Author Topic: CNN article on HRT - Testosterone: A Man's Guide  (Read 3048 times)

Red Hook

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CNN article on HRT - Testosterone: A Man's Guide
« on: November 16, 2012, 05:26:47 AM »
http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/16/health/baby-boomers-testosterone/index.html?hpt=hp_c3


"(CNN) -- For thousands of years, explorers have been searching for the Fountain of Youth. Legend has it the elusive fountain contains a restorative source that brings endless vitality to those who drink from its pool.

No one knows what the source is, exactly. It's been called everything from the "water of life" to the "elixir of immortality."

These days, anti-aging specialists simply refer to it as "T."

You'd think T, or testosterone, was pure magic from its advertised results: increased energy, better mental concentration, less fat, more muscle, fewer sleepless nights and a higher sex drive. But experts say altering your body's natural hormone levels can be dangerous if not done properly.

As more FDA-approved products hit the market, the baby boomer generation is taking note. In 2011, consumers spent approximately $1.6 billion on prescription testosterone therapies, almost triple the amount spent in 2006, according to market research company IMS Health.

Dr. Harvey Bartnof is the founder of the California Longevity & Vitality Medical Institute. His practice focuses on age management medicine and hormone replacement therapies for both men and women. He says patients come to him to slow the aging process; they want to remain active and engaged as they grow older.

"We have medications that help people stay alive longer, but the quality of life declines," Bartnof says. "People would rather not go down the pathway of ... mom, dad if they don't have to."

'Viagra for the boardroom'

Testosterone is naturally produced primarily through a man's testes. (The hormone is also found in women, but that's another story.) The hormone helps regulate bone density, fat distribution, muscle strength, red blood cell production, sex drive and sperm production, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Bartnof compares it to oil in a machine -- while other systems make your body "go," hormones such as testosterone grease the wheels so they work smoothly.

The body's production of testosterone peaks in early adulthood and typically declines about 1% each year after age 30, according to the Mayo Clinic website. A low testosterone level is called hypoandrogenism.

Symptoms of hypoandrogenism include insomnia, fewer erections, reduced muscle strength, depression, trouble concentrating and hair loss.

In other words, getting old, John Freiburger quips. The 48-year-old financial planner first started feeling the effects of his age a few years ago.

As the founder of an Illinois wealth management firm, he was juggling multiple clients' portfolios a day. He found his concentration in meetings started to fade earlier, even when he made an effort to hit the gym more often and eat right.

"Being in the business that I'm in, you need to be on top of your game," Freiburger says. "For a lot of men, it's like, 'Oh yeah, I'm getting old.' I'm not very good at accepting that it's the way it needs to be."

Up until a few years ago, testosterone was mostly the choice of competitive body builders and professional athletes. Now, everyone from Wall Street executives to corporate office managers are taking what the media has dubbed "Viagra for the boardroom."

Testosterone replacement therapies come in many forms, according to Nelson Vergel, author of "Testosterone: A Man's Guide." The hormone can be injected into muscle, absorbed through the skin via a cream/gel, or released slowly through a small pellet that's inserted into the body. A doctor does regular blood tests to determine the correct dosage.

Freiburger saw results just two days after beginning his hormone therapy. First, his energy levels skyrocketed. Then he saw an increase in his concentration level at work. Soon after, his libido returned, and within a month he was losing weight and putting on muscle at the gym.

"I'm a better person. I'm a better wealth manager," he said. "(I) have the energy, vitality to go conquer the world."

No magic pill

You've likely read that there's no magic pill for perfect health. While direct-to-consumer marketing may make it seem otherwise, testosterone is no exception, Vergel says.

"I'm just amazed how many men start a hormone without doing research," he says. "It's a wonderful thing to start if you need it. It also has some side effects if not done properly."

The hormone will help you lose weight and build muscle, but not without proper exercise and nutrition. It will also improve your sex drive; what it won't do, Vergel says, is make you into a teenage Casanova.

A 2004 study showed nearly 20% of patients may not respond fully to testosterone therapies. And the benefits from testosterone can plateau anywhere from six weeks to one year into treatment.

One of the biggest things to be aware of is that most men never stop testosterone replacement therapy, says Dr. Gregory Broderick, a urologist with the Mayo Clinic.

Once you start, your body begins shutting down natural production of the hormone, thinking it's no longer needed, he explains. This can lead to "shrinkage" of the testicles and a suppression of sperm production.

Broderick says finding a qualified doctor is key. Anti-aging is a new field and most doctors are not trained in hormone therapy, so they learn as they go from pharmaceutical reps and the latest published research. Testosterone replacement therapies often fall to physicians who specialize in "boutique medicine."


Once you find a physician, he or she should screen for prostate cancer before starting treatment. While studies have shown testosterone replacement therapies do not increase the likelihood of developing the cancer, they can encourage tumor growth if a patient already has it.

Broderick recommends getting blood work done every three to four months after beginning testosterone therapy. Men taking testosterone have increased levels of red blood cells, which can lead to complications with circulation, depriving areas of the body of oxygen.

On average, testosterone replacement therapy costs less than $40 a month. But many baby boomers, such as Freiburger, are using it as part of a more expensive holistic approach to staying healthy into their senior years -- and they say it's worth the cost.

"I would like to have as much quality of life and be as vital as I can as long as the Lord's going to have me on this earth," Freiburger says. "I'm going to take the time and financial resources to try to make that a reality."
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Irongrip400

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2012, 05:42:41 AM »
I went to an Endo about five years ago regarding this and was surprised at how much I knew, and so was he.  I knew more than my primary physician, and when I went to the endo, I knew almost as much as he did about the process just from my experimenting with hormones in college.  I am sure it has come a long way since then, as medical advances do, but I think it is still a fringe practice which is why there are still so many steroid discussion forums out there.

WOOO

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2012, 06:28:30 AM »
millions of years of evolution corrected by pharmaceutical reps...

American'ts are funny

Tito24

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2012, 07:39:24 AM »

Grape Ape

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2012, 07:56:05 AM »
millions of years of evolution corrected by pharmaceutical reps...

American'ts are funny

Is all hormone therapy related research and production isolated to the US or something?
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Rudee

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2012, 11:42:42 AM »
"On average, testosterone replacement therapy costs less than $40 a month"

Really?  I would of thought higher than that. 

Natural Man

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #6 on: November 16, 2012, 11:44:23 AM »
what do poor people to "feel better" ? they focus on family, dont have much hobbies as hobbies cost money... I wonder how men managed to live past 40 the last two centuries without the help of viagra, hrt,anti depressants...

Mawse

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #7 on: November 16, 2012, 12:22:12 PM »
Meanwhile on the episode of Grey's last night a 130lb high school kid needed a liver transplant as a result of using dangerous steeroids to bulk up.

so for the 2300 people who read that article and thought 'this TRT stuff doesn't sound bad, maybe this stuff isn't the most dangerous drug since Meth' there were approx. 7 million housewives who had their belief that AAS are the most dangerous thing in the world for The Children reenforced by the media.


Quote
Really?  I would of thought higher than that.

trt costs fuck all with insurance, we don't exactly use 2 grams a week...


Agnostic007

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #8 on: November 16, 2012, 12:27:08 PM »
"On average, testosterone replacement therapy costs less than $40 a month"

Really?  I would of thought higher than that. 

I think it depends on insurance. With Testim or Androgel, 1 tube per day was running about $30 a month. 2 tubes, $60.

Some friends I have go to a sports doctor (V5 Sports) and with needles, test, hcg and some blocker it still comes out to an average of $80 a month including Dr visit 

Viking11

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #9 on: November 16, 2012, 12:36:52 PM »
what do poor people to "feel better" ? they focus on family, dont have much hobbies as hobbies cost money... I wonder how men managed to live past 40 the last two centuries without the help of viagra, hrt,anti depressants...
A lot of guys didn't live past 40.., and who said most of the rest were healthy or happy?

arce1988

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Re: CNN article on HRT
« Reply #10 on: November 16, 2012, 02:05:12 PM »
  HRT   TRT  all just PED