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Male Hormone Panel

Men of the "boomer" generation not only desire, buy expect to have a longer life span than previous generations. They also expect to maintain youthful vitality and vigor into their later years. However, due to lifestyle choices and other factors, many men will be disappointed, as their male hormone production slowly declines.

At around puberty, the important male hormone, testosterone reaches adult levels. For a long time it was believed that men maintain adequate levels of testosterone throughout life. Many men in their fifties or older however, experience a progressive decline in their energy, vitality, sexual performance and mental capacity. This decline has been labeled Andropause. As men age, a 1-2% annual decline in the free-fraction o testosterone has been documented. The clinical manifestations of andropause usually lag ten to twenty years behind the onset of hormone decline. Statistically, andropause affects at least 40% of men aged 55-65, and up to 80% of those aged 65 years or more.

Concerns of Aging Men

Vigor	Virility	Vitality
loss of sense of well being	decline in sexual function/interest	decrease in muscle mass & strength
alteration in behavioral patterns	Osteoporosis	decrease in hair density
irritability & nervousness		reduction in masculinity
difficulty concentrating
change in sleep habits/insomnia
depression

The Male Hormone Panel measures the following:

Progesterone: is a precursor to all androgens and is a physiologic modulator of DHT production
DHEA +DHEA (S): the main adrenal androgens are the precursors to both testosterone and estradiol, and the limiting factor in their production especially under stress.
Androstenedione: another adrenal androgen and precursor to estrone is freely inter-convertible with testosterone.
Estrone: is the major estrogen in men and is the product of peripheral aromatization of androstenedione in fat and muscle tissue.
Testosterone: the dominant testicular androgen, is the precursor to 5-dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The androgenic effect in various tissues is not exerted by testosterone but by the locally produced DHT.

Male Hormone Therapy Beneficial Effects:

Increase of fitness and sense of well-being
Decrease of body fat and increase in lean body mass
Resolution of hormone dependent libido problems
Prevention of hair thinning