Written by Linda Sechrist, OB/GYN

June 2008 | Natural Awakenings Magazine

When Larry Wilson's business partner died suddenly from a heart attack, Wilson, then age 49, determined not to follow the path of his overweight friend's sedentary lifestyle. Instead, he joined a gym, hired a personal trainer and began working out three to four times a week, using heavy aerobics and weight training. He not only won his way to good physical condition, he dropped 25 pounds.

At 56, Wilson was still following his weekly regimen, but began noticing that his weight was creeping back up. Worse, his energy levels were off. He frequently felt fatigued, had difficulty thinking or concentrating on things at hand and regularly experienced interrupted sleep. Wilson knew something was wrong.

After several months of reading up on related health topics and researching his symptoms, he stumbled on an article written about how levels of testosterone. "I'd been consistent in having an annual physical," says Wilson, "but my doctor never mentioned that I had a low level of testosterone."

Wilson's research led him to BodyLogicMD, a network of physicians that specializes in natural bio-identical hormone therapy, fitness and nutrition for men and omen suffering from hormonal imbalance, menopause and andropause. There he was able to confirm his suspicions: the culprit was indeed low testosterone. BodyLogicMD is one of the expert sources mentioned in Suzanne Somers' recent book, Ageless: The Naked Truth About Bioidentical Hormones.

Dr. Robert Rubin, a Naples physician in the BodyLogicMD network, asserts that hormone levels in men are an under-diagnosed area. He observes that men are particularly hesitant to see a physician about something they don't understand.

Explains Rubin, "On average only two percent of men seek treatment, because the changes in their body aren't as dramatic as those in women's. These changes in men also happen slowly over a period of years. Because they aren't blatantly noticeable, most men discount their symptoms and contribute them to getting older. Testosterone is crucial for building muscle and retaining memory, losses of which are generally associated with aging."

He notes that man's testosterone level can begin falling at age 30, from 1 to 3 percent a year. By ages 40 and 50, men typically experience a more dramatic drop; levels can diminish up to 50 percent, which is when symptoms become more obvious. Rubin has seen relief provided by bio-identical hormones come within a month to six weeks. "Hormones have to penetrate the tissue that are starved for them, and then they have to saturate and accumulate in the tissue," he says.

Rubin recommends that all men should see a physician around age 30 to begin the monitoring of hormones. "Low testosterone levels increase the risk for osteoporosis, heart disease and prostate cancer," advises Rubin. "Just as important are the possibilities that reduced levels can leave a man psychologically feeling like he's lost his competitive edge."

Prior to joining the BodyLogicMD network, Rubin was a specialist in internal medicine and geriatrics. His familiarity with the effects of aging provided the perfect segue, into his new role. "I always felt that balancing hormones, eating properly and exercising were important in the treatment of any health challenge," says Rubin. Now, in addition to educating his patients on such issues, he presents seminars and lectures via the BodyLogicMD network, which also posts Web casts on the Internet.