The Testosterone Problem

     Testosterone is what makes a man, a "man". It is responsible for controlling a man's libido, hair growth, voice deepening and testicle size. A boy that has low testosterone at puberty might not fully develop into a "man" if testosterone levels are low enough.     

    Testosterone is responsible for bone density, muscle gaining, fat burning, cognitive function, emotional control (once you get your testosterone in check, things just don't bother you anymore), and controlling depression and anxiety. It serves so many positive functions in the male body, it might be the most important hormone to live a good life as a male. 

    The problem is that our testosterone levels, as a species, have been dropping drastically for many years. The men that fought and died in WWI and WWII had natural testosterone levels that we can only dream of today. It was not unheard of for the average male test levels to be in the 700-800 range. Today that number is closer to 400-500. If you talk to a physician, they will tell you that it is a "normal" test level, that until your test dips below 250 total test you are in the "acceptable" range. 

    Well let me tell you, that is unacceptable. Any total testosterone lower than 600 and free testosterone lower than 5 is a PROBLEM. You will feel lethargic, unmotivated, it will be hard to recover from your workouts and it will be harder to lose bodyfat. 

    The problems can be hiding in plain sight. We are surrounded by what are called "endocrine disruptors", these are artificial colors, sweeteners, scents, and chemicals in plastics and teflon that we encounter in our daily lives dozens of times per day. We are fatter than ever, eating processed garbage that includes further endocrine disruptors and sugar, and being obese or even overweight can be detrimental to your testosterone levels. 

    So seriously, if you are depressed, your training feels like crap, or you lack motivation, get your hormones checked https://duckduckgo.com/?q=get+your+hormones+checked&atb=v305-1&ia=web. Especially for males, but females too, we must know what our test levels are and how to increase them. If you are looking for a natural test boost stack, there are very few compounds showing promise, but here it is: 

1. Vitamin D3 and K2 - Vit D3 is "nature's steroid", we usually get it from the sun, but in today's world of desk jobs and sunscreen very few people are getting an adequate amount from the sun. You must make sure, if you are supplementing, that you are using D3 and not the plant based D2, which has a terrible absorption rate. The K2 is simply a signaler for the D3, telling it where to go (your bones and muscles) as opposed to just having it circulating in your bloodstream. 5,000 IU of D3 and 100 mcg of K2 daily with fat is a good start. Also, when the sun is out, go outside in a tank top or shirtless for at least 20 minutes for goodness sake.

2. Adequate sleep - Stress will destroy your testosterone levels, if you aren't getting 7.5 hours of QUALITY sleep per night, start working on that TODAY.

3. Animal organs and fatty meat - Saturated fat will help you make cholesterol, which will be converted into the hormones necessary to function, including testosterone. Eat red meat, organs and eggs as often as you can to get your bioavailable vitamins and minerals to optimize your nutrition. Do not eat in conjunction with sugar, as this will trigger the Randle cycle and increase inflammatory markers. 

4. Tongkat Ali extract with 10%+ Eurycomanone - This herb has shown some promise in increasing your total testosterone about 10-30%, especially if you are suffering from low t. 

5. Boron - 9-12 mg per day in divided doses will increase your "free" testosterone (the test you can use)

6. Siberian and Chinese ginseng (Be careful and buy from a reputable dealer, try not to buy the cheapest stuff) - Ginseng will help you deal with stress, which once again is a hormone killer, stacked with these other compounds, it will help to lower your stress hormones, so your testosterone can flourish. 

7, Exogenous testosterone - After you have tried everything for at least a few months, if your total and free testosterone are still low and you are still having symptoms of low t (no libido, no motivation, depression, feeling sore from your workouts for days, body fat not budging) it MIGHT be time to consider good old testosterone injections. I am not a fan of the gels, capsules, and pellets due to the damage that can be inflicted on your liver and the lack of control of dosage. Good old injections in the booty or the thigh will get your test levels up in a week or 2. 

    BUT, something to consider is once you start using testosterone injections, you will usually have to do it for life. It will shut down your natural production of testosterone and if you stop taking the injections, it will take months to get back to a test level that feels good. Your sperm production will drop to almost 0 and it will be almost impossible to conceive a child while using exogenous test. If you absolutely feel like dog shit due to low free and total test, injections can literally be a lifesaver, but there are some trade offs, always remember that and save it for your NUCLEAR option if nothing else works. 

    So remember dudes, testosterone is what makes you awesomely male. If you are suffering from low t, you might not even know it because you have just gotten used to NOT feeling 100%. Rectify the situation and your quality of life will be improved 10 fold in 2-4 weeks. Ladies, if you're reading this, share this with every man you know.