Thyroid hormones influence virtually every cell and organ in the body, effectively acting as the body’s regulator or thermostat. However, aging often leads to a deficiency of this hormone in men, leading to symptoms of hypothyroidism like lethargy, fatigue, depression, lack of concentration, hair loss, skin dryness, nail frailty, weight gain, cold intolerance, and constipation. Hypothyroidism can result in elevated triglycerides and cholesterol levels, which are associated with an increased risk of heart disease.
If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you may want to consider seeking treatment for thyroid-related issues. Thyroid hormone replacement therapy in Connecticut is an advanced and effective method of addressing hypothyroidism for many patients, with relatively few risks and many potential benefits.
Although the production of thyroid hormones remains relatively stable during your lifetime, your body’s ability to convert the thyroid hormone into its active form, Free T3, diminishes as you age. Accordingly, the thyroid hormone deficiencies many older men deal with do not stem from a slowdown in hormone production, but rather from their body’s cells not being able to convert thyroid hormones into their active form.
Unfortunately, routine thyroid function blood testing does not usually measure the active hormone Free T3, so both men and women can sometimes have normal results from standard tests of thyroid function yet still clinically suffer from hypothyroidism. If symptoms do not improve through other means, it may be time to look into hormone replacement therapy with help from a local physician.
Many people who are diagnosed as hypothyroidism are prescribed synthetic thyroid hormones such as Synthroid®, Levothroid®, or Levoxyl®. However, these treatments may fail to address the body’s decreased ability to convert the synthetic thyroid into the active form Free T3, which is why many Connecticut residents who receive synthetic hormone replacement therapy still suffer from the symptoms of an underactive thyroid.
This issue can be addressed by either supplementing prescriptions with T3 – commercially known as Cytomel® – or by replacing their medications with natural thyroid hormones, which may be specially compounded by a pharmacist or sold under the brand names Armour Thyroid® or Nature-Thyroid®. These naturally derived compounds can provide a more balanced mix of all forms of thyroid hormones, allowing them to more thoroughly and effectively treat symptoms.
After conducting blood and lab testing to determine what levels of thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormones a patient has, a qualified doctor could prescribe an initial course of hormone replacement therapy and make adjustments as needed upon follow-up visits. Thyroid hormone replacement treatments typically come in pill form, and doses often need to be increased over time to account for further degradation of the body’s ability to produce and/or process thyroid hormones.
Like with all natural hormone replacement therapies, patients receiving thyroid hormone treatment should be closely monitored with monthly laboratory testing and consultations until their symptoms are relieved and hormone levels are stable. This kind of treatment often requires significant orchestration to reach the correct hormone balance for an individual patient, so it may take some time to find the exact solution for you.
Fortunately, a private consultation with a skilled medical professional at our clinic could help answer any questions you have and determine the right treatment option for you. If you want to feel better, look better, and reduce your risk for heart disease, cancer, and certain degenerative diseases, call today to discuss your options for thyroid hormone replacement therapy in Connecticut.