What happens to your hormones as you age and what can you do about it? This was the topic presented by Tim Lopez, PhD, at the Sunday, November 3, meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club (PCEC). Dr. Tim, as he is most commonly known, is a principal in the Maximum Performance Wellness Center here in Pattaya. He had previous spoken at a PCEC meeting in 2017 on the “State of the Art Testosterone Replacement Therapy.” His current topic focused on aging and the importance of a proper balance of hormones in both men and women. He was followed by a brief presentation from Mike Bridges. Mike is a principal in Big Mango Productions which is producing some events in Bangkok with the latest being Bangkok Broadway – Unplugged.
Dr. Tim started his presentation by mentioning that his clinic primarily deals with testosterone treatment for men and hormone replacement therapy for women. The main reason for men coming to his clinic wanting testosterone is to improve sexual function, but he believes a more important factor is the improvement in their bodies as a number of background benefits to treatment make it work better.
These benefits include better vascular and heart function, bone density, and even help “grumpy old men”. As we age, the body and most organs gradually function less efficiently. Maintenance is extremely important which involves limiting toxins, getting adequate sleep, maintaining ideal weight and diet. He also recommended men keep to low carbohydrates and to eat lots of vegetables and a reasonable amount of protein.
Aging is significantly related to hormones. Dr. Tim estimated that 80-90% of the men who come to his clinic have some form of insulin resistance. Although insulin resistance is usually associated with diabetes, there are a number of possible reasons for it. Other common forms of endocrine disorders include adrenal insufficiency, thyroid problems, menopause and low growth hormones.
Testosterone is the hormone for making a man feel manly. Produced in the testes, it governs the male sex drive and the production of sperm. It is actually a full-body hormone, aiding in the development of those secondary qualities we regard as masculine – such as deep voice, muscle strength, and facial hair. It also impacts the health of a man’s heart and brain.
Just like your cholesterol or blood pressure, there is a numerical range of testosterone levels (T levels), that are considered normal. In a healthy male, the brain and the testicles work together to keep testosterone within this normal range. When levels of testosterone are below normal, the brain signals the testicles to make more. When the levels of testosterone reach a normal level, the brain signals the testicles to make less.
At around the age of 30, testosterone production begins to slow down at a rate of about 1% to 3% a year. A lower level of testosterone reduces not only a man’s sex drive, but also his drive to succeed. His strength begins to diminish, and his stamina declines. It is the time in a man’s life typically associated with the term, “mid-life crisis”. When a man is found to have low testosterone blood levels, he is diagnosed with the medical condition known as Hypogonadism. This happens gradually and takes time to repair. Tim emphasized that like a car, it is important to keep all body parts moving. He mentioned that sleep apnea can also have an adverse impact, thus he highly recommends having a sleep test, which involves an overnight hospital stay and being hooked up to various sensors.
Dr. Tim’s message for women dealt with the hormone estrogen. The endocrine system controls the female menstrual cycle with the sexual peak for woman about age 35, whereas men peak about 10 years younger. Then men gradually slow down much more slowly. Women are faced with a more pronounced end to the cycle as the supply of estrogen declines. Progesterone plays a supportive role during menopause. Some telltale signs of possible low hormones – low energy, poor concentration, anxiety, lethargy, obesity, and low libido. This can be addressed with hormone replacement therapy.
He noted that his Maximum Performance Wellness Center is designed to evaluate, test, diagnose, treat and follow- up with both men and women in these areas. For more information on Dr. Tim’s clinic, visit www.maximumclinic.com.
Following Dr. Tim’s presentation, Michael Bridge outlined Big Mango Production’s upcoming event Bangkok Broadway – Unplugged. He said it will take place on Saturday, November 16, in the Aksra Theatre at the King Power Complex in Bangkok. Michael said they have arranged for Australian tenor Daniel Koek, who played the lead role of Jean Valjean in the original production of Les Misérables at the Queens Theatre, and Harriet Jones, who captivated audiences as Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre London, to perform songs from old and new Broadway musicals. Further, they will be joined on stage by the winners of the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra’s 2019 Young Talent Sings Broadway Concert.
For more information including some YouTube videos of the main stars, visit: https://www.thaiticketmajor.com/concert/broadway-in-bangkok-unplugged-2019.html
Michael is a Principal at Big Mango Productions, a Thai based concert promoter, with associate offices in London. He has over 30 years in the TV and Exhibition industry running fashion, gift ware, and real estate exhibitions all over the world.
After the presentation, the MC brought everyone up to date on upcoming club and other Pattaya events of interest. The meeting ended with the usual Open Forum where audience members can ask questions or make comments about Expat life in Thailand, especially Pattaya. For more info about the PCEC, visit their website at http://pattayacityexpatsclub.com/
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