Hormone Replacement Therapy, (HRT) refers the administration of dosages of testosterone in men and estrogen in women. Men and women are both born with organs that produce hormones, men have testes while women have ovaries. Men and women reach peak hormone levels during ages best suited for child bearing age. Men gradually lose a percentage of their testosterone each year as they age. Women lose nearly all of their testosterone and estrogen production during menopause, often creating a traumatic period in life.
Accompanying this diminished hormone production, neither men nor women, as they age, are able to naturally build and maintain a sufficient amount of bone and muscle mass to stay vibrant and strong. Without HRT the body deteriorates as we age.
Doctors frequently rely on a “testosterone reference range” published by medical authorities, with a “reference range” from a low testosterone reading for men of 250 to a high of 1400.
Addressing the underlying issue
If a doctor finds a low testosterone level, or in the case of post-menopausal women, a physician may refer to low hormone level readings as “normal for someone at an advanced age.” In these situations, a doctor may recommend taking an SSRI, (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor) or antidepressant to allay concerns. But treatments such as SSRIs do not address the problem.
The feelings of emptiness and loss a person experiences, along with the loss of strength and agility during the aging process, can be caused by the continuing decrease of hormones produced by the body. Medications to treat depression can help the patient forget or ignore the underlying problem while also abandoning pursuit of the true causes of unhappiness. The person is left in a blissful state of brain fog, yet not really dealing with the challenges of life. SSRIs are a quick and easy way of dealing with a problem that would otherwise take weeks of testing and years of ongoing treatment. Most doctors don’t have the time or background knowledge to properly treat hormone deficiencies, nor are they inclined to do so.
In our current more enlightened time hormone replacement therapy has become accepted as a treatment plan for dealing with aging. It is a lifestyle choice made by many men and women dealing with the effects of aging, keeping qualified doctors busy. Hormone replacement clinics can be found locally while others are able to deal remotely through “telemedicine”. It may be worth the time and effort to explore the possibilities of hormone replacement therapy, especially if growing old isn’t what you had hoped it would be.
Diagnosis And Treatment
The first phase of treatment is a comprehensive blood test which your doctor will review before setting up a treatment protocol designed specifically for your personal needs based on your blood test results. About a month after you begin your treatment another blood test will be administered along with a discussion with your doctor. While the doctor will be interested in the second blood test results, the doctor will also want to know how you feel. Between the results of your second blood test and your general feeling of well being the
doctor may or may not need to adjust your treatment plan.
What To Expect
Individuals participating in hormone replacement therapy can expect, depending on the individual, to lose fat, gain muscle and regain strength, improve sleep quality, improve libido, build stronger bones, lose “brain fog”, improve your mood and experience a renewed outlook on life. The feeling of dreading bad days subsides because an adjustment of attitude takes place, turning back time, making you feel years younger.
I started my hormone replacement therapy pretty late in life, when I was 75 years old. In hindsight, because of the advantages the therapy afforded me, I believe I should have started ten years before. I’m a barbell weight training coach, training three times a week. As I became older, I was having a hard time recovering from my workouts. I tried all of the customary remedies, none of which worked. I found that my testosterone level was falling off the low end of the chart. I agreed to a hormone therapy plan, which raised my testosterone level by more than a thousand points, and I have never looked back.
Replacement of substances lacking in the body
Hormone replacement therapy is the replacement of something that’s lacking in
the body and needs to be replenished. The primary hormones, testosterone and estrogen, which you will receive are bio-identical to that produced by our bodies and work within the body just as those produced by the testes and ovaries. A sufficient amount of estrogen in the female body is as important as a sufficient amount of testosterone in the male body. They are the cornerstones of good health, vitality and longevity.
Once you begin your HRT program you will find that you have more energy and drive. A good use of that energy is to begin weight training to build lost bone and muscle mass —The best exercises are the deadlift, squat, overhead press and bench press.
For those wishing to spend more time at the gym choose any of the following ancillary exercises; barbell row, chin-up/ pull-up, bicep curl, triceps extension or dips.
To build the muscle and stamina you’re looking for, a proper diet in addition to lifting weights is a must. Shoot for a daily intake of one gram of protein for every pound of your bodyweight and three times that amount of carbohydrates, daily. Divide these numbers by the number of meals per day. For men over 40 years old and women those numbers should be decreased by 25%.
For me, hormone replacement therapy is one of the best things I’ve done in my life. It has given me a renewed purpose in life and a deep curiosity and excitement for what tomorrow will bring.
Bob Baker 3×5’s Barbell Strength Training
email: gh68bb@gmail.com
419-277-6581
