There’s no doubt about it: We all lose a little something off our muscle as we age, and all the training and exercise in the world can’t stop it.

But there’s a difference between “losing a little” and “losing a lot” — and today, far too many seniors are losing WAY too much.

It’s hurting and even killing them. But for men, at least, there may be an easy answer for slowing and reversing the muscle loss that comes with age — and it’s that same hormone that makes you a man in the first place.

It’s testosterone — and the latest research on 1,200 seniors who were tracked for nearly five years finds that those with the highest levels of it keep the most of their muscle, especially the critical muscle in the arms and legs.

And those who have the lowest levels, on the other hand, lose more muscle and have more difficulty with basic leg function and simple exercises and even trouble getting up from a chair.

This shouldn’t be too surprising, since the links between the hormone and muscle mass are pretty well known. Bodybuilders have been boosting their testosterone levels for years to help transform themselves into walking mountains of muscle.

But for seniors, this isn’t just some exercise in vanity — and it’s not even about the frustration of, say, losing the ability to open a jar of spaghetti sauce.

It’s a life-or-death issue, because seniors with low muscle mass have an increased risk of falls and other injuries. Reach a certain age, and any fall can lead to long-term hospitalization, permanent institutionalization and even death.

If you’re past middle age — and certainly, if you’re a senior — odds are the needle on your testosterone tank is swinging towards the “E.” A naturopathic physician can top your tank off the right way, but he can’t do anything at all if you don’t ask.

In other words, don’t be shy on this one.

Sex doesn’t just get better with age — age gets better with sex, especially for women.

In fact, older women with satisfying sex lives have better lives overall — and that’s not just opinion; it’s a scientific fact.

Because when researchers interviewed 1,235 senior women in San Diego, they found that even the elderly can have satisfying sex lives — and when it comes to those later years, quality trumps quantity (but feel free to boost quantity just the same, it’s good for both of you).

Overall, the researchers say 31 percent of women in their 80s, 57 percent of women in their 70s, and 70 percent of women in their 60s reported at least one sexual encounter over the previous six months.

But regardless of how much sex they had, they all reported similar levels of moderate to high “sexual satisfaction” — mostly hovering around 60 percent.

And with sexual satisfaction came other forms of satisfaction: Those women with satisfying sex lives reported more happiness and a better quality of life than those with less sexual satisfaction.

The researchers also wrote in The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society that as women got older, they were more likely to report problems with sexual arousal and desire — and of course, that’s music to the drug industry’s ears. (Cheesy 70s porn music, I’m sure.)

That’s because Big Pharma has been lusting after a so-called “female Viagra.” And while none of the drugs they’ve come up with have been approved for women (yet), that hasn’t stopped them from priming the market.

And as I’ve told you before, some of the tactics they’ve used have been downright underhanded.

Don’t fall for it.

In many cases, female sex problems are caused by drug side effects, especially in older women. In other cases, it could just be one of the signs of aging as hormone levels drop — but not the ones you’re thinking of.

Testosterone is often considered a male hormone, but women need it too. Older women who get a boost often see dramatic improvements in their sex lives.

If you’re having problems with arousal and desire, don’t wait for Big Pharma to come out with a sex med. Visit a naturopathic physician who has experience working with hormones.

Then tell your husband to get ready.

We’re not done with hormones yet.

We know that hormonal changes affect all of us – not just women – as we age. But what many people don’t realize is how we are, to a certain extent, in control of them. Our actions cause their reactions.

A new study, which will be published in the journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, helps make the point, even if the folks who put it together don’t realize it yet.

A team of researchers led by Dr. Bahman Guyron, a plastic surgeon from the Cleveland area, looked at the effects of lifestyle on aging in a novel way. They visited the annual “Twin Days” festival in (where else?) Twinsburg, Ohio, and began photographing twins and asking questions about their lifestyles.

They found that in many cases, one twin looked younger than the other. Usually, a twin who smoked or spent more time in the sun aged more rapidly.

All of the twins in this survey were women, but the larger point – the one the study didn’t touch on – impacts all of us: As we age, our bodies rely on hormones to step in and repair the damage we do to ourselves. When you smoke or put on weight, those hormones start working overtime to fix you up.

And that works, for a little while.

But if you keep up that demand on your hormones, they stop working right. Like a factory where everyone’s always working double and triple shifts without getting a break, eventually the workers stop showing up. Hormone production tails off, your body stops repairing itself, and your lifestyle catches up to you.

In fact, in my experience, hormone depletion is the number one cause of premature aging. I spend a great deal of time at my clinic in Montana helping patients correct the hormonal deficiencies that are literally causing them to fall apart.

So remember: Everything you do to your body today comes with a price you’ll have to pay later on – and it comes back with interest due.

Fast living leads to faster aging, so slow down a little and treat your body well. You’ll find yourself being paid back in the end.

A lot of studies make me scratch my head, but every now and then a real gem comes along that makes me wonder just what in the heck they were thinking.

Like the recent study that found that older men with early stage low- or moderate–grade prostate cancer are more likely to die of something other than the prostate cancer.

No kidding!

Any doctor worth his salt knows that prostate cancer is a slow-developing disease. Combine that with the fact that older people tend to get it, and of course they’re likely to die of something else first.

Unfortunately, the researchers made the wrong-headed conclusion that men diagnosed with prostate cancer were focusing only on their cancer, and neglecting other areas of their health.

They didn’t just miss the boat. They missed the entire ocean. Here’s the real question they should have been asking: Why do so many men rush out to get prostate cancer surgery?

In many cases, when you consider the age of the patient and how long it takes for the disease to develop, these surgeries make absolutely no sense at all. Remember, common side effects of prostate cancer surgery include incontinence and impotence.

One recent comprehensive study looked at hundreds of other studies to evaluate eight different forms of treatment – including surgery. You’ll never guess what they found.

None of those treatments, not even the surgery, proved to be better than doing nothing at all.

There’s no doubt that prostate cancer needs to be taken seriously. After all, it claimed nearly 30,000 lives last year. But at the same time, we also need to consider that nearly 2 million men alive today have been diagnosed with prostate cancer at some point in their lives. And the 10-year survival rate of the disease is above 90 percent.

Prostate cancer requires a rational, measured approach – and that should have been the message of this study.

Looks like this study found a few needles – but missed the whole haystack.