The aging process can be unpredictable. One day you’re fine, the next day, your joints ache, and you’re having trouble sleeping. All this could be a result of declining hormone levels. Some hormones naturally decline as we age, which can affect you in many ways, including your sex drive and ability to enjoy satisfying sex. The good news is that there are steps you can take to restore your Atlanta hormone health.
Below is everything you need to know about hormones and how to improve hormone health.
How do hormones work?
Hormones are chemical messengers that tell our bodies how to function. They regulate everything from digestion and sleep to mood, energy, and libido. Many different hormones come into play for sexual function. Some of these hormones include testosterone or estrogen. But there are also other hormone-like substances known as neurotransmitters that play a role in sexuality too.
Estrogen is a sex hormone that helps regulate ovulation and pregnancy in women and bone health in both men and women. Testosterone is a sex hormone that helps maintain muscle mass and bone density in men and is necessary for fertility in both sexes.
If your hormone levels have started to decline, you will experience the following symptoms:
- Low sex drive
- General fatigue
- Depression or moodiness
- Difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
- Hot flashes and vaginal dryness and atrophy in women
3 Factors that affect hormone health
Age
As we age, our body produces fewer amounts of the hormones it needs to stay healthy, which can lead to a decline in sexual function. The testosterone level in men declines by 1% per year after age 30. Women experience a decline in estrogen after age 50, which can lead to decreased sexual desire and arousal.
Weight gain
Being overweight or obese can lead to hormonal changes that affect your sex drive and fertility. This is because fat tissue produces more estrogen than muscle tissue does, and if you are overweight or obese, you have more fat tissue in your body than if you were at a healthy weight.
Stress
Stress is a major cause of declining hormone levels because it triggers the fight-or-flight response in your body. It also suppresses the immune system and increases free radical production. As a result, your body produces more cortisol, which is known as the stress hormone.
What is the best treatment option for declining hormone levels?
Hormone replacement therapy
Hormonal therapy is the most common treatment for declining hormone levels. It involves taking replacement hormones to replace those the body isn’t producing enough of naturally. This treatment can help with several symptoms, including weight gain and loss, social isolation, depression and anxiety, fatigue, loss of muscle mass, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. Hormone therapy can also help slow down the progression of certain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis.
If you have low hormone levels, there are many ways to treat them. Your doctor will choose the best option based on your symptoms and medical history. Contact Regenerative MedSpa of Buckhead to learn how you can benefit from hormone therapy
