Human Growth Hormone and Testosterone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sly Stallone, in his last Rambo film, was as physical and dynamic as ever. In contrast, the last Indiana Jones movie disappointed me with the shuffling, slurring, grumpy old man that used to be Indy. My 17 year old dubbed Ford an old man, but pegged Stallone as in his 40’s.  Playing action figures, both men are in their 60’s. What’s the difference? Growth hormone and testosterone.

 

When Rambo came out in January 2008, Stallone publicly admitted to using growth hormone and testosterone. “HGH (human growth hormone) is nothing,” the 61-year-old actor told Time magazine in its Feb. 4 issue. “Anyone who calls it a steroid is grossly misinformed. Testosterone to me is so important for a sense of well-being when you get older,” he says. “Everyone over 40 years old would be wise to investigate it because it increases the quality of your life. Mark my words. In 10 years it will be over the counter.”

Thank goodness a prominent male celebrity has the guts to talk about hormone health for men!

Sly is right! Growth hormone is not a steroid and testosterone and growth hormone are very important to quality of life in men over 40. Both growth hormone and testosterone get a bad rap due to sports figures over-using them to gain unfair advantage. We are not talking about abuse with synthetic, liver-toxic poisons sold in the back rooms of gyms. We are talking about molecularly bioidentical growth hormone and testosterone native to the human body given in healthy physiologic amounts.

With age, men steadily lose both these hormones starting at about age 30. By the time a man is 60, he may have only ¼ the testosterone and growth hormone of a 25 year old man. This is nature’s way of shutting us down, except we stay alive due to our living conditions and disease-oriented medicine. You may have normal hormone levels for a 60 year old, but this is not optimal for health. The healthiest adults are in their 20’s, who have optimal levels of testosterone and growth hormone.

Human growth hormone is biosynthetic and has the exact same molecular structure as in the human body. It is responsible for growth, healing, immune function, increased muscle mass, minimizing body fat, controlling cholesterol, maintaining sexual energy, and increasing bone strength. It improves heart function and cognitive ability including memory, alertness, motivation, work capacity, speed of information processing and sociability. Growth hormone replacement at physiologic levels does not cause cancer. Growth hormone acts synergistically with testosterone in that their beneficial effects together are greater than either one alone. Growth hormone is approved for use in Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency, which is a common occurrence in adults over 40 years old.

Decreased testosterone in men results in increased aging of the heart and circulation including increased heart attacks and strokes. There is increased brain aging with decreased memory, decreased intelligence, increased dementia, and increased Alzheimer’s. Men lose their drive and competitive edge.  They get stiffness and pain in muscles and joints, decreased effectiveness in workouts, and a falling level of fitness. In addition they get more fat and less muscle, osteoporosis (yes, like women), and anemia. Fatigue, depression, mood changes and irritability (grumpy old man syndrome) are common. And of course, there is reduced libido and potency. Testosterone does not cause prostate cancer.

These declines in men happen more gradually than menopause and often become accepted as “just getting old”.  Sadly, some men perceive hormone loss as a matter of ego instead of health. Remember, we may get old, but do not need to feel old!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Testosterone in Men

There has been a lot of buzz about women’s hormones, but you hear very little about men. To make it worse, men do not seek or share this information as women do. How many men do you know who go out for coffee with their buddies and talk about their hormones? Few people appreciate the pervasive effects of testosterone on men’s general health.  

 

The fact is that as men age, they lose their testosterone. The loss of youthful levels of testosterone with the onset of its associated symptoms is sometimes called andropause. It is the natural diminution (or pause) in production of male hormone (an androgen) as men age.

 

Testosterone loss in men is a gradual process. Testosterone decline starts around age 30, and may drop 1% to 3 % per year depending on genetics and lifestyle. That means that men can sustain a 20% drop in testosterone by age 50, and a 50% drop by age 80. Each man may experience the symptoms of a decline in testosterone differently depending on what his normal was at his hormonal peak.  Often the symptoms are ignored or rationalized away until the resultant decreased functioning becomes a way of life.

 

The most obvious and disturbing changes for men are those of sexual function, but equally troubling symptoms of low testosterone may manifest as a decline in mental functions, musculoskeletal conditions, and metabolic or physical diseases.

 

Changes in mental functioning may manifest as spells of mental fatigue and inability to concentrate, feeling burned out, low energy, tiredness or sleepiness in the afternoon or evening, decrease in mental sharpness, attention, and wit, or a change in creativity like getting spontaneous new ideas. There may be a decrease in desire to start new projects, or a decreased interest in past hobbies or new work-related activities.  Competitiveness may diminish and irritability increase. Memory functions may become impaired with increased forgetfulness. Men can experience a sense of depression with a sense that work, marriage, or recreational activities have lost their significance.

 

Musculoskeletal symptoms may appear as sore-body syndrome with aches and joint and muscle pains. A decline in flexibility and mobility may be noticed with increased stiffness. Muscle size, tone, and strength may decrease. Physical stamina and athletic performance may decline. Some men experience back pain, neck pain, or a tendency to pull muscles or get leg cramps. Some develop osteoporosis or inflammatory arthritis.

 

Low testosterone levels correlate with more risk factors of heart disease than any other individual factor in the male body. Cardiovascular risk factors increase in men as testosterone decreases.  Cholesterol and triglyceride levels increase, coronary and major arteries constrict leading to a greater risk of cardiac events, and blood pressure rises. Insulin resistance increases with obesity, adult diabetes, and increased cortisol levels. There is increased central abdominal fat with increased waist to hip ratio. Estrogen levels associated with higher stroke and heart attack rates (and increased fat in the breast and hip area) increase. Another increase associated with decreased testosterone is in lipoprotein A and fibrinogen, which correlate with cardiac events. Also, human growth hormone output decreases leading to a decline in energy, strength, stamina, and heart muscle mass and output. Low testosterone levels are associated with increased incidence of death even after researchers adjust for age, medical problems, and variables.

 

Although not all signs and symptoms of aging are due to hormonal decline, many correlate well with a decline in hormones and can be alleviated by hormone adjustment.

 

Treatment of low testosterone should be administered by a doctor trained in hormone therapy after a full history, examination, and laboratory testing. Regular follow-up is important to control symptoms, prevent side effects, and to make sure hormone levels are optimal.

 

 

 

Dr. Candice Lane is a physician specializing in hormone replacement therapy. She is a diplomate and fellow of the American Academy for Anti-aging and Regenerative Medicine. Her practice is at 1250 La Venta Drive, Ste. 206, Westlake Village, Ca 91361.      805-496-7869     .