Testosterone

Larry A. Law

I was recently reading an article from Sayer Ji in his GreenMed newsletter which confirmed many things I've learned about testosterone for men as they age. It's no surprise that as men grow older their testosterone levels decline. Testosterone can drop one to two percentage points each year starting in their mid-forties. By age 60, many men are suffering from male menopause called "andro-pause." The symptoms can include baldness or thinning of hair, erectile dysfunction, depression/anxiety/mood swings, low energy, and loss of muscle mass. 

Artificial Testosterone

​There can be serious side effects for men who boost their testosterone levels artificially. When testosterone is supplied synthetically, a negative endocrine feedback loop is activated which sends a signal to the gonads to reduce production. This makes the original deficiency worse and leads to testicular atrophy. In addition, it can lead to excessive prostate growth and increased hair loss. The safest approach is to support the body's natural production of testosterone by removing chemicals that block its production and adding foods that will increase it. 

5 Things that Limit Testosterone (Avoid)

Statin Drugs: These drugs are misrepresented as critical for heart health. See the Cholesterol Lie in my book for the hidden truth. These drugs hurt heart and brain health and they dramatically suppress the production of testosterone. 

Bisphenol A: An endocrine disruptor found in plastics and canned food. They block testosterone production and increase estrogen effects.

Phthlates: Another endocrine disruptor found in plastics (makes them flexible). 

Parabens: Preservative found in cosmetics and body care products.
​
Glyphosate (associated with GMO food):​ Eat only organic and non-GMO foods. 

5 Things to Boost Testosterone

Zinc: The prostate has one of the highest concentrations of zinc in any organ in the body--vital to health and immune system function.

Vitamin C: Regenerates and detoxifies hormones.

Magnesium: Involved in over 300 enzyme pathways and strongly associated with hormone production in the elderly.

Saw Palmetto: Can block the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone and estrogen.

​Phosphatidyl Serine: Found in fish, meat, dairy, soy, and sunflower lecithin. Helps increase testosterone levels after moderate physical activity. 

To read the GreenMed article in it's entirety and access the references, click here. Of course, sugar nutrients as discussed in my book are vital to ensuring optimal helath.