Men’s Depression and Hormone Imbalances

Are you experiencing decreased energy, loss of motivation and stress? Please know that you are not the only one, and that there is help. Stick arround to read about tips for preventing and treating depression.

If you’re a man with symptoms of depression or chronic fatigue, and have been offered an antidepressant, you may want to consider checking your hormone levels first. Recent evidence shows symptoms of depression and fatigue in men may be linked to declining adrenal, thyroid, and sex hormones, namely testosterone.

After about the age of 40, men increasingly experience symptoms of fatigue and depression. Irritability, weight gain, loss of confidence, and social isolation, often result in a diagnosis of depression. Fatigue is often attributed to burnout.

For many men counseling and medication failed to produce sustained improvement. They may find themselves taking medications aimed at controlling their symptoms instead of addressing the root cause of hormone decline. These same men may be diagnosed with hypertension, elevated cholesterol, heart disease, elevated blood sugar, or erectile dysfunction.

Andropause

Andropause, or male menopause, is related to the decline in testosterone as men age, which begins after about age 25. Because of the slow onset, andropause can go unaddressed. The faster and deeper the decline in testosterone, the faster a man ages, resulting in increased heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, dementia, arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer.

When testosterone begins to wane, thyroid, adrenal, and growth hormone outputs are also affected. Anti-aging health practitioners often referred to this interaction as the thyroid-adrenal-gonadal-axis.

Sympthoms of Andropause:

• Decreased energy and motivation
• Fatigue
• Impaired concentration
• Difficulty sleeping
• Increased body fat
• Gynecomastia or development of breast tissue
• Hot flashes

The thyroid-adrenal-gonadal-axis.

Alteration and function of the adrenals, thyroid and gonads can have tremendous effects on energy, mental function, mood, and metabolism.

The adrenal gland is the most important out of the three, since it supplies the cortisol that the other hormones require to access cells.

Factors such as stress, worry, excess mental activity, and regular sugar and caffeine use contribute to weaker adrenal function.

Symptoms that suggest adrenal deficiency include poor productivity, decreased energy, anxiety, poor stress tolerance, poor memory, depression, irritability, dizziness, allergies, frequent chest colds or bronchitis.

If low adrenal output is not identified and addressed, treatment with testosterone and thyroid hormones can be marginally effective or completely ineffective.

The Thyroid Gland

If cortisol is inadequate, a person with normal thyroid test, called TSH, may have symptoms of hypothyroidism, such as dry skin, constipation, sluggishness, horse or weak voice and depression.

Many men will be given antidepressant medication for their symptoms because their thyroid is considered to be normal, based only on the TSH test, though testing active thyroid hormone T3 and T4 tells us what the thyroid is actually producing.

The Gonads

The gonads (testicles in men) produce testosterone in response to signals from the pituitary gland. Testosterone travels through the body, stimulating muscle growth and strength, improving mood and libido, and strengthening bones. Low cortisol levels from the adrenal can impair the ability of cells to absorb testosterone, making the testosterone less effective.

Low thyroid hormone levels can impair the cell from responding to testosterone, again making it less effective. Without all three glands functioning properly. Testosterone does not work even if the blood level is within the normal range.

Testosterone replacement is important in maintaining optimal male hormone levels. There is now medical evidence supporting the safety of testosterone therapy, even after prostate cancer surgery.

However, simply supplementing with testosterone may not result in higher tissue levels and may actually increase estrogen production.

As men age, their visceral fat produces larger amounts of an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. There are two reasons why this is not desirable. First, in the body’s effort to control estrogen levels, it also binds testosterone, making it unavailable. Second, estradiol, a form of estrogen, causes a reduction in testosterone production.

Taking all this into account we can understand why some men have adverse response or no response at all to testosterone therapy. They may experience weight gain, worsening of erectile dysfunction, breast enlargement or they may not experience no effect at all, which can be related to poor adrenal function.

How to diagnose male menopause or low testosterone

If you want to adress your male menopause and reverse the symptoms that you might be experiencing, then the first step is diagnosing the condition in the first place. Diagnosing ‘male menopause’ is difficult since it’s not a technical medical term. However, the underlying conditions that cause it to happen are much easier to diagnose.

To start, your doctor or practitioner simply needs to take a blood sample to test the amount of testosterone in your bloodstream. This will give the practitioner insight into what levels your testosterone is at and whether they are appropriate for your age and other factors in your life.

A healthy adrenal thyroid gonadal axis can provide renewed energy and sense of well-being to men with symptoms of depression. Hormone augmentation should be the last step in a pyramid of changes that starts with the base of proper nutrition, stress reduction, exercise and natural health supplements.

What To Do – Help for Hormones

Keys to improving adrenal function

Keys to boosting thyroid function

• Adequate Selenium, Iodine, and Tyrosine
• Zinc plays a role in activation of thyroid, testosterone, and growth hormone receptors
• Desiccated thyroid supplements

Keys to balancing gonadal function

• Saw palmetto, pumpkin seed extract and Zinc block conversion of testosterone to estrogen
• Calcium D- glucarate improves estrogen elimination
• Bioidentical testosterone
• Pomegranate juice can slow the growth of established prostate cancer

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Tips for Preventing and Treating Depression

IMPORTANT : Always consult with your health practitioner before starting new medications or supplements!