Why higher testosterone is not always a good thing
I have received several questions from men asking about how to increase or boost testosterone levels or lower estrogen, and this concerns me because many people don’t understand that this could actually be harmful.
Good sexual health is the result of good health, overall.
The human body produces approximately 50 hormones which engage with one another in complex ways, rather like players in an orchestra. If you tweak one hormone, you risk through the balance of several others off. For this reason, anyone who attempts to adjust their hormone levels without medical guidance is asking for problems.
Hormones are extremely powerful substances. Excess testosterone can cause problems with the functions of the heart and liver in men. Testosterone is an androgenic anabolic steroid.
“The adverse effects associated with anabolic-androgenic steroids are dependent on the age and sex of the user, the amount used and the duration of use.
Typical side effects of legally prescribed normal-dose anabolic steroids may include acne, fluid retention, gynecomastia (enlarged male breasts), increased red cell count and changes in cholesterol levels. Users should follow up with their prescribing clinician and take periodic blood tests to monitor for these effects. Studies of men taking physiological doses of AAS medications found no changes in aggressive behavior.
Additional side effects include hair growth, hair loss, infertility, changes in libido, decreases in HDL-cholesterol (“good” cholesterol) and increases in LDL-cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol).
In adolescents, use of anabolic steroids can permanently stunt growth… In men, use of AAS can cause shrinkage of the testicles, enlargement of the male breast tissue and sterility. Anabolic steroid use can damage the liver and can cause an increase in cholesterol levels.”
Anabolic Steroids: Facts, Effects and Health Risks
Testosterone/androgen hormone levels are used as an indicator of male health and obviously have implications for male sexual health (and in this context, more is not better if your level is already within normal limits).
If you are concerned your testosterone level is too low, or your estrogen level is too high, ask your doctor to run some blood tests. Once you know what your hormone levels are, you can take the appropriate action to maintain their balance.
More: The Side Effects of Too Much Testosterone – A Patient’s Perspective
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