Testosterone decreases in men as they get older. That’s just how nature takes its course. No matter how fit or healthy the man, his ability to perform at peak levels will decline with age.
Fighting back with hormone supplement gels, creams, or injections has become an increasingly popular way to boost mental sharpness, increase energy, and restore sexual function.
“This can be true in some cases, until you consider that testosterone may also increase risk of cardiovascular problems, including hart attack, stroke, and death from heart disease, and these risks are more pronounced the older men are,” says Dr. Kara Fitzgerald in Younger You: Reduce Your Bio Age and Live Longer, Better. “Some men who take testosterone also experience acne, irregular breathing while sleeping, and a tendency toward high red blood cell counts, which can increase the risk of clotting. Also, once you supplement with testosterone, the body stops producing it, making it hard to wean off.”
Fitzgerald points out that a recent study of over three thousand men found that older men with midrange testosterone tend to live longer and experience fewer bone fractures.
Lifestyle factors like getting eight hours of sleep, correcting any nutritional deficiencies like a low level of vitamin D, cutting out smoking, decreasing stress, and losing excess weight have all been proven effective at restoring testosterone to its natural baseline.