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I just got one of those Lets Get Checked home health tests. I wanted to get my testosterone levels checked. If it comes back being low, I plan on calling my family doctor. However, I was curious how they would normally treat this issue? I am assuming they would have pills or patches.
Here are the 7 most powerful ways I know to increase your testosterone
1.Consider testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)
2.Eat plenty of fat and cholesterol
3.Avoid sugar and excess carbs(sugar devastates testosterone)
4.Work out…and rest afterward
5.Get your supplements in order
6.Change your deodorant
7.Power pose
Way, way, way too premature on talking about treatment. I don't know why you are going around your family doctor instead of directly going to him to talk about any problems you are having. For one there are a variety of "testosterone" tests out there and they all vary in interpretation.
Testosterone is carried in the blood by Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG). SHBG can be low in these conditions
Low levels of SHBG can be related to:
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Hypothyroidism
Acromegaly, or too much growth hormone, causing body tissues to grow larger over time
If your SHBG is low then you will get a low total testosterone level but that doesn't mean you have a low testosterone. You total testosterone is low because your SHBG is low.
It is the free testosterone that is medically active and not necessarily the total testosterone. There is a test for free testosterone. There a test for biologically active testosterone etc.
There's also other hormones that interact with testosterone like LH and FSH. When there is androgen deficiency or hypogonadism then the testosterone goes down and the LH and FSH become elevated.
Most men age and end up in andropause with symptoms consistent with that change at a certain age. Women undergo menopause and men undergo andropause with gonadal failure.
As far as treatment goes if you only think you are testosterone deficient then two things will happen. The excess testosterone will be converted by estrogens via peripheral conversion and you can end up developing breast. This is what happens with overweight individuals thinking they have low testosterone. The thing that will happen over time is that your testicles will atrophy, shrivel up and die with exogenous shots of testosterone because your testis are no longer being used for the production. You it or lose it. They will be lost after a period of time and won't be able to recover their function.
You do not want to be given testosterone unless you absolutely need it and confirmed by the use of the appropriate tests.
If you are an older individual then you might want to think twice about the biological effects of too much testosterone for your age. It may accelerate prostate cancer and if you have heart problems then that is also not good. The reason why most men get heart attacks in the morning is because of the high testosterone levels attributed to the morning.
You need a doctor. No way to bypass and no need to ambush a doctor with your single test. He should check for signs of hypogonadism.
I am classified as obese and have hypothyroidism, but I take medicine for that and I'm pretty sure the thyroid level is normal. I figured it would have been easier to just get tested from home rather than going to doctor since he may not even want my testosterone level checked.
I am classified as obese and have hypothyroidism, but I take medicine for that and I'm pretty sure the thyroid level is normal. I figured it would have been easier to just get tested from home rather than going to doctor since he may not even want my testosterone level checked.
You didn't state the reason why you want to measure your testosterone or symptoms that you are having. I presume that it is because of erectile dysfunction and sense you talk about low testosterone and not high I presume you are a male.
One checks for morning erections to see if they are present. If they are then there is nothing physical that you have. Testosterone levels are highest in the morning thus the erections. In reality they occur nocturnal when we sleep and check for nocturnal tumescence can be done for those not seeing morning erections. The test measures not only to see if there is an erection but the strength of the erection. One can see if the strength is enough for penetration purposes. If abnormal then one can follow with other tests.
In the case of hypothyroidism that would be prolactin levels since in some cases it can increase prolactin levels at the pituitary level. Hyperprolactinemia can cause impotence. It need not be related to hypothyroidism but could be caused by a stand alone prolactinoma. They basically do an endocrine panel related to impotence. It isn't solely a testosterone answer. Men have a mythical connection to testosterone.
Other causes such as neuropathy can be checked for with electrodes and conducting conduction studies down there. The can also measure pressures to make sure the penile blood pressure is adequate and if compromised they can can interventional arteriography in radiology.
Because options are still limited if everything turns out negative Viagra is still the least interventional approach as of now.
Way, way, way too premature on talking about treatment. I don't know why you are going around your family doctor instead of directly going to him to talk about any problems you are having. For one there are a variety of "testosterone" tests out there and they all vary in interpretation.
Testosterone is carried in the blood by Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG). SHBG can be low in these conditions
Low levels of SHBG can be related to:
Obesity
Type 2 diabetes
Hypothyroidism
Acromegaly, or too much growth hormone, causing body tissues to grow larger over time
If your SHBG is low then you will get a low total testosterone level but that doesn't mean you have a low testosterone. You total testosterone is low because your SHBG is low.
It is the free testosterone that is medically active and not necessarily the total testosterone. There is a test for free testosterone. There a test for biologically active testosterone etc.
There's also other hormones that interact with testosterone like LH and FSH. When there is androgen deficiency or hypogonadism then the testosterone goes down and the LH and FSH become elevated.
Most men age and end up in andropause with symptoms consistent with that change at a certain age. Women undergo menopause and men undergo andropause with gonadal failure.
As far as treatment goes if you only think you are testosterone deficient then two things will happen. The excess testosterone will be converted by estrogens via peripheral conversion and you can end up developing breast. This is what happens with overweight individuals thinking they have low testosterone. The thing that will happen over time is that your testicles will atrophy, shrivel up and die with exogenous shots of testosterone because your testis are no longer being used for the production. You it or lose it. They will be lost after a period of time and won't be able to recover their function.
You do not want to be given testosterone unless you absolutely need it and confirmed by the use of the appropriate tests.
If you are an older individual then you might want to think twice about the biological effects of too much testosterone for your age. It may accelerate prostate cancer and if you have heart problems then that is also not good. The reason why most men get heart attacks in the morning is because of the high testosterone levels attributed to the morning.
You need a doctor. No way to bypass and no need to ambush a doctor with your single test. He should check for signs of hypogonadism.
Most insurance plans don't pay for the testing unless you have a symptom even then some don't. PC doctors are reluctant to even test for it not getting paid. You can't pay your doctor for the test either because they are contracted with your insurance which forces them to eat the cost of any un-paid test. My doctor refused to test for Vitamin D which I knew was low. I got my own test treated it myself which I pay for my own testing. Even if you show up with a test of low T I bet the PC will advise not to even bother with it since boosting it can cause prostate cancer.
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