What are male hormone health risk warnings?

Simply put, it is a series of signals sent by the male body that indicate abnormalities in the metabolism of androgens with testosterone as the core. Its function is to intercept in advance the subsequent health problems in reproduction, metabolism, and emotions caused by insufficient androgens.

When I was assisting in patient follow-up in the endocrinology department two years ago, I met a 37-year-old Internet project leader. At that time, he came to see the doctor because he had been trying to get pregnant for three years but had no results. When he sat down, he complained without saying a few words, saying that he had not slept for more than half a year, even on weekends. I couldn't relieve my fatigue even after lying at home for a day. I always thought it was because I was busy with projects, and I also stocked up on a lot of anti-fatigue liver-protecting tablets and energy drinks. However, after a blood test, the total testosterone value was only 8.2nmol/L, which is a bit lower than the normal minimum value for adult men. The doctor said that his loss of sexual desire for most of the past six months, his irritable mood that was constantly banging the table with his subordinates, and his beer belly that could not be reduced even after practicing for half a year were actually warnings from his body of hormonal abnormalities, and he ignored them all as normal reactions to being tired from work.

It seems that many people's understanding of male hormones is still limited to "relating to masculinity" and "affecting childbirth", and they rarely associate daily minor discomforts with it. Nowadays, many fitness bloggers on the Internet will directly attribute "losing muscle and unable to reduce abdominal fat" to low testosterone, and even recommend various supplements. However, many clinical endocrinology scholars have also clearly mentioned that symptoms alone cannot directly determine androgen abnormalities. After all, staying up late for a week, being stressed out, and drinking heavily for three or four days will also cause similar symptoms of fatigue and bad mood. The six sex hormone tests of fasting venous blood must be combined to draw conclusions. Indiscriminate testosterone supplementation may increase the risk of prostate disease.

In fact, androgen is a bit like a "universal power bank" for the male body. When sufficient, the muscles are strong, the energy is high, the mood is stable, and even the beard grows quickly. If the secretion cannot keep up with the consumption, the first thing that will be lost is battery life. In the past, I could stay up all night and still go to work and play ball the next day. Now I can stay up for three days at a time. I am still out of breath after climbing the third floor. I eat less than before, but my stomach is still bloated. These small changes that no one takes seriously are actually early warning signs.

Of course, there is no need to panic when you see a signal. After the age of 30, men's androgens will naturally decline at a rate of 1% to 2% per year, which is a normal aging process. Only when these discomforts occur continuously for more than 3 months, and the testosterone values ​​in two fasting tests are lower than the normal range, targeted intervention is required. I have also met many young men in their twenties who sit for long periods of time, stay up until two or three o'clock to go to bed, and never move. Their testosterone levels are lower than those of men in their fifties who exercise regularly. This is a problem caused by a bad lifestyle. If detected and adjusted early, most of them can be brought back to normal levels.

The previous 37-year-old patient later slowed down the pace of the program and took 20 minutes a day to do strength training such as squats and bench presses. Coupled with the doctor's low-dose supplement plan, his testosterone returned to 11nmol/L after more than three months of review, and preparations for pregnancy were successfully put on the agenda. To put it bluntly, these early warnings are private messages sent by your body. Don’t always think that you can’t reply after reading them. If it turns into an organic problem, you will still be the one to suffer.