Hormone Therapy For Men in Salt Lake City

Prior to the development of bioidentical hormones, the whole concept of hormone balancing through replacement was relatively obscure in the arena of men’s health. Addressing hormone imbalance in a way that mimics the body’s natural processes offers numerous benefits. These include:

• Reduced risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Better natural weight control.
• Increase in muscle mass and strength.
• Enhanced sexual desire and performance.
• Higher, more consistent energy levels.
• More capacity to sustain bone density with age

No drug, even herbal supplements, is completely without risk. As you navigate the best way for you to regain energy, sexual performance, weight, and more using bioidentical hormone therapy, it’s important that you also consider the potential side effects and how to manage them if they do occur. Compared to synthetic hormones, bioidentical hormone replacement has far fewer risks. One of the reasons is that hormone replacements are made of ingredients that very closely resemble the hormones your body makes. Another is that your doctor customizes treatment to you not once but on a continual basis. Every so often, lab tests are repeated to ensure you’re receiving the proper dosage based on your current needs.

The side effects that may occur with bioidentical hormone therapy for men include:

• Acne or increase in oily skin
• Mild fluid retention
• Decreased testicular size
• Decrease in sperm count
• Elevated red blood cell count

It’s important to have management strategies in place in case TRT causes elevated red blood cells. This can happen because, in addition to supporting muscle mass and sex drive, testosterone is involved in the body’s production of red blood cells. Sustained production can lead to elevated hemoglobin and hematocrit levels. An increased number of red blood cells can be concerning due to the increased thickness of the blood. The thicker the blood, the greater the risk of heart attack and stroke. Not to worry. Your BHRT doctor is aware of this potential side effect. Before you begin bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, you will undergo lab work to test various measurements, including your blood cell counts. This gives us a baseline to go back to every few months to ensure you’re remaining within a healthy range.

One of the most common ways that men receiving testosterone replacement therapy manage their red blood cell count is to donate blood. Usually, blood donations can be done every eight weeks. However, if your red blood cell count becomes too high, your doctor may write a prescription that instructs you to donate as often as every four weeks for a short period of time.

Elevated red blood cells can feel like a concerning side effect of bioidentical hormone replacement. We are aware of this risk and more than happy to speak with you about how we prevent unnecessary consequences through customization and periodic follow-ups.

Male breast enlargement, known as gynecomastia, is a relatively common condition that is finally getting the attention it deserves. That said, we’ve gone from not addressing male breast enlargement at all to having two ends of the spectrum in terms of treatment. Today, we have men trying to correct gynecomastia with diet and exercise, potentially hazardous supplements, and surgery. Bioidentical hormone therapy might not just be an in-between, but the ideal treatment in many cases.

Many men who develop gynecomastia show signs of hormone imbalance. When a man’s testosterone levels decline sharply, he may then experience increased levels of estrogen. Yes, men have naturally-occurring estrogen. This is referred to as estrogen dominance. When there is enough estrogen in any human body, breast tissue grows. That’s part of estrogen’s role!

Gynecomastia treatment can include plastic surgery if you want to achieve quick results. The role of BHRT is to address the underlying cause of male breast enlargement: hormonal imbalance. Now, we must say that hormone imbalance is not behind every case of gynecomastia, but it is involved in a fair number of cases. The key to successful treatment is to understand your biology and current needs as they relate to diet, lifestyle, hormones, and overall wellness.