Feeling Old Far Too Early—Low Testosterone and Premature Aging
Nobody likes feeling rundown and brittle, and it’s especially unpleasant when we’re not old enough to feel that way. Premature aging, our body wearing out and our spirit inexplicably low before their time, is often a fact of life for those suffering from untreated low testosterone.
Let’s lay out some facts to start off:
Your body must repair itself from the damage done by everyday living, and such a renewal requires the generation of new, healthy bone and muscle tissue.
This critical reaction to deterioration is triggered by your hormonal system, of which testosterone is a major contributor.
If your testosterone levels are chronically low, your body will have difficulty keeping up with the demands you place on it and slide into disrepair, even though you’re still relatively young.
Premature Aging: Weakness and Muscle Deterioration
Testosterone plays a role in maintaining healthy body composition, including the generation of skeletal muscle mass and reducing the production of body fat.
Without the key ingredients (that include testosterone), your body will be unable to produce the same amount of proteins your body needs to maintain the muscle mass normal to a man not yet of advanced age. Along with a lack of exercise and poor nutrition, you have the perfect recipe for sarcopenia—usually an age-related progressive atrophy of muscle mass and strength that results in muscle weakness.
To put that more simply:
If your body lacks sufficient testosterone to trigger and fuel the production of muscle, the muscle deteriorates as it would in a much older man.
Wearing Out Too Early: Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, is chronic pain caused by joint damage due to excessive repetitive stress. The shock-absorbing cartilage that cushions the ends of the bones that form your joints is worn away or degenerates over time. Once damage occurs to the bones themselves, this condition is likely irreversible.
This wear and tear on your joints is often caused by or exacerbated by carrying around excess weight that puts added stress on the cartilage and bone as you go about your daily activities.
Since weight control and keeping the production of fat tissue under control is one of testosterone’s primary functions, it’s easy to see the association between Low T and osteoarthritis—insufficient testosterone levels lead to weight gain, increased weight wears your joints down, and chronic low testosterone hinders the regeneration of the damaged shock-absorbing tissue.
Learn more about Low T and your joints here.
Brittle Bones: Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is the loss of bone mass and density that leads to a weakening of the skeletal structure and an increased state of bone fragility and fractures.
During adolescence, when our bodies were still growing, new bone tissue was generated at a faster rate than old bone was worn away, resulting in smaller young bodies becoming larger, adult bodies.
The steady balance between using up bone tissue and producing new tissue to replace it normally peaks at about 30 years of age, and our bodies very slowly begin to produce less new bone as we age. At around 60, men may begin experiencing a more rapid loss of bone tissue due to the hormonal fluctuation and reduced ability to absorb calcium, one of the essential nutrients for bone health. This can also happen prematurely if estrogen levels are too low, a problem often associated with Low T.
Osteoporosis sets in when bone loss far exceeds bone tissue production, resulting in porous bones—a severe weakening of the skeletal structure.
Combined with arthritis and the muscle-wasting effects of sarcopenia, the overall increased frailty associated with low testosterone can result in falls and fractures, which are injuries more commonly experienced by the elderly. As you can see, this state is the very definition of premature aging.
The Loss of Energy and Low Mood
There’s also an emotional component to premature aging:
- Fatigue
- Low mood or mild depression
These common symptoms of Low T affect our energy levels and our sense of joy and satisfaction with our daily lives, causing us to struggle through life while feeling much older than we should.
If chronic Low T is diagnosed, restoration and maintenance of normal, healthy testosterone levels through TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) could be just what you need to get your A game back where it should be.
For example, a recent study found that men who received TRT for 1 year experienced significant increases in both volumetric bone mineral density and estimated bone strength, particularly in the spine. You’ll also likely find that your weight is more easily controlled, reducing the stress and damage inflicted on your joints.
Fighting Premature Aging Associated With Low Testosterone—TRT Could Be the Answer
Although a miraculous overnight transformation probably would be unrealistic, medical science shows that the physical health benefits of TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) are real. Over time, as your body stops working against you, it’s entirely possible that you’ll discover your overall health on an upward trajectory.
TRT is the most effective way to restore and then maintain healthy testosterone levels for men who are chronically deficient and at risk for numerous health complications, including premature aging and frailty.
