One of Dr. Baruch Ruttner’s patients, a man in his 50s, was going through a painful divorce. “He couldn’t concentrate, he was depressed, and had low libido,” Dr. Ruttner recalls. These are all classic symptoms of low-T, or lowered levels of testosterone, which affects 39 percent of men over the age of 45, according to MedScape.
After consultation and analysis of lab results, Dr. Ruttner put this patient on a course of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Soon this patient was working out again at the gym, eating healthily, and experiencing improved libido and endurance.
“Literally, his whole life turned around. Hormone replacement therapy really helped push him forward to start living better again,” Dr. Ruttner said.
For the vast majority of men suffering from low-T, testosterone replacement therapy can jump-start the process of regaining a good life. Diet, exercise, and lifestyle are the keys to ongoing benefits.
“Hormone replacement therapy helps motivate them to get moving forward,” Dr. Ruttner said. “A lot of people don’t have the motivation or strength to get going and make lasting lifestyle changes until they have the therapy.”
Dr. Ruttner’s Manhattan practice, NY Vitality, a testosterone replacement clinic, offers testosterone, sermorelin, and other treatments, when indicated, to reduce the unnecessary effects of aging.
New Aging Paradigm
After age 30, men experience a steady decline in testosterone production. Testosterone is the hormone that helps keep off fat and maintain metabolism and muscle mass. It also maintains a host of mental faculties, such as focus, concentration, and memory, as well as emotional well-being. Men who suffer from low-T often find themselves unmotivated, depressed, or chronically fatigued. In short, testosterone is the stuff of vitality for men.
“As one ages, it may be normal to slow down, lose strength, energy, and one’s sex drive—[and in the past] it was accepted that that part of your life is over,” Dr. Ruttner said. “But it’s abnormal to lose all of it,” he said.
And as our population finds itself living longer and taking on second careers, many men are finding the old way of aging unacceptable, Dr. Ruttner said.
“Now men have a choice. They have a lot more time to enjoy life, not just live it out. They want good years; full, active, meaningful years.”
Treatments
Dr. Ruttner’s primary treatments are bioidentical testosterone and sermorelin. Sermorelin, made up of two amino acids, is structurally similar to a naturally occurring molecule that tells the body to release the human growth hormone, which also experiences a decline as we age.
Treatments are administered either as an injectable or as gels or creams depending on the specific situation. Typically, Dr. Ruttner uses testosterone for cases of low-T and sermorelin to help restore growth hormone to healthy levels.
Risks
TRT for men has raised doubts and concerns in the medical community. As it’s still a new and growing field, few long-term comprehensive studies have been completed, and the research has been inconclusive. Some studies say that men who use testosterone therapy for the first time, are older, or have pre-existing heart conditions are at an increased risk of heart attacks when receiving treatments.
Other research indicates that testosterone might benefit men who are already at high risk of heart attacks. Dr. Ruttner has treated a few hundred men with TRT and none of them had major complications—some experience minor sides effects such as mild acne and slight water retention.
That said, Dr. Ruttner warns that men who have cancers, significant heart disease, or clotting problems should probably not have TRT. For them, there are amino acid blends, vitamin B12, and other treatments, which, if indicated, can help with energy, which Dr. Ruttner also prescribes.
NY Vitality
Dr. Baruch Ruttner
30 Central Park South, 10A
New York, NY 10019
800-785-3945, ext. 201
