Hormone decline is a natural part of aging that happens to both men and women, typically starting around age 30. As we get older, our bodies produce fewer important hormones like testosterone, estrogen, progesterone, and growth hormone. This can lead to unpleasant symptoms like low sex drive, fatigue, weight gain, hot flashes, and loss of muscle mass.
The most common hormones that decline are:
- Estrogen in women, which regulates the reproductive system and contributes to bone health and heart health. Declining estrogen levels lead to perimenopause and eventually menopause.
- Testosterone in both men and women, which regulates libido, muscle mass, bone density, and red blood cell production. Declining testosterone is sometimes called "andropause" or "male menopause."
- Progesterone in women, which controls the menstrual cycle and supports pregnancy. Declining levels cause irregular periods and infertility.
- Growth hormone in both sexes, which promotes muscle growth and cell regeneration. Loss of growth hormone leads to weight gain and decreased exercise performance.
Lifestyle changes like eating healthy, exercising, and reducing stress may help ease some hormone decline symptoms. For more troubling symptoms, replacing hormones through
hormone replacement therapy is an option under the supervision of a medical provider.
"The medical providers at Renewed Balance Clinic specialize in hormonal issues related to aging for both men and women. We offer customized bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to help patients find relief from symptoms and improve vitality. Schedule a consultation today to see if hormone optimization is right for you!"
Some key questions related to hormone decline include:
What are the first signs of hormone decline? Early signs differ between men and women but may include fatigue, weight gain, low libido, night sweats, and changes in menstrual cycles. Blood tests can confirm declining hormone levels.
At what ages do hormones start to decline? Women begin perimenopause usually between ages 45-55. Men can start experiencing low testosterone as early as age 30 but more dramatically above age 50. We all start making less growth hormone by age 30.
Can you stop or reverse hormone decline? You cannot stop the aging process, but hormone replacement therapy can help raise your hormone levels to what is normal for your age. This can reverse or reduce many unwanted symptoms.
I hope this gives a helpful overview of what hormone decline is and how it affects each gender differently. Let me know if you have any other questions! Reach out to the compassionate doctors at Renewed Balance Clinic to see if we can help optimize your vitality.