The CDC released a startling report recently: 2,457,118 curable STDs were transmitted in the USA in 2018. That’s a STD every 4 minutes. It’s now estimated that 1 in 2 young people have a STD.

Why are we seeing record highs in STDs? There are two main reasons:

1) The rise in online dating apps has drastically increased the rate of casual hookups. Most people don’t take the time to learn about their partner’s sexual history

2) The vast majority of STDs don’t display symptoms right away. People are completely unaware

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Making matters even worse, the majority of people who suspect they might be at risk don’t get tested because they feel uncomfortable talking about sex with their doctor. 

Untreated STDs can be a major risk to your health.

In the past, we’ve advocated for people to visit their local STD Clinic. But recently, we were approached by LetsGetChecked to review their at home STD test kit.

It made quite the impression on us. We think this test could actually help reverse this worldwide STD trend, because of how simple and effective it is. Here is what we loved about it:

  • Super simple sample collection process ensures that you can effectively collect samples, which means you don’t have to drive to the clinic
  • Tests are delivered in unmarked packaging so only you know what it is, which means no one else has to know you’re taking this test. This is great if you’re uncomfortable talking to anyone about your sex life
  • Get results in 2-5 days, so you can get peace-of-mind quickly which means you don’t have to spend any extra time wondering if an infection is hiding out in your body
  • Their tests are CLIA-certified and FDA approved, which means they use the same labs as medical doctors, hospitals and government agencies (and your local STD Clinic)
  • Easily view your results in a secure, online dashboard the second they are ready – you don’t have to talk to anyone!

If you’ve been sexually active recently, you really should try LetsGetChecked. They’ve given our readers a special promo code to encourage more people get tested for STDs.

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Signs You are Low Testosterone and How to Test Yourself

Testosterone impacts a man’s appearance and stimulates his sex drive. Low testosterone can impact every part of your life: from mental health, relationships and physical health. Here are four ways to determine if you are deficient.

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I once had a friend named Daniel (real name omitted). Daniel was in his 40s and at surface level his life looked wonderful. He owned a successful business and was married with kids. He had just bought a second house by the lake.

Then all of the sudden his life started to fall apart. He felt fatigued all the time. He wasn’t able to perform and his business suffered. Things got bad at home and his wife ended up leaving him, taking the children and filing for divorce. He had to sell his lakehouse.

These were dark days for Daniel, and on a whim he decided to get his testosterone checked. Imagine his shock when he learned he had the testosterone level of an 11-year old girl!

Suddenly everything made sense: the fatigue, the failure at work, the problems with his wife and his relationship.

His story is not uncommon. The majority of men that learn they have low testosterone are shocked to find out just how many negative effects this was having on their life.

Don’t let this happen to you. Here are the signs to watch out for:

Signs of Low Testosterone

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If something feels off in your life and you just can’t quite figure out why, low testosterone could be the culprit. Keep in mind this isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are a few warning signs that you might be suffering from a hormone imbalance:

1) Anxiety, tiredness and/or fatigue

Testosterone is responsible for a lot of your daily bodily functions. The testosterone is what makes men get up and go. It’s what makes them goal oriented and direct and so if you find yourself suddenly a little fatigued and a little less motivated this could be a sign of low testosterone.

2) Erectile Disfunction

Testosterone plays a vital role in your libido. If your count is low, you’ll suffer from a reduced sex drive and inability to maintain or even get an erection. Since a man’s sex drive is such an important part of his life, when it is reduced many find their relationships suffer – which leads to unnecessary breakups and divorces.

3) Infertility and Low Sperm

A low sperm count can make it extremely difficult for you and your partner to conceive. Infertility is hard to measure or determine which parter is at fault, which can shake relationships to their core. Doctors typically start most men with a testosterone test to evaluate, so we recommend you start there too.

4) Indecision

Testosterone is a decision-making hormone. If you start finding yourself unable to think clearly, getting easily confused or unable to pull the trigger on any big decisions this could signal a change in your testosterone levels.

5) Others

There are a variety of other, less common factors of low testosterone. These include: enlarged breast tissue, headaches, bloating, blurred vision, loss of bone density, and hypopituitarism (the reduction of your overall hormone production from your pituitary gland). If you’re struggling with any of these issues and haven’t found the solution, a hormone imbalance could be the cause.

Are You Low Testosterone? Or are You High in Sex Hormone Binding Globulin?

Testosterone is what makes a man a MAN, but it’s not the complete picture. Perhaps you’ve suffered from these symptoms but your testosterone levels are relativity normal. In this case, Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) could be to blame.

Think of SHGB as the car that transports your testosterone around your body. It binds to the testosterone and carries it through your bloodstream. When you produce too much SHBG in your liver, which is often an indicator of another underlying issue, you can produce symptoms of low testosterone. Your testosterone levels would be fine, it’s just not getting transported by SHBG and that is inhibiting your body to use your existing testosterone.

We typically recommend a Male Hormone Advanced Test in these situations, which will measure your testosterone but also your SHGB to ensure you get a complete picture of your health.

How Getting Tested At Home Works (It is so easy!)

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LetsGetChecked makes it easy to test your hormone levels form your home. They are a leading company in the virtual healthcare space, and are empowering men like you to take control of their health. Where a doctor may require many expensive office visits before deciding to assign you a test, LetsGetChecked lets you test your testosterone and hormone levels whenever you want.

Here is how it works: You can purchase a test. They ship you the kit. You provide a simple blood sample, and ship it to their CLIA lab in a prepaid box. From there a physician reviews the tests and your results are made available in 2-5 days. Finally a nurse practitioner will call you to review the results by phone. When appropriate they can even prescribe medication that you can pick up at your local pharmacy. 

No doctor’s visit, no need to take time off work. It is simple, it is the responsible thing to do. Be proactive. Get checked. 

Get your hormone levels tested today and save 40% with code SWORD

Why Is Getting Tested for STDs So Important?

The topic doesn’t come up in general conversation all that often, and most people who end up with one will never share the details with others due to negative stigma. Sexually transmitted diseases or infections (STDs or STIs) are a growing concern among the sexually active population. 

How Common Are STDs?

Studies show that half of all sexually active people will contract an STD by the time they hit the age of 25. It is also estimated by the Centers for Disease Control that 20 million new cases of STIs will occur annually in the United States. Most of these new infections are among people between the ages of 15 and 24. Some STDs are more prevalent than others in the United States. 

The three most common STDs are chlamydia, syphilis, and gonorrhea. In 2015, the numbers of reported cases hit record levels, and chlamydia became the highest reported condition to the CDC at 1.5 million people. Other STDs continue to grow in numbers, such as: 

  • HIV
  • Hepatitis 
  • Herpes 
  • Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)

What are the Symptoms of STDs?

Every STD can come along with its own set of symptoms, and some symptoms can be easily related to some other health concern or problem. Therefore, many STDs go grossly underreported. Some of the most common symptoms of STDs include:

  • Redness, swelling, a rash, or irritation in the vaginal or penile area 
  • Bumps, lesions, warts, or sores around or near the anus, vagina, penis, or mouth 
  • Unusual discharge from the vagina or penis 
  • Pain during sex
  • Vaginal bleeding that is not due to menses 
  • Itching near the vagina or the penis 

Are There STDs That Show No Symptoms?

Several types of STDs do not have any immediate symptoms, some STDs have very subtle symptoms easily blamed on something else, and some STDs simply have no outward symptoms at all. Nevertheless, an STD with no symptoms can still be transmitted to a partner in most cases. A few examples include: 

  • About 70% of females and 50% of males do not show symptoms with chlamydia
  • Symptoms with genital herpes may not show up for many months or years later 
  • Individuals with genital warts often do not have obvious warts 

Health Complications of Not Treating STDs

The unfortunate thing about STDs that do not show obvious symptoms is many people never get tested because they do not suspect anything is wrong. Furthermore, some people avoid seeking treatment because of the stigma surrounding STDs. There are many health complications that can come along with not getting proper treatment. One of the most prevalent is infertility. The CDC says undiagnosed STIs cause roughly 24,000 infertile females annually. Pelvic inflammatory disease, certain types of cancer, and other conditions can come along with no treatment. Of course, not getting treated can contribute to the transmission of the infection to other partners.  

The First Step to Take If You Suspect You Have an STD

The first step to take if you suspect you have an STD, or even if you just want to make sure you don’t, is to get tested. These days, testing doesn’t even have to involve going to a health care provider for the initial screenings. You can get an at-home STD test from Let’s Get Checked that you can take in the privacy of your home. The kit allows you to get tested for the 10 most common STDs, and your results are available online within a few days after you send your test kit back. So, getting checked is quick, private, and easy.