Hormones, or chemical messengers, have vital roles to play so far as our bodies are concerned. On the directions of the pituitary glands, which are based at the ulterior end of the hypothalamus, these hormones enter into the directed cells and alter their functions. For instance, when the puberty starts, the pituitary glands initiates the formation of testosterone with the help of the testes which results in the growth of facial hair, voice deepening and the development of muscle mass.
A variety of reasons can cause the depletion of hormones in men, aging being the most common of them all. Other factors such as obesity, testicular infections, testicular injuries and Aromatase (conversion of testosterone into estrogen) can also lead to reduced levels of hormones within the body. In some cases the liver malfunctioning can also contribute towards the depletion of the hormone levels within the blood serum. Not only this, hypoglycemia and enhanced fat accumulation around the belly can also contribute to the depletion of hormones in the body. Male hormones also play an important role in keeping the physique lean and mean. Some hormones speed up the process of metabolism which restricts the excessive fat storage within the body.
Coming towards the uses of hormone therapy, it is most commonly and effectively used in fight against the prostate cancer in men. Prostate is a secondary sex organ which regulates the flow of semen and urine through the penis. One in five men will fall a prey to this deadly cancer and more than 50% will not survive this onslaught. There are three main types of hormone therapy for prostate cancer. These include Injections or implants to stop your testicles making testosterone; Surgery to remove the testicles or just the parts of the testicles that make testosterone and the Tablets to block the effects of testosterone.
Hormone therapy affects different men in different ways. There is no way of knowing in advance which side effects you will get and how bad they will be. Some men who are having hormone therapy may have few side effects or may not have any side effects at all. This does not mean that the treatment is any less effective. Some men may find that their side effects get better or easier to cope with the longer they are on hormone therapy. Hormone therapy can affect your sex life in two different ways: It can reduce, or cause you to lose, your desire for sex (libido). It can give you problems with getting and keeping an erection (erectile dysfunction).In most cases, these effects will last for as long as you are on hormone therapy. However, it can take up to a year for sexual function to gradually return to normal after stopping hormone therapy. Some men may not see an improvement in sexual function after stopping hormone therapy. If you have had an orchidectomy, effects on sexual function cannot be reversed.
Apart from prostate cancer one in five men will suffer a fracture after the age of 50. About half of all cases of osteoporosis in men occur as the result of another medical condition. These conditions include low levels of the hormone testosterone (Hypogonadism), long term use of glucocorticoid tablets, prolonged immobility, excessive alcohol intake and malabsorption of essential minerals and vitamins due to other medical. Some men have osteoporosis for an unknown reason (idiopathic osteoporosis). If osteoporosis is suspected, a bone density scan and tests to rule out any underlying medical problems are usually required. In men with normal testosterone levels who have osteoporosis, some research has shown an improvement in bone density with testosterone treatment. However, testosterone is 19 not a licensed treatment for this use. There is also some evidence that testosterone therapy may increase a man's risk of heart disease and prostate cancer so further research in this area is needed.
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