You see it every day: an older man in the gym, hitting it pretty hard but having limited results. The negatives are still there: the sagging chest, the thin arms and the pot belly. They always have this confused look on their face, wondering why they can’t get the results that they did in their 30’s and 40’s. Even those guys on TRT (testosterone replacement therapy) seem to miss the mark when it comes to looking young.
TRT is wonderful and we suggest all men see their doctor and see if getting on TRT is right for them, since men’s average testosterone levels have been dropping steadily since the 1970’s. The past few decades haven’t been kind: on top of the significant losses seen in the 70’s, since 1987 the average testosterone has fallen over 50% in all age ranges. That means if a man in his 30’s had an average testosterone rate of 500 ng/dl in 1987, then he would have less than 200 ng/dl in 2022.
Unfortunately, TRT is just one facet of a multi attacked approach to boosting “androgens” and the “androgen to estrogen” ratio, which may be an even more critical player in maintaining health and vitality for aging men. As we age, our bodies will adjust what it can to keep the homeostasis (a proper balance), but as we age, that system still inevitably breaks down.
In addition to the testes, there is a secondary source of androgens, the adrenals. These generate a group of hormones classified as DHEA. DHEA is considered a master hormone, much like testosterone and that’s why it is as important to boost DHEA in aging males as it is to boost testosterone. Additionally, the cascade of hormones that are derived from DHEA are vast.
Sadly, most of the DHEA on the market uses one cheap isomer that has some benefit but lots of negative side effects. The human body produces a series of DHEA isomers such as 1,4,5,19. The reason most men don’t get the results from their DHEA supplement is that they only contain the low cost isomer number 5. It’s like why cheap vitamin E or cheap vitamin D one gets from the drug store fails to yield results. The saying “you get what you pay for” isn’t always accurate, but in vitamins and nutrition that’s absolutely the case.
Cheap drugstore DHEA at best doesn’t work, and at worst could have side effects that cause the opposite effect as desired. Both men and women need the full spread of DHEA adrenal hormones in the right doses to make an impact. The combination of DHEA in the right form and TRT will yield significant results when combined with proper diet and exercise.
Combining intermittent fasting, proper diet and exercise along with TRT and DHEA isomer supplements can have a major impact on the vitality of men at any age. Specifically in older men, fasting may have numerous health benefits such as increasing androgen receptor sensitivity and reducing blood sugar.
Phil D’Agostino, from Valhalla Vitality, a maker of a DHEA isomer product, knows a lot about keeping in shape. “I have always been in the gym, but even now I am having a harder time hitting the gains in performance I need. I use both TRT and our Viravir product to ensure I am at my peak hormone levels throughout the day. I see the positive impact it’s had on my father and other men in their 60s and I think combining pharmaceuticals under a doctor’s supervision along with natural supplements in addition to proper diet and exercise is key.”
We all want to look and feel our best and TRT is a great first step, but understand that hormones aren’t a silver bullet. There is a need to cover a complete spectrum of hormones to get the aging benefits of DHEA and combat the over 50% loss in androgens since the 1980’s. Phil’s company specializes in both TRT and natural hormonal supplementation under a doctor’s supervision, which is unique in an industry filled with an “us vs. them” philosophy. “I’ve always been a believer in both natural and pharmaceutical preparations” D’Agostino was quoted for this article.
Valhalla Vitality is a New York based company specializing in both traditional pharmaceutical and nutritive approaches to health and wellness.
