How is Low T linked to heart disease
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One of the main problems that men face as they get older is low testosterone. Testosterone is the most important sex hormone and when men get older, their levels start to dropping. Studies show that there is a link between low testosterone and an elevated risk of heart disease. But how does low testosterone cause an elevated risk of heart disease?
What is Testosterone?
Testosterone is the male sex hormone that does more than just maintain your sex drive. Testosterone helps maintain overall health as well. Studies show that the peak time for sexual activity is during the teens and twenties. As men get older, they are less sexually active. Your body slows down the amount of testosterone that it produces which can lead to low testosterone over the course of time. Low testosterone can be a factor in the increase in fat, the loss of muscle bulk, and the hair loss with many men experience as their age progresses.
How Does this Affect My Heart?
When we consider how healthy our bodies have to be to increase the percentage of creating another life, we can see how a reduction the testosterone levels has an effect on the heart. We already know that an increase in the amount of body fat can increase your chance of getting heart disease since your heart has to work that much harder to push the blood around. One of the signs that your body is not getting the blood to circulate throughout the body correctly is a loss of hair to wherever the hair has been lost since it takes more nutrients to make the hair grow.
How Can I Treat Low Testosterone?
Many doctors will treat low testosterone with hormone replacement therapy. There have been debates on whether or not the replacement therapy actually helps the cardiovascular part of low testosterone. These studies are still ongoing but it could be that the hormone replacement therapy will not have any effect on heart disease. It is important to remember that most of the men that qualify for hormone replacement therapy have very low levels of testosterone which make it necessary for the treatment.
How Can I Raise My Testosterone Levels?
The best way to keep your testosterone levels up is to maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout your life. Eating right and exercising regularly are key to avoid many of the health related risks that are associated with old age. Many of the studies that have been completed show that men that exercise regularly are less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, especially when they have been doing more cardio based workouts.
Working out and eating right also maintains healthy levels of cholesterol in the blood. High levels of bad cholesterol have been linked to the arteries of the body hardening which can lead to damage to the muscle of the heart. This is one of the reasons that maintaining a healthy diet is so crucial to maintaining our bodies' health. Just remember that if you think that you have low testosterone levels, you need to discuss your concerns with your doctor before deciding what you are going to do to treat your lack of testosterone.
