Male Hormone Testing
comprehensive assessments for hormonal imbalances
Hormone imbalance affects men, too. In fact, low testosterone is a common cause of irritability, fatigue, and low sex drive in men.
Remember, 'normal' and 'optimal' mean very different things. Many men under the age of 50 will present with low energy, lethargy, low libido and intolerance to exercise, but will not present with full symptoms of hypogonadism.
Suboptimal testosterone could be the problem.
The brain releases a hormone called luteinizing hormone, which communicates with the Leydig cells of the testes to stimulate and regulate testosterone production. Furthermore, testosterone deficiencies can also result from an over conversion of estrogen, leading to impacts on weight, sleep and mood. This feedback signal can be impacted by stress, nutrient deficiencies, and other secondary lifestyle variables.
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Other symptoms associated with male hormone imbalance may include:
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apathy, depression
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bone loss, hair loss
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erectile dysfunction
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memory loss
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weight gain
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benign prostate hyperplasia (enlarged prostate)
Male Hormone Testing
Dr. Holmberg will evaluate all of the hormones involved when a primary or secondary testosterone deficiency is suspected, including but not limited to:
- LH
- FSH
- Free testosterone, bioavailable testosterone, total testosterone
- Estradiol
- Sex hormone-binding globulin
- DHEAs
- TSH
Comprehensive Hormone Testing
Alternatively, we may opt to look at saliva or urine assessments. Benefits to functional testing include evaluation of the four primary hormones - cortisol, DHEAs, estradiol, and testosterone - as well as ALL of their metabolites, which may be more valuable when less obvious symptoms arise, or if concerns are subclinical.
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At times, blood samples may be less accurate at identifying imbalances, as they only reflect free-floating hormones, and fail to account for hormones that are in use or bound in tissue. They provide a reflection of the amount of free hormone, but not what your body is in fact doing with it. For example, testosterone may appear within a normal range on bloodwork, but bloodwork fails to assess if that's a result of the testosterone having been broken down into it's metabolite, DHT (which is 2.5x more potent, and as a result, will still cause symptoms such as hair loss)
Comprehensive urinary hormone assessments include the ability to assess both primary hormone levels, their pathway of breakdown, and the efficacy of the enzymes that are doing so. The results allow for a tailored treatment plan that is specific to you and your hormonal needs, and treatments often work faster and more effectively.
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Interactions between these hormones are fundamental to health - which is why imbalances can have a significant impact on well-being. Knowing where the issues are occurring helps your healthcare provider target the hormone imbalances to move them back into balance.
