Amy brought her gynecologist, Dr. Naomi Paschall and nurse practitioner Megan Kirk into the studio to review Eddie’s blood work after concerns about his extremely low testosterone levels.
Dr. Paschall confirmed she had reviewed Eddie’s complete metabolic profile and immediately described his testosterone levels as “extremely low.” She was surprised Eddie was functioning normally with numbers that low and began reviewing other possible health concerns, including diabetes, hypertension, liver function, and alcohol use. She noted that Eddie’s liver numbers looked healthy and clarified that his glucose reading was acceptable because he had eaten before the blood draw. Megan agreed with Dr. Pascal’s assessment and admitted she was shocked Eddie was able to remain upbeat and energetic during the day despite his hormone levels. Eddie reiterated to them that he often wakes up exhausted, struggles through the morning, briefly feels better at work, and then crashes again later in the day. Dr. Paschall explained that low testosterone symptoms in men often resemble symptoms women experience when their hormones are unbalanced. She listed fatigue, depression-like symptoms, low energy, and difficulty focusing as common signs. Psychiatrists had even started referring patients to her after medications for depression, anxiety, and ADHD failed to improve symptoms.
According to Dr. Paschall, many patients are misdiagnosed because hormone levels are never checked. Eddie’s vitamin D deficiency was also contributing to the problems he has been having. Megan revealed Eddie’s vitamin D level was 20, below the normal minimum range of 30. Dr. Paschall explained that many Americans are vitamin D deficient because they spend too much time indoors and use sunscreen regularly. She also warned that over-the-counter supplements are not always effective because vitamin D absorption can be affected by diet and inflammation in the gut. Further explaining that vitamin D is fat-soluble and often requires pairing with vitamins K and A for proper absorption. She said many patients take supplements for months without improving their levels because processed foods and poor gut health interfere with absorption.
Eddie asked what natural steps he could take before considering hormone treatment. Dr. Paschall and Megan recommended increasing protein intake, reducing processed foods, exercising, lowering stress levels, and spending more time in direct sunlight. Megan explained that exercises involving large muscle groups, such as squats, can help naturally increase testosterone levels, though likely not enough to fully correct Eddie’s deficiency. Amy is currently doing hormone pellet therapy, where Megan inserted a pellet into her hip that slowly releases hormones over several months. Dr. Paschall said the pellets are plant-based and bioidentical, meaning the hormones chemically match what the body naturally produces. Many people misunderstand hormone replacement because they confuse bioidentical hormones with synthetic hormones. She explained that earlier hormone treatments often caused side effects because they contained synthetic compounds, while modern pellet therapy uses plant-derived hormones sourced from yams. Bobby asked whether Eddie could also receive a pellet treatment. Dr. Paschall confirmed she regularly inserts pellets for male patients and explained that men typically receive larger doses that can last six to eight months whereas women's last four to six months. Eddie admitted he felt more comfortable considering pellet therapy after hearing it was bioidentical rather than synthetic. Dr. Paschall explained that the body responds differently to bioidentical hormones because they mimic naturally occurring hormones rather than artificial replacements.
Eddie said the biggest takeaway for him was realizing how connected low testosterone and vitamin D deficiency were to his daily exhaustion and mood. He committed to improving his diet, spending more time outdoors, and reducing processed foods before deciding whether to pursue pellet therapy. Dr. Paschall stressed that hormone issues are becoming increasingly common, even among younger men, and encouraged people struggling with fatigue, depression, or lack of motivation to have their hormone levels checked. She said many symptoms often blamed on aging or stress can actually stem from hormonal imbalances and vitamin deficiencies.