Testosterone to Estrogen
The blood test: testosterone is low, estrogen is high, weight gain, especially around the midsection, man boobs, moodiness, flabiness etc...
It sounds like you are estrogenizing. As we get older, aromatase activity in our bodies increases, converting more and more of our androgens like testosterone into estrogens.
Although it might be tempting to stare at a developing pair of breasts lovingly in the mirror, estrogenation can be a real health risk for the sufferer. Loss of muscle mass, cancer, and other serious problems can develop within a man's body if he becomes estrogen dominant. The male body needs a small amount of estrogen to function properly, but too much of a good thing can quickly become a bad thing.
A woman's body synthesizes estrogen in the ovaries just as a man's testicles produce testosterone. Since we do not have ovaries, we have been provided another mechanism called aromatase to produce this predominantly female hormone. Unfortunately, as we age, some of us are genetically predisposed to increase aromatase activity to the point that we begin to produce estrogen in quantities that are not healthy for us.
Simply because aromataze is genetically controlled does not mean that you are without hope, though. There are several treatment options available to you and it is simply a matter of choosing the path that best suits your needs.
Your doctor can prescribe an aromatase inhibitor on a temporary or permanent basis. This is frequently done for women who have breast or other cancer in which the control of estrogen production is essential.
Other affordable options include estrogen blockers of the type used by weight lifters and can be found in vitamin stores and weightlifting nutrition outlets. The weight lifting community has known for years that aromatase and estrogen can counteract the benefits gained from increasing testosterone.
There are also herbal remedies at your disposal if you do not want to expose your body to any more synthetic chemicals than absolutely necessary. Probably the most common is chrysin. This flavinoid is usually extracted from the passion flower (passiflor incarnata) and has been shown to control aromatase en vitro. The jury is still being debated on whether it is effective en vivo or if there is another compound present in passion flower that works its magic.
One of the arguments against chrysin is bioavailability and the body's ability to absorb the chrysin molecule. Piperine (extract of black pepper) seems to increase its absorbtion and therefore its effectiveness. Passion flower tea can be purchased at almost any natural health food store very inexpensively. You may even be fortunate enough to find this uncontrollable vine growing in the wild.
Simply prepare the tea according to the manufacturer's specifications and add enough black pepper to the tea so that it is a little spicy, but not so much that you can't stand to drink it.
Whichever option you choose is entirely up to you and your body. You will be taking a positive step in taking control of one of the most frightening aspects of andropause. So, give one last loving glance into the mirror and be the captain of your destiny!
