Low T: I’m Spilling the Tea
T stands for testosterone, a sex hormone (androgen) responsible for maintaining muscle mass, red blood cell count, bone health, and sexual function. Needless to say, testosterone is a handy tool in the Venn diagram of physical fitness and sexual health. While certain factors in testosterone production are beyond our control, I’d like to address the lifestyle choices we can make to support testosterone production (or not).
Let’s start with a list of things that lower your body’s production of testosterone:
Alcohol misuse (as defined by the CDC: a pattern of drinking that results in harm to one’s health; >2 drinks per day or 5 drinks in an occasion for men)
Tobacco products, including *cigars, cigarettes, hookah, and chew
Anabolic steroids (your body adapts to synthetic testosterone by decreasing your body’s natural production of testosterone)
maintaining excessive adipose tissue (fat)
lack of sleep
poor diet
Look at all of those factors that you can control! You can go to bed on time. You can opt for a well-balanced diet that fuels your goals. You can bust out your DARE shirt from the '90s and JUST SAY NO to drugs and alcohol.
However, I know that people want a quick fix that is easier than doing the leg work to acquire and maintain physical health. If you choose the injection route, it should be prescribed by a physician after you get your testes tested twice. Don’t skip your follow-up appointments, as this needs to be monitored. For the love of all that is holy, please do NOT trust some meathead to sell you something from a locker room. Why not you ask? Just look at these GAINZ!
Speaking of meatheads, when I worked at Life Time, ‘low T’ was at the forefront of conversation with the 90% male-staffed personal trainers and management. More male trainers were using steroids than were not, supplementing their testosterone with injections. That was a ‘clean’ gym, with branding emphasizing health and wellness, telling me to sweep their needles under the rug. Recently, I walked into an IR sauna studio as a first-time client. Upon the discovery of my profession, the male owner boasted about his testosterone levels increasing with the use of daily infrared light. Mind you, I am not making a pitch for IR saunas as I have not done enough research on that topic. I am merely pointing out that testosterone is a topic at large, and I can’t seem to get out of the conversation. I assure you, I have never once asked anyone about their gonad health or invited myself into these conversations. Since my opinion seems to be desired, I don’tthink you get to whine to strangers on the street about low T if you aren’t doing your part to “control the controllables” that I have outlined above.
Exercise. Eat healthy. Be well-rested. Stop partying like a frat boy. If it’s illegal for Olympians, it’s illegal for you.
If you’d like help boosting your testosterone production naturally, I am here for you! I design complete workout programs tailored to your needs and time constraints to enhance your quality of life. I aim for you to look and feel your best.
*Cigars: if my mention of cigars got you testy, don’t worry. That feeling will quickly pass, just like the temporary minimal increase in testosterone from smoking a cigar. Contrary to Andrew Tate’s opinion, the long-term effect of smoking cigars decreases testosterone production and can cause reproductive issues. Also, don’t get your health advice from the “Sugar Daddy Ice Spice” musician unless you enjoy being a disappointment.