Imbalanced hormones don’t just affect women. Know the signs of Andropause.
The office of Leigh Ann Scott, M.D. offers bioidentical hormones for men as well as for women. It’s more common to associate hormone replacement therapy with women, especially because women’s hormone levels fluctuate and wane so significantly as they enter the menopausal years. However, men have their own version of menopause, but it’s called Andropause.
The word Andropause originates from the Greek words “andras,” meaning human male and “pause,” meaning “cessation” and is a syndrome associated with a decrease in sexual satisfaction or decline of a general sense of well-being associated with low testosterone levels of men.
Whereas women’s symptoms can come on more suddenly as they transition out of the childbearing years, men’s symptoms tend to be more gradual. Because of this, most men don’t think of themselves as possibly having hormonal imbalances. Instead, they may just think the way they feel is a natural part of aging and not realize that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy can help them to feel more youthful again and keep them healthy!
If hormones for men are optimally balanced, you should be sleeping well, have energy, a strong immune system, a strong sex drive, and a healthy zest for life. If you are not experiencing these feelings of vitality, imbalanced or insufficient hormone production is often the cause.
Symptoms of Andropause include:
- Loss of muscle mass
- Increase and redistribution of fat (more around the abdomen)
- Lowered sex drive
- Difficulty getting or maintaining an erection
- Decrease in motivation
- Decreased bone density
- Decrease or loss of self-confidence
- Difficulty remembering things or trouble concentrating
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Difficulty sleeping
- Joint aches
- Poor tolerance for exercise
Causes of Andropause
Aging isn’t the only cause of Andropause. Other endocrine imbalances can contribute too. While testosterone is the most important and predominant sex hormone, its production depends on an array of other hormones and their function too. Other common things that can cause or accelerate testosterone insufficiencies include:
Poor health or illness- Age
- Obesity
- Alcohol in excess
- Some medications
- Thyroid imbalances
- Sleep apnea
- Insulin resistance
- Estrogen imbalance (men make estrogen too)
- Poor diet
- High inflammation levels
- High lipid levels
- Lack of exercise/sedentary lifestyle
- Stress
Stress can be mental, physical and/or emotional. For example, a poor diet can stress the body. You may not feel it at first but over months or years, your body and mind will slowly start to decline which can lead to a weakened immune system and being more vulnerable to disease and premature aging.
Low levels of testosterone can in turn increase risk factors for metabolic syndrome, obesity, insulin resistance, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular disease. Testosterone deficiency and imbalanced hormones for men is also associated with an increased risk factor of death within 20 years, independent of other risk factors and preexisting disease.
Bioidentical Hormones for Men and Anti-Aging Services
The proper way to address Andropause is through an integrated, personalized, comprehensive and regularly monitored program. Our treatment protocol incorporates laboratory testing, provider consultation, comprehensive health assessment, medically proven supplements, and professionally compounded bioidentical hormones tailored for your individual needs.
We want you to be healthy and maintain the optimal balance of all hormones necessary to ensure that your overall wellness is the best it can possibly be. Our program relies on the expertise of our providers. They will use their medical knowledge and experience to help you make the best decisions regarding diet, exercise, stress management, pharmaceutical grade supplements and hormones for men, as you work to achieve optimum physical and mental health, so that you can lead the active and productive lifestyle that you desire!
Please note that we do not prescribe “off label” testosterone therapy for men whose testosterone levels are normal but are wanting to only promote increased muscle mass. Dangers and side effects of this type of treatment can lead to decreased natural level of testosterone production as well as other side effects.
Benefits of Bioidentical Hormones for Men
- Increased energy
- Restored and/or increased libido
- Increased muscle mass/less fat
- Improved sleep
- Improved memory and cognitive function
- Improved skin appearance
- Disease prevention
- Improved ability to lose abdominal fat
Hormones for Men: Lab Testing
Restoring hormones for men into proper balance has many positive health benefits. Dr. Scott and her nurse practitioners offer extensive laboratory testing to specifically identify which hormones might need balancing. This testing also looks at other health markers which provide a whole-body approach so that optimal hormone balance can be achieved and any underlying issues can be addressed. Our providers will prescribe bioidentical hormones for men that are produced to exacting standards in qualified compounding pharmacies. These products are designed to mirror the hormones produced by the body. Your lab panel will test levels of the following:
PSA – Prostate-specific antigen test- CBC – Complete blood panel
- CMP – Comprehensive metabolic panel
- CRP, Cardiac
- DHEA-Sulfate
- Estradiol
- Ferritin
- Sex hormone-binding globulin, serum
- Testosterone Free, Serum with Total Testosterone
- TSH – Thyroid
- Free T3 – Thyroid
- Reverse T3 – Thyroid
- Thyroid Peroxidase (TPO) – Thyroid
- Thyroglobulin antibodies – Thyroid
- FSH
- Hemoglobin A1C
- Homocysteine
- Insulin
- Lutenizing hormone
- Lipid panel
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B12 and Folate
- Vitamin D3
Based on your health concerns, other tests may be added. We understand that hormone balance is part of whole body balance and in order to achieve optimal health, all systems need to be operating correctly. Hormones are chemical messengers that affect just about every physiological process in the body. They also work synergistically with each other, so if one hormone is out of balance, it is likely that others may be too.
Our providers at Dr. Scott’s offic also offer nutritional counseling and discussions regarding sleep and stress management. We understand that an integrative approach to balancing hormones for men coupled with improved overall health is the key to success of this program and the health of our patients.
Wellness For Men
We all age. But the effects of aging can be counterbalanced with the right tools and lifestyle changes. With the assistance of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and proper nutrition, we work with you to sustain a lifestyle of wellness catered to your individual needs. The following supplements may be recommend to help you achieve optimal health and wellness in addition to hormones for men. Supplements are an optional part of our program:
- Multivitamin – The average diet can be lacking in complete nutrition due to eating processed foods, nutrient poor foods, and nutrient-depleting preparation methods. Combine these with the toll of lifestyle stress and oxidizing chemicals found in foods and the environment, it becomes essential to ensure a comprehensive foundation of nutrition for your body.
- Vitamin D3 – The role of Vitamin D in good health continues to expand as the knowledge of this vitamin’s effects on different body systems grows. Research indicates that optimal serum levels of Vitamin D support immune function, cardiovascular health, mood, bone and dental health, as well as neurologic and cognitive health.
- Vitamin B Complex – Supports adrenal and neurological functions. This product features activated forms of vitamins B2, B6, and B12.
- CoQ10 – This plays a major role in energy production and antioxidant protection in the body. It supports health and functioning of the cardiovascular system as well as that of the neuromuscular and central nervous systems.
- NiaVasc – (Niacin) is one of the most studied and documented nutrients for support of lipid levels, especially high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. Sustained release Niacin, as found in NiaVasc, has a lesser flushing effect compared with instant release Niacin.
- Omega Fish Oils – This supplement has been proven to support cardiovascular health, joint tissue, as well as brain and nervous system function. Additionally, it aids in keeping inflammation levels down.
- Magnesium – This is the fourth most abundant mineral in the human body and plays a role in over 300 metabolic processes. It aids in the development and maintenance of bones and teeth, the metabolism of carbs, blood glucose, fats, proteins along with the formation of cells and tissues, and the maintenance of muscle function to include the cardiac muscle. Magnesium provides great symptom relief for leg cramps, constipation, and anxiety.
We use pharmaceutical grade supplements to ensure quality and optimal absorption. You can purchase your supplements from any source however you are not always guaranteed the same level of quality when your purchase from the general marketplace. We are not suggesting that such products have no value; however, given the lack of stringent testing requirements for dietary supplements, product quality varies widely.
The Gut Health Connection to Hormones for Men
More and more studies are showing how important gut health is to overall health. It is estimated that 70% – 80% of the immune system’s strength is linked to the health of the gut microbiome. When you have a strong immune system, it doesn’t just protect you against acute conditions such as the flu. It also protects you from autoimmune conditions, chronic diseases, and even cancer and cardiovascular risk. Studies have also shown that gut health has a direct effect on how the endocrine system functions.
If the microbiome is out of balance, your hormones will not completely return to a state of homeostasis even with bioidentical hormone balancing.
Balancing the beneficial microbial flora in the gut is key to digestion, nutrient usage, and ridding the body of waste and pathogens. Keeping the beneficial and harmful bacteria balanced in your GI tract can rid you of conditions such as:
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Gluten sensitivity
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Joint pain
- Weight issues
- Chronic fatigue
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Headaches/Migraines
- Acid reflux/Heartburn
- Auto-immune disease
- Anxiety/depression
- Insulin resistance
- Diabetes
- Imbalanced hormones
- And more
Our providers, Dr. Scott and N.P. Elise Lewis and N.P. Sue Miller, are experts in nutrition and gut health, in addition to hormones for men. We offer the following scientific tests to help our patients improve their gut health, overall health, and reduce the risk for chronic disease:
- NutrEval™ – This test identifies issues with nutrient absorption and can be helpful in determining which types of nutrients you are deficient in. Our providers can also provide guidance to improve areas of depletion regarding diet and/or supplementation.
- ALCAT™ – The ALCAT is a food sensitivity test and provides you with a list of the foods that you are sensitive or allergic to.
- Genova GI Effects™ – This stool test gives you data regarding your current state of digestive function, gut inflammation, and the health of your microbiome so that you will know what steps to take in order to be healthier and reduce your risk for disease.
For more information on the Gut – Hormone connection, click HERE.
Additional Testing
Our providers at Leigh Ann Scott, M.D. offer the Neuro HPA Focus test through Neurogistics which accesses neurotransmitter functionality, cortisol, and DHEA in more detail.
About Us
Dr. Leigh Ann Scott is board certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and is a Fellow with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She has been practicing for over 20 years and for the last 6 years she has focused on created individual wellness programs for her patients that balance hormones and restore vitality. She has created a practice designed to provide you with one-on-one personalized attention and will design a plan that is individualized to your specific needs. As a medical doctor specializing in Gynecology, she has experience in dealing with health issues and specialized training in the use of bio-identical hormones and other therapies that help you achieve your goals of looking and feeling younger. As a woman who has experienced many of these symptoms herself, she understands the personal and private struggles the hormone imbalance can create in one’s life.
Dr. Scott is devoted to understanding her patient’s desires, goals and needs. She accomplishes this by listening carefully as you discuss your symptoms, experiences, and feelings. This communication, coupled with specific lab testing, helps to determine the “root cause” of why a person feels a certain way. Focusing on prevention, Dr. Scott encourages her patients to preserve and promote long-term wellness by taking proactive measures towards achieving optimal health and wellness. Dr. Scott’s knowledge and understanding of health helps her design the right protocol of hormone balance, nutrition, supplement support, weight management and if indicated, food sensitivity testing.
Quality, uninterrupted time with your doctor means everything. In order to provide comprehensive care and address your health care concerns Dr. Scott’s appointments are scheduled hourly.
Nurse Practitioner Elise Lewis follows Dr. Scott’s protocols. Her early training included critical care, surgical care, and women’s health. It was during her time that her interest in hormones began to pique. She saw first-hand that she could help people feel much better and safely elevate their lives with hormones. Elise went on to practice in Family Medicine which helped her become very well rounded. She still felt passionate about hormones and went on to work in the field of Endocrinology for several years. However, she realized that she was not able to help people like she wanted to in a traditional medicine environment. She wanted to focus on her patients more holistically incorporating nutrition, disease prevention and education into her practice. This is how she found Renewed Vitality and Dr. Leigh Ann Scott. We welcome her knowledge, compassion and experience in helping our patients improve their quality of life.
Elise follows the same basic procedures as Dr. Scott for both men and women, formulating the right protocol of hormone balance, nutrition, supplement support and weight management. Her endocrinology background has also afforded her experience and knowledge in treating thyroid disorders. She works closely with her patients, gains a full understanding of what they have been experiencing and, with the correct use of diagnostic tools and labs, she works to find the underlying causes of symptoms and address these to achieve long-term wellness for each of her patients. NP Elise Lewis also heads up our weight loss program here at Renewed Vitality Las Colinas.
Nurse Practitioner Sue Miller has been a nurse for 34 years, graduating from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She worked at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas on a Medical/Surgical floor and then at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas as an oncology nurse. She then went on to be a school nurse when her children began grade school. In 2004, Sue returned to graduate school and graduated with honors from Texas Women’s University with a Masters’ of Science and received her family nurse practitioner board certification.
Sue has 12 years’ experience as a family nurse practitioner. She’s had a special interest in integrative/wellness medicine, focusing on bioidentical hormone replacement, menopause/andropause, thyroid hormone, weight management, and fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.
A personal experience with chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia in her 20’s, a later, a diagnosis of lupus, piqued her interest in bioidentical hormones, thyroid balancing, wellness and integrative medicine, and infectious diseases. She’s always on the lookout for new information on adrenal support, nutritional support, detox, the gut microbiome, and other topics.
Sue studied with John Gonino, D.O. in Heath, Texas and with Marcus Spurlock, M.D. in Dallas Texas for integrative training. Sue is thrilled to be joining Leigh Ann Scott, M.D., and Elise Lewis, FNP-C and their wonderful office staff!
Insurance Coverage
In order to delve more deeply and locate underlying causes of conditions and to provide optimal treatment we find that we need much more time with our patients and more treatment options than insurance companies are willing to work with. Thus we are out of network for insurance.
However, if you have a PPO type of insurance plan, it is possible that your insurance will reimburse you for some or all of your office visit costs. Minimally, the costs should be able to go toward your deductible. You will pay for the appointments at the time of service and we can provide you with the necessary papers to file for reimbursement with your insurance provider. If you are on an HMO plan, most likely your insurance will not cover any of the costs of your office visits, but will likely cover all or a majority of your lab work.
Regarding the comprehensive lab work that will be required, many insurance plans will cover your labs. However we do recommend that you check with your insurance company to make sure as some plans have changed how they pay for lab-work and may require you to meet your deductible before your insurance pays anything for labs. This could mean a significant increase in your cost for lab-work. In order to better serve our patients, we can offer you a significant discount through Quest Diagnostics for self pay.