Testosterone Replacement Therapy Tripled in Last Decade

    SAN DIEGO, CA, July 03, 2013 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association-Internal Medicine reports that the number of middle-aged and older men receiving testosterone replacement therapy has tripled since 2001. Dr. John T. Alexander II, one of the anti-aging doctors at ENERGENEX in San Diego (http://www.energenex.com) has noticed an increase in men seeking treatment for symptoms of Low T at his own practice as well.

"More and more men are realizing that hormone imbalance can be responsible for a wide variety of mental and physical symptoms," explains Dr. Alexander, whose practice offers bioidentical hormone replacement therapy for San Diego men. "Taken singly, these may seem minor but they add up to a bigger picture that equates to a lower quality of life."

The new study involved nearly 11 million men, and is the largest study to ever examine testosterone prescription patterns. About half of the men who were prescribed testosterone replacement received a diagnosis of hypogonadism and one-third of men were being treated for fatigue. About 40 percent of study participants reported suffering from sexual dysfunction, including erectile dysfunction.

Men typically experience a gradual decline in their testosterone levels beginning around age 30, with some studies estimating that up to 30 percent of men between the ages of 40 and 79 show testosterone deficiency, with levels lower than the 300 to 1000 nanograms per deciliter of blood that constitutes the average testosterone range among most men. Men in their 40s are currently the fastest growing demographic for testosterone replacement.

Symptoms of Low T include fatigue, mood swings, irritability and problems with lowered libido and erectile dysfunction. Men with low testosterone levels also have a higher incidence of being diagnosed with clinical depression, diabetes and obesity.

"Testosterone replacement therapy helps men regain energy and stabilize their moods," says Dr. Alexander, a Diplomate of the Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. "Many men report that they feel like themselves again."

Since the study took its findings from a private health insurance database, the results may not be truly representative of the majority of men in the United States, since many older retired men are covered under Medicare rather than through private health insurance.

However, the findings of the study are a positive sign that testosterone deficiency is being correctly diagnosed and treated in greater numbers. Men who have lower testosterone levels are also at an increased risk of heart disease, osteoporosis and diabetes, and also have shorter average life spans. Treating symptoms of Low T is similar to minimizing the impact of other common signs of aging, like using hearing aids, getting dentures or pursuing arthritis treatment for aching joints.

"With this type of treatment possible, there's just no reason that men should have to suffer from the symptoms of low testosterone," agrees Dr. Alexander. "The entire concept of aging gracefully takes on new meaning when put into the context of testosterone replacement therapy."

Helping patients increase their quality of life, ENERGENEX (http://www.energenex.com) specializes in breakthrough treatments of hormone irregularities. In particular, the clinic treats human growth hormone (HGH) and Low T at its San Diego office. Established in 1998 by Dr. John T. Alexander II, it was one of California's first anti-aging clinics. In 1999, Dr. Alexander became a Diplomate of the newly formed Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine.

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