This weeks blog was inspired by a friend who was thinking about going on to testosterone- thank you.
When we go to the GP in our peri and meno years, we may be offered our 2 other sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone, in the form of HRT- hopefully body identical. But, rarely does testosterone get mentioned, but it also declines at this stage of life, and for some, it can be the missing link.
We think of testosterone as the male hormone, but they don’t get the monopoly ladies! We also need it, only about 5% that of men, but we need every bit of it for positive effects on our:
- Mood
- Memory
- Brain function
- Confidence
- Assertiveness
- Sense of wellbeing
- Sleep
- Weight
- Heart health
- Skin health
- Libido
- Vigour
- Muscle and bone strength
- Ligaments
But, like all hormones, it needs to be in balance as too much can cause:
- Acne or oily skin
- Weight gain
- Aggressive behaviour
- Male pattern baldness
- Irregular periods
- Hirsutism- hair growing on the upper lip, back, chin, chest and jaw
- Enlarged clitoris
- Deepening voice
- Infertility
Sadly, in the UK, the NHS state that ‘testosterone is not currently licensed to treat symptoms of menopause, but a specialist doctor may be able to prescribe it for you.” In certain situations (premature ovarian insufficiency, surgical menopause) a GP will prescribe a cream or gel, but they can be reluctant to do this so you may need to ask to be referred.
Luckily here are 5 ways you can naturally boost testosterone
- Resistance training- anything that helps build muscle growth and strength.
- Prioritising sleep
- Eating more protein, healthy fats and carbs
- Eating enough-very low cal diets can lower testosterone
- Managing stress
Private testing
If you suspect you have low levels of testosterone, we can run a few tests to track your levels and find out where support might be needed. These tests include blood tests but also our comprehensive 24 hour urine hormone test which looks at all your sex hormones, including testosterone. It also measures cortisol (your stress hormone), melatonin (your sleep hormone), nutrient deficiencies which can impact these hormones and much more. As a certified personal trainer, I also put together exercise plans for my clients, that allow them to workout smarter.
I am Lucy Childerley, an award winning, certified personal trainer, nutritionist and hormone specialist. I work, predominantly with women of all ages, on a one on a one to basis, offering bespoke nutritional packages. I also work alongside 2 other incredible women to offer our corporate events service, Wellbeing for Women in the Workplace. Here we offer health, wealth and career support to female employees on a one to one basis as well as webinars, workshops and much more.
Finally, I am also a Tropic ambassador, because I believe what we put on our body is as important as what we put in it.
If you would like to find out more about the tests or any other area of support for your hormones, I would love to help you. You can get in touch below:
Lucy
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