Dr. Curtis McElroy

Category: Internal Medicine

  • The Role of Nutrition in Preventive Healthcare

    Understanding the Impact of Diet on Overall Health and Well-being

    In today’s fast-paced world, where convenience often trumps health, understanding the profound impact of our dietary choices is more critical than ever. Nutrition isn’t just about counting calories; it’s about nourishing our bodies with the essential nutrients they need to thrive.

    Research consistently shows that a well-balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers. Conversely, diets high in processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats can contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and a host of health problems.

    By prioritizing nutrient-dense foods and minimizing the consumption of processed and ultra-processed foods, we can support our overall health and well-being. Incorporating colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains into our meals provides essential vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber that our bodies need to function optimally.

    But healthy eating doesn’t have to be complicated or restrictive. Small changes, such as swapping sugary beverages for water, choosing whole foods over processed snacks, and incorporating more plant-based meals into our diet, can have a significant impact on our health over time.

    By embracing a balanced approach to nutrition and making mindful food choices, we can proactively support our health and reduce the risk of chronic disease. Remember, every bite we take is an opportunity to nourish our bodies and invest in our long-term well-being.

  • Aging and Testosterone Levels

    How to Keep Your Testosterone Levels Higher As You Age

    Testosterone is the male sex hormone and is responsible for many of the traits that we consider to be typically masculine. That includes muscle mass, low body fat, a big jaw, thick brow, aggression, confidence, body hair and a deep voice.

    Testosterone also makes us feel great. The top athletes produce lots of testosterone because it makes them stronger, more energetic and better at recovering.

    It also makes us happier (low testosterone is associated with depression), more virile, better in bed and generally more alpha.

    But a huge proportion of men in the Western world have chronically low testosterone. And this only gets worse and worse, the older we get.

    The question is: how can you slow down the effects of old age by keeping testosterone where it should be?

    Why is Testosterone Low?

    This is not just a problem for the elderly male population. It is just as much an issue for guys in their 40s and 50s and it’s a MUCH bigger problem now than it was even 30 years ago.

    Several reasons why:

    * We spend less time outdoors
    * We spend more time on the computer
    * Our water and many of our products contain estrogenic compounds
    * We are often encouraged to pursue less classically ‘manly’ activities
    * We are less active
    * We are malnourished

    This highlights some of the things we can do to get our T levels back to normal. Spend more time outside, exercise more (using compound movements), drink water from a filter and avoid shampoos filled with chemicals and make sure you eat well.

    Some Powerful Tips

    There are also a few powerful tips you can employ to give yourself an instant testosterone boost.

    For example, eating more saturated fats will make a big difference.

    That’s because these contain cholesterol and cholesterol is what the body actually uses to make testosterone. Eat this just before bed because you produce maximum testosterone at 4am in the morning.

    Another tip is to get more sleep. Deeper sleep leads to more testosterone, so make sure you do everything you can to make sleep a priority.

    Get more vitamin D. Vitamin D is the reason that time outdoors may affect your  testosterone level.  Vitamin D acts like a master controller for your hormones and we produce more when we get exposure to sunlight. If you can’t be outside more, then consider taking a supplement.

  • Low Testosterone and Low T Syndrome in Men

    The Diagnosis and Treatment of Low T Syndrome in Men

    Testosterone is a male hormone that is actually found in low amounts in women as well. Testosterone plays a key role in various processes in the male body, including sex drive.

    It is produced mainly by the testicles with a level in the body of at least 300 ng/l but not more than 800 mg/day. Testosterone decreases with age, starting around the age of 30.

    Men lose about 1% of their testosterone level per year normally so if your testosterone level is already on the low side, you can easily develop low T syndrome, which is a condition of low testosterone.

    Low T syndrome

    A syndrome of low testosterone is called low T syndrome. This caused by not producing enough testosterone or by not producing testosterone at all.

    The major medical conditions that contribute to low testosterone syndrome are smoking, diabetes, infections, STDs, hormonal imbalances, genetic diseases like Klinefelter’s syndrome, and obesity.

    Symptoms of Low T syndrome

    • Fatigue
    • Insomnia
    • Low libido or disinterest in sex
    • Infertility due to a lack of sperm and decrease sperm motility
    • Sexual problems like erectile dysfunction
    • Irritability, depression, and other emotional problems
    • Low muscle mass or osteoporosis
    • Abnormal fat deposition
    • Hair loss in the area where testosterone is produced
    • Abnormal red blood cell production
    • Worsening of congestive heart failure
    • Worsening of sleep apnea

    The diagnosis of low T syndrome is a combination of having symptoms of low testosterone and demonstrable low levels of testosterone in the bloodstream.

    The levels of testosterone can be due to problems with the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, or the testicles themselves.

    Men with Klinefelter’s syndrome tend to have low testosterone because they have an extra X chromosome that leads to abnormal testicles that generally do not make testosterone or sperm.
    Not every man with low levels of testosterone in their system have low T syndrome. It is the presence of symptoms along with low testosterone in the system that together means that a man has low T syndrome.

    Causes Of Low T Syndrome

    Low T syndrome can be caused by the following conditions:
    • Being overweight
    • Having type 2 diabetes
    • Having a genetic condition that causes a lack of sperm production and hypogonadism
    • Chronic liver disease, usually caused by alcoholism
    • Kidney disease, chronic
    • Hormonal problems with the hypothalamus or pituitary gland
    • STDs such as HIV/AIDs, epididymitis, or orchitis
    • Other hormonal conditions

    Although testosterone therapy helps with hypogonadism, whether it helps in the reversal or slowing of normal effects of aging and lower testosterone levels is unclear. Several published research articles have conflicting results and more research is needed to make a final determination about the use of testosterone for healthy aging males.

    Testing For Low T Syndrome

    There is a blood test along with the history of symptoms that can together make the diagnosis of low T syndrome. Generally, the testosterone level is lower than 300 ng/dL for a diagnosis of low T to be made. Other diagnosis, such as low thyroid conditions or mental disorders must be ruled out as possible causes of the symptoms.

    Treatment Of Low T Syndrome

    Doctors are less likely to treat an older man with low T syndrome than a younger man because of the risk of heart disease in men who undergo testosterone replacement therapy.

    The main treatments for low T syndrome involve giving back testosterone in the following ways:

    • Testosterone gels:  Gels such as Androgel and Axiron are applied to the skin and are taken once per day to absorb into the skin. They are provided in single dose units so you don’t give too much medication.
    • Transdermal Testosterone Patch: This is applied once daily and is easier than gel to apply. A mouth patch exists that can be applied to the upper gums twice daily to be allowed to absorb into the system.
    • Injectable form of Testosterone: This can be delivered through injections given about once per month.
    • Injected pellets: This involves pellets containing testosterone that are injected into the buttocks and that last for 3-4 months.

    Pills of testosterone do not survive the first pass effect in the liver or the environment of the stomach so that they don’t survive when given orally.

    Natural Methods of increasing Testosterone Levels

    You can increase your endogenous testosterone levels by getting plenty of sleep, remaining active and maintaining a healthy weight.

    Risk Factors for Taking Testosterone

    The major risk factors to taking testosterone include the following:

    • Growth of prostate tissue
    • Growth of prostate cancer tissue
    • Skin reactions
    • Over production of red blood cells, which can lead to getting a heart attack
    • Shrinking of the testicles
    • Diminishing sperm production
    • Getting a heart attack

    Because there can be serious risks involved in taking testosterone, you should have a serious talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of taking replacement testosterone therapy.

Copyright @ 2017 DrCurtisMcElroy