It's Men's Health Month. T-Time!

Did someone say Tee-time??
Nope
Oh ok, so it's tea-time??
Wrong again
Time to discuss the other T.  Testosterone.

June is mens health month, and we would be remiss not to hit on an important issue:   low testosterone (or low T).  While T levels commonly drop with age,  it is not something that only affects males over 50!  The decline has started earlier, and only becomes notable in those who are older.   It is important for males of all ages to adopt habits earlier to stave off the age-related decline.   This is what we'll be discussing here today. Oh, and BTW, low T goes way beyond sexual health.   Here are some other impacts of low T:

• weight increase
• decrease in muscle strength
• having less energy than you used to
• increased body fat and reduced muscle mass
• feeling depressed
• trouble concentrating

But, more serious effects include increased risk of osteoporosis, and is linked to higher risk of death from heart disease and other causes.

Ways to boost T naturally

Meds and supplements that advertise a boost in T can be detrimental, and ineffective.  They should be the last option after natural interventions such as the following science-backed methods

• GET ADEQUATE SLEEP.   Don't fall into the trap of thinking you can get by with less sleep, and get away with it without health repercussions.  Among many other complications,  T drops dramatically with deprived sleep.  In this study by the University of Chicago, T levels dropped by 15% with one week of deprived sleep (5 hours).  Average age of those in the study?  24.3 years old!   Age related decline is about 1-2%.  Lack of sleep will wreak havoc on your body, including T levels, no matter your age

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• MAINTAIN A MODERATE AND BALANCED DIET.    Diet-related obesity vastly increases risk of metabolic related diseases (like diabetes) as well as sensitivity and inflammation. This study in the Journal of neuroinflammation shows that adding low T to this formula SIGNIFICANTLY  exacerbates these issues, and impaired neurological function.  

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• LIFT MORE WEIGHTS, DO LESS CARDIO! Staying active is a very important,  but lifting weights is the most important type of physical activity in terms of boosting T.   Choose compound exercises (IE, uses multiple joints), and perform sets until muscular failure.  Deadlifts, weighted squats, weighted pulls (like pull-ups), and weighted pushes (bench press, or dumbell press).  Contrary to popular belief,  ALL rep ranges can spur muscle growth and testosterone. (SIDENOTE: If you have high blood pressure, be careful with the lower rep ranges, and be careful to breathe through your reps!) However, it is also important to change your rep range and weight consistently - almost monthly.  Changing the stimulus to the muscle is the X-Factor to muscle growth. The most important thing is to challenge the major muscle groups to failure.  Sprints and intervals are also recommended

Deadlifts are the single greatest way to maintain full body strength, and increase/maintain muscle. It is compound (works many joints), activates full body musculature, and opens up neural pathways so that other exercises performed right afterwards recruit more muscle fibers. Plus, it is extremely functional. If you can confidently lift heavy things, you are as close to being ready for anything as you can be! 

Watch my video below as I walk you through the setup and execution of a proper deadlift.

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• LOSE WEIGHT  Obese males are shown to have significantly lower levels  of T than their counterparts who are not overweight.  In this study,  Testosterone concentrations of young obese pubertal and post‐pubertal males are 40–50% lower than those with normal BMI!   
  • ​As previous points suggest,  weight loss for the sake of boosting T cannot be through significant calorie restriction (remember, we want a steady diet here),  OR with long bouts running or biking (prefer the weight lifting!).   So,  there is a lot of emphasis on calorie and nutrient density in your food choices.  You want a ton of nutrients, while still maintaining a negative caloric balance.​

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• REDUCE STRESS  A link has been shown between stress and testosterone, and interestingly,  the response to stress can depend on gender and personality according to this study.    Of course,  stress reduction can be complicated and personal, as there is significant pyschological component to the extent to which someone can decompress. HOWEVER,  other interventions like adequate sleep, meditation, journaling, exercise, and balanced diet all help to reduce stress!  

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• ADJUST YOUR DIET.   Foods to avoid include Soy products, Alcohol,Trans-fats, Omega-6 fatty acids.  Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, Omega-3 fatty acids.  

  

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• CHAT WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN,  Since treatment is highly individualized, it is always best to chat with your physcian on how to balance and cater your approach.  Care must be taken here, since a lot of these efforts could backfire.  For instance, restricting calories helps in weight loss and diabetics, it but may be ultimately detrimental to T levels.  It's best to chat with your physician if your behavioral efforts are not making a difference.

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