Do you have low testosterone levels? If so, I feel for you.Why? Because I know what it's like.I know how the libido goes out the window, the drive and motivation disappear, and the zest for life? Well, let's just say it can be tough to get off the couch when the T tank is empty.You see, testosterone to a man, is like fuel to car.Without the gas, you're not going anywhere!You can read stacks of motivational books, and chant affirmations into the mirror until you're red in the face, but it's not going to do you one bit of good!
So, I decided to do some good digging and reading and then if I manage to put things together, to lay that in writing form so that others can benefit as well. Without wasting even a minute more I will start this off by describing what testosterone is and what it does in the human body. Testosterone is a steroid hormone with anabolic and androgenic properties. It is the main hormone, responsible for the increase in lean muscle tissue, increased libido, energy, bone formation, and immune function.Testosterone is secreted in the testes in men and in the ovaries in women. Small amounts are also secreted in the adrenal glands. Testosterone is derived from cholesterol. The levels of testosterone in men range between 350 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). Sex Hormone Binding Globulin or SHBG is the one that concerns us the greatest. Why? Because this is the main reason why testosterone might not be available to reach the cell receptor. When testosterone gets attached to SHBG, it is no longer able to perform its anabolic functions.What elevates SHGB: Anorexia nervosa, Hyperthyroidism, Hypogonadism (males), Androgen insensitivity/deficiency, Alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis (males), Primary biliary cirrhosis (females).What suppresses SHGB: Obesity, Hypothyroidism, Hirsutism (females), Acne vulgaris, Polycystic ovarian disease, Acromegaly, Androgen-secreting ovarian tumors Less than 1% of the circulating testosterone is in a free form in males (less that 3% in females). Only when in a free form this hormone can exhibit its properties by connecting to the androgen receptors on the cell walls. Based on a study 14 to 50 per cent of the testosterone is bound to SHBG in males and 37 to 75 in females. It is worth mentioning that SHGB poses very high affinity for binding to testosterone. Therefore, changes in the SHGB levels noticeably influence the level of bioavailable testosterone.Let's discuss for a moment what exactly a testosterone bioavailability is. Other than SHGB there are two more testosterone-binding proteins, also called carriers. One of them is albumin. It is a low-affinity binding protein, thus testosterone bound to it is considered "bioavailable". Albumin binds to testosterone in the range 45 to 85 per cent in men (25 - 65 in women). The third carrier is the cortisol binding globulin, which binds also with low-affinity to less that 1 % of the testosterone in circulation.
The free androgen index (FAI) indicates the amount of bioavailable testosterone. FAI is the sum of the free testosterone and the albumin and cortisol binding globulin. Or it's the total serum testosterone minus the SHGB-bound testosterone.It is now clear why we should focus our attention on the properties of SHGB. The levels of this binding protein increase when there is excess estrogen present. Conversely, SHGB levels drop if the testosterone levels are elevated. Here I should mention the fact that SHGB exhibits higher affinity to testosterone than to estrogen. Now, pay close attention.It's a well-known fact that testosterone is an estrogen precursor - it will convert to estrogen under the influence of the enzyme aromatase. Nothing that we don't know so far. Here is where it gets interesting. Suppose that we have normal testosterone levels and we don't suffer from any of the health ailments, which influence the SHGB levels. That means that SHGB levels are normal, too.
Bare with me now. If more of this testosterone is converted to estrogen due to abnormal aromatase levels, the SHGB I will increase as well. SHGB, being more readily bound to testosterone, will leave us with excess estrogen levels in the system, which in turn will stimulate increased production of the SHGB protein from the liver. This whole process ultimately amplifies estrogen levels. Estrogen readily binds to the androgen receptors in cells thus leaving less opportunity for the free testosterone. Even more important, estrogen is the messenger molecule that signals the brain to decrease testosterone production.Another thing of great importance is the fact that over 40 per cent of the SHGB protein circulates unbound in the blood stream in man (over 80 per cent in women), and albumin circulates unbound almost all of the time. Thus increase in the total testosterone levels does not produce any noticeable changes in the free testosterone levels unless there is a significant increase like the one seen after synthetic steroid hormone administration.Well, this whole story brings us to the conclusion that the main approach should be - to keep the testosterone bioavailability high.In this regard a natural athlete should strive to,Prevent testosterone levels from getting low,Attempt to increase the total testosterone as a means of keeping the testosterone levels from plunging,Block the testosterone-binding effects of SHBG,Lower the levels of the enzyme aromatase - less testosterone conversion to estrogen,How to prevent testosterone levels from getting low?
Studies of heavy drinkers have shown that alcohol directly suppresses testosterone levels in men.And the more alcohol you drink, the worse it gets. Chronic Alcohol abuse is associated with altered levels of all male reproductive hormones, not just testosterone.Now, I'm not saying you need to quit entirely, you just need to drink smart.
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.
Here are a few more facts on exercise! Researchers at the University of VA measured male growth hormone levels of cyclers after an all out 30 second sprint.These sprints increased HGH levels by a whopping 530% over baseline.Endurance training, has a different hormonal effect. It leads to increased cortisol and low testosterone levels.Failure To Reduce Male Estrogen Levels.
Chrysin is a bioflavonoid that has shown a potential as a natural aromatase inhibitor. Chrysin is poorly absorbed in the system. It is found that when taken along with piperine, chrysin exhibits a lot better absorption. Supplementation with chrysin and piperine together might bring good results in reducing aromatase levels.How does this all apply to the sport of natural bodybuilding Let's assume you are an individual, who exercises regularly and who doesn't consider taking exogenous steroid hormones. With other words you are a natural athlete or enthusiast, who desires to keep his natural testosterone levels in the range, favoring good health and lean muscle mass build up. If you are even slightly overweight consider staring immediately a diet and training routine, tailored toward fat loss and lean muscle retention.Consider also dropping the alcohol intake to absolute minimum if you want your efforts in keeping test levels high to give results. Begin mastering some types of self-control or even meditation. These will take care of the excess stress levels.Take medications only if they are absolutely essential for your health and are prescribed by your doctor. Talk to your personal physician to find out if there are any natural remedies to replace your current medications and if he recommends such approach for your health issue.
Keep your blood pressure and the serum cholesterol in check. Eat enough good fats in your diet. Good means monounsaturated and omega-3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats.Don't ever overtrain. Sleep enough to promote good recovery. Signs of overtraining are loss of appetite, tiredness and irritability, lack of motivation, impaired mental focus, prolonged recovery periods.Start relying more heavily on basic exercise movements. Train in the low rep range most of the time. 5 - 8 reps will ensure that you're using weights that will eventually stimulate elevated testosterone levels.It will only do you good if you decide to try some or all of these natural supplements: chrysin - piperine blend, nettle root extract, pygeum, avena sativa extract, and tribulus terestris. Try to find them in your local health store. Follow the directions for best results.And you shouldn't even consider training without supplementing your diet with enough vitamin C (at least 1g a day) and zinc (15mg min.). Take vitamin C with your multivitamin formula after breakfast, and post-workout with your protein shake. Zinc should be present in your multivitamin blend but this is not enough. Take zinc with magnesium in the form of ZMA right before you go to bed on an empty stomach.
So, I decided to do some good digging and reading and then if I manage to put things together, to lay that in writing form so that others can benefit as well. Without wasting even a minute more I will start this off by describing what testosterone is and what it does in the human body. Testosterone is a steroid hormone with anabolic and androgenic properties. It is the main hormone, responsible for the increase in lean muscle tissue, increased libido, energy, bone formation, and immune function.Testosterone is secreted in the testes in men and in the ovaries in women. Small amounts are also secreted in the adrenal glands. Testosterone is derived from cholesterol. The levels of testosterone in men range between 350 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). Sex Hormone Binding Globulin or SHBG is the one that concerns us the greatest. Why? Because this is the main reason why testosterone might not be available to reach the cell receptor. When testosterone gets attached to SHBG, it is no longer able to perform its anabolic functions.What elevates SHGB: Anorexia nervosa, Hyperthyroidism, Hypogonadism (males), Androgen insensitivity/deficiency, Alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis (males), Primary biliary cirrhosis (females).What suppresses SHGB: Obesity, Hypothyroidism, Hirsutism (females), Acne vulgaris, Polycystic ovarian disease, Acromegaly, Androgen-secreting ovarian tumors Less than 1% of the circulating testosterone is in a free form in males (less that 3% in females). Only when in a free form this hormone can exhibit its properties by connecting to the androgen receptors on the cell walls. Based on a study 14 to 50 per cent of the testosterone is bound to SHBG in males and 37 to 75 in females. It is worth mentioning that SHGB poses very high affinity for binding to testosterone. Therefore, changes in the SHGB levels noticeably influence the level of bioavailable testosterone.Let's discuss for a moment what exactly a testosterone bioavailability is. Other than SHGB there are two more testosterone-binding proteins, also called carriers. One of them is albumin. It is a low-affinity binding protein, thus testosterone bound to it is considered "bioavailable". Albumin binds to testosterone in the range 45 to 85 per cent in men (25 - 65 in women). The third carrier is the cortisol binding globulin, which binds also with low-affinity to less that 1 % of the testosterone in circulation.
The free androgen index (FAI) indicates the amount of bioavailable testosterone. FAI is the sum of the free testosterone and the albumin and cortisol binding globulin. Or it's the total serum testosterone minus the SHGB-bound testosterone.It is now clear why we should focus our attention on the properties of SHGB. The levels of this binding protein increase when there is excess estrogen present. Conversely, SHGB levels drop if the testosterone levels are elevated. Here I should mention the fact that SHGB exhibits higher affinity to testosterone than to estrogen. Now, pay close attention.It's a well-known fact that testosterone is an estrogen precursor - it will convert to estrogen under the influence of the enzyme aromatase. Nothing that we don't know so far. Here is where it gets interesting. Suppose that we have normal testosterone levels and we don't suffer from any of the health ailments, which influence the SHGB levels. That means that SHGB levels are normal, too.
Bare with me now. If more of this testosterone is converted to estrogen due to abnormal aromatase levels, the SHGB I will increase as well. SHGB, being more readily bound to testosterone, will leave us with excess estrogen levels in the system, which in turn will stimulate increased production of the SHGB protein from the liver. This whole process ultimately amplifies estrogen levels. Estrogen readily binds to the androgen receptors in cells thus leaving less opportunity for the free testosterone. Even more important, estrogen is the messenger molecule that signals the brain to decrease testosterone production.Another thing of great importance is the fact that over 40 per cent of the SHGB protein circulates unbound in the blood stream in man (over 80 per cent in women), and albumin circulates unbound almost all of the time. Thus increase in the total testosterone levels does not produce any noticeable changes in the free testosterone levels unless there is a significant increase like the one seen after synthetic steroid hormone administration.Well, this whole story brings us to the conclusion that the main approach should be - to keep the testosterone bioavailability high.In this regard a natural athlete should strive to,Prevent testosterone levels from getting low,Attempt to increase the total testosterone as a means of keeping the testosterone levels from plunging,Block the testosterone-binding effects of SHBG,Lower the levels of the enzyme aromatase - less testosterone conversion to estrogen,How to prevent testosterone levels from getting low?
Studies of heavy drinkers have shown that alcohol directly suppresses testosterone levels in men.And the more alcohol you drink, the worse it gets. Chronic Alcohol abuse is associated with altered levels of all male reproductive hormones, not just testosterone.Now, I'm not saying you need to quit entirely, you just need to drink smart.
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.
Here are a few more facts on exercise! Researchers at the University of VA measured male growth hormone levels of cyclers after an all out 30 second sprint.These sprints increased HGH levels by a whopping 530% over baseline.Endurance training, has a different hormonal effect. It leads to increased cortisol and low testosterone levels.Failure To Reduce Male Estrogen Levels.
Chrysin is a bioflavonoid that has shown a potential as a natural aromatase inhibitor. Chrysin is poorly absorbed in the system. It is found that when taken along with piperine, chrysin exhibits a lot better absorption. Supplementation with chrysin and piperine together might bring good results in reducing aromatase levels.How does this all apply to the sport of natural bodybuilding Let's assume you are an individual, who exercises regularly and who doesn't consider taking exogenous steroid hormones. With other words you are a natural athlete or enthusiast, who desires to keep his natural testosterone levels in the range, favoring good health and lean muscle mass build up. If you are even slightly overweight consider staring immediately a diet and training routine, tailored toward fat loss and lean muscle retention.Consider also dropping the alcohol intake to absolute minimum if you want your efforts in keeping test levels high to give results. Begin mastering some types of self-control or even meditation. These will take care of the excess stress levels.Take medications only if they are absolutely essential for your health and are prescribed by your doctor. Talk to your personal physician to find out if there are any natural remedies to replace your current medications and if he recommends such approach for your health issue.
Keep your blood pressure and the serum cholesterol in check. Eat enough good fats in your diet. Good means monounsaturated and omega-3 and 6 polyunsaturated fats.Don't ever overtrain. Sleep enough to promote good recovery. Signs of overtraining are loss of appetite, tiredness and irritability, lack of motivation, impaired mental focus, prolonged recovery periods.Start relying more heavily on basic exercise movements. Train in the low rep range most of the time. 5 - 8 reps will ensure that you're using weights that will eventually stimulate elevated testosterone levels.It will only do you good if you decide to try some or all of these natural supplements: chrysin - piperine blend, nettle root extract, pygeum, avena sativa extract, and tribulus terestris. Try to find them in your local health store. Follow the directions for best results.And you shouldn't even consider training without supplementing your diet with enough vitamin C (at least 1g a day) and zinc (15mg min.). Take vitamin C with your multivitamin formula after breakfast, and post-workout with your protein shake. Zinc should be present in your multivitamin blend but this is not enough. Take zinc with magnesium in the form of ZMA right before you go to bed on an empty stomach.
