Showing posts with label hormone. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hormone. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

What Luteinizing hormone values tells about natural testosterone production?

How Does Luteinizing hormone (LH) work?
LH is an important hormone produced by the pituitary gland for both men and women. In women, it works as part of the menstrual cycle. In men it serves to maintain and produce testosterone and sperm. It is important to stay within a normal range of secretion in order to keep these body functions working correctly and to ensure the general health of your pituitary gland.
To check secretion levels you can request a blood test. Before you go, be aware that tests results may vary, and getting different results even minutes apart is quite normal. Many people become concerned with the differing levels of normal, as they want to be high normal in their levels of testosterone as opposed to low normal.
While high normal is more effective for your body, low normal is not necessarily bad, especially since levels fluctuate regularly. So do not be surprised if your LH levels vary while your levels of testosterone remain consistent.

The true value of measuring LH using a single measure test
It’s a known truth that LH levels can change from minute to minute. This makes small changes in daily production nearly undetectable through testing. An example from another article (source below) gives a comparison of the LH test represented by judging a better hitter in baseball on one hit.
Will the player who has hit better all season necessarily win? No, but that’s why batting averages are made up of every single at-bat. We must think of LH in the same way. The whole (being at a normal level) is more important than the individual highs and lows within normal.
A variable better suited for that kind of test would be something like “Who has blue eyes” or “Who is younger”. Variables like age and eye color do not change. The nature at which the LH changes makes a single measure much less useful in determining daily levels.,

Why the test is still important
While the test cannot give precise information on miniscule daily rises and falls in LH levels, what it can do is indicate when you are dangerously low.
The test will be able to tell you when your pituitary gland is about to go into hypopituitarism. Considering the range of things controlled by your pituitary gland, such as the thyroid, adrenal gland, ovaries, testes, and kidneys, it important to know if you are below average.
The symptoms of hypopituitarism include abdominal pain, fatigue, loss of body hair, shortened height (if during a growth spurt), vision issues, and weight loss, among others. The test is not made to worry about being high or low normal, but it can keep you safe from larger issues.

What can be done if you’re still wanting higher levels of LH?
The problem with recommending drugs to increase levels of a hormone that is hard to measure is that we really cannot gauge the effectiveness of the drug. Some have tried a DAA supplement regimen, but you’ll really only benefit from that if you are consistently low normal. Since we cannot tell how close to a blood peak each test is, worrying about these levels is unnecessary unless your levels are below average.
As long as your LH and testosterone both read some kind of normal, there is no need for worry. But if you’ve got it in your head that you need some kind of measure, the best you can do it measure how the DAA is affecting your testosterone.

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

What Are Sex Steroids?

Sex steroids are fat soluble compounds that are important in reproduction, sexual function, and sexual development. The endocrine glands are responsible for the production of sex steroids in both men and women. In most human beings, sex steroids are secreted over the course of an entire lifetime, though the levels of production and release often vary. For example, the level of production often increases when a person reaches puberty and then declines in conjunction with old age.

Though both females and males produce sex steroids, females typically produce mostly estrogen and progesterone. Males, on the other hand, usually produce testosterone and other androgens, which are hormones that control characteristics that are primarily masculine. Interestingly, females also have androgens and males have estrogen in their bodies. Androgens that are produced in the female body usually convert to estrogens. Likewise, some of a male’s androgens become estrogens as well.

The processes that affect the production of sex steroids are both complicated and interesting. When a human being reaches puberty, a gland in the brain makes more of a substance called gonadotropin-releasing hormone. In turn, the increased production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone causes the pituitary gland to release hormones that are critical to the production of sex steroids. These hormones are referred to as follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. The release of these hormones stimulates the production of sex steroids in both males and females.
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The estrogens the female body produces play important roles in preparing the body for ovulation and pregnancy. They also influence the development of female sex characteristics, including breast growth and the development of the female pelvis. Estrogens even have a role in how fat and muscle is distributed in the female body. Progesterone is critical in sustaining a pregnancy and affects conditions inside the uterus.

Male production of testosterone and androsterone, both of which are androgens, occurs in the testes. Testosterone is critical for sperm formation. As with estrogens influencing the development of female characteristics, androgens influence male characteristics. For example, they influence the growth of muscle as well as body hair and the deeper voices that are typical in males. They also influence male sex organ development.

Sex steroids are naturally occurring in the human body, but they may be used in medical treatments as well. For example, doctors may use them in the treatment of various types of cancer. They may also prove helpful for treating menopause symptoms. In fact, these hormones may even help in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis.

Friday, September 27, 2013

Testosterone Hormone Therapy

If you have fatigue, poor concentration and erectile dysfunction, low testosterone hormone therapy may help. Just don't call it the fountain of youth.

Want to pump up your sex drive and muscles, boost your mood and motivation, and have the concentration and energy levels of a college undergrad? It's true that for guys who have low testosterone (Low T) hormone therapy can help address symptoms such as fatigue and erectile dysfunction, but it's not the fountain of youth and it shouldn’t be treated as an elixir for men looking to reclaim the vigor of their school years. Declining testosterone levels are a normal part of aging and don't always warrant treatment.

Be Sure It's Really Low T

Are you tired, irritable, and/or disinterested in all the things that once brought you joy, including sex? If you suspect you have low testosterone, your doctor can order a blood test, but only after ruling out other causes, such as depression, says Robert Brannigan, a urologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and associate professor of urology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Many symptoms of Low T, such as fatigue and erectile dysfunction, mimic depression or present as a side effect of heart disease, obesity, or other health condition. It's important to figure out if an underlying medical condition, such as an autoimmune disorder, is causing your low testosterone.

Is Testosterone Hormone Therapy Right for You?

According to Brannigan, testosterone levels vary widely from one man to the next. Healthy men can have testosterone levels between 270 and 1,070 ng/dL. "There are very few absolute indications for treating low testosterone," he says.

In other words, treating is optional. In his practice, Brannigan follows the The Endocrine Society's recommendations: If a man doesn't have evidence of breast cancer or untreated prostate cancer; his testosterone levels are below 300; and he's bothered by symptoms of low testosterone, he's a candidate. While there's no doubt that treatment can improve the quality of life for men with low testosterone levels, there's no consensus on whether it's beneficial to men who aren't suffering from so-called "male menopause."

Benefits and Risks of Testosterone Hormone Therapy

Bringing testosterone levels back to normal can boost energy, muscle mass, bone density, and concentration. It can also help with erectile dysfunction. Hormone therapy may even alleviate symptoms of depression. But it's not without risks.

Testosterone hormone replacement therapy may encourage prostate growth and increase your risk of prostate cancer. Testosterone also lives up to its red-blooded reputation by driving red blood cell production. According to Brannigan, this can make the blood too thick and increase the risk for stroke. Other less-serious side effects include unwanted body hair, acne, breast enlargement, and fluid retention.

Low T Treatment Options

Several vehicles deliver the right amount of testosterone to replacement therapy patients:

    Steroids injections, usually once every two to three weeks
    Daily patches worn on the body or scrotum
    Topical gels applied daily to the shoulders, arms, or abdomen

It takes at least eight weeks for testosterone therapy to take effect, and because there's no cure for Low T, men generally require ongoing treatment, Brannigan says. Because of the risks of testosterone therapy, you'll need to follow up with your doctor regularly.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

How to Increase Testosterone

Testosterone - the main male sex hormone. Simply put, the man would not be a man without this hormone. Testosterone is responsible for the potency and stimulates muscle growth.

Nutrition Research Center, and the problem of aging in the United States found that in men over 30 years of muscle mass decreases by about 1% per year. And the lower the level of testosterone in the blood, the more a man is losing muscle mass.

However, most interestingly, while it increased waist circumference. Beer belly of a man is the catalyst of low testosterone levels. It causes drowsiness, decreased performance and sexual desire.

And although the production of testosterone is regulated genetically, you have the opportunity to influence this process. Our tips will help you slow down the loss of testosterone, thereby allowing you to be in great shape for years to come.

Go to GYM
Increase the level of testosterone can, performing various exercises in the gym such as squats, bench press from the chest or doing exercises with dumbbells. You should work more with heavy objects and less to run.

Sleep
It was in deep sleep produced most of the sex hormones, and if you keep enough sleep, all the measures taken to increase testosterone levels, will be in vain. Healthy sleep should last about 7-8 hours. Research at the University of Chicago have shown that testosterone levels drop by 15% if the subjects slept 5 hours a day. Therefore, it is important to provide sleeping conditions for maximum production of testosterone.

Give up alcohol
Studies show that excess alcohol accelerates the conversion of testosterone and other androgens into estrogens (roughly speaking, the male hormones in the female). If you want to maximize the production of testosterone, avoid excess weight set - Reduce consumption of alcohol.

Have sex
A group of male subjects was measured testosterone levels before, during, and after watching pornographic films. The highest rates by an average of 35% more than normal were recorded in 60-90 minutes after the end of the film. Thus, erection helps to increase testosterone levels. So you homework - to have sex more often.

Try to win
Not for nothing called the hormone testosterone winners. Even the small and insignificant victory boosts testosterone levels for some time. Therefore, participating in various tournaments and rejoice the victory.

Do not save on calories
The men who took only 1800 calories a day and led an active life, testosterone levels fell by 40-50% within five days. "So do not save on calories, because they lack the body will perceive as hunger and begin to slow down the production of testosterone," - says Tara Gidus, a sports nutritionist NBA team, "Orlando Magic".

Add fat
Proteins, fats, carbohydrates - is the foundation of power, without which there is no biochemical process. Fat - a source of cholesterol, which is required for the synthesis of testosterone. So you definitely need to include meat in your daily diet.

Do not forget about vitamins
A special role in the synthesis of testosterone plays vitamins C, E, F (omega-3 and omega-6) and vitamins of group B. Vitamin C, F, and B are involved in the synthesis, and Vitamin E protects against decay testosterone molecule. These vitamins are found in citrus fruits, rose hips, black currants, fish oil, avocados, nuts. So include these foods in your diet.