MALE HORMONE IMBALANCES
Hormones are the messengers of the body. Much of your health(metabolism and organ function) is controlled by hormones, so it is vitally important that they are balanced and functioning properly. Hormones can become imbalanced in many ways: poor diet/nutrient deficiencies, chronic stress, gut dysfunction/dybiosis, mold and/or environmental toxic exposures, chronic inflammation, and even methylation problems can all be contributing factors. It is important to remember that we are all unique, with different metabolisms, genetic makeup, and detoxification capabilities, and what may not cause a hormonal imbalance in your friend who works right next to you, or even a family member, may cause an imbalance in you. Additionally, an imbalance in one system, will, over time, affect the other systems of your body which is why comprehensive testing of multiple systems is necessary.
Common symptoms of hormonal imbalance in men, especially testosterone, can appear as: low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, irritability/mood swings, weight gain(especially around the middle), breast enlargement, and hair loss/thinning, just to name a few.
Many males can experience not only low testosterone levels but also higher than normal levels of estrogen known as estrogen dominance). Functional Medicine will look at possible exposures in your environment of xenoestrogens(chemicals, natural or synthetic, that exhibit estrogen-like effects). These can come from multiple sources such as food products that have been sprayed with pesticides, plastic water bottles/containers, air fresheners, perfumes/deodorants, and even sleeping closely to a spouse who is taking female hormone replacement therapies. Recently the media seems to have exploded with “Low T” advertisements but it is important to remember that “Low T” is rarely only about your testosterone level, and in fact, when your body is supplemented with only testosterone it slows any natural production your body is able to achieve, leaving your levels even lower once supplementation has stopped. It is more prudent to discover WHY your testosterone level is low. Functional Medicine will utilize comprehensive testing to discover what factors are contributing to your imbalanced hormones and then design an individualized plan using diet, lifestyle changes, and nutraceuticals to help rebalance these levels.