Where Should your Testosterone Levels be?
For all of you men that happen to fall into my age group, (40+), I'm sure you remember the days when you were in your teens and you could run all day for hours on end? You could stay out partying and drinking all night and then wake up bright and early the next morning feeling great and ready to do the same thing all over again? Those were the days weren't they?. That's when your hormones were at their highest level. Now, we are getting older and everything gets a little bit harder. Sometimes the energy needed throughout each day is hard to come by. Those intense work out sessions take more of a toll on you, sore muscles and stiffness happens a little more frequently and then more time is required for the recovery process. After the age of 30, our testosterone levels begin to drop naturally year to year, and we have to be prepared for that, by eating healthier and exercising regularly to keep our levels normal and our body's healthy longer.
How testosterone is produced/works
What is Testosterone?
I'm pretty sure every man on the planet knows what testosterone is, but for the ladies/wives/girlfriends who might read this, Ill be thorough. Hormones (testosterone) are produced by both males and females, however males produce approximately ten times more testosterone than that of females (this is the reason why men naturally have more muscle mass then women). Testosterone is indispensable to the human body and a healthy male typically has levels between about 350 to 850 (depending on the man). Of course there are several other variable factors to consider such as age, frequency of exercise, eating habits/diet and how much you weigh among other factors that can seriously affect whether your levels remain healthy or not.
Being that it's the primary male sex hormone (which is self explanatory), it's imperative for men to keep their levels at a normal range. It is produced in the testes and the receptors for the hormone are found in most body parts. A natural androgen with the chemical make up of 17-beta-hydroxy-4-androstene-3-one, is metabolized in your liver, testes and prostate gland. It has a half-life (meaning how long it takes to metabolize/stays in your body) of approximately 2 to 4 hours. The hormone is generally at it's highest levels when a male is between the ages of 14 to 21(again depending on the male).
Symptoms of Low Testosterone Levels
Dr. Sam Chawla - Signs, symptoms and treatments of Low Testosterone
Effects of Low levels
Androgens are imperative to the male reproductive tissues and promotes the development of the male sex characteristics such as hair growth (all over the body), muscle mass, bone density, sperm development and increased sexual function. Depending on the levels of testosterone, it can also influence the males behavior and his aggression.Testosterone is absolutely necessary for the male's health and well being. Without it, the male would lose his desire/need for sexual intercourse (which probably wouldn't sit well with your wife/girlfriend/significant other), lose muscle mass and strength and he would also lose memory as well. The levels are always going to vary from person to person. Healthy levels for males before the age of 40 is about 600. After the age of 40, when most men start going into that midlife crisis, it starts to go down hill from there. The levels start to decline naturally, at the rate of approximately 1% a year, every year.
The Synthetic Effect
If your levels are on the lower side, then you're probably very aware of it or the symptoms are actually already showing and you're simply just not paying close attention to them. You may be tempted to go the synthetic route with the usage of PED's (steroids/performance enhancing drugs). You must understand that when you inject synthetic testosterone into your body, this will automatically shut down your body's own natural production of the hormone. Once you cycle off of the synthetic drug, it may take your body a few days, a few weeks, a couple of months or it may not even start naturally reproducing testosterone again at all. It really depends on each individual person and many other variable factors. There are other natural ways of raising your testosterone levels with out injecting/taking steroids. Eating more protein, exercising intensely on a regular basis, getting more Zinc in your diet (this prevents testosterone from being converted into estrogen), losing excess weight (if you are 25% above your ideal body mass your levels are dropping), getting adequate rest and of course my favorite....more sexual activity, all are natural ways to help boost your levels up.
Are you experiencing any of these symptoms?
AcneIrritability
Loss of libido
Loss of muscle mass
Natural Decline of Male Testosterone
Since you already know that after the age of 30 (depending on the man when it actually occurs) it's all down hill, there are some eating habits that you can maintain to assist in augmenting your testosterone levels. Healthy fats are needed for testosterone production, improving your nervous system and circulation, so consuming omega 3 fatty acids in fish and olive oil will be extremely beneficial. Having high levels of estrogen (hormone found more abundantly in females) in your body can throw your testosterone levels out of sync. Some vegetables such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower contain indoles that prevent the testosterone from converting into estrogen. Foods that are high in zinc and potassium content (both needed for testosterone production) such as meat, cheese, milk, peanuts, bananas, whole grain cereals, pumpkin seeds and beans will all help in keeping your hormones at an acceptable level. Vitamin A, B, and E all help promote a healthy reproductive system, so apples, carrots, spinach, almonds and sunflower seeds should all be on your weekly/monthly grocery list.
Unhealthy Levels
Unhealthy high levels of the hormone can be high or low. Levels at 1000 or higher can enlarge the prostate and cause gynecomastia, the enlargement of the male breast tissue (man boobs), increased acne on different parts of the body (most notably the face, back and shoulders), and have a strong influence on your moods, making you more aggressive and easily irritable. Low levels, below the 300 mark, will cause excessive fatigue, loss of sex drive/interest in sex, inability to have or maintain an erection, loss of muscle mass, and loss of hair and even depression. As we get older, its imperative to regulate your hormone levels. If you think you are suffering from one or more of any of these symptoms of high or low levels, you should definitely consult your healthcare professional and get yourself tested.
This article explores the pros and cons, do's and dont's of building muscle mass after the age of 40 years old.
How testosterone effects the body
This article explores the pros and cons of the effects that testosterone places on the human body, both naturally and synthetic.
No comments:
Post a Comment