This page has been archived and commenting is disabled.
Man Up: Boost Your Testosterone Level for Health, Power and Confidence
Testosterone Levels Fall Worldwide
Men’s testosterone levels across all age groups have been plummeting over the last couple of decades, probably due to environmental factors. As Reuters reported in 2006:
A new study has found a “substantial” drop in U.S. men’s testosterone levels since the 1980s, but the reasons for the decline remain unclear. This trend also does not appear to be related to age.
The average levels of the male hormone dropped by 1 percent a year, Dr. Thomas Travison and colleagues from the New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Massachusetts, found. This means that, for example, a 65-year-old man in 2002 would have testosterone levels 15 percent lower than those of a 65-year-old in 1987. This also means that a greater proportion of men in 2002 would have had below-normal testosterone levels than in 1987.
“The entire population is shifting somewhat downward we think,” Travison told Reuters Health. “We’re counting on other studies to confirm this.”
Travison and his team analyzed data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, a long-term investigation of aging in about 1,700 Boston-area men. Data from the men were collected for three time intervals: 1987-1989, 1995-1997, and 2002-2004.
***
The researchers observed a speedier decline in average testosterone levels than would have been expected with aging alone.
***
It’s likely that some sort of environmental exposure is responsible for the testosterone decline, Travison said, although he said attempting to explain what this might be based on the current findings would be “pure conjecture.”
Men’s Health wrote in 2007:
In the summer of 2006, Travison attended an Endocrine Society meeting where another researcher, Antti Perheentupa M.D., Ph.D., from the University of Turku, in Finland, presented evidence of a similar decline. The Finnish results suggested the change was happening among younger men, too. A man born in 1970 had about 20 percent less testosterone at age 35 than a man of his father’s generation at the same age. “When I saw another group reproducing our results,” says Travison, “that was convincing to me that we were seeing a true biological change over time, as opposed to just some measurement error.”
***
Mitch Harman M.D., Ph.D., an endocrinologist at the University of Arizona college of medicine and the director of the Kronos Longevity Research Institute, sees the shadow of Silent Spring. Back in 1962, when Rachel Carson published her environmental classic, estrogen-like substances in the insecticide DDT were making eggshells so thin that they were crushed by nesting parents; populations of eagles and other large birds plummeted. And today? Dr. Harman says, “I’m concerned that we’re just pouring chemicals out into our environment that are endocrine-suppressing, estrogen-like compounds,” possibly causing similar disruptions in human reproduction. The authors of a recent article in the Medical Journal of Australia likewise suggest that from early fetal life onward, male hormonal and reproductive functions are under “xenobiotic attack,” meaning chemicals not naturally found in the body appear to be disrupting normal biological development.
For instance, 90 percent of American men have evidence of chlorpyrifos in their urine. This shouldn’t be surprising, since up to 19 million pounds of the stuff was distributed across the United States in 1999 alone, much of it in household products like tick-and-flea powder for pets, lawn treatments, and common insecticides. Though residential use is now restricted, chlorpyrifos is still common in agriculture, as well as in some professional applications; for most people, diet is now the main source of exposure. In a recent Harvard study, men with the highest chlorpyrifos exposure typically had 20 percent less testosterone than those with the lowest exposure.
Carbaryl is another possible culprit. Detectable levels turn up in 75 percent of American men, and having it in your urine appears to be associated with reduced sperm count and liveliness, or motility, as well as increased DNA damage. And yet we still apply carbaryl to lawns and gardens at a rate of up to 4 million pounds a year, mostly by way of an insecticide known as Sevin. There should be a bumper sticker: Honey, the lawn shrunk my testicles.
Phthalates are also everywhere, almost certainly including your own body. Manufacturers use them in colognes and cosmetics and as softeners in plastics. Baby bottles now come “phthalate-free,” but hospital intravenous bags generally don’t. And yet some phthalates seem to have all of carbaryl’s unpleasant associations with reproductive health. And not just in men: Last year Greenpeace issued a warning against the danger of phthalates in your girlfriend’s sex toys. Then the Danish Environmental Protection Agency came riding to the rescue, declaring such toys safe—as long as she keeps it to an hour or less a day.
Scientists can’t say that any of the suspect chemicals actually cause the reproductive effects that are occurring. They can only point out troubling associations. But these associations seem to be proliferating. About 50 new chemicals come onto the market weekly, says Dr. Harman, and while testing for carcinogenicity is required, “there’s no systematized testing for subtle endocrine effects.”
We’re not likely to have good answers anytime soon. The reproductive problems of human males will remain understudied, says Dr. Harman, in part because federal research dollars are being diverted to issues like biological warfare and terrorism. “We might just wind up disappearing from the planet quietly,” he says, “because we were too busy fighting wars to figure out that our reproductive systems were going south.”
Moreover, as noted by the The Internet Journal of Urology in 2004:
There have been a number of studies over the past 15-20 years … which suggest that sperm counts in man are on the decline. Since these changes are recent and appear to have occurred internationally, it has been presumed that they reflect adverse effects of environmental or lifestyle factors on the male rather than, for example, genetic changes in susceptibility. If the decrease in sperm counts were to continue at the rate that it is then in a few years we will witness widespread male infertility.
Studies published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the journal Diabetes Care, the journal Heart and other major medical journals show that low testosterone levels not only lead to obesity, loss of muscle, weak bones and depression, but also increase the odds of heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers and other major health problems.
In addition, low testosterone levels are correlated with decreased confidence, drive, ability to concentrate, and cognitive abilities.
The bottom line: Most men – and especially those over 30, fathers, or men who have been exposed to toxic chemicals or potent medications – need to maintain their testosterone levels to keep their health, power and confidence.
How to Boost Your Testosterone Level
There are numerous ways to boost your testosterone (we’ll call it “T”) level. Choose what works for you, depending on your health, finances, time and temperament.
Sprint
The International Journal of Sports Medicine found that, in young men, a six-second bout of sprinting increased serum total testosterone levels. Levels remained elevated during recovery.
Lift
Numerous studies have shown that resistance training is a powerful stimulant for testosterone production. So – if you are physically able – be sure to lift heavy things every now and again.
The rest intervals between sets can also stimulate different hormonal responses. A study published in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research found that resting 90 seconds between squat and bench press sets boosted post-workout T-levels the most.
Snooze
The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that lack of sleep dramatically lowers testosterone in healthy young men. Peak testosterone levels coincide with rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep onset. Getting 7-8 hours sleep a night – to make sure you get your REM sleep – will boost your T levels.
Chill Out
As shown by studies published in the the Journal of Hormones and Behavior, the European Journal of Applied Physiology and elsewhere, prolonged stress produces cortisol, which reduces T levels.
So take breaks and play sports, go for a walk, meditate, do yoga or do whatever else de-stresses you.
Get Excited
Newsweek reported in 2009:
Monkeys that see sexually active females register as much as a 400 percent jump in testosterone (nature’s own performance-enhancing drug) promoting lean muscle and quick recovery times, according to the Yerkes Center for Primate Research at Emory University. In humans, German researchershave found that just having an erection is enough to spur testosterone levels. it makes no difference whether a man is watching sex on a screen or having it in real life, his testosterone levels will go up. Just having an erection, in fact, is enough to spur production.
Such findings, along with work that shows family life to be a drain on testosterone levels, prompted Rutgers University sex researcher Helen Fisher to advise this month that males in the “captivity situation”-her term for married with kids-”go on the Internet and look at porn” as a kind of hormone-replacement therapy. “[Porn] drives up dopamine levels, which drives up your testosterone,” she tells NEWSWEEK, while kissing your wife or hugging your kids drives it down.
Indeed, marriage and fatherhood have both been shown to decrease testosterone levels.
(This post concentrates on science, not objectification of women, relationships, ethics, or addictions … all important things to reflect on. I am an ethical, happily-married man with kids, and I value all of those things tremendously. But I also know that if I didn’t have a strong sex drive, my T levels would be lower.)
Keep Your Vitamin D Levels Up
Vitamin D positively correlates with testosterone levels in men, according to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and researchers at the Medical University of Graz in Austria.
So make sure you get enough vitamin D.
Magnesium
The Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis reports that magnesium levels correlate with T.
Calcium
Biological Trace Element Research notes that calcium levels correlate with T, at least in people who exercise a lot.
Zinc
The Journal Nutrition reports that a zinc deficiency predicts lowered testosterone in men.
But don’t take extra … supplementary doses of the mineral don’t boost T levels beyond normal in men with adequate dietary intake.
Eat Monounsaturated and Saturated Fat
We’ve previously documented that fats have gotten a bad rap, and that they are essential for our health. See this, this and this.
The Journal Lipids reports that olive oil – a monosaturated fat – converts cholesterol more easily into testosterone. So use raw olive oil on salads and in other dishes. (Coconut oil – a saturated fat – does the same thing, but to a lesser extent.)
While cholesterol has gotten the worst rap:
Cholesterol is actually a vital precursor to vitamin D, and to basic hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, and adrenaline. If we don’t have enough cholesterol in our body, we will be sickly, impotent and depressed.
The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism reports that a low-fat, high-fiber diet reduced T levels in middle-aged men. The Journal of Applied Physiology reports:
Preexercise T was significantly positively correlated with percent energy fat, SFA [saturated fatty acids] and MUFA [monounsaturated fatty acids] ….
(Click image above for larger picture.)
***
These data are consistent with the findings of several other investigations that have reported a decrease in T in individuals consuming a diet containing ∼20% fat compared with a diet containing ∼40% fat ….
The results from several investigations strongly suggest that dietary fat has a significant impact on T concentrations; however, the influence of different types of lipids on T is not as clear. In the present investigation, dietary fat, SFA, and MUFA were the best predictors of resting T concentrations. Interestingly, Tegelman et al. observed a significant positive correlation (r = 0.76) between percent energy fat and T in young athletic men, which is very similar to the correlation (r = 0.72) obtained in this study. Also, Adlercreutz et al. reported significant positive correlations between T and dietary fat, SFA, MUFA, and cholesterol in postmenopausal women. The same nutrients were positively correlated with T in the present investigation except for cholesterol, which showed a correlation of r = 0.53 (P = 0.07) with T. In contrast to the results obtained in this study, Key et al. reported a significant positive correlation (r = 0.37) between PUFA and T in male vegetarians and omnivores. Our results showed a nonsignificant correlation between PUFA and T and a significant negative correlation between the PUFA/SFA ratio and T. Thus dietary lipids appear to have a significant influence on resting T concentrations; however, the effect of different types of lipids on T regulation and metabolism is complicated and most likely influenced by a complex interaction of several nutritional and metabolic factors. This complexity is illustrated by the findings of Sebokova et al., who reported that alteration in the testicular plasma membrane and changes in the responsiveness of Leydig cells and subsequent T synthesis occur as a result of ingestion of different compositions of lipids.
Avoid Foods that Spike Blood Sugar Levels
Researchers found that 75 grams of pure glucose – and the resultant spike in blood sugar – was enough to drop T levels by as much as 25% in a random grouping of healthy, prediabetic, and diabetic men.
The glycemic index measures how much of a food converts into blood glucose. Because refined carbs have a higher glycemic index than even candy, you should watch the refined carbs.
Get Enough Antioxidants
Oxidative stress may decrease T. So get enough antioxidants, which protect against oxidative stress.
Herbs
Numerous herbs and other substances have been shown to boost T (at least in rats):
- Ginseng has been shown to boost testosterone levels and ramp up sex drive in rats.
- Freshly-squeezed onion juice (but it’s possible that only girls from Transylvania will want to kiss you after drinking onion juice).
- A cocktail containing high doses of selenium and the amino acid N-acetyl-cysteine
- Pomegranate juice
- D-aspartic acid- a derivative of an amino acid found in the body
- Saw palmetto extract
- African pepper
- SAM-e (see this, this and this)
Note: I'm not a medical professional, and this should not be taken as medical - or marital - advice.
»
- advertisements -
Don't eat canned foods for any number of reasons.
Don't eat canned foods for any number of reasons.
Eden Foods uses a BPA free lining. USA grown and organic. Good stuff.
Population control.
This might explain America's obsession with guns. As their testosterone levels drop, their phallic anxiety rises, and thus they need a phallic replacement. Once it was big cars. Now it's gunz. That makes a lot of sense...
Freud's theories only apply to, contemorary to Freud, middle-aged jewesses in Vienna
“If only the Americans knew, we are bringing them the plague!”
Siggy baby
obsession with guns is to protect us from the govt becoming more radical and centralized every day.
Yeah, like those guns would protect you from the fucking US Army, Marines, Air Force, Navy, etc...
If they need a phallic replacement, I'll give em your number.
The increased interest in firearms couldn't possibly be due to rampant societal decay or the ever increasing likelihood of an economic collapse. Sure, there must be a Freudian explanation...
Buchanan's latest: A nation arms itself--for what?
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=50605
I lived through 2 economic, political and currency collapses. Must be missing something, but guns never made my interest list. Wonder what I'm missing then... probably a lack of testosterone...
You must have the mentality of a slave.
I don't think it is just symbolic (and also don't think it is an "obsession" for most of us Americans with guns). Shooting guns most likely raises testosterone levels. I know when I am done with a session of target shooting or plinking I feel very good and "manly".
+ 1
That's the way I feel too after shooting guns!
Hm, that's the way I feel after fucking...
Fluride in water for better dental health - Fluride in higher conc will kill and there is no antidote..Lithium is used to treat depression (major) and will kill at higher doses..poisons that are used routinely in medicine..one wonders why of the two only Fluride does not require prescription use. IMO do not give your children Fluride supplements or drinking water to which it is added..the toxicity is a known fact. see Fluride and IQ studies done in china not good news.
Everything is a posion, just depends on the dosage.
George, please expore the pernicious effects of SOY, and how a once rare additive is now ubiquitous, destroying T levels in men, making them femmy,pudgy, snivelling serf material for their overlords.
Soy is terrible for men. If you want bitch tits or to become a woman, eat lots of soy.
I don't think it's so good for women either.
Sutton
BPA and Phylates, also found in Soy, have the same effect and actually reverse gender.
That's one explanation for the rise in Homosexuality.
Don't forget the NaCl. Can't live with-out it; very toxic stuff.
I recall reading a study some years ago into the reasons for the fall in sperm count. Testing was conducted on the sperm counts of 400 male European organic farmers , as an adjunct to a conference on organic farming. Their sperm count was found to be three times higher than the average male in Europe, I seem to recall.
Good information, thanks GW. Might be a good time to mention that our FDA declined to ban BPA last friday, despite studies piling up to the ceiling that show the stuff is toxic. BPA acts as an estrogen like hormone, as per this article. Canada has banned its use. Wonder what bribes the FDA is taking to look the other way? Your government at work. Personally, I no longer handle store receipts.
criminals who work for criminal corporations
I'm 43, feel like a piece of fudge. LOL. I was lifting often this time last year and had a bad shoulder injury and hung it up. It's still screwed up. I was actually the strongest i'd ever been. So anyhows gota cut down on drinking(no way in hell ill quit) and start doing something. I am active. But being laid off from construction 4 years ago I certainly don't run like I used to. I don't plan on going back to the crap either. BTW I did try a testosterone enhancer pill but it was a waste of $.
I'm in my 40s and in the best shape ever. I was over 230 a few years ago and stressed out. I'm now 190, lean muscle and can handle economic and other stresses much better.
Some key factors in my losing weight:
1. For biggest advances eliminate all sugars including high-glycemic fruits and all carbs. Once you reach goal weight you can start re-introducing certain complex carbs and very limited natural sugar.
2. Cut out the booze -period. It's hard but you will see the biggest weight loss if you do. Again after you hit goal weight, you can re-introduce very limited booze intake but NO BEER! Too many carbs and sugar. A little wine or vodka -- no sugary cocktails. You will find the leaner you are the less booze you crave or can handle. That's a good thing!
3. Expect 5-7 days of "withdrawal" syndrome as you cut out sugar and carbs. Sugar and carbs should be classifed as narcotics. And like any narcotic breaking an addiction is painful. Headaches, cravings. etc. Stick with it get through this withdrawal period by eating as much protein and veggies as you can to satisfy your belly. You will be amazed how your energy level will skyrocket after withdrawal phase.
4. Exercise. Lift weights -- if injured, focus on the uninjured body parts or use lighter weights withcorrect form. It will help you heal. As for cardio -- all you really need is 15-20 min a day. Get your engine purring early in the day with Tabata. Look it up. Japanese doctor has nailed the way to burn body fat in no time. The info is free.
5. Bonus: You do all this and your testosterone will skyrocket. You will get erections like a teenager again. Not bad at our age.
If I go back to having erections like a teenager I will kill myself.
That's good advice, thank you sir!
I'm going to give that Tabata protocol a try.
Do it! If you have an iphone, there's a free Tabata Timer app. I use it eveyday.
Extreme diets of any kind are not healthy. Eliminate all sugars including fruits and no beer? I'm pretty sure if you eat an apple a day and 3-4 beers a week it won't keep you from looking like that 70 year-old doctor in those advertisements. I think the key is to strictly limit the amount of white sugar and white flour that you eat.
Whatever works for you, knock yourself out. I'm just relaying what worked for me. Also, I never use the word "diet" to describe my discipline. It is a fundamental and permanent shift in thinking and approach to taking care of my body. There is nothing extreme about it -- the extreme is the world around us, Big Ag, Big Drug -- food and drug pushers. Government misinformation. Again, once you reach goal weight, re-introducing certain fruits and limited alcohol is possible. But the body is very sensitve to what is put in it. It can be a slippery slope. Bottom line the proof is evinced by the way I look and feel. Moreover my bloodwork, blood pressure, blood sugar etc are all back in ideal range.
The worst thing about "diet" are the first three letters!
As someone over 40 myself (well over 40), I've learned when you get to a certain age you spend a lot of time on body maintenance. I see so many fat-ass middle age people who can barely walk to their cars who apparently are counting on Big Pharma to keep them going. Taking charge of your own health (as you are doing) is a key and very empowering thing to do.
An important factor in exercise is avoiding injury. As you get older, you are more prone to it. It is important not to have your schedule interrupted by injury. Use lighter weights and more repetitions. Also vary the type of exercise to maintain interest, to work your entire body and avoid repetitive motion injury. Staying healthy as you age is about building lean muscle mass, not simply increasing muscle mass. Find a way to do something every day. Do not do exercise that increases the possibility of injury.
I bought myself a stationary bicycle because with two kids I couldn't get to the gym. Very low impact and 25 minutes a day makes a world of difference. Sleep better and lost ten lbs. Boring, but can read the Kindle and hardly notice. TV and even conversation possible while doing it. Gotta get rid of the soda pop too.
Another good idea is to get a dog and then you have to walk your dog at least twice a day. I walk my dog a mile in the morning and again in the afternoon. It helps to motivate me to get out there walking, because he needs it.
+1 the easiest method - as I commented elsewhere. just walk - dog is optional but a good motivation
and if your dog is fat you know it's not walked enough!
Errections like a teenager. Dammit, where's that Cheryl Tiegs poster?
48 - found that a low impact, low weight routine - twenty lb barbells (2 sets ten curls each arm), sixty push ups, eighty sit ups, 45 min speed walk - nothing fancy does the trick.
have found that a wide variety of organic vegetable have given me more energy than I have ever felt. And the exercise helps me sleep
Booze, and the alcohol specifically, carry the empty calories. It's funny a lot of us boys connect the booze with our first girly experience but as we get older, the only way back to feeling young is the opposite road.
Nature played a trick
well, she is a girl
This is exactly right.
Look up Paleo diet/living/exercise. subscribe to a free newsletter at marksdailyapple.com, its on Paleo living. Best thing you could do for yourself. He debunks a bunch of BS and shows you why.
This lifestyle is easy and not torturous on the diet. You get to eat steak and stuff. Sprint a little, lift a little, eat a steak. boom. Any healthy living from most any genre will have you cut out sugar and simple carbs(which quickly convert to sugar). Unlike complex carbs like brown rice and sweet potatos
Exellent and valid post.
I don't condone the use nor have attested to using Anabolic Steroids
but be informed about this subject as there is a lot of lies about their use in the media and politics
Bigger, Stronger, Faster documentary
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/bigger-stronger-faster/
"Indeed, marriage and fatherhood have both been shown to decrease testosterone levels." Delay marriage to well into your fifties, bitches!
And have autistic kids. Age of father highly correlated with autism, and other birth defects. Men, like women, have a biological clock.
And avoid vaccinating your kids...
I've studied the issue and there is so much oestrogen in our environment. The "Pill" is probably the biggest culprit. As women on the pill piss it out and it is not taken out of our drinking water.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-105466/Fertility-timebomb-drinking-water.html
So, no matter what you have suggested will work against chemical pollution.
To boost your testosterone, you will have to resort to anabolic steroids to counter the oestrogen in the environment.
Sucks to be male nowadays!
Well today estrogen is endemic, and there has been causal implications from birth control pills. Fish around DC going hermaphroditic, etc.
Soy, which is much maligned for having phyto-estrogens can help with how estrogen affects your body.
The phyto- estrogens do have an impact on your estrogen receptors, but the effects are orders of magnitude less than estrogen.
So phyto-estrogens can help alleviate the more drastic effects of estrogen. They bind estrogen receptors and help limit the impact that estrogen has on you.
pods
"Sucks to be a male", didn't your Mom ever teach you NOT to whine?
I will grant you that estrogen excreted (doesn't matter if she is on the pill or not) from women does enter the environment, but to say the it is the cause is bullshit, try doing a little more homework on the subject matter!
Endocrine disruptors are the most likely culprits...