Benefits of Testosterone Replacement (TRT)

We typically don’t pay much attention to the effects of testosterone on our bodies… That is, until it’s gone or depleted. Which does happen, no matter what. You could have the best nutritionist and diet, or even the best exercise regimen and personal trainer, but you can’t defeat father time. Sure, there are natural ways to help increase testosterone levels, but the verdict still remains out on how much of an impact you can make with this method. Als, you need a complete picture to help analyze your body’s relationship with testosterone. Do you make enough of your own? Is most of your bound up? Is your estrogen too high? Are there other hormone issues? All of these are important questions to help evaluate your unique situation, and come up with a treatment plan that meets your needs.

But, I wanted to make a quick blog just to highlight some of the benefits if optimizing your testosterone levels. So, here are just a few of the things you can expect by optimizing your testosterone levels. Keep in mind that testosterone replacement and hormone optimization is not a sprint, but rather a marathon. It’s not an overnight magic bullet. It’s going to take some time. But, on to the good stuff, the benefits:

• Your energy levels will improve. Depending on your current situation, this may be a big change, or it may be a small one. Usually around the 1 month mark.

• Your focus and overall mental status will improve. This typically occurs rather quickly, and mental fog can dissipate significantly once testosterone levels are optimized.

• Increased libido and improvements in sexual health. This one is pretty self-explanatoy. Typically in the first month or two.

• Increased red blood cell production. This can help with feelings of fatigue and get more oxygen into cells. Typically maximizes around 9-12 months. That being said, RBC’s need to be monitor to make sure they do not get too high.

• Helps stabilize blood sugar levels. This typically occurs anywhere from 3 months - a year. Again, you diet will effect this more than anything, but TRT at appropriate levels helps.

• Helps to decrease inflammation. Better recovery from injuries, viruses, toxins, and any other inflammatory triggers within the body. This typically occurs in 1-3 months.

• Helps build lean muscle mass. Again, self-explanatory. And no, testosterone and steroids are not the same thing!! Usually occurs in 6-12 month range, but can start sooner and also last significantly longer.

• Decrease in bone loss and improvement in joint pain and stiffness. This can last several years after initiation of treatment.

• You’ll burn fat faster. Typically starts around the 3 month mark and can continue to help metabolism for several years.

This is not an all inclusive list, but I just wanted to share a few of the benefits of testosterone replacement therapy. Or at least, some common benefits that I discuss with patients. As always, do your own research and if you have any of the symptoms of low T or other hormone deficiency, schedule an appointment to see where your levels are, and see if you may benefit from testosterone replacement.

What’s Wrong With You?

Funny title. Serious question. How long has it been since you’ve had a thorough check up and some lab work completed? As organic beings, chemistry is important to how our bodies function on a daily basis.

We’re all busy with kids, jobs, lives, etc. But putting off your health is all too common. We frequently tend to ignore any signs or symptoms of a problem until they become more frequent, or even daily. I can’t count the number of people who have told me “I don’t go to the doctor” or “it’s been years since I’ve had anything done”, or “I only go somehwere when I’m sick”.

I also run into a multitude of people who have had blood work completed, but either don’t understand what their results mean, or were never given a thorough explanation of what their results mean.

Today’s healthcare system focuses on symptoms and symptom management. Alot of providers treat symptoms without searching for a root cause. Not always. This isn’t a blanket statement for all providers. I’ve had the privilege of working along side some colleagues who were excellent providers. What I have learned from them is invaluable. But enough about me… Back to you.

What’s wrong with you? Do you know? What symptoms do you have? What’s causing your symptoms? When was your last health check up? When was your last set of blood work? What did the results tell you? What are you curious about?

LET’S FIND OUT!!

We respect our patients and their intelligence. We want to work WITH you to customize a treatment plan that fits your needs and desires. After all, it’s your body. We completely customize testing and treatment plans to meet the needs of all of our patients. We have the ability to do a multitude of blood tests right from our one location. No trips to the hospital, no packed waiting rooms, no copays for this and that. One location, one price, all inclusive. We also won’t leave you hanging on your results. We get these back fairly quickly and want you to understand what these results mean, and work with you to find a treatment plan that you are comfortable with. We don’t want to dictate what you should you, we want you to make an informed decision on what’s the best course of treatment for you!

Schedule an appointment today to finally have an answer to give when people ask “What’s wrong with you?”.

Put Yourself First…. For Once

If you’re anything like me, you’re busy. Although I hate saying that when people ask “How you been?”. But, it’s true. It’s true for you too I’m sure. Especially if you have a job, or stay at home with kids (harder than a real job), or have children, or a business, or (insert other responsibility). There is never enough time in the day to get everything done. To get the whole to-do list completed. Most of us make sacrifices for our spouse, or our children, that often require us to put our needs last.

Before you know it, we have neglected our health, years have gone by, we’ve gotten out of shape, or we have lost a step, or we’re tired all the time. To top it all off, the responsibilities and tasks to complete seem like they have doubled. It’s life. It’s busy, it’s chaotic, it’s exhausting…. But, I wanted to write this post to encourage anyone reading it to reclaim a little bit of time for yourself. Take a few walks a week, alone, and clear your mind, hit the gym a few times a week if you can, change your eating habits to not consume processed junk every meal. I have four kids, I do it too!! But when we start to make small changes in a positive direction, there is usually a snowball effect that leads to more positive changes, which leads to more positive changes, and so on.

Being a good parent, friend, employee, business owner, whatever you are, should not come at the cost of neglecting yourself and your health. Now is the time to pull the trigger and see what can be done to help you feel your best again. Whether you suffer from low testosterone, obesity, or any other health concerns, we may have a solution to help you reach your goals and feel your best. And no, I don’t have some magic pill or product that will help you achieve that level without anything from you. If you want to lose weight, you’ll have to work at it. If you want to optimize your hormone levels, you’ll have to make some changes.

However, we do have services available to help with a multitude of issues. Too many to list on a website or put in a blog post. It’s as simple as scheduling a consult, and talking about your health and your goals. Nobody is going to do it for you. Nobody is going to schedule that appointment for you. Nobody is going to ask questions for you.

It’s time to put yourself, and your health first, for once…

Low Motivation…

This is the most common complaint I receive from men with low testosterone… Seriously, it is. More than fatigue, decreased sex drive, and all the other symptoms that can be caused by low testosterone. Low motivation is the most common.

So what exactly do we mean by low motivation? This is the feeling that men can get where they have essentially zero desire to do much of anything. They’d rather lay around on the couch than go do anything, and I’m not talking about yard work… I’m talking about things they once enjoyed, things they looked forward to, things they used to get excited about doing, etc.

Most men can power through, and get things done even when they really don’t feel like it. But, this feeling should not be persistent, or a daily occurrence. We all have off days. It’s going to happen. But I have encountered numerous men whose main concern was a lack of motivation to do much of anything. We’ve went through all the usual suspects: thyroid studies, vitamin levels, CBC, and all were normal. I bet you can guess the most common culprit of low motivation in an otherwise healthy and non-depressed male? Low testosterone…

I don’t spend my time writing these blogs, starting this business, or talking to people about these issues because it’s some huge money maker and I’m going to get rich. I don’t do it because testosterone is the equivalent to steroids. Actually, they are drastically different. Testosterone is a hormone produce by both men and women. Treating a man with low testosterone is the same as a woman taking hormones to prevent pregnancy, help menopause symptoms, etc. The stigma of testosterone replacement is hugely misguided, although it is becoming less and less daily.

I do this because I have personally seen the need, insurance companies make adequate treatment expensive, multiple trips to multiple locations, providers refuse to treat above a minimal level or refuse to treat at all, and multiple men with the same issues all living their lives in a way where they have normalized feeling awful on a daily basis. I don’t want that, and neither should you.

Anyways, if you’ve read any of these blogs you know I can get off track from time to time. The main point is low testosterone can cause several symptoms. Not always what you’d think either. Low motivation, brain fog, fatigue, depression, anxiety, etc. It’s not always physical symptoms that can clue you in. If you have any of these symptoms schedule an appointment to try to get to the bottom of it. Even if you don’t go through use, you shouldn’t let these symptoms go unexplored.

Let’s Talk Prices & Marketing

Healthcare, health, wellness, is expensive. No matter how you slice it. With so many options, how do you choose what service to seek out, and how to pay for those services. Do you try to talk to your primary care doctor and use insurance? Do you try an online only service? Do you look for a cash based service? While there is no right/wrong answer to any of these questions, there are some things to be aware of or to watch for.

Let me start by saying any “health” or “wellness” product that is sold through a multi-level marketing company should be a no go. This is only my opinion though. These companies make money by a seller recruiting as many other sellers as possible. They don’t make money and show up in every other ad because their products work, they show up in every other ad and all over because thousands of “reps” recruit thousands of other “reps” and so on… A quick google review can tell you what products are sold by an MLM company. Also, dietary supplements do not have the same regulations on their labels, or statements made, as other products. But I digress…. Avoid “fat burners”, “magic shakes”, “fat blasting capsules”, “super cutting capsules”, and the like. Please…

Side note: Please don’t order random things from the internet and ingest or inject them

Back to the main point. Marketing is tricky. Many companies offer online consults for $49.99 or free consults. What they forget to include is that you then pay for labs, meds, and anything else they decide to tack on. If these companies weren’t making money, they wouldn’t exist. I’m not saying these companies aren’t legitimate and aren’t helping people, but they aren’t exactly transparent in their pricing. If you utilize telehealth services I would highly encourage you to research recent changes that have been made to healthcare laws. Before years end, the law will be changing that will require at least one in person visit to be prescribed certain medications. Testosterone being one of these medications. So keep that in mind if you utilize any of these services.

At the end of the day we want to help our patients, price our services fairly, and not surprise patients with hidden costs or fees. Each treatment plan will be individualized per patient based on what services they require or are interested in. That is why it is hard to place a fixed price on our services. We hope with all the vast choices available you’ll chose to come see us to discuss your needs, as well as pricing.

What all do you do?

You get it, or at least should at this point, we do some testosterone replacement therapy for men who need it. However, we have several other services available. Not only do we offer the services listed on our website, but we are capable of so many other things. I've spent the past several years in primary care, treating men, women, and children. However, I have recognized a huge need for men's health services, and access to these services. I've also witnessed multiple instances where insurance companies do not tend to cover treatments that men are in most need of. Kind of ironic that someone (or company) who has never met you in person knows what’s best for you.

While we don't offer primary care services, we do offer a multitude of options in terms of testing and blood work, as well as different medication options for multiple conditions. Most of our services will cost you less than your cell phone bill each month, depending upon what services you wish to receive. There are never any hidden fees, and you will know what you’re paying for up front.

We aim to be a clinic that works with our patients to help them achieve their goals. We believe in a team approach, us and you… We also believe you bring your own ideas, values, and goals to the table, and want you to be an active participant in your health. We won’t upsell or recommend things we do not believe will benefit you and your health. At the end of the day, it is your choice to decide what you feel is best for you and your health. We just want to help get you where you want to be.

Give us a call, send a text, send an email, ask a question, or book and appointment today to discuss your individual health concerns and goals, and see if we may be able to help.

You can also check out our FAQs at the bottom of this page.

Is It Low T?

Men hear about it all the time……… Low testosterone. Whether you’re someone who frequents the gym or not, work an office job or construction, are young or old, chances are you’ve heard the term “low T” before. Many men have even considered that they may possibly have low testosterone. Unfortunately, many men either don’t take the necessary steps to figure out their levels, or they are told their levels are “normal”, even with a multitude of symptoms (decreased sex drive, tired all the time, decreased muscle mass and weight gain, erectile problems, and the list goes on…).

So what are “normal” testosterone levels? A recent study showed the following:

Age-specific middle tertile levels were 409-558 ng/dL (20-24 years old), 413-575 ng/dL (25-29 years old), 359-498 ng/dL (30-34 years old), 352-478 ng/dL (35-39 years old), and 350-473 ng/dL (40-44 years old).

It is also widely accepted that testosterone levels drop by 1% per year. Even with the numbers listed above, I can tell you through years of being in the healthcare field and checking these levels on men, at least 50-60% of men are not at the above levels. Even if you were within the ranges above, you may still not be an optimal level.

Do you know where your levels are? How do you feel? Do you have any symptoms of low testosterone? Curios about testosterone replacement therapy?

Schedule a consult or give us a call today to see where your levels are and if your symptoms could be related to low testosterone levels.