Did You Know That HRT Has Anti-ageing Properties for Both Men and Women?

We’re sure you’ve heard of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) being used in at least one specific way, most commonly to manage menopause. But did you know that HRT is a popular subject of research in the longevity sphere?

In this article, we’ll explain the anti-ageing benefits of HRT for both men and women, as well as bring you the stories of people who’ve gone through this process and experienced amazing results. 

Can ageing be classified as a disease?

Ageing is a natural process that includes a progressive and irreversible decline in physical function across all organ systems caused by the body’s inability to repair the damage created by a variety of stressors. 

Because of this decline, with age, we become more frail and susceptible to different age-related diseases - heart disease, auto-immune diseases, cancer and such.

This is why ageing can be seen as a cause, but also the ultimate disease. 

However, this doesn’t mean that we want to avoid ageing or find a cure for it. We are merely interested in the process so that we can help people achieve a longer health span - being able to stay healthy for longer. 

This isn’t a new desire. Seeing their parents age, get less mobile and take longer to recover from injury, has been a huge inspiration for people all across the world to start researching longevity and ways they could help improve their parents' quality of life. 

If you share this desire, one of the first things you need to know is that - not everyone ages in the same way. 

Our genetic predisposition can either help or hinder our health span. Some come from a long line of longer-living people, making it seem they will inherit the same fate. But genetics don’t hold the key to longevity alone.

Genetics only influence about 40% of your longevity. Another 40% falls under natural ageing, and the last 20% is influenced by your lifestyle choices. 

This means that even if you have unfavourable genetics, you still have the power to influence how you age. Isn’t that the best news you’ve heard today?

Source

What is HRT?

HRT stands for hormonal replacement therapy. It’s used in different situations when our hormone levels need to be restored back to optimal. Most often, HRT involves the supplementation of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. 

You can take it in the form of

• Pills 
• Injections
• Creams/gels
• Sprays
• Implants
• Patches

Hormones are chemical messengers produced by our glands that play a vital role in regulating fundamental processes in the body, including growth, repair, and reproduction. They fluctuate throughout life, and their levels often decline as we age, influencing our physical health, mood, and overall well-being.

The body's hormonal network is highly intricate, with various hormones closely linked through numerous processes. They frequently influence each other's levels and collaborate.

This complexity is why HRT often involves the simultaneous use of multiple hormones to restore the balance within.

The anti-ageing properties of HRT

In order to explain the anti-ageing properties of HRT, we first need to describe how we can measure its effectiveness. This can be done by focusing on biological age.

Biological age represents your body’s age from within, serving as a measure of functional capacity and offering deeper insights into your overall well-being. 

With GlycanAge, we measure your biological age by looking at levels of chronic inflammation inside your body. It’s a simple at-home finger-prick test that comes with a complimentary consultation with a specialist. 

As we’ve explained in an earlier chapter, you don’t have control over all the elements that influence the way you age, however, GlycanAge tests can help you get a better overview of the parts that you can. 

With simple lifestyle changes, like diet, exercise, sleep and stress management, you can significantly improve your health span and feel better in your body. 

HRT for men

While HRT is commonly associated with women, especially in the context of menopause, it's important to acknowledge that men can also benefit from HRT. 

Hormone levels fluctuate differently in men and women. Women often experience a more abrupt decline in hormone levels, leading to more noticeable challenges, while men undergo a gradual yet significant reduction in hormones. 

This gradual decline in hormone levels can result in a condition referred to as 'andropause' in men. While not as widely discussed as menopause, andropause can bring about various symptoms that warrant attention. 

Men can experience issues like fatigue, mood swings, decreased muscle mass, and declining libido. By restoring hormonal balance, HRT can significantly improve the quality of life and overall well-being in men, underscoring that the benefits of HRT transcend gender boundaries.

A great example of how HRT can help men lower their biological age comes from our amazing partner - Dr Joseph Raffaele the founder of PhysioAge.

His patient - Anonymous (46) was a healthy man who struggled to see results from his workouts. The first thing Dr Raffaele did was test his GlycanAge and hormone levels. His biological age was the same as his chronological age, which wasn't surprising given his good health. However, his testosterone and estradiol levels were lower than optimal.

He was put on HRT with prescribed testosterone. Over time, his biological age began to decline, and in just two years, he succeeded in restoring his hormone levels to optimal ranges, resulting in an impressive 20-year reduction in his biological age. Alongside these amazing results, he also felt much better and his quality of life has improved. 

How can you use HRT to manage menopause?

In 2020, we conducted a study examining the influence of estradiol, a form of estrogen, on GlycanAge in a group of healthy pre-menopausal women. The study involved suppressing their natural production of estradiol for a period of 6 months. 

A portion of the women received HRT in the form of estradiol injections, while the remaining women did not. The women who neither produced nor received estradiol experienced an average increase in their biological age by 9.1 years!

This increase was entirely averted in the group of women on HRT.

This illustrates the significant benefits of HRT in addressing menopausal symptoms caused by hormonal imbalances. It also underscores the valuable role of GlycanAge as a tool to measure the progress and improvements made throughout the journey.

Furthermore, HRT has shown amazing results for women dealing with:

• Hot flushes
• Night sweats
• Excessive weight gain
• Fatigue
• Brain fog
• Muscle aches
• Sleep problems and so much more

But most importantly, this treatment has helped women all across the globe regain control of their bodies. Read some of their stories on the link below. 

Conclusion

HRT can be a powerful ally in your longevity journey, especially when guided by a personalised approach. With the GlycanAge test, you can accurately measure its effectiveness and make informed decisions to enhance your biological age, ensuring that your quality of life reaches its highest potential.