Ask Dr. Lo: Why Men and Women Age Differently – the Medical Breakdown
ASK DR. LO |
When it comes to menopause, why do women seem to age suddenly – like dropping off a cliff – but men experience a more gradual decline?
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The ovaries in women and the testicles in men make most of the sex hormones; eventually, they stop working, but with completely different patterns. For women, during perimenopause (usually a couple years before true menopause), the ovaries sort of go haywire — estrogen spikes up and down unpredictably and progesterone dives, triggering mood swings and body changes well before periods stop. Then, at menopause, the ovaries suddenly stop producing any hormones at all. And it IS sudden. But for men, production of testosterone falls slowly over the years in fits and starts — it may bob up and down, but on average there’s a steady decline from its peak around age 30. Because the decline isn’t concentrated in a short time span as in women, men are slow to recognize their decline. They dismiss or ignore the typical “low T” symptoms. When men do finally recognize changes like tiredness, lack of motivation, reduced athletic strength and stamina, and memory problems, they naturally think they’re just getting older (whereas women KNOW their sudden changes are hormone related!).
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Doctors keep telling me that if I manage my weight with diet and exercise, my menopause symptoms won’t be as bad. But I HAVE lost weight and increased my movement, and it didn’t change a thing. Is all hope lost?
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There’s a lot of old medical advice that’s really bad, and this is a classic example. Good for you for putting for the effort to make those healthy changes — I’m sure they’ll pay big dividends for your health. But as for menopausal symptoms, the only thing that has been actually proven to reverse those symptoms is replacing the hormones that have been lost. Bioidentical hormones reliably relieve virtually all menopausal symptoms, and actually reduce your risk for some major problems down the road: osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, and some types of cancer. So your best bet is to keep up that healthy diet and exercises regime… And make an appointment with RegenCen to check those hormone levels! At RegenCen, we help both men and women reverse the symptoms of declining hormones. Our treatments can help boost mood, increase energy, improve libido, and so much more. Dr. Gustav Lo Medical Director, RegenCen |
