Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The Dangers of Hormone Replacement Therapy


Hormone replacement therapy (HRT), for men, is a treatment applied to those with unusually low testosterone levels. This type of HRT is more commonly known as testosterone replacement therapy.

HRT, generally, is a medication that contains synthetic hormones that can be taken either orally or transdermally. Testosterone replacement medications are essentially anabolic steroids sold legally.

When we say anabolic steroids, we mean those used by athletes to improve strength and muscle mass. They are basically illegal and they can cause serious health problems. Today, they are sold legally in the form of supplements and hormone replacements. Supplements can be purchased freely over the Internet while hormone replacements require a doctor's prescription. Legal or illegal, these supplements and hormone replacements can cause serious health problems.

HRT for men, in particular, can cause a number of harmful side-effects. Contrary to what is generally advertised by drug companies, hormone replacement therapy is not safe. From fluid retention to prostate growth, hormone replacement therapy can be considered one of the most harmful treatments sold legally in the market today.

Side Effects of Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Fluid Retention:

After just a few months into the treatment, many men prescribed with hormone replacement therapy methods complain of fluid retention. Swelling usually occurs in the ankles or legs. Most of the time, this is accompanied with high blood pressure or congestive heart failure.

Sleep apnea:

Sleep apnea is a condition in which an individual stops breathing for a period of time while sleeping. There have been many reported cases of this condition of men who are under hormone replacement therapy. Interestingly, although the public has been warned of this possibility, drug companies have released several statements denying this fact. As per their conclusion, the studies conducted associating testosterone replacement therapy and sleep apnea are weak and require further investigation.

Spermatogenesis:

The production of sperm in all men is dependent on production of testosterone by the testes. When hormone replacement therapy is applied to men who are testosterone deficient, the testes begin to stop producing natural testosterones altogether. This condition may either be temporary or permanent. For this reason, most doctors prefer to apply this form of treatment to men who already have children. This risk is not only a possibility but has been proven to be absolute for all those under this form of medication.

Tender breasts or enlargement of breasts:

Men have some testosterone that gets converted to estrogen but normally isn't enough to cause estrogenic side effects such as gynecomastia (breast enlargement) But when taking supplemental doses of testosterone, particularly through hormone replacement therapy, much of it is converted to estradiol. The result of which, is feminized characteristics in men such as enlarge breasts.

Liver Toxicity:

There have been no reports of liver toxicity from transdermal testosterone replacement. However, for those on oral testosterone replacement, there have been a significant number of men reported to have developed liver problems. Incidentally, this is also the reason why all manufacturers of hormone replacement medications are now mentioning the possibility of liver failure when using their products.

Polycythemia:

One of the most important side effects of testosterone replacement therapy is the increase in the red blood cell mass and hemoglobin levels (Polycythemia). This is particularly true of older men as the increase of blood cell mass may lead to the possibility of heart attacks, strokes or peripheral clotting in the veins.

Prostate Growth:

Hormone replacement therapy for men can cause prostate growth. Prostate growth can cause problems with urination or at worse, may promote the growth of cancerous prostate cells. It is noteworthy to state that prostate cancer is a common cancer for older men and the second most common cause of cancer deaths.

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