Toronto Testosterone Specialist, Cara Flamer, M.D. has helped numerous Toronto men regain their stamina, vitality and self-esteem with customized testosterone replacement therapy programs for men.

Andropause is the result of naturally declining levels of testosterone in the body. Once a man reaches about age 30, testosterone production in his body begins to decline. Low testosterone side effects often become noticeable in a man’s 40s and 50s. Men who have already experienced low testosterone levels may experience the effects even sooner. If you’re struggling with the symptoms of andropause, there is hope. You can reverse the symptoms that you are feeling and regain your vitality.

Customized testosterone replacement therapy is now a commonly used treatment for andropause, and can help you optimize your testosterone levels and return you to feeling like yourself again. There are many benefits to achieving optimal testosterone levels in men. The benefits men notice most often are improved sexual performance and libido, improved muscle mass and strength, reduced aches and pains, improved sleep quality, increased focus, concentration, memory retention and more.

Don’t let low testosterone keep you down. Take control of your health by calling testosterone replacement specialist, Cara Flamer, M.D., at (647) 660-3168 to schedule a Low T consultation today!

Common Symptoms of Andropause and Low Testosterone

Many of the symptoms listed below present themselves slowly. Perhaps you’ve had a few rough nights without sleep or you feel more stressed about your job than usual. These symptoms are easy to dismiss, and in fact they may have little to do with your hormone levels. However, if these symptoms persist or if you experience several of them simultaneously, it is worthwhile to have your hormones checked by Toronto specialist Cara Flamer, M.D. to determine whether declining testosterone is the cause of your troubles. Andropause and Low Testosterone causes many symptoms and is different for each man experiencing it but the most common symptoms include:

You either can’t get an erection at all or you have trouble keeping one long enough to enjoy satisfying sex with your partner. It is important to have your hormone levels checked if you experience frequent episodes of erectile dysfunction to determine the underlying cause. However, most doctors simply give men a prescription to help them with the erection problem without investigating it further. A low hormone specialist can help you see how hormones affect many aspects of male virility.

While having trouble with erections is discouraging, not being in the mood for sex at all bothers many men even more. This is often a natural byproduct of hormone decline or hormone levels that are out of balance. Your partner is likely to be understanding of erectile dysfunction because it’s out of your control, but you may have a more difficult time explaining why you just don’t feel like being intimate as often as you used to.

Before the onset of andropause symptoms, you could see a direct result between your levels of physical fitness and how fit your body appeared. Now it seems like no amount of exercise or healthy eating can get your weight to budge. Even worse, you see fat collecting like a spare tire around your middle. Fortunately, there is no need to starve yourself or workout to excess. That is because replacing your lost hormones can increase your metabolism naturally.

Hormones play a key role in creating and maintaining muscle mass. Hormones attach themselves to receptors in your muscles and gives them the message to grow and contract. When your hormone levels are low, there may be an insufficient amount of the hormone to attach to muscle cells. As a result of the deficiency, you may suffer from a loss of muscle mass and feel physically weaker in spite of weight training or regular exercise.

The effects of Andropause may cause you to feel like your brain is fuzzy. Whereas you used to pride yourself on your sharp mind, you now have trouble concentrating on little details as well as solving complex problems. This leads to careless mistakes that can eventually eat away at your confidence. When you replace your lost hormones through a supervised Hormone Replacement Therapy program, you should find your mental abilities improving after only a few weeks.

You used to be able to take people’s little quirks in stride. Now it seems like every little thing your family or co-workers do annoys you to no end. Your short temper results in many arguments at home and even causes you to snap at your kids for minor infractions. You may find yourself feeling high on life at one moment and thoroughly discouraged the next. This doesn’t mean you have suddenly become a moody man; however, it could mean you are experiencing the effects of Andropause.

Insomnia, which is the inability to fall asleep or stay asleep long enough to feel restored, is the most common sleep issue related to hormone deficiency. When you don’t sleep well at night, it can make other symptoms of andropause even worse. Sleep apnea is another problem you may experience. This is a serious condition that causes you to stop breathing briefly up to 30 times in one hour. Like all health issues related to Andropause, it’s essential to find the underlying cause before designing a treatment for the symptoms.

Decreasing hormone levels are often responsible for causing a loss of bone density in both men and women. Along with improvements in diet and exercise habits, undergoing Hormone Replacement Therapy can help to keep your bone density strong. This is important to prevent osteoporosis, a disorder that makes you much more likely to break bones in a fall. If you already have osteoporosis, you may be able to reverse it or halt its progression with a Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Although these symptoms are commonly associated with women going through menopause, men experience them as well. They occur when your hypothalamus, which is an area in your brain that regulates internal temperature control, interprets false signals from your body due to hormonal imbalances. Because your hormone level is too low, your body mistakenly thinks it is overheated and reacts accordingly. High levels of stress and a poor diet also contribute to these unpleasant andropause symptoms.

Men are accustomed to dealing with thinning hair or going bald, but they don’t expect to see hair disappear from other areas on their body. If you have noticed that you seem to have less hair on your chest, arms, legs, in your pubic area, or under your armpits, it’s not all in your imagination. Your body requires average or high levels of hormones to continue replacing body hair as it is lost. Since most male hair loss products are for the hair on your head, you will have better results re-growing body hair by working with a hormone replacement specialist.

If you and your partner are trying to conceive a child, low sperm count can make it quite challenging. Unfortunately, this is yet another symptom of Andropause and it can happen while you’re still relatively young. Your testes naturally produce less hormones as you get older, a problem that is directly related to a low sperm count. However, you shouldn’t assume you’re infertile. By correctly identifying the cause, your sperm count can return to normal levels through hormone replacement therapy.

When your hormone levels are extremely low, it can cause a feeling of numbness in your penis or scrotum. Men who have experienced this describe it as a lack of electricity. In other words, physical touch from their partner that once caused arousal now seems to have little or no effect. The sense of numbness can persist even outside of sexual encounters, which makes everyday activities like sitting down and standing up quite uncomfortable. You may also notice a decrease in the size of your genitals.

When you are walking around with unbalanced hormones, it can make the simplest task seem monumental. It’s all you can do just to make it to work every day. Anything else seems like too much effort, including physical activity, socializing with friends, and maintaining mutually rewarding relationships with family. You used to be a go-getter, but now you’re content to let someone else do things. This holds you back at work and makes life less satisfactory in general.

Gynecomastia, which is the medical term for enlargement of male breasts, is an extremely embarrassing problem for men. The first signs of this condition may appear at puberty as your hormone levels are increasing. However, it typically resolves on its own as things settle down. When your hormone levels go in the other direction, gynecomastia can return. The extra weight you may have put on due to andropause may also cause breast enlargement. Additionally, many men with confirmed hormone decline complain of increased tenderness around their breasts.

What Is Andropause?

Andropause is a period of time when a man begins producing far less testosterone than in his younger days. Testosterone is a vital male hormone and is important for many bodily processes, so drops in testosterone can produce some pretty severe symptoms. Symptoms of andropause begin to develop in a man’s 40s and 50s, although they can develop at any time. Cara Flamer, M.D. of Toronto specializes in helping men who are suffering from the effects of low testosterone.

Andropause, or low-T, is caused by the slow decline of the hormone testosterone in the male body. Testosterone plays a vital role in many bodily systems so when your body begins to produce less testosterone many different aspects of your health are affected. This results in symptoms affecting your mental state, blood sugar, heart health, sexual functioning and ability to sleep. Because the symptoms of low-T are so wide-ranging, unless a doctor is trained in hormone health, you may find that you get prescribed many different medications for all your different symptoms rather than one medication that treats the hormonal imbalance.

Male Testosterone Replacement Therapy is an option that supplements your body with the hormones that it should be producing but is not. Available in many forms, including patches, creams, pills and pellets, bioidentical hormones are naturally occurring hormones extracted from sources such as soy or yams that are chemically identical to the hormones produced in your own body.

Benefits of Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Men

Better Blood Sugar Balance

The hormones insulin, cortisol, testosterone and thyroid interact with each other in complex ways to make sure your blood sugar remains balanced and healthy. If one of these hormones is imbalanced, the whole system becomes unbalanced. Bioidentical hormones are an effective way to bring balance back to your body.

Healthier Lipid and Cholesterol Levels

Balanced levels of the hormones dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), estrogen and testosterone play an important role in maintaining healthy lipid and cholesterol levels. Keeping this system balanced helps decrease the potentially life-threatening buildup of plaque in the arteries.

Improved Muscle Mass and Strength

Without the appropriate amount of testosterone in your body, you will not be able to build muscles or increase your strength, even with dedicated workouts. With very low levels of testosterone, muscle mass will actually begin to decrease.

Improved Sexual Performance and Libido

Healthy levels of testosterone usually equate to healthy sexual desire. Low levels of testosterone can happen with age, bad health habits and certain diseases and medications. Fortunately, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy heals low testosterone levels and its subsequent symptoms.

Improved Sleep Quality

Having low testosterone negatively effects the other hormones in your body that help you sleep, resulting in insomnia and fatigue. Continued inability to sleep can cause your cortisol levels to increase which causes your testosterone levels to drop even further. You can stop this vicious cycle by balancing your hormones with BHRT.

Increased Focus and Concentration

Balanced levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone, testosterone and thyroid are key to improving your ability to focus, concentrate and remember. Each hormone plays an important part in having a healthy mental state, so keeping these hormones balanced is a vital part of having a sharp mind.

Reduced Aches and Pains

Testosterone keeps your body’s natural painkillers, like endorphins, functioning well. So, if you have low testosterone, you are going to feel more pain than if you had healthy levels of testosterone. Bioidentical hormones can help bring balance back to this system and reduce your levels of pain.

Stable Moods and Positive Outlook

Declining adrenal, thyroid, and sex hormones can result in depression and fatigue. As men age and the sex hormone testosterone begins to drop, the production of adrenal and thyroid hormones become imbalanced by the low levels of testosterone. Maintaining the balance of these hormones keeps your mood stable and positive.

Since each person’s body and lifestyle are different – each patient’s needs are different. Because of this,Cara Flamer, M.D. creates customized hormone treatment plans for each patient. This personalized approach to healthcare insures that you receive only the amount of hormones that your body needs and no more. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to getting your hormones balanced.

If you are experiencing any of the symptoms above and you believe your hormones are to blame, you deserve to know that there are solutions available and you owe it to yourself to pursue them.

Find Answers To Frequently Asked Questions About BHRT

Beginning a Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT) protocol typically comes with several questions. We’ve gathered some of the most common questions related to starting BHRT and answered them here below. If you have any further questions or need any clarification, please contact Cara Flamer, M.D. in Toronto, who has years of experience providing women with customized bioidentical hormone plans.

How Is BHRT Different From Regular HRT?

The main difference between bioidentical HRT and other forms of HRT is the kind of hormones that are used. In regular HRT, the synthetic hormones used contain additional chemical components that allow the drug manufacturers to patent their chemicals. At best, these added components do nothing for you. At worst, your body may recognize them as foreign chemicals and they may cause unpleasant side effects.

In BHRT, the hormones used are bioidentical, which means that they are the exact chemical structure as the hormones naturally produced in your body. This means there is no risk of your body not accepting them. Plus, they are derived from natural plant sources such as yams and soy. 

Can I Buy Bioidentical Hormones Online?

While you may find websites claiming to sell bioidentical hormones, there are many risks involved in purchasing hormones online. First, it is often difficult to trace the origin of these products, meaning they may not be regulated for accuracy. This leads into the second problem, which is that it is very hard to be sure of the ingredients of these products. You may not be getting hormones at all!

Finally, even if you find legitimate bioidentical hormones online, without seeing a doctor you can’t know for certain which hormones you need, what dose you need them in and what form of BHRT will work best for you. BHRT doctor Dr. Flamer can ensure that you receive proper care and treatment and that you experience minimal side effects.

What Form Does BHRT Come In?

Bioidentical hormones are prepared by a compounding pharmacy where they are produced into several forms, including pills, patches, subdermal pellets, creams, injections and more. Everyone responds to these various forms differently, and your BHRT doctor can help find the form that will most benefit you and your body.

What Is The Cost Of BHRT?

The cost of BHRT varies by the hormones needed, the doses needed, the form of BHRT and the length of time that you receive treatment. For a more accurate quote, please call to schedule a consultation.

Is BHRT Covered By My Insurance?

Because insurance plans and providers vary considerably, there is no way for us to provide a blanket statement. Your plan may cover BHRT under certain circumstances. The best course of action is to first call our office to discuss whether we accept your current insurance plan and provider. After you call us, we recommend contacting your insurance provider as a follow-up to ensure that your treatment is covered or to discuss how your treatment may be covered.

Are Bioidentical Hormones Safe?

When prescribed and supervised by a BHRT doctor, BHRT is generally safe. Dr. Flamer will review any risks or side effects associated with your particular treatment before you begin BHRT.

What Conditions Are Treated With BHRT?

Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy is used to treat a number of conditions caused by hormone imbalance or that result in hormone imbalance. In some cases, BHRT is used to treat the underlying condition while in others it is used to treat the symptoms. Below is a list of some common conditions that BHRT may be used to treat.

What If My Question Is Not Listed Here?

Patients often have a great many questions before beginning BHRT. BHRT doctor Cara Flamer M.D. in Toronto will be happy to answer any questions that you may have before, during and after treatment. Contact your BHRT doctor today with any further questions or to schedule your initial consultation.

Start Feeling Better With A Customized BHRT Plan Today! 

Toronto Testosterone Andropause Treatment

Getting older doesn’t have to mean feeling worse.

Under the treatment of Cara Flamer, M.D. you can reverse your symptoms and continue living your life the way you want to live it. Call (647) 660-3168 to schedule your consultation today!

Cara Flamer, M.D. proudly offers Bioidentical Testosterone Therapy to Toronto men.