How Will I Know That My Hormone Therapy Is Working
Doctors cannot predict how long hormone therapy will be effective in suppressing the growth of any individual mans prostate cancer. Therefore, men who take hormone therapy for more than a few months are regularly tested to determine the level of PSA in their blood. An increase in PSA level may indicate that a mans cancer has started growing again. A PSA level that continues to increase while hormone therapy is successfully keeping androgen levels extremely low is an indicator that a mans prostate cancer has become resistant to the hormone therapy that is currently being used.
Types Of Injectable Testosterone
As men age their bodies are changing their testosterone levels begin to dwindle, they experience muscle loss, mood swings, and a decrease in sex drive. What if there was a way to fix it? A way to reverse the effects of aging? When it comes to your health, there is almost no right or wrong way to do something if you want to achieve your ideal results. Hormone replacement therapy , like testosterone replacement therapy, might be the answer you are seeking when it comes to your health. It is important to employ a skilled professional to help you determine the best treatment plan and pick out the best form of testosterone to maximize your health goals and the benefits to your quality of life. Below are four types of injectable testosterone replacement therapy. Talk to a health professional about which one is right for you.
Identify Different Types Of Hormones And Explain The Regulation Of Hormone Production
Although there are many different hormones in the human body, they can be divided into three classes based on their chemical structure: lipid-derived, amino acid-derived, and peptide hormones. One of the key distinguishing features of lipid-derived hormones is that they can diffuse across plasma membranes whereas the amino acid-derived and peptide hormones cannot.
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What Is Intermittent Adt
Researchers have investigated whether a technique called intermittent androgen deprivation can delay the development of hormone resistance. With intermittent androgen deprivation, hormone therapy is given in cycles with breaks between drug administrations, rather than continuously. An additional potential benefit of this approach is that the temporary break from the side effects of hormone therapy may improve a mans quality of life.
Randomized clinical trials have shown similar overall survival with continuous ADT or intermittent ADT among men with metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer, with a reduction in some side effects for intermittent ADT .
Symptoms Of Androgen Deficiency
When there is not enough testosterone circulating in the body, it can cause a wide range of symptoms. However, a number of these symptoms may be non-specific and can mimic the symptoms of other diseases and conditions.Some of the symptoms of androgen deficiency include:
- reduced sexual desire
- reduced bone mass, therefore increased risk of osteoporosis.
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What Is The Male Hormone
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Male hormones are known as androgens. A very important one is called testosterone.
Males have a pair of sex chromosomes known as XY. The sex of a male is determined at fertilization when a sperm containing a Y chromosome and an egg containing an X chromosome unite. The gonadal sexwhat…
The Endocrine System: Hormones
An animals endocrine system controls body processes through the production, secretion, and regulation of hormones. Hormones serve as chemical messengers that function in cellular and organ activity to maintain the bodys homeostasis. Maintaining homeostasis within the body requires the coordination of many different systems and organs. Communication between neighboring cells and between cells and tissues in distant parts of the body occurs through the release of hormones into body fluids , which carry them to their target cells. Target cells, those having a receptor for a signal, respond to a hormone when they express a specific receptor for that hormone. Cellular recipients of a particular hormonal signal may be one of several cell types that reside within a number of different tissues, as is the case for insulin, which triggers a diverse range of systemic physiological effects. Different tissue types may also respond differently to the same hormonal signal.
Examples of endocrine glands include the adrenal glands, which produce hormones, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine that regulate responses to stress, and the thyroid gland, which produces thyroid hormones that regulate metabolic rates. In organisms that undergo metamorphosis, the process is controlled by the endocrine system. The transformation from tadpole to frog, for example, is complex and nuanced to adapt to specific environments and ecological circumstances.
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What Happens When Testosterone Levels Rise Or Fall
If your body produces too much testosterone, you may have irregular or absent menstrual periods. You may also have more body hair than the average woman. Some women with high testosterone levels develop frontal balding. Other possible effects include acne, an enlarged clitoris, increased muscle mass, and deepening of voice.
High levels of testosterone can also lead to infertility and are commonly seen in polycystic ovarian syndrome . PCOS is an endocrine condition that is sometimes seen in women of childbearing age who have difficulty getting pregnant. Women with PCOS have symptoms similar to those produced by high testosterone levels. They include:
What Happens To Testosterone In The Blood
As testosterone moves through your body in your blood, its changed or metabolised into other sex hormones, oestradiol and dihydrotestosterone . Oestradiol, known as the female sex hormone, is also important for your bone health and for preventing osteoporosis. DHT is a powerful androgen thats made from testosterone in some parts of your body, such as your skin and prostate.
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Testosterone Injections: Legal Or Illegal
In the past, there has been controversy as to whether or not testosterone therapy is legal. This is, in part, due to the use of steroids by athletes and bodybuilders. Testosterone injections are considered illegal for those purposes.
That is not the same thing as a man who is diagnosed with Low T, and is looking for help to raise this hormone level in his body following blood testing. In this case, legal testosterone injections will be authorized for use by the prescribing physician.
The only safe and completely legitimate way of purchasing this medication is through a doctor and a licensed US pharmacy. At National HRT, our doctors specialize in hormone replacement therapy for men, as well as for women. We offer men throughout the US the best testosterone injections that they can administer with confidence to bring passion and vitality back into their lives.
Important Hormones And How They Help You Function
Hormones are chemical messengers that use your bloodstream to travel throughout your body to your tissues and organs. Did you know that your body houses 50 different types of hormones? They control a number of functions including metabolism, reproduction, growth, mood, and sexual health.
If your body is producing too little or too much of a hormone, it can make you very ill and set you up for a number of serious health problems. At The Well for Health in Davidson, North Carolina, our dedicated team of holistically-minded practitioners works with you to identify and resolve hormone problems. Lets take a closer look at five important hormones and how they help you function well.
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Hormones And The Endocrine System
The endocrine system uses hormones to control and coordinate your body’s internal metabolism energy level, reproduction, growth and development, and response to injury, stress, and environmental factors. Consider the following hormones and their role in the workings of the endocrine system:
Changes In Blood Pressure
High testosterone levels can cause changes in your blood pressure. For example, it can cause it to go downthis can lead to dizziness, headache, and fatigue.
The opposite is also true. That is, it can cause your blood pressure to go up. This would put you at a higher risk for heart problems such as heart attack and stroke.
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How Is Testosterone Used In Men And Women
Testosterone is responsible for many actions in the male body throughout a mans life cycle. It helps the external and internal organs of a male fetus develop. This includes the male reproductive organs such as the penis and testicles. During puberty, testosterone is responsible for:
- growth spurts
- deepening of the voice
- growth of hair in the pubic region, face, and underarms
Testosterone is also associated with behaviors such as aggression and sexual drive. Men need testosterone to make sperm for reproduction.
In women, testosterone also contributes to a womans sex drive. It also helps to secrete hormones important in a womans menstrual cycle.
Testosterone also plays common roles for both sexes. For example, the hormone stimulates the body to make new red blood cells. Testosterone can also affect a mans bone density, fat distribution, and muscle strength.
Low testosterone in men can cause many physical symptoms. It can also cause insulin resistance, which can contribute to diabetes. Examples of symptoms caused by low testosterone in men include:
- higher percentage of stomach fat
- gynecomastia
- infertility
- growth of the sexual organs
Early puberty can be caused by tumors and a condition known as congenital adrenal hyperplasia.
Potential causes of excess testosterone in men include:
- congenital adrenal hyperplasia
- tumors of the testicles or adrenal glands
Types Of Testosterone Tests You Can Buy Today
There are four different testosterone assays you can choose from to accurately determine the amount of testosterone in your bloodstream.
#1 – TESTOSTERONE Total and Free
This test is ideal for people who have testosterone levels in the normal ranges.
It measures total and free testosterone using direct analog/radioimmunoassay and electrochemiluminescence immunoassay .
On the other hand, if you know you have very low testosterone levels or you have very high testosterone levels then you might want to use the LC/MS test because its more accurate.
If your testosterone levels are very high, the test will show above 1500 ng/dL, not the exact number .
Bioavailable testosterone can be used for steroid-receptor interaction.
This test measures the amount of free testosterone and weakly bound testosterone in the bloodstream.
The test doesnt look at the testosterone bound to SHBG because this type is biologically inactive as it has a high binding affinity.
On the other hand, weakly bound testosterone is usually derived from albumin, and it has a low affinity which means that it can quickly dissociate and become available for interaction.
This test doesnt have any upper limit for either type of testosterone such as free, total and bioavailable.
It uses more complex measuring assays such as liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to accurately determine testosterone levels.
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Examples Of Important Hormones
Now let us look more closely at five essential hormones and how they contribute to your overall health.
Insulin, a fat-storage hormone, is produced by your pancreas and controls numerous metabolic processes. This hormone allows your organs, liver, and fat to absorb glucose. Blood sugar builds and can lead to diabetes if your body does not produce enough insulin or does not use it properly.
Melatonin is produced by the pineal gland in your brain and is important for your sleep/wake cycles and internal body clock. As the brightness of day fades into the darkness of night, your brain increases melatonin levels to prepare you for sleep.
Estrogen, often known as the female sex hormone, is produced by a woman’s ovaries. It is essential for the growth of breasts, pubic hair, and hip width. In addition to regulating a woman’s menstrual cycle, oestrogen has a role in bone development, blood clotting, and the condition of her skin and nails.
Testosterone is a sex hormone produced in both the male testicles and the female ovaries. It is most commonly connected with sex desire. It is also intimately associated with muscle and bone mass, as well as fat cell distribution.
What Are Male Sex Hormones
Hormones are substances that are made by glands in the body. Hormones circulate in the bloodstream and control the actions of certain cells or organs.
Androgens are a class of hormones that control the development and maintenance of male characteristics. The most abundant androgens in men are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone .
Androgens are required for normal growth and function of the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system that helps make semen. Androgens are also necessary for prostate cancers to grow. Androgens promote the growth of both normal and cancerous prostate cells by binding to and activating the androgen receptor, a protein that is expressed in prostate cells . Once activated, the androgen receptor stimulates the expression of specific genes that cause prostate cells to grow .
Almost all testosterone is produced in the testicles a small amount is produced by the adrenal glands. Although prostate cells do not normally make testosterone, some prostate cancer cells acquire the ability to do so .
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Depression Mood Cognition And Well
The indications for the use of testosterone in cognitive and psychological impairment are still unclear however, studies of healthy older men with testosterone deficiency have yielded interesting results. Neuropsychological testing has revealed improvements in spatial cognition26 and spatial and verbal memory27 with testosterone replacement. No positive effects on mood or depression have been clearly demonstrated for hypogonadal men.10,18 Two trials19,20 have demonstrated improvements in quality of life.
Why Is The Brain Important For Male Reproduction
The pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, located at the base of your brain, control the production of your male hormones and sperm. The hypothalamus makes gonadotropin-releasing hormone , which controls the release of other hormones from your pituitary gland. The hormones from the pituitary travel through your blood to make changes in your testicles.
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Causes Of Androgen Deficiency
Some of the causes of androgen deficiency include conditions affecting the:
- testes medical problems that affect the testes can stop them from making enough testosterone. Some of these conditions are present from birth . Other conditions may occur at various stages of a boy’s or a man’s life, such as:
- undescended testes
- loss of testes due to trauma or ‘twisting off’ of the blood supply
- complications following mumps
- side effects of chemotherapy or radiotherapy
Testosterone Production In Human Males Is Best Described By Which Statement A Hormones Synthesized By
Testosterone production in human males is best described by which statement? a. hormones synthesized by the adrenal medulla are primarily androgens b production by the adrenal gland cortex is very low, as compared to sex hormone release from the gonads during and after late puberty . inhibit on is highly dependent on a positive feedback loop in olving ACTH. d. the posterior pituitary gland secretes ADH that regulates the testes and testosterone e. both a and c…
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The Perils Of Too Much Testosterone
Having too much naturally-occurring testosterone is not a common problem among men. That may surprise you given what people might consider obvious evidence of testosterone excess: road rage, fighting among fathers at Little League games and sexual promiscuity.
Part of this may be due to the difficulty defining “normal” testosterone levels and “normal” behavior. Blood levels of testosterone vary dramatically over time and even during the course of a day. In addition, what may seem like a symptom of testosterone excess may actually be unrelated to this hormone.
In fact, most of what we know about abnormally high testosterone levels in men comes from athletes who use anabolic steroids, testosterone or related hormones to increase muscle mass and athletic performance.
Problems associated with abnormally high testosterone levels in men include:
- Low sperm counts, shrinking of the testicles and impotence
- Heart muscle damage and increased risk of heart attack
- Prostate enlargement with difficulty urinating
- Liver disease
- Fluid retention with swelling of the legs and feet
- Weight gain, perhaps related in part to increased appetite
- High blood pressure and cholesterol
- Insomnia
- Increased risk of blood clots
- Stunted growth in adolescents
- Uncharacteristically aggressive behavior
- Mood swings, euphoria, irritability, impaired judgment, delusions
Side Effects Of Treatment Of Androgen Deficiency
Once testosterone levels are restored to the normal range, side effects of testosterone replacement therapy are not common. Some of the possible side effects include:
- weight gain
- mood changes and increased aggression
- male pattern baldness
- Snyder PJ, Bhasin S, Cunningham GR, et al. 2016. ‘Effects of testosterone treatment in older men‘, New England Journal of Medicine, vol. 374, pp. 611624.
- Grech A, Breck J and Heidelbaugh J 2014 Adverse effects of testosterone replacement therapy: an update on the evidence and controversy, Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, vol. 5, no. 5, pp.190200.
- Sartorius G, Spasevska S, Idan A, et al. 2012, Serum testosterone, dihydrotestosterone and estradiol concentrations in older men self-reporting very good health: the healthy man study, Clinical Endocrinology, vol. 77, no. 5, pp. 755763.
- Yeap BB, Grossmann M, McLachlan RI, et al. Endocrine Society of Australia position statement on male hypogonadism : assessment and indications for testosterone therapy, Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 205, no. 4, pp.173178.
- Yeap BB, Grossmann M, McLachlan RI, et al. 2016 Endocrine Society of Australia position statement on male hypogonadism : treatment and therapeutic considerations, Medical Journal of Australia, vol. 205, no.5, pp 228231.
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