 |
|
Sexual Performance & Libido Diminished hormone levels impact male and female sexual drives and performance. Studies also reveal that hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism negatively affect testosterone metabolism. This section offers various observations with hormonal therapy, exposing pros and cons. Review current research and medical articles on sexual performance and libido to help restore a patient’s quality of life. Prostate Cancer and the Testosterone ‘Myth’.pdf
In this interview, Abraham
Morgentaler, M.D. concludes
his comments saying that
“testosterone treatment can
be enormously helpful for
many men. Attitudes are
shifting with regard to its
relationship to prostate
cancer.” He references his
article on the subject that
appeared in European
Urology in 2006. Hormones and Sexuality During Transition to Menopause.pdf
This study confirms the
observation that sexual
dysfunction increases over
the menopausal transition.
Several factors associated
with sexual dysfunction
include low DHEAS, absence
of a sexual partner,
anxiety, and children under
the age of 18 living at
home. Fountain of Youth Overflows with Hormones.pdf
According to this article,
as baby boomers age, the
fight against aging is being
combated by increased
exercise, better eating
habits and the use of
testosterone and other
hormone replenishments.
According to this article,
women may not be the only
ones who suffer the effects
of changing hormones. Some
doctors are noticing that
their male patients are
reporting some of the same
symptoms that women
experience in menopause. Male Menopause Out of the Closet.pdf
According to this article,
as men age, their
testosterone levels
gradually decline and some
men go through what is now
called male menopause. But
many never get diagnosed or
treated because until now
male menopause has been in
the closet. Don’t Call it Male Menopause.pdf
As men start to age, their
bodies also start to undergo
major changes. They don't
get hot flashes, but they do
experience hormonal,
physiological and chemical
shifts that can affect many
aspects of their lives. This
article suggests that you
can call it aging; just
don't call it male
menopause. Pharmacokinetics of Two Novel Bicalutamide Formulations in Healthy Male Volunteers.pdf
In this study, the oral
bioavailability of two
investigational formulations
of bicalutamide was compared
with the current clinical
formulation. Clinically
insignificant increases in
circulating luteinizing
hormone and testosterone
plasma concentrations were
observed for both
R-bicalutamide/HP55S and
R-/S-bicalutamide/HP55S
compared with bicalutamide
150 mg. Both new
bicalutamide formulations
were well tolerated.
According to this study,
sustained improvement in
sexual function after 12
months of tadalafil
administration is associated
with increased T:E ratio
mainly related to reduction
of E levels. The authors
hypothesize that
androgen-estrogen cross-talk
and possible inhibition of
aromatase activity during
chronic exposure to
tadalafil might have a role
in the regulation of
erectile function.
This study demonstrated
that aging men with obesity
and the metabolic syndrome
have a significant decrease
in total serum testosterone
levels compared to aging,
metabolically healthy men.
These data suggest that the
well established association
between erectile dysfunction
and pre-diabetes/diabetes
(particularly in obese
pre-diabetic/diabetic
patients) may involve a
hormonal component. Prevalence of Hypogonadism in Males Aged at Least 45 Years: The HIM study.pdf
According to this study,
based on TT concentration,
the prevalence of
hypogonadism in men
reporting to primary care
offices was estimated to be
38.7%. The medical
conditions that occurred
significantly more
frequently among hypogonadal
men than eugonadal men
included increased BMI,
hypertension,
hyperlipidaemia, diabetes,
and asthma or COPD. As men
age, they are susceptible to
conditions that share many
of the same symptoms similar
to hypogonadism. The
presence of these conditions
may, in effect, mask
underlying hypogonadism and
negatively impact quality of
life.
To examine hormone levels
after androgen replacement
therapy (ART) in Japanese
male patients with
hypogonadism, nine Japanese
male patients with
hypogonadism (serum total
testosterone (tT) or free
testosterone (fT) levels of
< or = 2.7 ng/mL or < or =
10 pg/mL, respectively;
average age, 59 years) were
enrolled. Management of Andropause: The Male Menopause.pdf
According to this article,
andropause is a syndrome of
physical, sexual, and
psychological symptoms in
aging men due to a gradual
decline in serum
testosterone levels. Its
symptoms are more prominent
in the presence of
concomitant medical
disorders. Testosterone
replacement therapy relieves
these symptoms along with
improvement in bone and
muscle mass, sexual
function, and quality of
life. Experts Consider HT for Younger Women.pdf
Questions still persist
after the release of the
July 2002 Women’s Health
Initiative findings
regarding hormone therapy.
Researchers have been
looking at the data to see
if certain changes in dosage
or initiation age could
still provide benefits to
women.
Testosterone Supplementation in Hypogonadal Men: Our Personal Experience.pdf
According to this study,
although compliance to
testosterone treatment has
not been equal in the time
in all the subjects,
undesirable effects are not
highlighted. All the
patients have reported
complete or partial recovery
of physical efficiency and
improvement of sexual life,
evaluated by means of IIEF
scale and ADAM-AMS
questionnaires. The
replacement pharmacological
treatment with testosterone
improves the physical and
sexual performance of the
adult patient affected by
symptomatic hypogonadism. Male Hormones Could Help Slow Aging in Men, WU Doctor Says.pdf
According to this
article, the natural medical
response to decreasing
testosterone in men is to
want to replenish low
hormone levels. Yet no
large-scale study has done
for men what the massive
Women's Health Initiative
did for women: Investigate
the effects of replacing
important sex hormones in
the aging. But as
demographic shifts bring an
increasingly older
population, male hormone
replacement therapy, or HRT,
is becoming a priority.
Adrian Dobs, MD,
professor of endocrinology
at the Johns Hopkins
University School of
Medicine, spoke about low
testosterone at the 87th
Annual Meeting of the
Endocrine Society. Dobs
said data from the Baltimore
Longitudinal Study of Aging
demonstrated that as many as
50% of men between the ages
of 70 and 79 may have
hypogonadism. Endogenous Sex Hormones and Metabolic Syndrome in Aging Men.pdf
This study concluded that
higher testosterone and SHBG
levels in aging males are
independently associated
with a higher insulin
sensitivity and a reduced
risk of the metabolic
syndrome, independent of
insulin levels and body
composition measurements,
suggesting that these
hormones may protect against
the development of metabolic
syndrome. Hormone Replacement, the Male Version.pdf
According to this article, a
growing number of men in the
United States are now taking
testosterone to reverse the
gradual, age-related decline
of the hormone, or so-called
andropause. By some
estimates, the number of
testosterone prescriptions
in the United States has
tripled in recent years, and
total sales now come to
about $400 million a year.
That’s not much compared
with the $12.5 billion spent
on cholesterol-lowering
statins, but the upward
trend is still impressive. Predictors of Decreased Libido in Women During the Late Reproductive Years.pdf
This study concluded that
decreased libido in the late
reproductive years is
associated with a pronounced
fluctuation in total
testosterone over time.
Other independent risk
factors for decreased libido
include vaginal dryness,
depression, and living with
children. Sexual dysfunction
is a complex disorder,
related to physiological and
psychosocial factors,
requiring further
investigation.
As many as half of the
Viagra anti-impotence pills
sold on the Internet could
be counterfeit. With
impotence, or erectile
dysfunction (ED), affecting
about 152 million men
worldwide, there is a huge
market for the treatment. Androgen Replacement in Men with Hypogonadism and Erectile Dysfunction.pdf
This paper concludes that
therapy should be
individualized, considered
carefully, and closely
monitored because of
potential risks, especially
in older men.
The results of this
naturalistic study indicate
that chemical castration is
associated with a
significant rise in the
plasma levels of Abeta and,
clinically, with increased
depression and anxiety
scores. The discontinuation
of treatment is associated
with better cognitive
performance, most noticeably
of verbal memory. The
performance of subjects on
the WL test was negatively
correlated with plasma
levels of Abeta, but the
clinical significance of
this finding remains to be
determined. Safety and Adverse Effects of Androgens: How to Counsel Patients.pdf
In short-term clinical
trials of androgen
replacement in women,
several benefits have been
shown, including improved
libido, bone mineral density
and body composition. While
androgen therapy for women
is relatively new, it is
receiving more attention. Formulations and Use of Androgens in Women.pdf
The use of androgen
therapy for postmenopausal
women is discussed in this
article. It suggests that
the goal of androgen
treatment should be to
achieve normal premenopausal
levels of testosterone, thus
limiting adverse effects and
adverse experiences.
A third of men with type
2 diabetes have low
testosterone levels, a new
study suggests.
Testosterone helps men
reduce body fat and improves
the way their bodies handle
insulin. So low testosterone
levels may have serious
consequences for men with
diabetes, suggests Sandeep
Dhindsa, MD, of State
University of New York at
Buffalo. Frequent Occurrence of Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism in Type 2 Diabetes.pdf
Type 2 diabetes is
associated with lower total
testosterone levels in
cross-sectional studies.
However, it is not known
whether the defect is
primary or secondary. This
article concludes that
hypogonadotropic
hypogonadism occurs commonly
in type 2 diabetes.
Androgen Replacement After
Curative Radical
Prostatectomy for Prostate
Cancer in Hypogonadal
Men.pdf
Review by
Amazon.com of Suzanne
Somers’ book The Sexy
Years: Discover the Hormone
Connection: The Secret to
Fabulous Sex, Great Health,
and Vitality, for Women and
Men.
Hot Flashes and Androgens: A Biological Rationale for Clinical Practice.pdf
This article discusses
the important role androgens
play in the treatment of hot
flashes. It also emphasizes
the need to individualize
treatment for menopausal
women. Risks of Testosterone-Replacement Therapy and Recommendations for Monitoring.pdf
According to this study,
hypogonadism affects an
estimated 2 million to 4
million men
in the United
States; its prevalence
increases with age. However,
it has been estimated that
only 5 percent of
affected men
currently receive treatment.
Recent interest in
testosterone
therapy has been fueled not
only by increased medical
awareness of
the effects of hypogonadism,
but also by media
attention
regarding
hormone-replacement therapy
in both men
and women, the
marketing of new topical
testosterone formulations,
and the desire
of "baby boomers" to
maintain vigor and health
into their more
mature years. The Role of Androgens in Female Sexual Dysfunction.pdf
Although there are no
FDA-approved androgen
therapies at this time,
increased attention is being
paid to low androgen
concentrations in the
treatment of female sexual
dysfunction (FSD).
This article concludes
that administration of a
low-dose testosterone to men
with COPD for 26 weeks was
associated with improvement
of body composition, better
erectile function and sexual
quality of life.
Furthermore, there were no
clinical or biochemical side
effects. Does Testosterone Boost an Actor's Oscar Odds?.pdf
Testosterone surges may
be one of the factors that
separate Oscar-winners like
Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino
from aspiring actors whose
careers never get off the
ground, new study findings
suggest. Can Growth Hormone Prevent Aging?.pdf
This article cites the
article by Rudman et al.
that appeared
in the Journal in
1990 that reported the
effect on
body composition of
administering human growth
hormone for six
months to 12
older men. This article
incited a proliferation
of "antiaging"
clinics and lay
publications, such as "Grow
Young
with HGH," extolling the
benefits of growth hormone
in reversing
or preventing
aging. Male Menopause & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.pdf
This article says that it
might come as a shock to
some, but men can suffer
from a form of menopause
similar to what women
endure. In fact this malady,
sometimes called male
menopause, shares a number
of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
(CFS) symptoms.
This study examined the
effects of GH and/or
testosterone (T)
administration on body
composition, performance,
mood, sexual function, bone
turnover, and muscle-gene
expression in healthy older
men. It concluded that 1
month of GH and/or T
administration improves
certain measures of balance
and physical performance in
older men and increases
muscle IGF-I gene
expression.
Fifty severely-burned
patients were enrolled in
this study, the aim of which
was to explore the effects
of recombinant human growth
hormone (rhGH) on the
metabolism of branch chain
amino acid when applied
postoperatively. The Effects of Tibolone on Mood and Libido.pdf
According to this paper,
published studies indicate
beneficial effects of
tibolone on both libido and mood,
which otherwise
significantly compromise
physical, psychological, and
social well-being. Hence,
tibolone provides another
option for menopausal women
experiencing loss of libido
as part of their
symptomatology or who have
persistent low libido
despite adequate
estrogen/progestin
replacement therapy. What are "Normal" Testosterone Levels for Women?.pdf
In this Letter to the
Editor, the authors conclude
that the role of androgens
in women is becoming
increasingly more
recognized and
established. Certainly, the
use of androgens,
particularly
testosterone, has been shown
to influence life
aspects, such
as mood, women’s general
well being and
restoration of
sexual desire. However,
there is limited data
establishing
normal androgen values for
women of differing ages,
to enable us to
define those with "androgen
deficiency." They say it
is, therefore,
necessary to highlight the
incongruencies and
short-comings
of the paper by Laughlin
et al. (Laughlin G,
Barrett-Connor E,
Kritz-Silverstein D, Von
Muhlen D. 2000 Hysterectomy,
oophorectomy, and endogenous
sex hormone levels in older
women: the Rancho Bernado
Study. J Clin Endocrinol
Metab. 85:645–651), and the
need
for larger prospective
studies to establish the
variations in
testosterone
levels in women with age.
Hormonal Erectile Dysfunction. Evaluation and Management.pdf
This study showed that
persistent low testosterone
levels may have significant
detrimental effects in other
organ systems; therefore, a
timely diagnosis of androgen
deficiency and appropriate
treatment may have
significant effects outside
the narrow field of sexual
performance. Personal Business; Trying to Roll Back the Biological Clock, for a Price.pdf
This article, written
soon after September 11th,
says that Americans have
been re-evaluating their
priorities since the
attacks, and for some people
that means paying closer
attention to their health.
There has even been a rise
in interest in so-called
anti-aging clinics. It
discusses several clinics,
including Cenegenics.
Androgen Replacement Therapy
in the Aging Male--A
Critical Evaluation.pdf
This study concluded that
T gel replacement improved
sexual function and mood,
increased lean mass and
muscle strength (principally
in the legs), and decreased
fat mass in hypogonadal men
with less skin irritation
and discontinuation compared
with the recommended dose of
the permeation-enhanced T
patch. Sexuality Among Older Women.pdf
According to this
article, in addition to
hormonal changes with aging,
disease and associated
medications may also
negatively affect sexuality.
Determining the impact of
medications, both alone and
in combination with others,
on quality of life must be
considered when providing
comprehensive care for
elderly patients. Testosterone Supplementation for Erectile Dysfunction: Results of a Meta-Analysis.pdf
In this study, the
meta-analysis of the
usefulness of androgen
replacement therapy for
erectile dysfunction
indicates that the response
rate for a primary etiology
was improved over that for a
secondary etiology,
transdermal testosterone
therapy was more effective
than intramuscular or oral
treatment, and intramuscular
and oral treatments were
equivalent. In addition,
there was a statistically
significant difference in
favor of testosterone over
placebo, implying a role for
supplementation in select
groups.
Testosterone Therapy in Men:
An Update.pdf Dehydroepiandrosterone Replacement in Women with Adrenal Insufficiency.pdf
In a double-blind study,
24 women with adrenal
insufficiency received in
random order 50 mg of
dehydroepiandrosterone
orally each morning for four
months and placebo daily for
four months, with a
one-month washout period.
The study concluded that
dehydroepiandrosterone
improves well-being and
sexuality in women with
adrenal insufficiency. Risks Versus Benefits of Testosterone Therapy in Elderly Men.pdf
This review discusses the
pros and cons of
testosterone replacement in
hypogonadal elderly men and
attempts to answer some of
the unanswered questions.
Furthermore, emphasis is
made on the regular
follow-up of these patients
to prevent the development
of therapy-related
complications. Anabolic Interventions for Age-Associated Sarcopenis.pdf
This commentary concludes
that the body composition
changes in old age are
multifactorial and may be
related to the concomitant
changes in hormone
production, protein
turnover, and disuse
atrophy. The evidence to
support the use of
testosterone or GH
supplementation in
age-related sarcopenia is
only beginning to be
presented.
Presented is a modeling
study to provide a possible
explanation for the
observations that increased
exposure to rhCG induces
higher and then lower
testosterone concentrations
and that marked rebound
effects are observed at the
end of repeated
administration of rhCG. The
modeling results indicate
that when rhCG concentration
increases, the testosterone
production rate increases to
45 times the baseline value.
However, at an rhCG
concentration of more than
about 30 IU/liter, the
production rate decreases.
Simulations showed that both
dose and dosing interval
profoundly influence
testosterone response to
rhCG. Psychosexual Effects of Menopause: Role of Androgens.pdf
The effects of androgens
in the brain are mediated
through androgen-specific
receptors and by the
aromatization of
testosterone to estradiol.
Alterations in the
circulating levels of
androgens play an important
role in psychologic and
sexual changes that occur
after menopause. Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adulthood and the Effects of Growth Hormone Replacement: A Review.pdf
The importance of GH
throughout adult life is now
unequivocally accepted.
GH deficiency
is recognized to result in
alterations in body
composition,
physical
performance, psychological
well-being, and substrate
metabolism.
Many of these alterations
can be improved or corrected
with GH
replacement. The prospect
of GH replacement becoming
routine, however, does raise
a number of issues.
Effect of Exogenous
Testosterone on Prostate
Volume, Serum and Semen
Prostate Specific Antigen
Levels in Healthy Young
Men.pdf
The objectives of this
study were to develop
sensitive assays for the
measurement of the low total
and free testosterone levels
in women to define the range
for these hormones during
the normal menstrual cycle
and assess the total and
free testosterone levels in
HIV-infected women. Decreased Psychological Well-Being in Adult Patients with Growth Hormone Deficiency.pdf
This study concluded that
adult patients with GH
deficiency have a decreased
psychological well-being in
terms of energy, social
isolation and emotional
reaction and a disturbed sex
life compared with normals.
Furthermore, there is a
tendency to a higher
frequency of early
retirement.
This twelve-month study
examines the possible
increase in skin thickness
in postmenopausal women as a
result of being treated with
conjugated estrogens. The
results of the study may be
beneficial to women who are
looking for information
regarding the benefits of
estrogen replacement
therapy. Effects of Androgen Treatment in Impotent Men with Normal and Low Levels of Free Testosterone.pdf
The results of this study
suggest the presence of a
minimum serum fT threshold,
lying near the lower normal
range, which determines the
male sexual function.
Moreover, serum fT levels
were a more sensitive index
than tT for identifying
impotent men who can be
successfully treated with
androgens.
The results of this study
demonstrate that the
response to Nal-Glu in
healthy elderly men is
similar to that in younger
men, and extended
administration of Nal-Glu in
elderly men effectively
suppresses gonadal and
pituitary function. These
results suggest that the
role of GnRH antagonists in
the effective treatment of
androgen-dependent disease
in the aging male needs to
be explored further.
To test the hypothesis
that deficiencies in
hypothalamic-pituitary
function in genetic
hemochromatosis result from
cellular injury by iron
deposits, this study
conducted provocative tests
in 11 men with genetic
hemochromatosis before and
after iron depletion by
serial phlebotomy and in 10
control subjects. The study
concluded that abnormal
hypothalamic-pituitary
function in genetic
hemochromatosis is not
substantially improved by
iron-depletion therapy.
This study examined the
effect of iron depletion on
reproductive function in a
37-yr-old man with
hypogonadotropic
hypogonadism due to
idiopathic hemochromatosis.
It was concluded that
phlebotomy alone may be
adequate treatment for
hypogonadotropic
hypogonadism in men with
hemochromatosis. Hypogonadism in Hemochromatosis: Reversal with Iron Depletion.pdf
The findings of this
study indicate that in some
men with hereditary
hemochromatosis and
hypogonadism of either
testicular or central
origin, sexual function and
sex hormone concentrations
can be restored to normal
after iron depletion
therapy. Testosterone Therapy for Low Sexual Interest and Erectile Dysfunction in Men: A Controlled Study.pdf
The results of this study
support previous findings
from hypogonadal men that
testosterone influences
sexual interest but not
erectile function, and
indicate that increasing
plasma testosterone can
effect sexual interest even
in men with pre-treatment
testosterone levels within
the normal range.
The data from this study
and previous findings lead
to the conclusion that the
major androgen action on
male sexuality involves
libido factors (i.e. sexual
motivation/interest). Though
stimulus-bound erections
elicited in the laboratory
were not reduced in
hypogonadal men, spontaneous
(sleep or waking) erections
were clearly testosterone
dependent.
The effects of androgen
withdrawal and replacement
were investigated in six
hypergonadotrophic and six
hypogonadotrophic men with
hypogonadism. There was a
significant fall in sex
hormone binding globulin, a
rise in oestradiol and no
significant change in
gonadotrophin concentrations
during T.U. administration. Gonadal Steroids: Effects on Excitability of Hippocampal Pyramidal Cells.pdf Electrophysiological field potentials from hippocampal slices of rat brain show sex-linked differences in response to 1 X 10(-10)M concentrations of estradiol and testosterone added to the incubation medium. Slices from male rats show increased excitability to estradiol and not to testosterone. Slices from female rats are not affected by estradiol, but slices from female rats in diestrus show increased excitability in response to testosterone whereas slices from females in proestrus show decreased excitability. Teyler, T.J., Vardaris, R.M., Lewis, D. & Rawitch, A.B. (1980). Gonadal steroids: effects on excitability of hippocampal pyramidal cells [Electronic version]. Science, 209(4460), 1017-1018. Retrieved October 3, 2005.
|
