Testosterone and potency

As an aging man, your odds of suffering benign prostate enlargement (BPH) and/or prostate cancer are exceedingly high. BPH will afflict 50% of men over the course of their lives.1,2 At advanced stages, BPH can almost completely obstruct the urethral canal, leading to a host of lower urinary tract symptoms. Prostate cancer remains the second leading cause of cancer death in men, accounting for more than 28,000 deaths and 186,000 new cases in 2008 alone.

As men grow older, they often face daunting health challenges caused by the age-related decline in testosterone levels. As levels of free testosterone dwindle and estrogen levels increase, many men experience diminishing energy levels, reduced libido, decreasing muscle mass, deteriorating mood, abdominal obesity, and perhaps even faltering cognition. At the same time, they become increasingly prone to benign prostatic enlargement (BPH) and prostate cancer.

A review of the current scientific literature might suggest that ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is the ultimate natural product—a veritable fountain of youth. Not only can it improve memory and help relieve the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, but recent evidence also suggests that it can improve mental health in healthy older adults and has uses in treating conditions as various as diabetic retinopathy, intermittent claudication, erectile dysfunction, ulcers, and arthritis.

As men age, many become trapped in a vicious cycle that leads to life-threatening abdominal obesity. No matter how much they exercise or how little they eat, these men are unable to shed this excess weight that accumulates in their belly. Published studies have shown that low testosterone and obesity reinforce each other, trapping men in a spiral of weight gain and hormonal imbalance.

The majority of men older than 60 years will be affected by benign (noncancerous) enlargement of the prostate gland. An enlarged prostate can be caused by either one of two conditions—benign prostatic hyperplasia or benign prostatic hypertrophy (both abbreviated BPH).

To slow the natural progression of BPH and its symptoms, the Life Extension Foundation suggests that you have annual screenings, including a PSA test and a DRE. Neither of these tests can rule out prostate cancer; however, they can alert a physician to the need for further testing.

An inevitable consequence of aging is a rapid decline in our cellular energy levels. The outward effects often manifest as a sense of overall fatigue, depression, and sexual dysfunction. The internal effect of a cellular energy deficit is a greater vulnerability to a host of degenerative diseases.

Mention erectile dysfunction and most people think of Viagra® and similar drugs.These drugs work by relaxing the smooth muscles lining the arteries, that increases blood flow to the penis. They also come with some side effects.

An age-related decline in nitric oxide levels contributes to inner arterial wall dysfunction. A blend of aronia berries and a sustainable form of L-arginine boosts the body’s production of nitric oxide, helping to improve blood flow.

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is the inability to achieve or sustain a penile erection for satisfactory sexual performance. ED can cause emotional distress by negatively impacting intimate relationships, self-esteem, and quality of life.

Maintaining balanced hormone levels is essential to overall health. Unfortunately, testosterone levels decline in men as they age. Most men know that testosterone is important for sexual function, but research indicates that it is critical for so much more: maintaining cognitive function and a healthy body weight, improving insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism, promoting heart health, and more.

As men age, their testosterone tends to bind to a blood protein rendering the testosterone unavailable to cells throughout the body. A plant-based formula increased free testosterone by 48% in a human study.