A doctor has urged men to increase their awareness of their hormone health before they reach for their next pint. Dr Paul van der Westhuizen, men’s health lead for home health test provider Medichecks, has warned men to get wise on their hormone levels for Alcohol Awareness Week from July 1 – with one drink in particular upsetting their hormone balance.
“While we typically label hormones as male or female, the fact is men and women make both types of hormones in different levels,” said Dr van der Westhuizen. “The different volumes of these hormones are what distinguishes the sexual characteristics of men and women. “Oestradiol levels in men can be raised due to excess body fat, or linked to an age-related decline in testosterone. High levels of oestrogen in men can cause a negative feedback loop in the brain, causing it to think the body has too much testosterone and lowering its testosterone production in response.