Three years ago, former Troy police sergeant Josh Muhlenbeck discovered the rejuvenating benefits of testosterone replacement therapy.
“I was always into staying physically fit because as a police officer, if you didn't, you might not go home that day. One summer, I noticed my body fat wasn't falling off like it used to. And I'm like, ‘All right, let’s get super strict: calories, protein goals, macros.’ It just wasn't coming off. And I would only sleep an hour and a half. I was like, ‘What the heck is going on here?’
“So I got tested and I was low in testosterone. And I told myself, ‘All right, I'll try this for three months, and if it doesn’t work, I'll just come off. We'll see.’ I've been on ever since. And I'm not coming off. It helps with my workouts, injuries, sleep, cognitive function—everything just works better. I love it.”
Inspired by his experience, Josh retired early and opened Gameday Men’s Health, a testosterone replacement therapy clinic in Troy.
“I just want to serve. It’s helped me and now I want to help others. There is literally nothing better than helping people—it makes me feel so good. I'm knowledgeable and I can help.”
Most men associate low testosterone with ED. Josh says the symptoms are much more wide-ranging.
“You may have low energy, lower drive, feel down and depressed,” Josh lists. “Your eating and activity are the same but you're gaining weight. Or you gain it no matter how hard you work out or how healthy you eat.”
“Brain fog, too. There's a big mental component,” adds Gameday’s clinical director Mike Dennie.
“And then you get tested and realize you're just super low in testosterone,” Josh finishes.
I wonder what percentage of men are surprised that low testosterone was the root of their health issues. Mike says almost all of them.
“They don't realize because for them, it's been a gradual decline. Low testosterone is a silent epidemic. It drives the weight gain, low muscle mass, low drive, low energy, poor sleep, cognitive issues, brain fog, your words not coming out.”
Surprisingly, Mike says another sign of low testosterone is aggression.
“Testosterone calms you down. People don't realize that,” Mike informs me. “It’s the only thing that counteracts your stress hormone.”
“Yeah, it keeps me actually calmer, believe it or not,” Josh adds.
Mike says low testosterone is often not properly diagnosed or treated by doctors.
“You won’t get diagnosed until your lab value is below 300. They don’t take age into account. Someone in their 20s, their testosterone should be 900 or higher, and they're coming in here at 400. For a 20-year-old, that's low. Yet it’s not taken seriously. I get patients who are like, ‘I don't want to even discuss this with my doctor.’ Most physicians aren’t trained to identify the symptoms related to aging as reduced testosterone.”
Gameday is a medical clinic, but with a mancave vibe. Getting tested is free and quick: you get results on-site in less than 15 minutes. Then Mike goes over the results with you. “We're not a patient mill,” Josh adds. “You can sit with Mike as long as you want.”
Testosterone injection appointments just take a minute. Gameday will even train you to inject yourself at home. Mike says the injections can end the desperate solution cycle.
“Caffeine. Energy drinks. Sleep meds. Pills for depression, for ED. When you correct testosterone levels, you see these men awaken. You can see it in their expression, their posture. It's absolutely amazing how much fixing this hormone imbalance improves their life.”
I talk to one of those men: Alex, a police officer. When he turned 50, Alex started struggling with brain fog. “You don’t have that clarity. It’s almost like a traffic jam going on in your mind,” Alex recalls.
Alex said Gameday’s therapy “just clears everything up for you. You recover fast from exercise. There’s pep in your step, kind of like when you’re 20 or 30 years old. And with the brain fog gone, you’re able to make your decisions faster, clearer. You just feel better overall. It’s quality of life.”
Mike says the benefits of Gameday’s therapy go beyond relief of symptoms.
“It's really about long-term health. The number one thing for longevity is keeping your muscle mass into your 80s and 90s. And you're not going to do that without proper testosterone. It’s a fountain of youth in a bottle for men.”
I want to sum up the Gameday Men’s Health experience in one sentence. Josh gives me the words.
“We can take your 20-year-old self and bring it to now,” Josh declares. “You can feel like that guy again.”
Gameday Men’s Health offers discounts to veterans and first responders. For your free test and consult, visit gamedaymenshealth.com/troy-mi or call (248) 845-1619.
Testosterone replacement therapy can be a basic element of self-care as men age.
“When you have high blood pressure, you take blood pressure medication,” says Mike Dennie, clinical director at Gameday Men's Health in Troy. “We're kind of like that.”
Owner Josh Muhlenbeck continues, “If your car’s gas is low, you just fill it up and your tank's full—you’ve got energy to continue. Testosterone is the same way: you need to keep your tank full, and when you get low, you’ve got to fill it up.”
Testosterone therapy isn’t the only way Gameday can enhance your health.
”We do sports injury medicine,” Mike says. “Peptide therapy will make you heal significantly faster by helping improve your body's natural healing functioning. And if you use weight loss drugs, you're losing muscle mass too. Peptide therapy can help prevent that."
Their shockwave and GAINSWave machines can also make a positive impact on a variety of issues.
“Injuries, joint issues, muscular issues. It can help rebuild vessels and break apart plaques to improve blood flow. We have incredible solutions for men's health in a mancave environment."
We can take your 20-year-old self and bring it to now. You can feel like that guy again.