Many female celebrities have begun speaking out about going through menopause. I really appreciate those kinds of stories. Well, now male celebrities have entered the chat. Josh Duhamel is stepping up to speak for middle-aged men.
Josh participated in a Men’s Health Lab panel last week to promote his new wellness company, Gatlan Health. Gatlan aims to help men with hormone treatments, medical weight loss, and hairline treatment. Josh, 52, shared that he recently realized that he was feeling off. He saw a doctor and discovered that he had low testosterone levels. Josh decided to take testosterone to stay “virile” for his 31-year-old wife.
Josh Duhamel, 52, said that his wife was a factor in his decision to begin hormone replacement therapy. “It’s important for her that I stay as young and virile for as long as I can,” the actor said of his wife Audra Mari, 31. Duhamel and Mari wed in 2022.
Outside of his intimate life, the actor elaborated on other facets of his personal life that the hormone replacement therapy has positively impacted. “I think that there is an overall wellness, you know, just for just for those purposes alone … ,” he said.
The actor continued, “Just having that energy, that that that desire to go out and achieve, be a better dad, be a better brother, be a better friend, be a better business owner, you don’t taper off like you would normally—and I think that that’s also one of the benefits of it, mentally and physically.”
Duhamel shares son Axl, 11, with ex-wife Fergie. The couple divorced in 2019. He shares son Shepherd, 1, with Mari.
When it came to the decision to begin taking testosterone, Duhamel revealed that he had low levels of the hormone when he was tested by a doctor. “I’d been hearing about this for a while—about testosterone replacement therapy—and it was one of those things that I didn’t want to talk about, neither did anybody I was asking about it,” he said.
The actor continued, “And I think that it was just, I took an inventory, a personal inventory, of how I was feeling, and I knew that I wasn’t quite where I was at five, 10, years before. That’s when I got myself tested, and realized my levels were low, and that’s when I decided to start doing it.”
Duhamel reflected further on how taking testosterone has positively impacted his physical strength. “It’s just one of those things that just changed my world. I literally got my mojo back. And now it’s become, not so much about the aesthetics of it, as much as it is being around for my kids and being able to roll around the dirt with them like I could have when I was younger,” he said.
Duhamel’s conversation with Men’s Health comes as he begins his journey as the co-founder of Gatlan Health. Gatlan Health works to “help men reclaim their strength, confidence, and vitality through cutting-edge solutions and a holistic approach to wellness,” per the official website.
The first thing that struck me when I read Josh’s story was just how easy it was for him, a man, to get tested and then begin hormone replacement therapy. If only it were that easy for everyone who needs HRT. I’ve heard first-hand and read a lot of stories/comments online from women who have to beg for medical intervention to help them with menopause.
That said, I have zero problems with Josh taking testosterone to treat any of the other low T symptoms he was suffering from. That’s what modern medicine is for! I did not have “Josh Duhamel starting a men’s wellness brand” on my bingo card, but here we are. I appreciate him sharing his story because we live in an era with a disturbing, renewed focus on toxic masculinity and a constant demand for men to prove that they are “real” men. If Josh can break through to even one man that’s struggling but too embarrassed to admit something’s wrong, then that’s great!
Photos credit: Olivier Huitel/Avalon, Getty
Hormones are everything. I love my patch. I just upped my dosage. It’s the only thing that is keeping me feel like myself.
Same, I started last summer and who would have thought a small sticker could make such a difference.
Yay for normalising all these conversations, props to Josh for being open about his experiences.
May ask what made you up your dosage? I’m thinking of doing the same, but was curious if you had a certain experience to request the upped dosage?
He’s not still with Fergie??
I do really love that he’s talking about this. And yes the medical gaslighting of women is insidious and f-ed.
Lastly. Yall need to watch the interviews where Timothy Olyphant talks about him and Josh switching places in their Christmas cards! So funny. All his interviews are just a delight
I remember a few years ago he did an interview and said he needed to find a woman young enough to give him more kids. He could have worded it so much better and just said, “Meet a woman who also wanted to have more children” but, oh no. Had to make it all about her age and the quality of her eggs. Gross.
Funny, because new studies shows that the older the sperm (aka the older the men) the higher the risk for health complications for the babies. One more misogynistic myth that needs to be corrected.
YUP.
I remember a friend of mine once wrote a (very scientific, very well researched) article about the science of older dads and she got SO MUCH HATE MAIL.
Men never want to believe that they age and they never want to believe that, even if they can technically do something, there can be serious consequences.
Yeah, now he’s fobbing off the responsibility/blame for his having to do HRT on his young wife. Major side eye.
Yeah, I had to get over my original “ick” relating to my ignorance around the issue when I heard this story. I’m glad he’s highlighting male health in a positive way, given that male barriers to accessing healthcare tend to be social rather than systemic.
I was in the sauna at the gym recently and the sauna next to me had one guy offering advice to the other to go to how doctor and ask about testosterone replacement and they weren’t talking about it in terms of looks or strength in the gym but in the same terms as Josh is here- his relationship was affected and he had low energy to keep up with his kids etc.
If this article can help guys who don’t have a friendly sauna bro (if not an actual friend) to discuss this stuff with, then that is great. Would also be great if women’s health could progress commensurately!!
I will never forget telling my OB GYN all my symptoms of menopause. And asking what can be done for relief. She just stared at me blankly, and said just live with it.
Yeah, thanks Doc. I can’t find a Doctor that has any real answers.
But I will find one to talk about hormone therapy. I did not even know that was an option for women.
It just feels like for women, we get to suffer with no funding or answers. For men, oh your peepee doesn’t work right. No problem! Lets throw 10 billion into research and make it stand up straight on demand.
I’m on an estradiol patch after a hysterectomy. It got rid of the hot flashes I was getting. Some people like the cream and that’s also an option but it’s harder to get the dosage right. My original OBgyn also stared at me blankly and did not get my obvious diagnosis. I’m so glad I switched!
I was on HRT for many years after a total hyster when I was 42. Loved it. Fast forward twenty years and I was diagnosed with breast cancer so off came the patch. Menopause was instant and hellish. I now use a plant-based progesterone/estradiol cream and take soy isoflavones. It’s taken the edge off but still nothing like the real thing.
I went on HRT a while back. I was very fortunate to have a doctor that is not only a proponent of HRT but also an advocate. It has tremendously improved the quality of my life. Ironically enough, more than one doctor has attempted to get me off of it without medical cause. I also just say “Nah, I’m good. Thanks “
You must never listen to AM radio and/or classic rock radio, because men don’t need to hear about low T hormone therapy. It’s literally all they hear about.
I was going to say – Isn’t Joe Rogan, RFK jr and the manosphere all over this?
I’ve considered starting testosterone therapy. I went to Men’s Health and did the pre-lab. My levels weren’t too low but definitely room for improvement. Hey, I’m 37! One of the joys of getting older. I’ve just noticed how much harder I have to work in the gym to get the same results. In my twenties, I could lose ten pounds in a week. Not the case as I approach 40.
It was SO easy for me to get TRT, my only trepidation is that it decreases your fertility/sperm count and my partner and I are considering having children. It’s insane how easy it is for me to start this therapy; knowing that women going through menopause have to fight tooth and nail for the same treatment is nuts. Insanity!!! I feel for you, my sisters.
One of my favorite movies is Love, Simon and Josh Duhamel was wonderful as the main character’s father. I will always have a soft spot for him (although I’m side-eye-ing this age gap). He is very nice to look at though!
He is 52 years old and has a 1 year old child. Whatever he does, the age is gonna catch up with him. At his age, men usually enjoy finally having time for themselves with their wife because all their children are grown.
“Concierge medicine” or boutique practices basically give people what they want. you pay a monthly fee, and if you want a prescription, you can get pretty much anything you want, whether it’s medically necessary or even appropriate. antibiotics, hormone treatments, cosmetic stuff, whatever. they don’t take insurance, it’s like Burger King: “have it your way”.
Great option for some. Cost prohibitive for others. Personally having a concierge doctor is my new life goal now that I am in my 60’s
So they’re both adults and whatever they wanna do, but in that last photo he totally looks like her dad, like he’s taking his daughter to a game.
Very cool that men are talking about this. It opens the door for women to feel more comfortable about discussing HRT with them!
Disgusting.