Our hormone balance it is a perfect machine but physiologically, over the years, the progression is towards the loss of its self-regulation mechanisms .

We know the two great worlds that concern the hormonal structure of women and men and they concern:

  • menopause;
  • the andropause.

Around age 50, women's ovaries begin to produce decreasing amounts of estrogen and progesterone; the pituitary gland tries to compensate by producing more follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).

While menopause is normal and happens to all women, some of the symptoms can be irritating or even dangerous. Symptoms could include the following:

  • hot flashes;
  • vaginal dryness and atrophy leading to painful intercourse;
  • decreased libido;
  • insomnia;
  • irritability / depression;
  • osteoporosis (which can increase the likelihood of bone fractures).

Andropause isn't exactly a "male menopause", first of all it doesn't happen to all men, but about 30-50% of men over 50 will experience andropause, a significant drop in testosterone production.

Symptoms could include the following:

  • decrease in muscle mass and overall strength;
  • decrease in bone mineral density and a corresponding increase in the risk of osteoporosis;
  • low libido and erectile dysfunction;
  • decreased energy and depression;
  • cognitive impairment.

Per an athlete, losing the level of efficiency and performance even in a continuum of serious and strenuous training is truly frustrating. If we associate this with the decline in sexual and cognitive performance, the risk of a fall in self-esteem is just around the corner.

I therefore believe that it is right to anticipate events by starting to perform hormonal control tests and interpret them together with your trusted andrologist / gynecologist. Clearly, even on the part of the doctor there must be a pro slow aging mentality and preparation .

In future publications we will have the opportunity to develop the knowledge of all the endocrine aspects of our "machine", from steroid hormones, to thyroid hormones and neurosteroids.

Per the moment we also consider the presence of a very important suppressive enemy: cortisol.

Useful molecule, indeed indispensable, so much so as to be the only hormone that does not decrease during hormonosenescence, but so harmful when in excess. And I think the combination of "high stress / cortisol" is known to all of us. But even on this we would have the opportunity to discuss.

Training in itself improves in our hormonal setting (GH, cortisol, testosterone, serotonin) but cannot by itself counteract hormonosenescence.

Regarding the influences of training on the hormonal system we know that changes in the plasma concentration of some hormones occur at the start of exercise, apparently due to neuronal stimulation, while others, being dependent on the pituitary, require stimulation. hormonal.

Furthermore, although changes in plasma hormone concentrations can be observed, the mechanism by which this is achieved is not always well understood.

Both intensity and duration of exercise can be important in initiating or maintaining hormonal response. Impulses from working muscles or motor centers, via the central nervous system, modify the response of the glands of the endocrine system either directly via the pituitary hormones or indirectly via the adrenal sympathetic system.

The initial response at the beginning of exercise is the enhancement of sympathetic-adrenal activity and the secretion of pituitary hormones, resulting in a reduction in plasma insulin concentration and an increase in that of almost all other hormones.

Due to this change in hormonal balance, a modification of the metabolism of intra and extramuscular triglycerides and glycogen as fuel for muscle exercise occurs.

The variation in the mobilization of a fuel source can well affect its combustion. When exercise is prolonged, the hormonal response is affected by additional factors such as temperature, glucose availability, oxygen tension, and changes in plasma volume.

The effect of training on hormonal responses is generally an improvement that reflects an increased efficiency of muscle energy metabolism as a result of the training process.

With the promise that we will dedicate articles to hormonal modifications during training, let's now try to understand what the right conservative attitude must be to ensure that the mechanism described above remains performing and what the right antiaging approach must be .

Surely a first and fundamental step is a modification and adaptation of one's training which must intelligently regulate our endocrine axis . But at the base, unquestionably, we must consider the right nutraceutical support.

Another path to be addressed is that of antiaging hormone therapy . Today, we have a number of stimulatory and replacement weapons available. Therapy with bioidentical hormones deserves a large therapeutic space (surely one of the next articles will deepen this topic), a non-pharmacological therapy but a real hormonal modulation applicable in women and men. Modulatory therapy that allows us to integrate and modulate our axis in the whole panel of steroid hormones from pregnenolone to estriol passing through testosterone.

In short, hormonosenescence exists, but training, nutraceuticals and bioidentical replacement therapy are an anti-aging, slow aging, reverse aging weapon and, if properly used, allow a better quality of life even over the years.

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