A Primal Primer: Testosterone
If you’ve been reading recently you know I’ve been on a hormone kick recently. That sexy looking molecule to the right and the hormone du jour: testosterone. Testosterone is the principal anabolic and sex hormone in humans, responsible for sexual desire and function, muscular hypertrophy, densification of bones, and hair growth. Compared to females, males famously produce about ten times the amount of testosterone, but females are far more sensitive to its effects. Though testosterone is largely responsible for those traits and characteristics that are considered “masculine” – physical strength, body hair, dominance, and virility – both sexes require it for proper sexual and physical development. In mammals, males secrete it primarily from the testicles (about 95% of the total amount, in fact) and women secrete it from the ovaries. A modicum is produced in the adrenal glands in both sexes.
Testosterone plays an important role throughout every stage of a person’s life:
Prenatally, testosterone – along with dihydrotestosterone, a more potent anabolic hormone – is partly responsible for the formation of the male genitalia. It helps determine gender identity (with society bringing up the rear later in life, of course) and it spurs development of the prostate and seminal vesicles.
In early infancy, boys’ testosterone levels rise, almost to puberty levels, only to plummet at 4-6 months. We’re still not entirely sure what the rise means and what all that testosterone is doing, but it’s definitely doing something. One theory is that the brain is being “masculinized.”
Immediately prior to puberty, testosterone begins to rise in both boys and girls. Childhood is departing, replaced by budding pubic hair, the beginnings of body odor, growth spurts, oily hair and skin, and that ridiculous peach fuzz above the lips that every eleven year-old male tries to cultivate and claim as facial hair. Bones mature and the arm pits grow hair.
During puberty, testosterone enjoys a massive increase. Most of you reading this probably recall those awkward, exciting change-filled times: new odors, inconvenient fluctuations in the functionality and appearance of certain organs, strange new outlooks on the opposite sex. Good times. Thanks, testosterone!
In adults, testosterone’s effects on growth and development have largely manifested and maintenance becomes its province. Libido is preserved for both men and women and erection strength and frequency are regulated by testosterone. Muscles resist wasting thanks to T (and even grow larger).
I would be remiss if I failed to mention testosterone’s chief antagonist: cortisol. Cortisol, as you know, is one of the stress, fight-or-flight hormones. It kept us alive and our wits about us under short-term life-or-death situations for much of our evolution. Unfortunately, when cortisol is constantly elevated – as it often is in the sleep-deprived and chronically-stressed – testosterone is muted. Cortisol is catabolic (breaks tissue down), while testosterone is anabolic. Excessive levels of cortisol produce insulin resistance, fat gain, and muscle wasting, while testosterone promotes muscular hypertrophy and lean mass gains. Cortisol contributes to metabolic syndrome, while testosterone helps alleviate it.
Ironically, serum testosterone status seems to predict the cortisol response of people faced with victory or defeat. High T men and women who “lost” released more cortisol, the stress hormone; when they “won,” less cortisol was released. Low T folks’ cortisol changes did not depend on winning or losing. I guess that’s a downside to high T levels, technically, but it’s to be expected. I’m reminded of the Jimmy Cliff classic, “The bigger they come, the harder they fall”.
Low serum concentrations of testosterone are also independently associated with higher mortality rates in men, even when you consider other risk factors and preexisting health conditions.
Testosterone is important in the formation of bones, as I mentioned earlier, but it’s also crucial for the maintenance of bone density, especially in the elderly.
Testosterone aids in protein synthesis, effectively helping rebuild muscle fibers with amino acids. It can preserve existing mass or build upon it, creating more.
So, testosterone is important, and even vital, if you want to build (and keep) strong bones and muscles, maintain a healthy, active sex life, and live long and well into old age – but how do we make sure we’re making enough?
In 1889, a Harvard University professor by the name of Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard injected himself with a “rejuvenating elixir” containing the extract of dog and guinea pig testicle, reporting increased vigor and feelings of well-being. Traditional Chinese herbalists would often prescribe dried tiger’s penis for impotence, and ancient Greek Olympians feasted on goat and lamb testicles to boost stamina and athletic performance. Clearly, even before testosterone was specifically identified, the ancients (and not-so-ancients) knew that the loins were involved in vigor, strength, and stamina.
Their (our) fixation on consumption of genitalia and genitalia extractions to correct deficiencies in strength, vigor, sexual stamina, and general “well-being” sounds intuitive, in a folksy, endearing sort of way. Does it make sense to eat bull testicles to restore one’s manhood and increase available testosterone?
Not really. Testosterone doesn’t pool up in one’s testicles. It’s not a static reservoir waiting in reserve to be disseminated throughout the body. It’s a hormone that the testicles (in men) and ovaries (in women) produce. That mouthful of fluid you got when biting into a roasted sheep’s testicle on your Greek vacation wasn’t pure, liquid testosterone – sorry. In order to get testosterone, you have to produce it (or inject it, but that’s an entirely different post) endogenously. And if you want to manipulate the amount of testosterone you have available, you can do it the same way you manipulate other hormones, like insulin, leptin, growth hormone, and cortisol. You tinker with your diet, your exercise, and your basic daily lifestyle.
Lift Heavy Things
Resistance training is a potent stimulant of testosterone production, so be sure to lift heavy things every now and again. If you want to tinker even further, messing around with rest intervals between sets can stimulate different hormonal responses. In one study, resting 90 seconds between squat and bench press sets boosted post-workout T levels the most, followed by rest periods of 120 seconds. Resting 60 seconds increased growth hormone the most and T the least.
Sprint
In young men, a short six-second bout of sprinting increased serum total testosterone levels. Levels remained elevated during recovery. Interestingly, testosterone was also correlated with lactate levels in the blood. It would be even more interesting to know if any training that causes lactate levels to rise would also increase testosterone.
Avoid Excessive Cortisol
Since cortisol antagonizes and reduces free testosterone levels, and stress promotes the release of cortisol, avoiding stress becomes crucial for maintaining or boosting T levels. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, every night (which in and of itself increases testosterone levels). Avoid overtraining, especially in the Chronic Cardio arena, which may affect T levels and reproductive function. And be sure to take time to chill out and relax (read a book, go for a walk, play).
Get Sun, or Take Vitamin D Supplements
Vitamin D, already associated with bone and muscular strength, also positively correlates with testosterone levels in men. Back in February, the vitamin D/T link got a decent amount of media attention.
Eat Clean, Pastured Animal Products
Toxic substances called dioxins have been shown to interfere with the male reproductive system, including production of testosterone. While concentrated sources of dioxins include Agent Orange (which I’m sure you’re already avoiding), we obtain most of our dietary dioxins through conventionally-raised animal products, especially animal fats and dairy (dioxins accumulate in fat). If you’re going to be eating fatty cuts of meat or using dairy, try to go for pastured, grass-fed animals to reduce your exposure and lessen the negative impact on your testosterone levels.
Eat Saturated and Monounsaturated Fat
A low-fat, high-fiber diet reduced serum and free testosterone levels in middle-aged men. T usage wasn’t affected, but T production was reduced. Another look at male athletes found that both saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and cholesterol intakes were positively correlated with resting testosterone levels. PUFA intake was barely associated with increased levels.
Avoid Foods that Regularly Spike Your Blood Glucose Levels
Researchers found that 75 grams of pure glucose – and the resultant spike in blood sugar – was enough to drop testosterone levels by as much as 25% in a random grouping of healthy, prediabetic, and diabetic men. Now keep in mind how rapidly many SAD carb choices (pasta, cereal, bread, etc) convert to glucose upon digestion…
Get Adequate Zinc Intake
A zinc deficiency predicts lowered testosterone in men (eat your shellfish), but heroic supplementary doses of the mineral don’t boost T levels beyond normal in men with adequate dietary intake.
All in all, testosterone is an incredibly important hormone for health, longevity, and vitality – in both men and women. Leading a Primal life, free of excessive stress and peppered with smart, intense workouts, full of healthy animal fats and plenty of vitamin D, should be enough to promote adequate amounts of testosterone coursing through your veins. It may sound a bit redundant at times (advice: live Primal!), but what can you do when a common, uniting thread seems to run through almost every aspect of human health. It almost writes itself.
Get Free Health Tips, Recipes and Workouts Delivered to Your Inbox
Posted By: Mark Sisson
(
First. Sorry. Had to.
why?
Would it be possible to have the moderators automatically remove the “first” comments that obviously add nothing to the comments section? I would also include responses to such comments (like this one) as it obviously adds nothing either.
While I am sure the “first” posters’ mommies would be duly proud, that isn’t enough reason to allow them to continue junking up the comments here.
I will not make this request again, or bother to reply to attention-seeking behavior. Sorry for wasting everyone’s time.
Uh oh! Comment section drama! Someone could use a little more testosterone…
LOL, You started it Ben!
It’s true!!! What have I done!?!?
Men…
All about men…typical.
Why would mother nature just completely screw over females in every aspect of life?
We are the ones life depends on…
It doesn’t make any sense.
“So, testosterone is important, and even vital, if you want to build (and keep) strong bones and muscles, maintain a healthy, active sex life, and live long and well into old age”
That seems pretty inclusive to both genders to me
So how do women exactly produce testosterone besides the ovaries?
What if a woman had her ovaries taken out?
How do these tribal women all over the world keep their bone density?
Many of them don’t lift heavy things, they never sprint either. Like the tribes of the island of Tanna (saw that series on NatGeo)
I am on a quest to figure out the best possible way to not have osteoporosis EVER. And this post about MEN and their high testosterone which is THE hormone to keep bone density isn’t helping much.
Perhaps the RAW primal diet would be the answer…dead food (aka cooked) can’t replace live tissue.
They don’t lift heavy things? Really? What about children? Or food?
It’s not like women don’t have testosterone. They just don’t have as much as men.
If you had read the article youd see that some is also made in the adrenal glands.
Also, tribal women who live a more hunter gatherer lifestyle are almost sure to have a more active lifestyle than most westernized cultures, you just need the stimulus.
Youll never catch a tribal person sitting down at leisure surfing the apple, i guarantee you that.
I don’t think you’re going to find many tribal women that are missing their ovaries.
Many cultures, women are “beasts of burden” and lift heavy stuff all the time and I think chasing kids down counts for sprinting.
So would a carb-refeed result in lowered testosterone levels for that day?
You are the ones that life depends on….you’re exactly 50% of the equation, no more, no less.
It’s pretty clear you did not read the article
Actually, females are more than 50%, if you’re counting the full equation. I’m just basing this on the fact that everyone has their mother’s mitochondrial DNA. You can’t make a person with just DNA. You need a cell with all the goodies in it. That comes from your mom. And then the 40 weeks following conception as well…
Not to negate men’s contribution. It’s extremely important! I mean, it must be hard to hunt when you’re more than four month pregnant. So, maybe it is 50/50, depending on how you look at it!
No, its 50/50 like was said. Youre fancy egg with its goodies isnt worth anything if it doesnt get fertilized. Who cares if there is more to an egg than sperm, if you could never exist without either? Its 50/50….period.
The article was for both men and women, just as estrogen plays a role in men as well.
Mark can you maybe do a post on Estrogen just to keep some of the more insecure women from going coocoo for coco puffs?
As far as the bone density thing goes, if you eat a primal diet i doubt youll have to worry about it. Eating the way youre supposed to will let your body function the way its supposed to. I highly doubt that Osteoporosis was coded into 2 million years or so of evolution. Just like Diabetes and cancer werent either.
Ever heard the phrase, “Its not how much you make but how much you keep.”, in regards to money?
The same goes for calcium, its not that we dont get enough calcium in our diet, we dont get enough of the foods that allow us to KEEP our calcium. Most fo the foods that we are eating are reporting to our bodies as “acidic”, to counter this our body breaks down bone mass to release calcium salts to alkalize the blood closer to a more tolerable ph level.
Eat right and there is no need for any of that to happen.
Mark, what can we do nutrition or supplement wise to avoid excessive conversion of T in to estrogen and thus having lower free T? Thanks.
Over a year ago, I found out that my 53-year-old female body was not producing testosterone. My muscles were wasting and I was gaining body fat – 46% at the highest. With no testosterone, we ladies will not be able to build muscle no matter how much weight we lift!
I now have a testosterone pellet surgically implanted in my hip once every four months by my doctor. I am losing body fat and gaining muscle. Last summer, thanks to T, I gained 7 pounds of muscle in just four months!
Not to mention that with no T, there is NO libido!
Just another reason to go primal – it boosts your sex drive!!
I could come up with 1000 reasons why someone should go primal. Well, on that thought I will get started actually.
Mark, these last few posts have been amazing! Thanks for investing your time and effort in creating posts like this. Pure Gold!
Mark-
I’ve also read in the past that alcohol consumption decreases testosterone levels. Any recent research to indicate this is the same or to indicate how much alcohol decreases testosterone?
You did not mention it, but being in a dangerous place can up your Test levels.
For example, males in jail often have higher test levels than non-criminal people.
That’s interesting. I would think it would be the opposite — that being in the midst of danger would up your cortisol level as “fight or flight” kicks in…
Well, I may be wrong, but I believe cortisol kicks in when you are in the face of immediate danger. In a dangerous environment, high t levels seems to be important. It ensure you keep your enemies away. Ever noticed how most of the guys in jail are muscular? It makes you look and feel good.
Then again, that is what I read. May be Mark can shed some light on that.
The fight-or-flight response does lead to a temporary increase in physical performance, but being stuck in the sympathetic nervous state burns out the adrenals and throws off the entire endocrine cascade, and thus sabotages the body’s ability to regulate testosterone (as well as causing systemic inflammation, leading to dangerously high or low immune responses, etc.)
Excess Test can also lead to violent behavior and agresive tendencies. You could make the argument that those men were too high to begin with.
@Kishore- to avoid excessive conversion of T to E, you must use aromatase inhibitors. Natural supplements would be high doses of Resveratrol (think red wine) (min 300mg/serving) and even Green Tea. Chemicaly, you would hav to get into things like Arimidex, but that’s last resort. Check out the research articles on LEF.org. (no affiliation for me, just good info)
@Jeff- alcohol has estrogen-like effects on the body. I don’t have any stats/research, but what does estrogen do to the body that alcohol does as well? Yup, man-boobs and other female-pattern fat-storing.
In most cases these effect as I understand them are more the result of the estrogenic effects of Hops on beer drinkers than the effects of alcohol itself. Though alcohol certainly impairs liver clearance of hormones which contributes heavily to hormonal imbalances.
Is there any danger of getting too much testosterone as a woman? I have heard of women losing their fertility from exercising too much. If you look at Olympic athletes they always have tiny breasts and hips. Is this due to testosterone? I know that the Primal Blueprint does not advocate this much training, I am just wondering what the guidelines are for testosterone as a a woman. How do I know if I have the right amount? Do I need to be careful while pregnant and/or nursing? Thanks!
Women will not over-produce testosterone, generally speaking. Those muscle-bound athletes are the rare exception, not the rule. As a woman, do not be afraid to lift like a man.
Lift like a man – that’s so funny! I have seen some men lift with pretty poor form!!
How about “lift like a champion” instead?
Ha! Okay, let me modify that statement:
Lift like a man who lifts correctly, and not like a little girl who is afraid to lift for fear of getting big muscles! LOL!
Holy mother of mercy, I watched some 20-something kid totally hack job some deadlifts today that made me cringe and fear for his back.
On women; you won’t ever, ever look like those olympic athletes unless you have the genetics and you turn your life over to training like one. It’s really a non-issue.
In April I started a 4 day a week bootcamp after a long sedentary stint. My period stopped for 6 weeks. I believe that exercise caused an increase in my testosterone and caused the absence of my period. My body finally adjusted when I cut back a day of hardcore working out and I’ll probably feel comfortable adding more exercise when my period regulates itself again. Female bodybuilders and gymnasts often have decreased breast size and few or no menstrual cycles, but if you aren’t working out THAT often and to THAT level, I doubt a woman could have too much.
If you’re concerned, talk to your OB/GYN and have blood tested for testerone levels. You and your doctor can discuss how exercise/testosterone will affect your body and what is a healthy level for you.
I am admittedly not a medcial professional, but my readings have led me to believe that a women is not going to get too much testosterorne from exercising and diet, even lifting heavy.
HOWEVER…if you want to see what happens when this does go awry for women, just take a look at some of the first women body-builders who were “doing the juice”. They look almost like men, even in the face. Today’s female figure athletes don’t have this look, because they saw what very excessive testosterone supplementation does to the female body.
Excellent post!
I would add that in cases of low Testosterone removing highly estrogenic plants like Soy and Hops from the diet can be important in normalizing Testosterone levels.
Aralia nudicaulis, “Wild Sarpsarilla” root can also be helpful both in normailizing testosterone levels (adjusting up or down) and in reducing cortisol by regulating and nourishing the adrenals.
i also take maca, to increase both T and P, and help control E.
As far as I know T also needs to be RELEASED at some point (a fight, have sex, etc). because too much T is going to make you overly aggressive, lowered focus (though its high focus w/ good levels of T) and some other stuff I have noticed (and been told).
Any thoughts Mark/other?
I can definitely see how reduced frequency of sex could lower someone’s focus….
At the age of 64, my husband was found to have critically low T. He now takes an injection of T once per week, and he has to take Arimadex twice per week, to keep from having high estrogen. I would be interested to know what else he could do to keep from having to take the Arimadex…
Check out resveratrol. It supposedly has an anti-estrogen effect plus other good effects.
Green Tea and Button Mushrooms have been shown in trials to reduce Estrogen.
as far as the guys in jail having more testosteron…it’s a chicken and the egg situation. it could be that those with higher testosterone tend to be more violent and commit more crimes. like men who are XXY instead of XY are more likely to commit crimes….
Or their bodies increase testosterone because they in a constantly hostile environment?
Being 50 with the ovaries winding down & all, the female side of T is of interest. What else can we do (besides RSL’s hip pellet) to keep up some T in our systems? sounds like another “women’s issues” column (or week) is about due…
@barefoot_explorer – the reason those female athletes lose fertility is usually tied in to their amt of body fat, etc. Also, overly fit (overly trained?) women tend to lose their womanly shape- alot of our curves are fat.
Also interesting to note is the women who do produce too much T on their own: those women tend to have a less curvy figure (think little hips, flat butt), fertility issues…
Another “just goes to show” we’re all different
I would surmise, based on the post, that regular strength training, good sleep, and a Primal diet would be the prescription for older women to keep high T-levels and preserve libido, the same as for young men looking to put on muscle or whatever.
Well, hope springs eternal! Declining hormones, including T, cannot be kept high with healthy living. And depending on your point of view, you either need to balance your hormones to young healthy levels to promote continuing health, or let them decline and get sick. I have decided to replace my hormones with natural, bio-identical ones. I take progesterone, T and thyroid.
Serious question. Can a vasectomy affect testosterone production?
Good question. I looked at this a few months back as I was considering a vasectomy. The information about is relatively hazy, but I was able to find one piece of information that suggested testosterone is partially transmitted along the epididymis (sp?) and could be affected when it is cut. That was enough for me… if it ain’t broke – don’t break it!
If you want some information about vasectomy from the other side of the aisle look for the vasectomy group on Yahoo. Lot’s of these guys say their T levels have plummeted and with the expected side effects.
Not scientific – but it is far from a ‘completely safe’ procedure.
Many men who become naturally deficient in testosterone ponder the relationship between having a vasectomy and testosterone levels if thinking about boosting their testosterone levels with testosterone replacement therapy.
The connection between vasectomy and testosterone production may influence their decision as to whether to have a vasectomy or not.
The correlation between having a vasectomy and testosterone levels is somewhat in dispute. Although some facts about the relationship of having a vasectomy and testosterone production seem to be commonly accepted, other studies of vasectomy and testosterone levels have reached different conclusions.
Research on the matter, however, generally agrees that if there is a correlation between vasectomy and testosterone levels it is probably not a negative one. That is, vasectomies do not cause the manufacture of testosterone to decrease.
Some research concerning having a vasectomy and testosterone levels shows no change in hormone level in the blood.
A link between prostate cancer and the amount of testosterone in the blood sheds light on the subject. The association between prostate cancer, and vasectomy and testosterone production research is sketchy.
For men who already have prostate cancer, increasing testosterone advances the condition. A higher incidence of men who have had vasectomies having prostate cancer indicates a higher relationship between those have had a vasectomy and testosterone production increase.
In 1993 two large research projects concerning vasectomy and testosterone levels were conducted. In one, 10,000 men that had a vasectomy had 1.5 times the chance of getting prostate cancer. The other study of vasectomy and testosterone levels came to the same conclusion.
But in June of 1999 a study of vasectomy and testosterone production showed there was no difference in the number of people who had had vasectomies when prostate cancer victims were surveyed.
After the vasectomy, the apparent lack of testosterone production changes prevent any loss of sexual abilities by the man. The surgery affects neither the subsequent desire for sex by a man nor the frequency at which he can perform it.
A question arises if there is a safe way to boost testosterone levels for men who have vasectomies and suspect they are suffering from low testosterone levels without side effects.
One possible solution lies from using a natural herb called tribulus terrestris. Tribulus terrestris is an herb that has been used by many cultures for at least a thousand years to remedy both sexual and also non-sexual problems.
Tribulus terrestris has no known side effects when used to boost testosterone levels. It may be a safe and effective way to increase testosterone for men who want to have or have had a vasectomy.
In conclusion, it has been shown that vasectomy and testosterone production variation is probably small enough in most cases to make having a vasectomy a safe procedure to undertake.
http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Truth-about-a-Vasectomy-and-Testosterone-Levels&id=161734
It has been my observation that guys who have had vasectomies showed no symptoms of reduced T
If only us women had an increase in testosterone as a result of exercise. I think that’s what gives guys the edge when it comes to fat loss. It’s definitely the reason they can grow bigger muscles then us.
Anyway, when my female clients want to lose fat I always tell them we have to focus on growth hormone instead, since we can control its release with many of the factors listed in this blog.
One wonders if the USDA’s drive to increase n-6 PUFA & decrease SFA intakes is a means to chemical castration of the population?!
Great article!
I am interestd in the link between Sugar spikes and T levels – but the link provided was a dead end! Does anyone know how I can find the original research paper?
Thx!
I’m hoping someone who is well versed in mechanics of hormones, diet and physical fitness would explore/explain the workings of all these on a woman’s body as she approaches menopause. (Mark- hint, hint)
I know several women who are approaching mid forties whom I exercise with, who have said that they are starting to gain weight even though nothing has changed in their eating habits and physical fitness. I myself have gone through this, I’m a few years older than them. Even cutting back on the calories and exercising more doesn’t help very much.
I’m certain that it has everything to do with changing hormone levels as one approaches menopause along with the diet and exercise routine.
Mark, has your wife gone through this and if so, what does she do to combat this?
I found the book “Ageless” to be invaluable in addressing these very issues.
I had all those issues, and it was very frustrating! I feel better now!
I have to jump in here since I specialize in hormones. What you are asking is in depth but the short answert is yes, hormones influence your entire body both directly and indirectly. If you are eating Primal and working out but notice they are not helping there probably is a hormonal imbalance resulting from adrenal fatigue. See most comment below on the “pregnenalone steal.”
Cathyx,
I’m sure as you know that with menopause, oestrogen levels decline, and as a result women lose much of the protection that oestrogen otherwise afforded them. This includes the pattern of fat deposition. With the decline in oestrogen and a relative increase in the testosterone:oestrogen ratio, many women start to take on more of a male pattern of fat depostition, i.e. increased abdominal fat storage.
Unfortunately, this can be several years in the making. A poor diet might have been consumed for many years but the results smewhat masked by the protection of oestrogen. Losing that oestrogen dominance can rapdily expose this. So the first lesson is, don’t think that just because you don’t tend to store a lot fo fat on your tummy, that you diet isn’t poor. The second lesson is, don’t wait until things are going ‘apple-shaped’ before you start to do something about it!
Anecdotally, I have helped several menopausal women through my practice. Getting them to eat primally, lift heavy, and do high intensity activity, has seen them transition through a relatively uneventful menopause. One who I began working with mid way through & who was suffering from lots of hot flushes had these completely disappear as soon as she took the last of the grains out of her diet. Her sleep improved drastically, and there were obvious flow on aspects from there.
I have read that in hunter-gatherer societies, menopause is relatively uneventful for the women there too.
Mark since you are on a hormone kick, you have to discuss the pregnenalone steal and adrenal fatigue. Since we are talking about testosterone, if someone has low testosterone the quesiton is why. More times than not it is due to the pregnenalone steal. The mother hormones pregnenalone gets “stolen” to make cortisol (by progesterone) to combat stress. This process makes the pathway of pregnenalone to DHEA to the sex hormones less viable thus resulting in low testosterone and estrogens. You can lift all you want, eat all you want but if this is happening, it trumps everything else. Repairing the adrenal glands and improving the viability of the pregnenalone pathway is key to really boosting testosterone to the right levels.
James, I like your thinking. Suggestions on repair of the adrenal glands?? Pregnenalone supplementation for men?? Ideas??
I would REALLY like to know how to lower estrogen levels in men’s body without using pills
I mean prolactin -.- Sorry
Be a man!
You mention getting adequate zinc. Is that from eating organ meats like liver? Or is just red meat enough?
Also would supplements like Zinc from Standard Process be a good idea?
The fact that insulin drops testosterone levels surprised me. As a weight lifter it is pretty common to purposely spike my insulin after a tough training session.
I have heard from several sources that testosterone in men has been dropping steadily for decades now. I wonder if this correlates to the increase of carbs and subsequent insulin spikes in the diet of the masses?
Or if it is due to all the strange toxins in today’s foods? Or both?
A couple of other testosterone killers to mention are:
1. Endocrine disrupting chemical exposure via industrial pollution, and
2. Estrogen.
Estrogen is a potent testosterone inhibitor. When combined with high levels of insulin, most men are doomed to sporting a rockin’ set of man-boobs
http://www.healthhabits.ca/2009/08/12/hormones-problem-areas-and-your-body-fat-map-part-2/
Jimmy Cliff….”the harder they come..the harder they fall…one and all”…!
I lift heavy 3-4 days a week, sprint 1-3 days a week and take zinc supplements with 5000 IU of vit D, and calcium before bed. The trifecta…
Waking up like a teenager with morning wood. LOL. That wasn’t happening 45 pounds ago on my sad SAD diet.
Primal living and Testosterone baby!
“morning wood”, ha ha! We didn’t have that expression when I was a teen (I’m 56). When I came back to the US after a long time living abroad (before the internet), an acquaintance and I were discussing the sizes of our respective fireplaces and how to stack the wood inside them, and I innocently asked, “So how long is your wood?” Everybody around us cracked up laughing.
How old are you, Harley?
I’m 39 years old, so still a bit young but nonetheless my poor diet and obesity resulted in low testosterone levels and high blood pressure. my blood pressure hit 150/105 which put me promptly on the primal path.
Well, good for you! I was interested in your age to see if you were sayng that “going Primal” at an tyoical age for Andropause (50-60+) caused your testosterone to return to youthful levels.
Thanks!
You just gotta ask yourself does it give you Wood?
Interesting article on testosterone, estrogen and andropause:
http://lowcarbbetterhealth.blogspot.com/2010/06/estrogen-not-just-for-women.html
WOW – great stuff – If I order now for only $49.95 (plus S&H) can I get a book too?
Rocking post – rocking comments!!
That is a very comprehensive review of the testosterone hormone. Great information about the effect of rest intervals during strength training and how tweaking that can boost growth hormones or testosterone.
The day I started working my legs HEAVY i.e. (Squats, Presses, Deadlifts, Lunges etc.) is the day I started gaining muscle everywhere. It was the missing link in my routine. Thanks T!!
The thing that stands out for me about this article is the correlation of cortisol and stress. In an effort to be well, I think learning to adapt, accept or advoid stess is key. For me, exercise has always been able to help relieve the stress of the day. Great article.
I am hoping to gain greater balance in my hormone levels, and the first steps I have been taking is to go Primal as much as possible and quit with the birth control pills which was an 8 year course of convenience that may have been a hindrance to progress in the weight management and muscle gain department. I just stopped the pills… and I try my best to keep my carbs under 100g/day. My last problem is a stressful job that probably has produced more than its fair share of cortisol and exhausts the hell out of me, which pretty much keeps me from exercise most of the week. For anyone who has worked in food service it is a lot of stress and long periods of standing.
Another influence on testosterone levels in both men in women might be social status. Increased pecking order position seems to result in heightened levels of testosterone production. Again this may be a chicken or egg scenario. If you status increases will your T level increase or does your status increase because of higher pre-existing levels of T. Both and either probably.
Higher social status has also been linked to increased longevity
“In the UK, a famous study called the “Whitehall Study” which examined government workers (all of whom had the same type of health care), found that the higher someone was in the hierarchy, the longer they lived. Recently, another study also showed the Nobel prize winners simply liver almost 2 years longer than people who were nominated, but did not receive a Nobel. This leads to the second theory, we’ll call it the “Hierarchy Effect,” which states that being lower in the social hierarchy independently impacts health through increases in the release of stress hormones. This has been shown fairly well in animal studies where researchers monitor the levels of stress hormones in primates and have found that being nearer the top reduces the overall level of stress hormones (but note that being at the top actually increases them because the top chimp must continually defend his position).” http://longevity.about.com/od/researchandmedicine/a/hierarchy.htm
Thanks for a great post Mark
I have read that cetain foods boost T-levels. I think it was Salmon, Celery, Avocados… not sure about this. Anyone?
About two years ago I found that I hit a training ’sweet spot’ and have struggled recently to produce the same results. What I didn’t do at the time was keep a diary of my training, diet and supplements. Though I do recall it pretty well, it was all fairly primal.
So it was only recently that I remembered I had bought a bottle of ZMA as an impulse buy and had taken three tablets before bed each night. At the time I had changed several other factors of my training and so I never put any of the results down to the ZMA. Once the bottle had finished I never gave it another thought. Until now that is. Having replicated the training but with a stubborn 14lbs of fat left to go. I have bought another bottle and I am already impressed. Although it’s too early to calculate my gain in lean muscle mass, I feel that I am training harder and my libido is through the roof. That is a pretty simple and conclusive indicator in my book.
Here I should mention ZMA only corrects the depleted minerals needed for T production. It also helps reduce cortisol and improves sleep. Well at least that’s what it claims. Now that I discovered that testosterone was the missing ingredient, I have also bought Tribulus which is a natural herb that also helps increase T production. Though this doubling up of supplements is not very scientific and I would probably be best to try both of them separately as controlled experiment I am at least happy to be making progress again. So I wonder what you think Mark to these supps?
I have seen a “boost” with ZMA as well. In my case…the brand that I bought had ingredients in it that effected my dopamine levels…which is what I attributed to some very odd dreams while taking it.
Other suppliments that have help me include Maca and Tribulus…but that’s just me.
Another huge +1 for ZMA. It is merely zinc combined with Magnesium Aspartate (one of the best forms of magnesium). It is a great way to get Zinc and Magnesium in one place.
Your sleep quality will improve and your T levels will increase, guaranteed.
So testosterone is this great magical hormone that keeps us healthy but when a baseball player uses extra amounts of it to run faster and hit farther he’s a cheater? and it’s an evil illegal drug and the scourge of youth and we must protect the children (from a chemical already in their body keeping them healthy).
I’ve tried absolutely everything to increase testosterone naturally. As of now, I still haven’t found that magic something. No wonder why bodybuilders and professional athletes find no other way than to take steroids.