3 Ways Hormone Issues Affect Men and Women Differently

Hormones. There’s a reason why we talk so much about hormones in boys and girls as they start puberty. Hormones are a big part of what makes people male and female, and they impact many other aspects of whole-body health and wellness as well.

Because male and female hormones differ, hormonal health is one area where men and women often need unique care. Christopher Riegel, MD, and our team at The Riegel Center in Plano, Texas, focus on hormonal health and well-being in both male and female patients.

Specializing in hormones and age management, we’re here to help with the impacts that hormonal changes or issues can have on your life. Dr. Riegel offers a number of treatments, such as hormone replacement therapy and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy.

Here are some of the ways that hormones, and hormone issues, affect men and women differently.

1. Hormones and gender during puberty and beyond

Hormones are naturally occurring chemicals produced by your body. Your hormone levels may change over time. Puberty, in the teen years, is one major period of hormonal changes. Hormonal changes also occur as you get older, predominately in your 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond.

Hormones govern processes in your body related to your metabolism, your growth and development, and, yes, your gender, sexual function, and reproduction. Hormones can also make a big difference in your mood. There’s a reason we talk about teenagers being hormonal and moody!

While men and women have the same hormones, each gender tends to produce differing levels of sex-related hormones. Estrogen and progesterone are the primary female sex hormones, and testosterone is the primary male hormone.

2. Female hormones, reproductive cycles, and aging

Hormone issues in women often relate to menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause. All of these physiological events involve hormone fluctuations that can be uncomfortable and result in hormone imbalances.

Perimenopause and menopause, which signal the end of the monthly menstrual cycle, typically take place in women in their 40s and 50s, and it involves a period of ongoing hormonal fluctuations. Hormone replacement therapy, or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, can help smooth out this transitional period and restore comfort, tranquility, and inner balance.

3. Male hormones, aging, and vitality

Men also experience hormone issues, often related to aging. But, there are key differences in how hormone level changes affect men.

As men age into their 40s, testosterone levels naturally start to decline. Men may need hormone replacement therapy or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to address hormonal problems like hair loss, erectile dysfunction, sex drive decline, anemia, decreased mood or energy, and the loss of muscle strength and mass.

No matter your gender, at The Riegel Center, our team can help you understand the role that hormone issues play in health and wellness, and we can perform diagnostic testing for hormone imbalances or issues. And, we’re here to support you as you rebalance your hormones and get back to feeling like yourself again.

Using hormone replacement therapy or bioidentical hormone replacement therapy to restore your lost hormones may help you resolve health and wellness symptoms that disrupt your quality of life.

If you want to see if hormone issues could be affecting you, and if you want to learn about your treatment options, call 972-612-9977 or book an appointment online with The Riegel Center today.