What is male hypogonadism (low T)? 

• Low T is when the testicles cannot generate testosterone and sperm. There are several causes, which may include (but are not limited to): undescended testicles, testicular injuries, a mumps infection, hemochromatosis, obesity, inflammatory health conditions, excessive alcohol intake, medications, and radiation/chemotherapy treatments. 

• Aging is another reason why testosterone levels can sink. The American Urological Association (AUA) has reported that low T is when “…a total testosterone level less than 300 ng/dL on early morning blood draw on two separate occasions.” 

• Low testosterone levels are widespread, and scientists are noticing that this condition is increasing among men in their early-to-late forties. 

• Clinical symptoms may include: heightened body fat, low libido, lack of concentration, depression, reduced bone density, unable to have or hold an erection, poor energy levels, lack of body hair, the formation of gynecomastia (swollen male breast tissue). 

• Unfortunately, this condition can lead to additional problems or it can exacerbate current health issues. It is heavily linked to diabetes, and can boost your risks for forming metabolic syndrome. 
• Conventional medicine and integrative medicine practitioners can test your blood samples for low T; functional medicine testing is also available to further scrutinize the root causes in your body, such as poor thyroid function. At the TFMC, DUTCH testing may be prescribed, which may not be available through Western medicine practices. This test consists of submitting dried urine samples to measure for sex hormones, metabolites, and adrenal gland hormones. 

If low T is left untreated, it could lead to cutbacks in sexual health, muscle mass, and heighten blood pressure, cholesterol, and insulin levels. It can also up your chances for developing heart disease and osteoporosis. But a customized, proactive, long-term health plan can help confront your current symptoms and promote health optimization. This may be fulfilled through functional medicine.

Suggested Reading: Addressing PCOS with Functional Medicine From Toronto 

Applying the integrative functional medicine approach to this condition

The functional medicine model implements a “whole body” approach to health care, so integrative strategies may be executed for low T issues in treatment plans. These strategies are based on your unique biology, as well as your health goals, genetics, lifestyle, etc. The following are examples of personalized tools to promote a hormonal balance: 

• Relieving nutritional deficiencies: Poor vitamin D levels have been linked to low T. Additional scientific evidence is needed, though one study showed that supplements given to middle-aged men who already lacked vitamin D led to improvements in erectile dysfunction, metabolism and testosterone levels. 
• Minimizing BPA use around the home or workplace: The chemical BPA can be found in food packaging, industrial materials and household items, and is a known endocrine disrupter. It can impact testosterone levels, too, especially if you have frequent BPA exposure in the workplace.  
• Increasing physical activity: Obesity lowers testosterone levels, so regular exercise should be practiced. In a 12-week study on men, it was shown that when you increase physical activity, it can have a “greater effect on increasing serum testosterone levels in overweight and obese men …,” confirms an article from the Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and Nutrition.

Plant-based bio-identical hormones may be prescribed, too, if you have concerns over synthetic hormone replacement therapy from conventional medicine. Bio-identical hormones are compounded to mimic hormones, including testosterone, and they may be applied as patches, capsules, etc. According to a Postgraduate Medicine report, “…these plant-based treatments may come with a lower risk of heart disease, unlike synthetic testosterone therapies.” 

Are chronic symptoms from low T preventing you from enjoying life? Please request a session with us to check out your testosterone levels. We explain our clinic details below.

Tailoring health care at the TFMC

Making healthy lifestyle decisions can be intimidating. But our approach to wellness is designed to motivate you to adhere to your health goals, helping you take an active role in your health care decisions. 

When you become a new TFMC patient, you get access to functional and integrative medicine modalities, including acupuncture, Western medicine, naturopathic medicine, bioidentical hormones/hormone optimization programs, IV therapy/NAD+ IV therapy, and other health services. Our IV drips are compounded with integrative functional medicine principles, which is how we individualize dosages for your biology. 

Here’s how to get personalized integrative medicine services from us: first, schedule your initial consultation. During this session, we start unravelling your entire health history, lifestyle factors, environmental surroundings, and discuss lab testing (i.e. blood work). Once we’ve established your health constituents, we can craft a personalized treatment plan to address your current symptoms and promote chronic disease prevention. 

Please know this: your health concerns matter – and we’re dedicated to helping you get your health on track with a custom program. By attending to your hormone imbalances, we can encourage improvements to your sexual health, digestive issues, ideal muscle mass, blood sugar balance, support weight loss and more. 

What are you waiting for? Unleash your innate potential for optimal health! Functional medicine from our Toronto clinic could foster a hormone reset. Send us a message now to schedule your first appointment! 

Disclaimer: The information in this article is designed for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. This information should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting a doctor. Consult with a health care practitioner before relying on any information in this article or on this website.

References

Barbagallo, F., Condorelli, R. A., Mongioì, L. M., Cannarella, R., Aversa, A., Calogero, A. E., & La Vignera, S. (2020). Effects of Bisphenols on Testicular Steroidogenesis. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 11, 523987. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2020.00373

Chi Chen and others, Causal Link Between Vitamin D and Total Testosterone in Men: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 104, Issue 8, August 2019, Pages 3148–3156, https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2018-01874

Harman SM. Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels in healthy men. Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2001;86:724–31.

Holtorf K. The bioidentical hormone debate: are bioidentical hormones (estradiol, estriol, and progesterone) safer or more efficacious than commonly used synthetic versions in hormone replacement therapy? Postgrad Med. 2009 Jan;121(1):73-85. doi: 10.3810/pgm.2009.01.1949. PMID: 19179815.

Krzastek SC, Smith RP. Non-testosterone management of male hypogonadism: an examination of the existing literature. Transl Androl Urol. 2020 Mar;9(Suppl 2):S160-S170. doi: 10.21037/tau.2019.11.16. PMID: 32257856; PMCID: PMC7108991.

Kumagai H, Zempo-Miyaki A, Yoshikawa T, Tsujimoto T, Tanaka K, Maeda S. Increased physical activity has a greater effect than reduced energy intake on lifestyle modification-induced increases in testosterone. J Clin Biochem Nutr. 2016 Jan;58(1):84-9. doi: 10.3164/jcbn.15-48. Epub 2015 Nov 27. PMID: 26798202; PMCID: PMC4706091.

Kumar P, Kumar N, Thakur DS, Patidar A. Male hypogonadism: Symptoms and treatment. J Adv Pharm Technol Res. 2010 Jul;1(3):297-301. doi: 10.4103/0110-5558.72420. PMID: 22247861; PMCID: PMC3255409.

Mulligan T, Frick MF, Zuraw QC, Stemhagen A, McWhirter C. Prevalence of hypogonadism in males aged at least 45 years: the HIM study. Int J Clin Pract. 2006 Jul;60(7):762-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-1241.2006.00992.x. PMID: 16846397; PMCID: PMC1569444.

Richard-Eaglin A. Male and Female Hypogonadism. Nurs Clin North Am. 2018 Sep;53(3):395-405. doi: 10.1016/j.cnur.2018.04.006. PMID: 30100005.

Salonia, A., Rastrelli, G., Hackett, G., Seminara, S. B., Huhtaniemi, I. T., Rey, R. A., Hellstrom, W. J., Palmert, M. R., Corona, G., Dohle, G. R., Khera, M., Chan, Y., & Maggi, M. (2019). Paediatric and adult-onset male hypogonadism. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 5(1), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41572-019-0087-y

Sizar O, Schwartz J. Hypogonadism. [Updated 2022 Jun 27]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532933/

Whittaker, J., & Harris, M. (2022). Low-carbohydrate diets and men’s cortisol and testosterone: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrition and Health. https://doi.org/10.1177/02601060221083079