have other health problems at the root of it all. Testosterone replacement therapy is a good solution for many men who are experiencing symptoms that are having an affect on their enjoyment of life and who have first tried lifestyle improvements including exercise, diet and stress management.
Your doctor will check carefully to see if you are a suitable candidate, including performing blood tests and physical examinations. Importantly, if you have an established prostate tumor or have breast cancer you will not be a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy. If you are a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy the options include oral capsules, injections and skin patches. Expect your physician to monitor your progress and your overall health while on testosterone treatment. If you're like the majority of men, you will experience very few side effects, if any.
What should I expect from testosterone replacement?
Very good responses to testosterone have been reported for men with low testosterone in various clinical studies and they include:
- Improvement in mood and sense of well-being
- Increased mental and physical energy
- Decreased anger, irritability, sadness, tiredness, nervousness
- Improved quality of sleep
- Improved libido and sexual performance
- A decline in biochemical markers of bone degradation and an increase in bone density
- An increase in lean body mass, a decline in fat mass
- An increase in muscle strength (hand grip, upper and lower extremities).
- Potentially, a decrease in the risk of heart disease
With testosterone therapy, one's attitude improves, reinforcing self-esteem and self-confidence in success at work, and increased energy at home and in social activities. Most men will feel more vigorous, experience improvement in energy levels, mood, concentration, cognition, libido, sexual performance and overall sense of well-being. This effect is usually noted in 3 to 6 weeks. Other potential benefits include maintenance or improvement in bone density, improved body composition, muscle mass and muscle strength, as well as improvement in visual-spatial skills.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Of course, any ongoing strategy to reduce the symptoms and risks of Andropause should incorporate lifestyle approaches such as optimal diet, regular exercise, stress-management, and the reduction in tobacco and alcohol intake.