Optimizing testosterone

Key Insight

● (Chapter intended for men. Estrogen levels in women have remained fairly stable in recent decades.)

● Modern life, with too much bad stress, unhealthy comfort, toxins, over- and under‑nutrition, too little physical activity and time spent outdoors has led to a pandemic of low testosterone in men. Studies show alarming figures: In the last 20 years the average testosterone level in men has dropped by 30%, and as many as 20% of men aged 15–39 have testosterone below the minimum needed for healthy life!

● What are the symptoms of low testosterone? ○ Low energy, motivation and discipline. ○ Poor sleep. ○ Hair loss. ○ Depression, bad mood. ○ Decreased immunity, frequent illnesses. ○ Loss of muscle mass, increased fat stores (which leads to other health problems). ○ Sexual dysfunction, lack of nocturnal erections, infertility.

● If you have some or all of the above symptoms be sure to get tested!

● How do I maintain an optimal testosterone level? ○ Healthy stress (limited, planned, predictable). ○ Regular exposure to daily/sunlight. ○ Regular cycles of relaxation and rest. ○ Optimization of sleep, training, nutrition and fluid intake. ○ Exposure to cold. ○ Supplementation. ■ Basics (Multivitamin, Vitamin D, Zinc, Magnesium). ■ Supplements for building muscle, strength and endurance (Whey, BCAA, Creatine, L‑carnitine). ■ Adaptogens and testosterone boosters (Tribulus, Ashwagandha, Fenugreek (Agrestis), Tongkat Ali). ■ Turmeric should be avoided as it negatively affects testosterone.

● If you are over ~40 and have optimized everything but still have issues with low testosterone and you’ve stopped trying to have children, TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) is something you should definitely consider. (If you want to keep having children you can do so after stopping therapy).