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Vitamin B-12 – Mayo Clinic

Posted: November 21, 2022 at 12:17 am

Overview

Vitamin B-12 (cobalamin) plays an essential role in red blood cell formation, cell metabolism, nerve function and the production of DNA, the molecules inside cells that carry genetic information.

Food sources of vitamin B-12 include poultry, meat, fish and dairy products. Vitamin B-12 is also added to some foods, such as fortified breakfast cereals, and is available as an oral supplement. Vitamin B-12 injections or nasal spray might be prescribed to treat vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Vitamin B-12 deficiency is not common in the U.S. However, people who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet might be prone to deficiency because plant foods don't contain vitamin B-12. Older adults and people with digestive tract conditions that affect absorption of nutrients also are susceptible to vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Left untreated, a vitamin B-12 deficiency can lead to anemia, fatigue, muscle weakness, intestinal problems, nerve damage and mood disturbances.

The recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms.

Research on the use of vitamin B-12 for specific activities and conditions shows:

Most people get enough vitamin B-12 from a balanced diet. However, older adults, vegetarians, vegans and people who have conditions that affect their ability to absorb vitamin B-12 from foods might benefit from the use of oral supplements.

Vitamin B-12 supplements also are recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding exclusively and follow vegetarian or vegan diets.

When taken at appropriate doses, vitamin B-12 supplements are generally considered safe. While the recommended daily amount of vitamin B-12 for adults is 2.4 micrograms, higher doses have been found to be safe. Your body absorbs only as much as it needs, and any excess passes through your urine.

High doses of vitamin B-12, such as those used to treat a deficiency, might cause:

Possible interactions include:

Your doctor might recommend changing drugs or timing doses to offset any potential interactions.

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Vitamin B-12 - Mayo Clinic

How to lose weight fast: 9 scientific ways to drop fat – Medical News Today

Posted: November 21, 2022 at 12:17 am

Methods of weight loss that scientific research supports include the following:

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a pattern of eating that involves regular short-term fasts and consuming meals within a shorter time period during the day.

Several studies have indicated that short-term intermittent fasting, which is up to 24 weeks in duration, leads to weight loss in overweight individuals.

The most common intermittent fasting methods include the following:

It is best to adopt a healthy eating pattern on non-fasting days and to avoid over-eating.

If someone wants to lose weight, they should be aware of everything that they eat and drink each day. The most effective way to do this is to log every item that they consume, in either a journal or an online food tracker.

Researchers estimated in 2017 that there would be 3.7 billion health app downloads by the end of the year. Of these, apps for diet, physical activity, and weight loss were among the most popular. This is not without reason, as tracking physical activity and weight loss progress on-the-go can be an effective way of managing weight.

One study found that consistent tracking of physical activity helped with weight loss. Meanwhile, a review study found a positive correlation between weight loss and the frequency of monitoring food intake and exercise. Even a device as simple as a pedometer can be a useful weight-loss tool.

Mindful eating is a practice where people pay attention to how and where they eat food. This practice can enable people to enjoy the food they eat and maintain a healthy weight.

As most people lead busy lives, they often tend to eat quickly on the run, in the car, working at their desks, and watching TV. As a result, many people are barely aware of the food they are eating.

Techniques for mindful eating include:

Protein can regulate appetite hormones to help people feel full. This is mostly due to a decrease in the hunger hormone ghrelin and a rise in the satiety hormones peptide YY, GLP-1, and cholecystokinin.

Research on young adults has also demonstrated that the hormonal effects of eating a high-protein breakfast can last for several hours.

Good choices for a high-protein breakfast include eggs, oats, nut and seed butters, quinoa porridge, sardines, and chia seed pudding.

The Western diet is increasingly high in added sugars, and this has definite links to obesity, even when the sugar occurs in beverages rather than food.

Refined carbohydrates are heavily processed foods that no longer contain fiber and other nutrients. These include white rice, bread, and pasta.

These foods are quick to digest, and they convert to glucose rapidly.

Excess glucose enters the blood and provokes the hormone insulin, which promotes fat storage in the adipose tissue. This contributes to weight gain.

Where possible, people should swap processed and sugary foods for more healthful options. Good food swaps include:

Dietary fiber describes plant-based carbohydrates that it is not possible to digest in the small intestine, unlike sugar and starch. Including plenty of fiber in the diet can increase the feeling of fullness, potentially leading to weight loss.

Fiber-rich foods include:

One emerging area of research is focusing on the role of bacteria in the gut on weight management.

The human gut hosts a vast number and variety of microorganisms, including around 37 trillion bacteria.

Every individual has different varieties and amounts of bacteria in their gut. Some types can increase the amount of energy that the person harvests from food, leading to fat deposition and weight gain.

Some foods can increase the number of good bacteria in the gut, including:

Numerous studies have shown that getting less than 56 hours of sleep per night is associated with increased incidence of obesity. There are several reasons behind this.

Research suggests that insufficient or poor-quality sleep slows down the process in which the body converts calories to energy, called metabolism. When metabolism is less effective, the body may store unused energy as fat. In addition, poor sleep can increase the production of insulin and cortisol, which also prompt fat storage.

How long someone sleeps also affects the regulation of the appetite-controlling hormones leptin and ghrelin. Leptin sends signals of fullness to the brain.

Stress triggers the release of hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, which initially decrease the appetite as part of the bodys fight or flight response.

However, when people are under constant stress, cortisol can remain in the bloodstream for longer, which will increase their appetite and potentially lead to them eating more.

Cortisol signals the need to replenish the bodys nutritional stores from the preferred source of fuel, which is carbohydrate.

Insulin then transports the sugar from carbohydrates from the blood to the muscles and brain. If the individual does not use this sugar in fight or flight, the body will store it as fat.

Researchers found that implementing an 8-week stress-management intervention program resulted in significant reduction in the body mass index (BMI) of children and adolescents who are overweight or have obesity.

Some methods of managing stress include:

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How to lose weight fast: 9 scientific ways to drop fat - Medical News Today

Kim Kardashian Keto Gummies (Slim Candy) Is Kim Kardashian Weight Loss Gummies Scam Or Not? – The Tribune India

Posted: November 13, 2022 at 2:01 am

Kim Kardashian Keto Gummies (Slim Candy) Is Kim Kardashian Weight Loss Gummies Scam Or Not? The Tribune India

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Kim Kardashian Keto Gummies (Slim Candy) Is Kim Kardashian Weight Loss Gummies Scam Or Not? - The Tribune India

A Cornell University nutritional biochemist to lecture on the link between diet and disease – The Villages Daily Sun

Posted: November 6, 2022 at 1:59 am

A Cornell University nutritional biochemist to lecture on the link between diet and disease The Villages Daily Sun

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A Cornell University nutritional biochemist to lecture on the link between diet and disease - The Villages Daily Sun

How to Properly Give Yourself Testosterone Injections – Kingsberg Medical

Posted: November 6, 2022 at 1:03 am

It is very important that you learn where to give your testosterone injections.

Testosterone injections are intramuscular, which means that they are given into the muscles. The very vascular muscles of your arm, your thigh, or the glutes are the most common injection sites. The needles used to deliver low testosterone treatments are very thin, much like the ones diabetics use to deliver insulin. Once you learn how to give yourself your testosterone injections, you will find them easy to do, and quite painless.

Testosterone injections are intramuscular, which means that they are given into the muscles. The very vascular muscles of your arm, your thigh, or the glutes are the most common injection sites.

When done correctly, testosterone injections should not hurt. And yet many men report discomfort when giving testosterone injections. Here are a few ways to give testosterone injections and reduce the potential for pain. Where to give testosterone injections is the most important thing to consider when trying to keep testosterone injections as painless as possible. Selection of your testosterone injection site is critical to minimizing discomfort.

Testosterone injections should be given deeply into vascular muscle tissue. The deltoids, the vastus lateralis, and gluteal muscles are the most common intramuscular (IM) injection sites. Those are your arm, thigh, and buttocks respectively. Some of these sites, are more prone to pain then others. Generally speaking, the areas with more muscle and less subcutaneous fat, tend to be the least painful injection sites for testosterone. The modern needles that are manufactured today are made with extraordinary sharpness and precision that allows them to be relatively painless, as compared to the needles of the past.

However, wherever you choose to give your testosterone injections, it is best to rotate, or alternate sites every other injection or so to avoid pain, inflammation and other possible complications of your testosterone injections. Be sure to favor and select sites that have the greatest abundance of muscle.

Once you learn how to give yourself your testosterone injections, you will find them easy to do, and quite painless. Where to give testosterone injections is the most important thing to consider when trying to keep testosterone injections as painless as possible.

Other than where to give testosterone injections, the other things you need to consider for the proper administration of testosterone shots are:

Typical needle size to give testosterone injections is a gauge of between 22 and 25. Some testosterone users suggest that you should use one needle to draw the testosterone dose into the syringe, discard that needle, and then use another to give yourself the actual testosterone injection. The rationale behind this is that the tip of the needle could get blunted pushing through the stopper of the testosterone vial, and therefore possibly cause a more painful injection. There is nothing wrong with this practice, however, there is also little evidence to suggest that it is true. From a convenience standpoint, using a larger needle to draw the testosterone can be easier & faster but ultimately, the choice is yours.

If it is possible to split your testosterone injections into more frequent smaller dosages, less volume in each testosterone injection, can result in less pain.

As far as technique, to minimize pain of your testosterone injection, keep the needle straight, and the faster you inject usually means less pain.

Because there are different types of testosterone in the various brands of testosterone injections, and there is some variation on how they work, some should be massaged in after they are injected, and some should not be. Consult the literature that comes with your testosterone injection kit or ask your prescriber if your particular type of testosterone needs to be massaged in or not.

While taking your injections correctly will minimize discomfort, and maximize results, there are a few other things you need to understand about the results of testosterone injections.

Number one, testosterone injections are most successful when they are prescribed for your particular individual needs, lifestyle and metabolism. As such, that means that no two testosterone therapy patients will have an identical experience. Your results will be tailored to meet your unique goals and lifestyle.

The other thing you need to understand about testosterone therapy is that while you will see results, you will not suddenly have the physique of Superman after your first injection. The whole reason why testosterone injections are to be taken over the course of a few months, is that their effects are cumulative, and take time to be achieved. Be patient, you will see the benefits of testosterone therapy soon!

You will not see overnight results from your testosterone injections. Your prescription for testosterone therapy will be designed for your body to react to the increases in testosterone slowly over time. However, the benefits of testosterone injections will basically impact 4 major areas of your life:

Each of these areas will improve after you have been taking testosterone injections for a while.

Again, since testosterone therapy is prescribed on a very individualized basis, results do vary. However, many patients say they start to see improvements in strength and energy in as little as two weeks. Many patients notice emotional or mood changes earlier than major physical changes. In as little as 3 to 4 weeks of taking testosterone injections as prescribed, patients report feeling more calm, less anxious, less depressed and less irritable.

Here is a month by month breakdown of the benefits you can expect from correctly given testosterone injections.

Month One After about one month to six weeks of taking testosterone injections you will experience significant increases in vitality and energy. You should also start to see:

Month Two After completing two months on testosterone injections, your ability to focus and concentrate will be greatly improved. As you enter the second month of T-therapy this is when you will really start to notice a before and after look in your mirror. Belly fat will be significantly reduced and you will appear more toned. In addition, after two months of testosterone therapy you should expect to see:

Three to Four Months As you enter your third and fourth month of taking testosterone injections, in addition to continued improvements in strength, vitality and sexual performance, you can expect the following additional benefits of testosterone:

Five to Six Months Once you are close to completing your first course of testosterone therapy, in months 5 and 6, you will start to experience all of the many positive benefits listed above, of testosterone replacement therapy, and an overall improved quality of life.

If you follow the tips and techniques stated above of how and where to take testosterone injections, they should be relatively painless, and risk free.

Like any kind of therapy or medical treatment, however, testosterone therapy does have some potential side effects. In 2013, published studies in Jama and PloSone 2014 raised concern about risk of CVD. These studies resulted in much fear and a reduction in testosterone usage. The concern then centered around the increased central obesity, diabetes, loss of muscle mass and osteoporosis with the sudden cessation of testosterone therapy. Since then, further meta-analysis supported by the NIH found no increase in Stroke and Cardiovascular Disease (JAMA 2018). The many positive benefits you will get from testosterone therapy far outweigh any potential risks.

If you have been diagnosed with low testosterone, and do not begin taking your testosterone injections as prescribed, your testosterone will only continue to decline, and your symptoms to worsen.

On the other hand, if you work with your doctor to achieve the many positive and lasting benefits of testosterone therapy, you will have made a good decision!

What you can expect from testosterone therapy is:

If you need testosterone therapy, and you do not take your testosterone injections, all you can expect is a life filled with more weakness and depression.

Any doctor can prescribe and tell you how to take testosterone injections. But, if you want to achieve the maximum results of testosterone replacement therapy, your best bet is to work with a skilled and experienced testosterone doctor. If you want to get the most you can from taking your testosterone injections, you want to work with a specialist who has a proven track record in administering hormone replacement therapies for men.

At our treatment centers, our doctors and staff are dedicated professionals with years of experience in treating the problems of age-related hormone decline. Your testosterone therapy will be tailor-made to suit your individual needs and wellness goals. At our clinics, you will always be treated as an individual, and never like just another number on a prescription pad. When we get to know you as a person, we can prescribe the best testosterone therapy for you, and you will be able to count on significant before and after results.

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How to Properly Give Yourself Testosterone Injections - Kingsberg Medical

What blood tests are used to determine your testosterone levels?

Posted: November 6, 2022 at 1:03 am

Testosterone is the most important male hormone. Womens bodies also make and need testosterone. Which means that both men and women can and do suffer from low testosterone, a condition also known as Low-T.

Both men and women produce less testosterone the older they get. In some people, age-related testosterone decline is well-tolerated. In others, it can lead to the many debilitating systems of low testosterone.

If you are a man or woman over 40, and are feeling sluggish, worn-out, putting on weight, having cognitive difficulties, and/or are putting on weight you may be suffering from low testosterone.

The only way to know for sure is to have you testosterone levels checked. The most accurate way to determine your testosterone levels is with a simple blood test.

The so-called normal testosterone levels for men and women changes as you age. Also, depending on age, weight, overall fitness and lifestyle, what is considered a normal testosterone level for one man, could be low for another. However that having all been said, the normal range of testosterone levels for adult men is from about 270 to 1070 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dL).

The normal range for women of age 19 and up, is from 8 to 60 ng/dL.

The following graphic illustrates the decline in testosterone levels in men as they age.

It is important that men and women both learn to identify the signs of low testosterone.

The signs & symptoms of Low T may include:

What is considered to be the normal testosterone level for men and women changes as you age.

If your doctor suspects that you have low testosterone, he or she will most likely run a blood test that tests for your total testosterone. The normal testosterone ranges mentioned above are based on your total testosterone level. Most of the testosterone in your bloodstream is what is known as bound testosterone, and a smaller percentage exists in the blood stream as free testosterone. Total testosterone refers to all of the testosterone in your blood at a given time.

The following chart illustrates the normal total testosterone levels for men and women by Tanner Stage and age. The Tanner Scale breaks down the observable signs of puberty into 5 stages, running from Stage I from about age 10 to Stage V at 15 for boys, and about age 8 to 15 for girls.

Tanner Stage

Male Testosterone (ng/dL)

FemaleTestosterone (ng/dL)

III

65778

180763

188882

538

Adult Male

Adult Female

18 y: 264-916

20 to 49 y: 848

> 49 y: 341

Source: LabCorp

By way of comparison, the following chart gives the so-called normal testosterone levels by another quality testing lab Quest Diagnostics. Quest does not use the Tanner Scale, but rather indicates the normal ranges for males and females by age.

However, by comparing to the chart above, you can see how the normal ranges differ.

This all speaks to just how complex determining what a normal total testosterone level in adults is, and is exactly why we do not look at your age and gender alone, and decide what should be the normal range, rather we take everything into account your age, gender, diet, symptoms, and lifestyle to determine what should be the normal range for you. Once we determine what your unique optimal level is, we can tailor treatments that will get you in that zone, so you can perform at your personal best, regardless of your age.

1-5 Years

6 7 Years

8 10 Years

11 Years

260

12-13 Years

420

14-17.9 Years

1000

18 Years

250 1100

2 45

Source: Quest Diagnostics

Most of the testosterone in your blood attaches to 2 proteins: albumin and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Some testosterone is not attached to proteins, or free. Free testosterone and albumin-bound testosterone are also referred to as bioavailable testosterone. This is the testosterone that is easily used by your body.

If your healthcare provider thinks that you have low or high testosterone, he or she will first test total testosterone levels as above. This looks at all 3 types of testosterone. The free testosterone test may help give more information when total testosterone is low.

As with the total testosterone levels described above, your levels of free testosterone will vary due to age.

The following table illustrates the range of normal free testosterone for men and women by age.

Gender/Age (y)

Range (pg/mL)

Male

0 to 19

Not established

20 to 29

9.326.5

30 to 39

8.725.1

40 to 49

6.821.5

50 to 59

7.224.0

6.618.1

Female

0 to 19

Not established

0.04.2

Source: LabCorp

When we are testing for and diagnosing someone with low testosterone, it is always our goal to find what it the optimal or normal range for their individual needs, goals and lifestyle. As you can see from the charts above, even a respected testing lab such as LabCorp can say that for a 60 year old man, a level of 6.6 pg/mL of free testosterone can be normal, and yet our doctors know that we see patients in that range that feel far from normal. Over the years of treating a variety of men between the ages of 35 and 65 with the symptoms of low testosterone, our doctors have discovered what we believe to be the optimal and not necessarily the normal level of free testosterone in the blood. We strive to get most patients regardless of age into a range of from 20 25 pg/mL, and find that most men can enjoy a great quality of life, free from the symptoms of low testosterone at that level.

Most of the testosterone in your bloodstream is what is known as bound testosterone, and a smaller percentage exists in the blood stream as free testosterone.

There is no special preparation required for either a total testosterone test, or a free testosterone test, however you may be asked to refrain from taking supplements of Biotin(also known as vitamin B7, B8,vitamin H, or coenzyme R), for 72 hrs prior to taking the test.

If the results of your testosterone blood tests indicate that your testosterone levels are below the normal ranges for your age, weight and gender, you may be a candidate for testosterone replacement therapy.

If the results of your testosterone testing indicate that you have Low-T, depending on your presenting symptoms and medical history, your doctor may prescribe testosterone injections. While testosterone therapy can be given in other forms, our doctors have found that testosterone injections are the safest and most effective form of testosterone therapy.

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What blood tests are used to determine your testosterone levels?

Men’s Clinic in Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma Men’s Clinic

Posted: November 6, 2022 at 1:03 am

At Oklahoma Mens Clinic (OMC), we intimately understand that it takes Two to Tango. We offer Sexual Wellness solutions for Men and the Women who love them.

When intimacy isnt working, relationships can be impacted simply because it can be a tough topic to even admit to yourself, let alone accept or discuss. But you dont need to wait another night; you can end the frustration, for good. We have developed several uniquely effective medical therapies for erectile dysfunction for men and libido enhancement for women, getting you both back on the dance floor.

For Men: Ask for the free TriMed Test Dose (99.7% effective) and your partner can try the libido stimulation medication Awaken at the same time on the same dayfor Free. You will see TriMed actually work in the clinic thenjust add our special female libido energizer and Ole! We can get you two clicking in no time!

We specialize in Mens Sexual Wellness, but that would not be complete if we didnt focus on Female Sexual Wellness to help everyone in the bedroom. We routinely treat couples and offer her exam, lab testing and test dose of Awaken for FREE when she accompanies her man to the clinic. So, go ahead take a free ride and let your doctor know how it went!

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Men's Clinic in Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma Men's Clinic

Possible Side Effects of Testosterone Injections – Common & Less Common

Posted: November 6, 2022 at 1:03 am

Testosterone Injections Side Effects

Women and men are prescribed testosterone therapy to combat the symptoms of Low T, and the concern about cream and injectable testosterone side effects is very real, although relatively rare when doctors instructions for the use of this medication are followed. The risk is greater in men, who are most likely going to be using an injectable form of bioidentical testosterone than for women, who are typically prescribed treatment in the form of a cream.

The most common testosterone injection side effects for men are:

Women may experience the following testosterone therapy side effects:

Please note that all of these potential side effects are rare and are readily reversible by contacting the prescribing doctor at once to notify of these changes and receive a lowering of the dosage to administer.

Adults who are prescribed testosterone therapy following blood analysis for Low T will be given an exact dosage and treatment schedule to follow. The HRT hormone replacement therapy specialist who has provided this authorization will use careful calculations to determine the proper dosage to avoid any adverse testosterone injections side effects or overdose.

In the rare situation where a person does have a reaction due to administering too much testosterone, the following warning signs will require immediate emergency help:

Some of the testosterone side effects that will be shown here are for other types of testosterone besides injections. The overall consensus is that the majority of side effects associated with the use of testosterone replacement therapy are due to the body getting used to an increase in the amount of testosterone in the bloodstream. These effects often subside within a few weeks after beginning therapy for Low T.

Contact your prescribing physician if any of these side effects occur. A lowering of the dosage and gradual increase may be suggested.

Overall side effects of testosterone therapy include:

More common

Less common

The risk of these symptoms is extremely small when testosterone therapy has been prescribed by a specialist following careful blood analysis.

The best way to minimize or avoid the risk of side effects of testosterone injections in males or adverse reactions from the cream for women is to work with a physician who is a hormone replacement therapy specialist. In this way, the proper dosage can be carefully prescribed.

It is essential to follow all directions exactly as prescribed in order to avoid accidental overdose. The doctor may prescribe anastrozole or HCG along with testosterone therapy for men. If so, the instructions for the use of these medications should also be adhered to at all times.

It is imperative to follow-up with the doctor if any adverse signs are detected in order to avoid undue side effects from occurring.

Here at National HRT, our doctors and entire professional staff work closely with each person to ensure that the desired results are being achieved while minimizing any risk associated with testosterone injection side effects.

Please complete the form on this page to request a call from a medical advisor at our national clinic, or call us direct at the number provided. We are happy to offer complimentary consultations and answers to any applicable questions.

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Possible Side Effects of Testosterone Injections - Common & Less Common

Testosterone What It Does And Doesn’t Do – Harvard Health

Posted: October 28, 2022 at 2:06 am

When you think of testosterone, what comes to mind? Macho men? Aggressive, impatient, type A behavior? Road rage? Violence?

Testosterone's role in bad behavior is largely a myth. What's more, testosterone plays other important roles in health and disease that may surprise you. For example, did you know that testosterone is a key player in prostate cancer? Or, that women need testosterone, too? There's more to testosterone than guys behaving badly.

Testosterone is the major sex hormone in males and plays a number of important roles, such as:

Adolescent boys with too little testosterone may not experience normal masculinization. For example, the genitals may not enlarge, facial and body hair may be scant and the voice may not deepen normally.

Testosterone may also help maintain normal mood. There may be other important functions of this hormone that have not yet been discovered.

Signals sent from the brain to the pituitary gland at the base of the brain control the production of testosterone in men. The pituitary gland then relays signals to the testes to produce testosterone. A "feedback loop" closely regulates the amount of hormone in the blood. When testosterone levels rise too high, the brain sends signals to the pituitary to reduce production.

If you thought testosterone was only important in men, you'd be mistaken. Testosterone is produced in the ovaries and adrenal gland. It's one of several androgens (male sex hormones) in females. These hormones are thought to have important effects on:

The proper balance between testosterone (along with other androgens) and estrogen is important for the ovaries to work normally. While the specifics are uncertain, it's possible that androgens also play an important role in normal brain function (including mood, sex drive and cognitive function).

Testosterone is synthesized in the body from cholesterol. But having high cholesterol doesn't mean your testosterone will be high. Testosterone levels are too carefully controlled by the pituitary gland in the brain for that to occur.

Having too much naturally-occurring testosterone is not a common problem among men. That may surprise you given what people might consider obvious evidence of testosterone excess: road rage, fighting among fathers at Little League games and sexual promiscuity.

Part of this may be due to the difficulty defining "normal" testosterone levels and "normal" behavior. Blood levels of testosterone vary dramatically over time and even during the course of a day. In addition, what may seem like a symptom of testosterone excess (see below) may actually be unrelated to this hormone.

In fact, most of what we know about abnormally high testosterone levels in men comes from athletes who use anabolic steroids, testosterone or related hormones to increase muscle mass and athletic performance.

Problems associated with abnormally high testosterone levels in men include:

Among women, perhaps the most common cause of a high testosterone level is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This disease is common. It affects 6% to 10% of premenopausal women.

The ovaries of women with PCOS contain multiple cysts. Symptoms include irregular periods, reduced fertility, excess or coarse hair on the face, extremities, trunk and pubic area, male-pattern baldness, darkened, thick skin, weight gain, depression and anxiety. One treatment available for many of these problems is spironolactone, a diuretic (water pill) that blocks the action of male sex hormones.

Women with high testosterone levels, due to either disease or drug use, may experience a decrease in breast size and deepening of the voice, in addition to many of the problems men may have.

In recent years, researchers (and pharmaceutical companies) have focused on the effects of testosterone deficiency, especially among men. In fact, as men age, testosterone levels drop very gradually, about 1% to 2% each year unlike the relatively rapid drop in estrogen that causes menopause. The testes produces less testosterone, there are fewer signals from the pituitary telling the testes to make testosterone, and a protein (called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) increases with age. All of this reduces the active (free) form of testosterone in the body. More than a third of men over age 45 may have reduced levels of testosterone than might be considered normal (though, as mentioned, defining optimal levels of testosterone is tricky and somewhat controversial).

Symptoms of testosterone deficiency in adult men include:

Some men who have a testosterone deficiency have symptoms or conditions related to their low testosterone that will improve when they take testosterone replacement. For example, a man with osteoporosis and low testosterone can increase bone strength and reduce his fracture risk with testosterone replacement.

As surprising as it may be, women can also be bothered by symptoms of testosterone deficiency. For example, disease in the pituitary gland may lead to reduced testosterone production from the adrenal glands disease. They may experience low libido, reduced bone strength, poor concentration or depression.

There are times when low testosterone is not such a bad thing. The most common example is probably prostate cancer. Testosterone may stimulate the prostate gland and prostate cancer to grow. That's why medications that lower testosterone levels (for example, leuprolide) and castration are common treatments for men with prostate cancer. Men taking testosterone replacement must be carefully monitored for prostate cancer. Although testosterone may make prostate cancer grow, it is not clear that testosterone treatment actually causes cancer.

Men can experience a drop in testosterone due to conditions or diseases affecting the:

Genetic diseases, such as Klinefelter syndrome (in which a man has an extra x-chromosome) and hemochromatosis (in which an abnormal gene causes excessive iron to accumulate throughout the body, including the pituitary gland) can also affect testosterone.

Women may have a testosterone deficiency due to diseases of the pituitary, hypothalamus or adrenal glands, in addition to removal of the ovaries. Estrogen therapy increases sex hormone binding globulin and, like aging men, this reduces the amount of free, active testosterone in the body.

Currently, testosterone therapy is approved primarily for the treatment of delayed male puberty, low production of testosterone (whether due to failure of the testes, pituitary or hypothalamus function) and certain inoperable female breast cancers.

However, it is quite possible that testosterone treatment can improve symptoms in men with significantly low levels of active (free) testosterone, such as:

However, many men with normal testosterone levels have similar symptoms so a direct connection between testosterone levels and symptoms is not always clear. As a result, there is some controversy about which men should be treated with supplemental testosterone.

Testosterone therapy may make sense for women who have low testosterone levelsand symptoms that might be due to testosterone deficiency. (It's not clear if low levelswithout symptoms are meaningful; treatment risks may outweigh benefits.) However, the wisdom and effectiveness of testosterone treatment to improve sexual function or cognitive function among postmenopausal women is unclear.

People with normal testosterone levels are sometimes treated with testosterone at the recommendation of their doctors or they obtain the medication on their own. Some have recommended it as a "remedy" for aging. For example, a study from Harvard Medical School in 2003 found that even among men who started out with normal testosterone results noted loss of fat, increased muscle mass, better mood, and less anxiety when receiving testosterone therapy. Similar observations have been noted among women. However, the risks and side effects of taking testosterone when the body is already making enough still discourages widespread use.

Testosterone is so much more than its reputation would suggest. Men and women need the proper amount of testosterone to develop and function normally. However, the optimal amount of testosterone is far from clear.

Checking testosterone levels is as easy as having a blood test. The difficult part is interpreting the result. Levels vary over the course of the day. A single low level may be meaningless in the absence of symptoms, especially if it was normal at another time. We need more research to know when to measure testosterone, how best to respond to the results and when it's worthwhile to accept the risks of treatment.

Image: Zerbor/Dreamstime

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Testosterone What It Does And Doesn't Do - Harvard Health