Patients suffering from declining testosterone levels may experience:

• Lack of desire for intimacy
• Inability to achieve erection for men
• Decreased semen production for men
• Hair loss
• A decrease in energy levels
• Lost muscle mass
• Increased body fat
• Decreased bone mass
• Problems with mood and mental capacity

Scheduling an appointment is an important first step.

When should men see a doctor?

Because the goal is to maintain hormone levels most men have at ages 21-49, men can see a doctor in anticipation of the decline to ensure they’re able to treat it proactively. This allows the doctor to get a baseline and potentially detect decline in hormone levels before they cause noticeable symptoms.

Why is it important to see a doctor?

It’s critical that patients undergo comprehensive medical testing before embarking on a hormone modulation program. First, a baseline blood PSA must be taken to rule out existing prostate cancer. Then free and total testosterone and estradiol tests are required to ensure that too much testosterone isn’t being converted into estrogen. Follow-up testing for estrogen, testosterone, and PSA are needed to rule out prostate cancer and fine-tune the program. A qualified and experienced integrative medicine doctor can use the results of these tests to design a program tailored to each patient’s unique situation.

What can cause high testosterone levels?

There are 5 basic reasons free testosterone levels may be low:

• Too much testosterone is being converted to estrogen through the activity of aromatase, and/or the liver is failing to remove excess estrogen, possibly because of heavy alcohol intake.
• Too much free testosterone is being bound by SHBG. This would be especially apparent if a man’s total testosterone level is in the high normal range but his free testosterone level is low.
• Not enough LH (which controls the production of testosterone) is being secreted by the pituitary gland, resulting in low total testosterone.
• Not enough testosterone is being produced by the testes, which causes low testosterone and high LH.
• DHEA level is abnormally low

How is low testosterone treated?

Treatment depends on the underlying cause of the hormonal imbalance and typically includes supplements, bioidentical hormones, and lifestyle changes like weight loss or exercise. Dr. Monaco ensures every patient receives a treatment plan customized to his unique lab results and goals.