Curr Opin Urol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2018 Nov 1.

Published in final edited form as:

PMCID: PMC5649360

NIHMSID: NIHMS910261

aBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

aBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

bScott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

cCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

bScott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

aBaylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

bScott Department of Urology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

cCenter for Reproductive Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX

Erectile dysfunction (ED) and decreased libido are common complaints in the older male population. Recent studies have elucidated the role testosterone therapy (TTh) can play in men with low testosterone levels. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of these findings and the utility of TTh. We specifically examine the role of TTh on erectile function, co-administration with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, and libido.

Recent publications suggest that TTh improves mild ED, though may be less useful in men with more severe ED. In men unresponsive to PDE5 inhibitors and with mild ED, TTh can further improve erectile function. Testosterone therapy has also shown consistent benefit in improving libido in men with low testosterone levels at baseline, with no additional improvements once testosterone levels are normalized.

The available literature supports a role for TTh in men with low testosterone levels, ED, and low libido, with symptomatic improvement in these men.

MeSH Keywords: Testosterone, Erectile Function, Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors, Hypogonadal men

Multiple longitudinal studies have observed that as men age, they experience a decline in total serum testosterone beginning in the third decade of life [1, 2]. By age 70, 30% of men will have low testosterone levels [2]. The symptoms of low testosterone include decreased libido, erectile dysfunction (ED), decreased energy, depressive symptoms, and fatigue [3]. These symptoms can be frustrating to men, and can be at least partially reversed with testosterone therapy (TTh). In this review, we summarize the recent literature examining the relationship between low serum testosterone levels, ED, and decreased libido.

To identify articles for this review, the following search terms were used in Medline: testosterone, testosterone replacement therapy, erectile dysfunction, and libido. Relevant and recent articles were identified and presented in this review. Articles published within the last 18 months were prioritized in this review.

ED affects 1 in 5 men, with this frequency increasing with age and the prevalence of co-morbidities [4, 5]. The National Institute of Health (NIH) defines ED as the inability to achieve or maintain an erection that is satisfactory for sexual performance [6]. Subjective erectile function can be assessed using validated questionnaire metrics including the international index of erectile function (IIEF) with the erectile function domain (IIEF-EF) being the most specific for assessing ED. The IIEF-EF consists of 6 questions that inquire about frequency and hardness of erections, ability to penetrate during intercourse, ability to maintain an erection during intercourse, ability to maintain an erection to completion of intercourse, and confidence in a mans ability to get and maintain an erection [7]. The severity of ED is then classified as mild, mild to moderate, moderate, and severe dysfunction. The IIEF-EF is often used in studies to trend changes in erectile function, with a change of 2 IIEF-EF points being clinically significant for men with mild ED. The minimal clinically important differences (MCID) for moderate and severe ED are a change of 5 and 7 IIEF-EF points, respectively [8].

Erection requires a combination of vascular, neurologic, psychologic, and hormonal factors. Erections are initiated when nitric oxide and other neuroendocrine factors induce relaxation of the smooth muscles of the cavernous arteries and tissues resulting in increased penile blood inflow. As the corpus cavernosum fills with blood, the veins that drain the corpus cavernosum are compressed, resulting in maintained turgidity [9]. This initial release of nitric oxide is mediated in part by testosterone [10]. While evaluating neurologic, vascular, and psychologic factors can be difficult during a clinical visit, a hormonal etiology of ED can easily be assessed by measuring morning serum testosterone levels. The evaluation of testosterone levels in men with ED is recommended by the European Association of Urology guidelines and is indicated in select men with ED per American Urology Association guidelines [11, 12].

Numerous studies have examined the relationship between testosterone levels and erectile function. In cross-sectional studies, men with low testosterone (defined by the US Food and Drug Administration as levels less than 300 ng/dL) have a greater prevalence of ED when compared to men with normal testosterone levels [1315]. Studies have observed that men who have been placed on androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer have a dramatic reduction in erectile function with a decrease in testosterone levels [1618]. Finally, numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have demonstrated that erectile function improves when testosterone is given to men with low testosterone levels [1924].

In the past few years, several studies have shown that testosterone levels and erectile function are positively correlated. The recently published Testosterone Trials a set of RCTs of 790 men with late onset hypogonadism randomly assigned to either testosterone gel or placebo demonstrated that after 1 year of treatment that men who used testosterone gel had an IIEF-ED score 2.64 points [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.06 4.02] greater than men who had been assigned to the placebo arm [24]. It is important to note that men enrolled in this study on average had moderate ED, and so this improvement in erectile function was not considered clinically significant.

In early 2017, Corona et al. performed meta-analysis of 14 RCTs that studied the effect of TTh on erectile function in men with late onset hypogonadism, and compared pre- and post-IIEF scores [25]. Overall, when compared to placebo, TTh provided only a modest improvement in IIEF-EF, as the mean difference between groups was 2.31 points. The mean change in IIEF-EF, however, was greater when data were stratified by baseline testosterone level. In primary studies using a testosterone threshold <8 nM (231 ng/dL), IIEF-EF increased by 2.95 points, whereas in primary studies with testosterone threshold of <12 nM (346 ng/dL), only a 1.47 point increase in IIEF-EF was observed [25]. Given that a greater improvement in erectile function was observed in studies using a lower testosterone threshold, this supports the theory that once a threshold of normal testosterone level is achieved, higher testosterone levels do not further improve erectile function [26]. This definitive study by Corona et al. also suggests that TTh may be a useful monotherapy in men with mild ED.

Numerous studies have found that phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) is upregulated in the penis by androgens [27, 28], and when animals are castrated, a decline in both penile nitric oxide and PDE5 levels are seen [2830]. These early studies support the possibility that men with low testosterone may have a relative deficiency of PDE5, resulting in lower efficacy of PDE5 inhibitors [31]. In a randomized controlled trial by Shabsigh et al., dual treatment with sildenafil and testosterone was more effective than monotherapy with sildenafil for men with testosterone levels <400 ng/dL who had previously failed a trial of PDE5 inhibitors. Men receiving both testosterone and PDE5 inhibitors had an improvement of 4.4 IIEF points from baseline to 4 weeks while those receiving monotherapy only saw an increase of 2.1 IIEF-EF points (p=0.029) [32].

While Buvat et al. observed a positive effect in hypogonadal PDE5 inhibitor non-responders, other RCTs have not observed such a positive effect. In a 2012 RCT, Spitzer et al. studied 140 men on sildenafil and then randomly assigned them to either receive testosterone or placebo gel. All men had a testosterone level <330 ng/dL or a free testosterone level <50 pg/mL. At 14 weeks, those on dual therapy had an IIEF-EF score 1.01 points higher than those receiving sildenafil plus placebo gel (p=0.36). This study demonstrates that the giving testosterone to men who respond to PDE5 inhibitors may not further improve erectile function after normalization of testosterone levels. However, there is growing evidence supporting the use of testosterone in men with low testosterone and mild ED, especially in those who were previously non-responsive to PDE5 inhibitors [33, 34].

These recent studies suggest that TTh may be most effective as monotherapy in improving erectile function in men with mild ED, but not in men with more severe ED. Early studies have shown that TTh can improve the response to PDE5 inhibitors in non-responders.

Libido, or sexual drive, is affected by a multitude of factors, including physiologic ones, such as a defect in the hypothalamic-pituitary access or depression, or environmental ones, such as marital discourse or anxiety [3, 35, 36]. Changes in libido can variably affect individuals, with a wide range of clinical presentations. Longitudinal studies have found that libido declines with increasing male age [35]. When assessing libido, many studies use the sexual desire (SD) domain of the IIEF (IIEF-SD), which asks men to two libido-related questions: Over the past 4 weeks, how often have you felt sexual desire? and Over the past 4 weeks, how would you rate your level of sexual desire? Like the IIEF-EF domain, the IIEF-SD questions can be used to diagnose mild, mild to moderate, moderate, and severe dysfunction [7]. Other studies have used their own scale, such as the Sexual Arousal, Interest and Drive scale (SAID) a validated patient reported outcomes measuring 5 scored items, including sexual thought, arousal, as well as interest and drive [37].

Several early studies have demonstrated that TTh improves libido [38, 39]. Recently, the Sexual Function sub-trial of the Testosterone Trials examined sexual desire. This placebo-controlled trial included 470 men aged 65 years or older with testosterone levels less than <275 ng/dL [24]. When assessing the impact of TTh on sexual symptoms, the authors used the Derogatis Interview for Sexual Function-Sexual Desire Domain, comprised of 25 scored items, and found that libido improved proportionately with increase in testosterone levels, with an effect size of 0.44 [95% Confidence Interval: 0.32 0.56] [40]. Interestingly however, these trials found no threshold below which libido was universally affected for all men in the study.

The results of the largest placebo-controlled multicenter trial assessing the effect of testosterone on sexual function in hypogonadal men (715 men, 18 years of age and older) were published in 2016. Brock et al. found that 60 mg of topical testosterone 2% gel applied daily resulted in a significant increase in testosterone levels as well as libido, as measured using the SAID scale after three months of treatment. The study examined a cohort of hypogonadal men with a mean age of 55. Though not placebo-controlled beyond the third month, the open label continuation of the trial for both placebo and active treatment groups showed continued improvement in sexual function at 9 months when on continuous TTh, with no new adverse events [23]. In the group initially treated with placebo, 60% of men achieved normal testosterone levels at the end of the open label study, compared to 66% of the participants on TTh for the duration of the trial. Interestingly, the group that had received placebo before the 3-month time point and later placed on the open-label TTh achieved the same libido improvements as the group that had been on TTh for the entire 9 months. This finding suggests that benefits of TTh on libido plateau after 3 months of therapy. However, the study lacked a true control arm during the open-label portion of the trial, limiting the ability to make this conclusion. Furthermore, a post hoc analysis of the trials outcomes after 3 months further revealed that a lower testosterone level at the start of treatment and higher plasma concentration achieved at the end of treatment were associated with a greater patient reported improvement in libido [41].

The Corona et al. meta-analysis also assessed the impact of TTh on libido in hypogonadal men, finding that for 1,269 men across 14 randomized, placebo-controlled trials, the IIEF-SD significantly improved (p=0.001) [25]. These findings suggest that TTh may be more effective in improving sexual desire than in improving erectile function in men with moderate or severe ED. Citing previous studies that had failed to show improvements in libido on therapy, Corona et al. highlighted that many of these studies did not specifically examine a population with low testosterone at baseline and that in eugonadal men, TTh may be less beneficial in improving libido.

While TTh can improve libido, it is not without its risks [42]. Due to the wide-spread use of testosterone-related products for seemingly age-related symptoms and the potential cardiovascular risk, the FDA has commissioned a large clinical trial to assess the safety of testosterone products [43]. A joint patient-physician decision should be made whether the potential improvement in erectile function, libido, and energy with TTh outweighs the potential side-effects in each individual patient.

Many studies have demonstrated that TTh significantly improves libido in men. Moving forward, large RCTs specifically studying older men for more than a year of treatment are needed to better determine at what testosterone thresholds men demonstrate improvements or decrements in sexual function and desire. Finally, current measures of evaluating libido are either very narrow in their scope or not validated. As such, future work should focus on more clearly defining the impact of TTh on libido.

In men with low testosterone, normalizing testosterone levels has multiple benefits, most notably improved libido and improved erectile function when used as monotherapy in men with mild ED. For the latter, TTh is especially promising in hypogonadal men with mild ED who are unresponsive to phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors. Testosterone therapy may be ineffective in men with moderate and severe ED, as the etiology for these more severe pathologies often include advanced diabetes, radical pelvic surgery, or severe neurologic damage. In these cases, a hormonal factor is often not the primary cause of dysfunction, and thus while TTh should be considered, other treatments are likely to be more effective.

Key Points

Testosterone replacement monotherapy can improve erectile function in men with mild ED, but not moderate and severe ED.

In men with low testosterone who are unresponsive to PDE5 inhibitors, normalization of testosterone levels can improve the response to PDE5 inhibitors.

Testosterone therapy improves libido in men with low testosterone.

Funding

A.W.P. is a National Institutes of Health K12 Scholar supported by a Male Reproductive Health Research Career Development Physician-Scientist Award (HD073917-01) from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Program (to Dolores J. Lamb).

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Testosterone Therapy Improves Erectile Function and Libido in ...

Some men with a deficit of sex hormones who take testosterone replacement therapy may experience a benefit that goes beyond improved sexual function.

When men have both hypogonadism and poorly controlled type 2 diabetes, testosterone replacement therapy may improve both sexual function and cognitive function, according to preliminary results of a small clinical trial presented at the Endocrine Societys annual meeting in Atlanta.

The findings are welcome news to men with diabetes and hypogonadism, since they often have a poor quality of life, said the lead study author, Preethi Mohan Rao, MD, of the University of Sheffield, England, in a statement.

Hypogonadism in men, often called low T, develops when the body doesnt produce enough testosterone. While men can be born with the condition, it can also develop later in life and cause symptoms like reduced sex drive, erectile dysfunction, depression, and difficulty concentrating, according to the Mayo Clinic. Not all men with hypogonadism have symptoms, and testosterone replacement therapy is recommended only when they do, according to the Endocrine Society.

Sexual dysfunction is a common symptom of both hypogonadism and type 2 diabetes. Men with type 2 diabetes have about twice the risk of low testosterone, according to the American Diabetes Association. Men with poorly controlled diabetes or obesity, or both, have an even greater risk of low testosterone.

For the new clinical trial, researchers randomly assigned 65 men with hypogonadism and poorly controlled type 2 diabetes to take either placebo shots or injections of testosterone replacement therapy every 12 weeks for six months. Then researchers extended the trial for an additional six months, continuing treatment for men on testosterone and starting testosterone for men in the placebo group.

Over the first six months of the trial, men who took testosterone experienced significantly bigger improvements in quality of life and a larger reduction in symptoms associated with low testosterone.

When these men continued testosterone for an additional six months, they experienced overall symptom improvements as well as increased sexual function and libido, the trial found. In addition, these men performed significantly better on delayed verbal recall tests, assessments done to detect early signs of dementia.

The trial was small, however, and more research is needed before health practitioners change treatment approaches for men with hypogonadism and type 2 diabetes.

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Testosterone May Aid Memory in Men With Uncontrolled Diabetes - Everyday Health

Looking for the best online hormone replacement therapy? If so, you have to make sure that you look carefully and patiently, as TRT can help you improve your life. Those who are experiencing issues with their manhood most of the time hide themselves because they fear judgements and conversations about it.

Just so you know, low testosterone levels affect not only the older generation but even the younger ones. There are certainties in life that may lower the testosterone level of even the younger generations.

There is no reason to feel ashamed if you experience this because it is a condition to be treated and not to neglect.

There are many clinics offering TRT, but just to set your expectations, not all of them are as good as the others. Spotting the best clinic to seek help from may not be easy, especially that you want to maintain your privacy and at the same time get the best result so you can go back to your old life, and make things better for you.

Low testosterone not only impacts your sex drive or erectile dysfunction, it also affects your mental, emotional and physical capabilities and abilities. If you have low testosterone, you are affecting not just yourself but everyone else around you.

Why would you make everyone suffer if there is a way you regulate your testosterone level?

Moving on, all the benefits of TRT cannot be achieved if in the first place, the clinic where you are at right now is not as reliable in terms of providing high quality treatment.

To help you spot on the best clinic to get this treatment from, here are some of the things you can do:

Ask around

Asking around may not be the easiest for you to do especially if you want to keep things just within yourself. But needless to say, if you have the courage to do so, might as well ask people around you, especially your family and friends.

Your family and friends are your most trusted source of information, and besides, if they know that you are struggling, for sure, they wont judge you.

This may not be the easiest to do, but if you want to get an assurance that the physician you will seek consultation from wont disappoint you, this is the best route you can take.

Read reviews online

Reading reviews online is another thing you can do if you want to spot the best TRT clinic out there. But since not all reviews online are legitimate, you have to be careful when choosing reviews to read and trust.

The reviews you must trust should be coming from either a trusted website or personality. Do not be deceived by reviews made only to market a specific clinic and not to help those who are in need of valid information about a good TRT to visit.

You may also want to join forums about TRT. Through this, you can get not only information about a specific clinic but also real life experiences of people who tried this.

Check the clinics history

Checking on the clinics history is also a good idea. Who are the doctors behind their clinics success and operations? How long have they been in the industry providing TRT service? The longer they are in the industry, the better. No clinic can last in this kind of industry unless they are providing or even exceeding what is expected from them.

Try their service

Lastly, try out their service. There is nothing more reliable than your own experience. Are you getting the result you are hoping for? Of course, you must not expect improvements after one injection, but needless to say, you must somehow feel positive changes as the treatment progresses.

Trying their service can be a bit costly especially if you made the wrong choice, so make sure that before you go through this option, you already completed your assignment and went through the ways provided above.

While with them, here are the signals that you actually made the right decision:

You can see improvements on yourself

Are you seeing and feeling improvements? Again, the result may not be abrupt, but small steps or improvements will surely go a long way. If after being with them for a long time you do not feel any positive changes, only side effects, then it is obviously time that you move out.

Sometimes, it pays to ask the clinic what you will get in case things didnt go well as planned. Some are not as comfortable asking this question, especially if they are being treated by popular, highly reputable professionals. But if you will think of it, things may happen unexpectedly, and to be on the safe side, it would be best if you know their action plans in case things didnt go as you agreed.

You can contact anyone, when necessary

If you can contact anyone from their clinic when needed or if you have questions, then you are in good hands. The availability of their office for questions and inquiries is a good indication that they are really after a satisfactory experience for their clients.

You do not feel betrayed when paying money

Do you feel happy every time you settle your payment with them? If yes, then obviously, you are in a good clinic. TRT is not as cheap, hence, paying without the feeling of regret is a clear sign that you are happy with whatever improvements you are seeing for yourself. If the other way is what you are feeling, then, it is time to move out and look for a different clinic to provide this service.

People, particularly your partner, is happy with the results

Is your partner happy with the result of your TRT? If so, then you are in good hands. Apart from yourself, it is your partner that can assess whether the treatment is doing well with you or not. If your partner is happy, then there is no reason to change clinics.

DISCLAIMER:

We may receive commissions and other revenues from this article. We are a paid partner of organizations mentioned in this article.

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How To Spot The Best Clinic For Your Hormone Replacement Therapy - My MMA News.com

Trans kids seek safety and freedom on Transgender Day of Visibility

States are passing anti-LGBTQ laws across the country, but that can't erase the past, present or future of the transgender community.

Scott L. Hall and Cody Godwin, USA TODAY

After starting hormone replacement therapy, Elliot Wade noticed a difference in his body.

It wasn't that he hated his body before he started to transition. But there was something comforting about being in a body that looked like he felt a man.

"Immediately, when I started to see the effects of testosterone, then I was much more happy with myself," he said. "I can say that my overall mental health just improved significantly."

When Wade sought hormone replacement therapy about four years ago, he was seen quickly and could start with informed consent, meaning he wouldn't have to go through months of therapy and other counseling before receiving treatment.

But others in Lafayette and Acadiana aren't always as lucky, often being told an office isn't taking new patients or being placed on a waitlist for about six months before being seen by a medical provider for hormone replacement therapy, said Louisiana Trans Advocates Board Secretary Peyton Rose Michelle.

Outside of finding providers who offer hormone replacement therapy, Michelle said it can be difficult and frustrating to find physicians and medical providers in the area who offer gender-affirming care, which treats individuals in a way that aligns their outward traits with their gender identity.

Wade socially transitioned, coming out to loved ones and telling them about his preferred pronouns and new name when he was 17. It wasn't until he was 20 that he sought hormone replacement therapy.

At first he thought he would have to move outside Louisiana to seek the care he wanted without having to jump through hoops like being diagnosed with gender dysphoria. But he found treatment at a clinic in Lafayette.

"I didn't hate myself. It didn't hurt to look at myself," the 24-year-old Black man said. "I've heard of experiences where it's horrific for (people) to look in the mirror or get out of bed in the morning.

"While I was able to go two years, that two years for somebody else? It could be torturous."

Pride in Acadiana: From Drag Queen Storytime to a celebration with a parade

But even finding basic medical care can be challenging.

"I still haven't found a general practitioner that I feel is receptive or understands or takes me seriously," Wade said. "It's also really frustrating to have to go in and educate somebody about your body or to feel like they aren't believing you."

"There aren't enough doctors that are trained to help trans people," he added. There are a lot of doctors, nurses, medical professionals that are sympathetic and want to help, but they don't really know where to start."

A 2015 U.S. Transgender Survey, the most recent survey, found about 23% of more than 27,000 respondents reported they didn't seek needed health care for fear of being mistreated as a transgender person.

Even after a trans person finds a health care provider who isn't outright transphobic, they can still be misgendered or have a provider who doesn't know the best treatment.

"There's so many barriers to access," Michelle said. "Some doctors are less educated on working with trans people. It's very common for trans people to have to educate their own providers about how to even treat them."

"Even doctor's offices that provide affirming care sometimes slip in their affirming care," she added.

Gender-affirming care involves a range of social, psychological, behavioral and medical interventions that affirm a persons gender identity when it conflicts with the gender they were assigned at birth, according to the World Health Organization.

It can include everything from hormone replacement therapy, counseling, voice coaching to physically altering surgery or any combination of care. There are no one-size-fits-all treatments for trans men, trans women, non-binary and gender-fluid people.

LGBTQ discrimination: Most LGBTQ Americans face discrimination amid wave of anti-LGBTQ bills, study says

For subscribers: Gender-affirming care helps save lives, cuts depression risk in transgender and nonbinary youth, study finds

And while Wade has found providers who offer gender-affirming care, it isnt always seamless. Wade wanted an intrauterine device, which is used as a long-term contraceptive. His gynecologist, who Wade said is receptive, wasnt sure whether the IUD would work for Wade because of his hormone treatment.

The treatment was successful but his doctor never informed him that muscle spasms that mimic contractions could be a side effect. It was something theyd never seen before.

Everything was fine except that I was suffering, Wade said. Just having that nuance in that background makes a lot of difference.

Gender-affirming health care improves mental health and the overall well-being of gender-diverse people, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"It can make it or break it for a lot of my clients," said Monet David, a licensed professional counselor in Lafayette.

It's important to David as someone who treats mental health that clients felt like they weren't being judged or like she was going to make assumptions about them.

"People don't want to have to justify who they are in a session," David said. "I don't want you to have to explain what it means to be trans. As a mental health professional, I should know about that.

"There's too many texts, too many podcasts, too many books, all this content out there that people are willingly writing. You shouldn't have to perform additional emotional labor to catch me up to speed."

Health and wellness: How doctors' assumptions about LGBTQ patients can be harmful to their health

When she first started practicing, she didn't have as much autonomy to offer affirming care. Now she does that through her paperwork, asking for pronouns and allowing people to not indicate their gender.

She advertises herself as a practitioner who offers gender-affirming care and as someone who's trained in serving the LGBTQ+ community, she said.

"In Lafayette, there's still a pretty big make up of people who are uncomfortable by that," she said. "So by choosing to be affirming, I think I'm excluding myself from a big population that is turned off by that, but it's worth it.

"That's what matters the most."

Wade has sought out health care providers who offer gender-affirming care and said it makes a difference.

"For me, it's made accessing medical care not as scary," he said.

Until that care is widespread, Wade, who also sits on the Louisiana Tras Advocates board,said people will need to advocate for themselves and do the best they can with the resources they have.

Michelle has a wishlist of things she would change about health care for gender-diverse people.

It includes intake forms that separately ask about gender and sex assigned at birth. It asks about a preferred name, pronouns and honorifics. She wants people to be able to go to their longtime primary care physicians and receive treatment and be referred to other specialties without hesitation.

"In a perfect world, you just tell your doctor what you want. and they say, 'OK, here's what you can do about it' instead of being like, 'I have no clue what that is,'" she said.

"I could go on a very long list about other things that I wish doctor's offices did to make trans people more comfortable and provide services. But they first have to provide services."

For resources about finding gender-affirming care in Louisiana, visit http://www.latransadvocates.org.

Contact Ashley White at adwhite@theadvertiser.com or on Twitter @AshleyyDi.

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Trans health care options in Louisiana exist, but are hard to come by - Daily Advertiser

The Red Factor: How Donating Blood Can Supercharge Your Health

American author Mark Twain once remarked that life would be infinitely happier if we could only be born at the age of 80 and gradually approach 18." This speaks to the sad irony that as you accumulate wisdom and experience you also lose your physical vitality to the ravages of aging.

And, as a result, mans Great Mission from the beginning of time has been to find a way to reverse this reality. Alexander the Great, who conquered most of the known world before he died around 323 B.C., may have been looking for a river that healed the ravages of age. During the 12th century A.D., a king known to Europeans as Prester John supposedly ruled a land that had a river of gold and a fountain of youth. 16th century Spanish Explorer Juan Ponce de Leon is reported to have wandered the American continent in search of the age-reversing Fountain of Youth to overcome aging.

RELATED:How You Should Work Out at Every Age

In modern times, from biohacking to stem cell research, man has never lost sight of the goal to reverse aging and optimize physical strength. Science may succeed one day, but until then, there is one way to slow down the effects of aging and it may be the best free method of all donating blood.

The thought of getting hooked up to tubes and watching part of your circulatory system ooze into a plastic bag can be daunting. However, donating blood may be one of the best free health hacks. In fact, donating blood can help you optimize your immune system and energy production while also saving lives.

For you, the first benefit is that donating a pint of blood every 60 days gives you an opportunity to get a free blood analysis to catch any problems up front prior to donating blood.

So, essentially, it is like getting a free health checkup every two months.

Once you have been cleared to donate, it is like a blood refresh.

The blood you donate forces your body to regenerate new blood cells to replace the ones you donated. Like trading in an old car for a new more updated version, the blood you donate is upgraded with newer, better performing blood cells.

During the donation process, you empty out cholesterol, triglycerides, and excess iron in your blood supply. This helps you optimize your bodys circulatory system as free radicals and lipids are removed. Like changing oil in your car, you empty out the old used oil that has been corroded and replace it with fresh oil.

As you donate, this blood regeneration process allows your body to become more optimized over time as the blood cells are replaced.

After you donate, the blood clinic then filters out the excess lipids and free radicals to retain the donated plasma with the platelets intact. Platelets are a key factor in your blood that helps your body form clots and stop bleeding. For those fighting cancer, chronic disease, or trying to recover from traumatic injuries it is critical to have a steady supply of platelets in the form of blood donation.

To stress their importance, every 15 seconds someone needs platelets. To make matters more difficult, platelets must also be used within five days of donation to be effective. According to the Red Cross, a single donation of platelets can yield several transfusable units, whereas it takes about five whole blood donations to make up a single transfusable unit of platelets.

For this reason, blood donors are sorely needed and in high demand.

Donating blood also helps those who experience blood thickening. A small percentage of the population has a condition called polycythemia vera that produces excess blood cells. This causes the circulatory system to get clogged by excess red blood cells which can create cardiovascular risk in the form of strokes, heart failure, and other related circulatory issues.

This is also common for men who are undergoing testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). One of the most common side effects is excess red blood cell production, but through blood donation that risk is minimized.

When we donate blood, our bodies produce new red blood cells to replace the ones we have lost. Red blood cells help people exhale carbon dioxide from the lungs, which is extremely important for our health, says Dr. Miles Beckett, the Co-Founder and CEO of Flossy.

Excess iron has also been thought to increase free-radical damage in the body and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and aging. Research indicates that consistent blood donation has been linked to lower risks of cancers including liver, lung, colon, and throat cancers due to the reduction in oxidative stress when iron is removed from the bloodstream.

In a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers followed 1,200 people split into two groups over four and a half years. One group reduced their iron stores via blood donations twice a year, while the second group did not make any changes. The study showed that the group of blood donors had lower iron levels and a lower risk of cancer and mortality.

Blood donation is particularly helpful for diabetics and reduces blood glucose levels. For a host of reasons, including avoiding heart complications, bodily amputation, neuropathy, blindness among other disease-related ailments, donating blood can reduce excess glucose which reduces the risk of diabetic-related ailments.

The elimination of red blood cells that are clumped together by excess glucose in a process called glycosylation lowers health risks. This bonding between blood cells is what increases the odds of stroke among diabetics, which is then reduced by donating blood and new non-bonded blood cells being produced as a replacement.

After donating blood, it is important that you drink a lot of water and stay hydrated. In the days that follow, you will need to focus on staying hydrated, with light activity and a diet focused on vegetables and protein.

To help, if you are working out heavily and want to incorporate donating blood as a health hack then cycle your workouts from low intensity to high intensity over time. This helps work with your bodys natural healing rhythm as you grow stronger, while also putting an emphasis on giving yourself time to recuperate.

If your energy is low and you feel like youre in a fog, donating blood is a good first step to reversing that.

New blood cells can optimize your energy production and help your body perform at a higher level. This will help improve your memory, problem-solving ability, workouts, and make a difference in someone elses life at the same time.

Donating blood can start to cleanse your body from the inside out. It is important to adopt better health habits to get the most out of it to make a maximum impact on your life. And to the life of others.

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The Benefits of Donating Blood - AskMen

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3 Hot Penny Stocks to Add to Your Watchlist in July

With so many penny stocks to choose from, it can be tough to know where to start. And in 2022, there is a myriad of factors that are causing major movement in the stock market. As traders, the best course of action for making money with penny stocks is to be well-informed and act fast on stocks that are moving.

When looking for penny stocks to buy, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, consider the company's financial stability. Is it making money? Are its products in demand? Does it have a solid management team? These are all important factors to look at and consider before investing.

[Read More] Looking For the Best Penny Stocks to Buy? 3 to Watch

Second, make sure to understand what news is contributing to the stock's movement. For penny stocks, even the smallest bit of news can cause a big price swing. So, it's important to be up-to-date on all the latest news surrounding a company before making a move.

Lastly, don't get caught up in the hype. Just because a penny stock is getting a lot of attention doesn't mean it's a good investment. Be sure to do your own research before buying any penny stocks. With all of this in mind, let's take a look at three penny stocks that could be worth adding to your July watchlist.

3 Penny Stocks to Add to Your July Watchlist

Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology (NASDAQ: BHAT)

On June 22nd, shares of BHAT stock managed to shoot up by over 20% at EOD. In the past month, we've seen BHAT stock fall by over 60%, which makes this recent gain even more impressive. And, during after hours, shares of BHAT stock shot up by an explosive, 85%. The major news for the company came as it announced the termination of its previously proposed shelf takedown offering.

If you're not familiar, Blue Hat is a producer and developer of AR interactive entertainment. It offers this through its wide variety of materials such as educational products, mobile games, and toys. With all of this considered, do you think that BHAT stock is worth adding to your list of penny stocks to buy or not?

Clarus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CRXT)

Another major gainer on June 22nd is CRXT stock. At EOD on the 22nd, shares of CRXT had shot up by over 18% to more than $0.42. And during after hours, we saw CRXT stock shoot up by another 1.7%. In the past few months, we've seen major bullish interest in biotech penny stocks. The most recent news from Clarus came on June 9th when the company announced that it would present new data for its Jatenzo compound. This presentation took place in Atlanta on June 11th-14th. Since then however, not much news has come from Clarus.

[Read More] Best Penny Stocks To Buy? 4 To Watch Right Now

It is worth noting that Jatenzo is the first FDA-approved oral soft gel for testosterone replacement therapy. Last month, the company also announced that it was issued a patent regarding this compound, which was good news when it came out. Since then however, it has been mostly quiet for Clarus. So, its recent movement could be due to bullishness in the stock market in the last day or two, or other reasons. But regardless, CRXT could be worth adding to your penny stocks watchlist.

Geovax Labs Inc. (NASDAQ: GOVX)

With over 4.8% in gains during trading and 6.8% in gains during after-hours respectively, GOVX is seeing heightened popularity right now. In the past month, shares of GOVX stock have fallen by around 43%. And as a result, this bullish move is an exciting one for investors to consider. The most recent news from the company came around a week ago when it announced the appointment of John W. Sharkey as its VP of Business Development.

Prior to this, it announced a $20 million offering as well as a presentation at BIO International Convention which occurred last week. The main focus for Geovax comes as the company is in Phase 2 clinical trials for its Covid-19 vaccine and immuno-oncology drug Gedeptin. With covid cases continuing to rise right now, many investors are once again focused on this sector. Considering all of that, does GOVX belong on your buy list in July or not?

Which Penny Stocks Are You Watching Right Now?

Finding penny stocks to buy can be tricky. But, with a strong consideration of what is going on in the stock market, you can make a better decision. Right now, we have to consider that news is the largest impacting factor on why penny stocks move.

[Read More] 3 Penny Stocks That Turned $1,000 Into Over $9,300 This Quarter

Because of that, understanding what is going on around the world and as it pertains to specific markets, is crucial to profitability. With this in mind, which penny stocks are you watching right now?

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Hot Penny Stocks to Buy in July? Check These 3 Out - StreetInsider.com