The History of HRT

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) originated in the early 1940s after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved estrogen replacement as a method to treat some of the symptoms of menopause in women.

HRT is typically used in female patients who experience moderate to severe symptoms of menopause. Ideally, HRT will augment the body’s natural hormone levels, which diminish over time. In cases where a woman undergoes a hysterectomy, if HRT is indicated, the treatment would generally involve estrogen augmentation only; when menopause occurs naturally during midlife, a combination of estrogen and progesterone is used.

In recent times, HRT in the form of Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) has been prescribed to treat men who suffer from “andropause,” the male equivalent of menopause, as well as men who may suffer from primary and/or secondary hypogonadism.

Moreover, transgender individuals are also treated by Hormone Replacement Therapy, by boosting the levels of testosterone for transgender men and estrogen for trans women.

HRT has become an effective medical procedure to treat men who suffer from a variety of symptoms caused by low levels of testosterone. Men reach their peak level of testosterone before they reach the age of 20, and levels begin to slide during their 30s and 40s, with a gradual decrease of about 1-percent per year.

Hormones is a Necessary Hormone for Biological Function

Testosterone is necessary for sexual development, the creation of muscle mass, maintaining bone density and ensuring a healthy supply of red blood cells. Unfortunately, as men age their levels of testosterone diminish, which can result in a loss of virility and sexual function, reduced muscle mass, increased body fat, diminished cognitive function, and so on. Reduced testosterone levels can also compromise a man’s feeling of well-being and can even make him more prone to depression.

The good news for men who suffer from decreased testosterone levels is that medical specialists have developed new HRT-based treatments to optimize virility and improve overall health. Treatments are available through a variety of protocols including the use of topical creams & gels, pellet implants and most common, testosterone injections.

How Testosterone Replacement Therapy Works

Testosterone replacement therapy is designed to return a man’s testosterone level to what it was when he was younger so that he can enjoy a more active, vital lifestyle. Because it does not stimulate your body’s ability to produce testosterone, treatment must be administered regularly.

FAQs about Low Testosterone Levels and Hormone Optimization for Men

Below are some basic frequently asked questions, and answers. Please call (800) 503-4033 to schedule a consultation if you feel you may be suffering from low testosterone.

1. How do you know if you have low testosterone?
   Low testosterone, also known as Low T, can be identified through blood tests analyzed by a physician. Blood tests are ideally administered early in the day, within a few hours of waking, because testosterone levels fluctuate, and tend to decrease as a day progresses. Virility, Inc. physicians prefer to get a better understanding of a patient’s “peak” testosterone levels because predictive mathematic assumptions can then be established to reasonably ascertain a fluctuation range.
   
   
2. What are the symptoms of Low T?
   Low testosterone can cause a variety of symptoms, including osteoporosis, hair loss, decreased muscle mass, a decreased amount of hemoglobin which can lead to mild anemia, changes in cholesterol levels and lack of virility.
   
   
3. Who should avoid hormone replacement therapy?
   Should men who have prostate cancer, major urinary tract difficulties, severe sleep apnea or cardiac problems avoid testosterone replacement therapy? This depends on the individual, and the health assessment of the physician. Certainly, extra precaution must be considered, as well as a higher degree of monitoring versus a patient without these health issues. Furthermore, if you smoke, drink excessively, are obese, and do not exercise regularly you are likely a higher-risk candidate for testosterone replacement therapy, and these lifestyle choices should be curbed.
   
   
4. What are other possible benefits of TRT?
   Beyond enhancing libido and improving general well-being, studies have demonstrated that testosterone replacement therapy can lessen insulin resistance and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.[1][1] European Journal of Endocrinology, 2006

Would You Benefit from Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Chances are good that if you are experiencing symptoms of Low Testosterone, you may indeed, be a candidate for Hormone Replacement.