Common Misconceptions And Exaggerations About Men's Hormone Replacement

Men's hormone replacement has become quite popular over the past decade, helping men to feel more youthful and vibrant as they age. However, some people are turned off to the therapy because they have heard some of the following statements, all of which are either completely false or an exaggeration of the truth.

1. Men's hormone therapy uses dangerous, synthetic hormones.

The hormones typically used for male hormone replacement are bioidentical. This means that they are chemically identical to the actual testosterone your body makes. Your body cannot tell the difference between the testosterone it produces and the testosterone supplied by the supplement you take. Can these hormones still be dangerous, even though they are bioidentical? Likely, this is not a concern as long as your doctor has prescribed the hormones and believes them to be safe for you, and as long as you take the hormones as prescribed. 

2. Hormone replacement causes serious side effects.

There are some men who experience unwanted side effects when taking testosterone supplements. However, these side effects are usually minor. Usually, if you scale back the dose a little, these side effects will wane. And they are all reversible. If they are bothering you too much, you can simply stop taking the testosterone, and you can revert back to your previous state. And with all that being said, many men do not experience side effects with hormone replacement since the amounts of testosterone prescribed are generally pretty low.

3. Hormone replacement will make you look like a bodybuilder.

It is easy to see where this idea comes from. Bodybuilders and weight lifters often use testosterone to bulk up, so it may seem like taking testosterone as a hormone replacement therapy would cause you to bulk up too. However, this line of reasoning fails to take into account a difference in dosage. Bodybuilders typically take high doses of testosterone—much, much more than what men take when pursuing hormone replacement as they age. You will have an easier time putting on muscle and gaining fitness when taking testosterone for hormone replacement, but your physique will not morph into that of a bodybuilder, especially if you are not working out like a bodybuilder.

Male hormone replacement is not for everyone, so it is important to weigh the pros and cons before deciding whether to take those supplements. For more information regarding male hormone replacement, contact a doctor or clinic.