More Men’s Health


Last week I focused on men’s wellness and specifically looked at the common phenomenon of decreasing testosterone levels. This hormone is critical for increased muscle mass, red blood cell production, reproductive function, and bone density. Recent studies have shown that the reduction of the hormone is implicated with prostate dysfunction and cancer. In last week’s column I discussed several environmental and lifestyle factors that can affect normal levels of the hormone. This week, I’d like to discuss some measures you can take to optimize testosterone levels.


Because men have come to realize that lower testosterone levels are associated with many of the un-pleasantries of aging, many men are getting hormone replacement from their doctors or are dabbling with testosterone precursors that can be found in numerous supplements. Both of these methods can be effective, but I caution the use of these as there are many conflicting studies that warn of increased cancer risk with these options. Learn about the risks if you’re considering these options and if you should try them, it’s not recommended that you use them for prolonged periods as they can shut down your adrenal glands. As it turns out, the adrenals are intimately involved with testosterone levels. Your adrenals are considered your stress glands and the production of stress hormone cortisol has been proven to block testosterone. This is why reducing or controlling your level of chronic stress is critical to maintaining higher levels of testosterone. Regular exercise, yoga, meditation, prayer and other various mind-body techniques are all effective stress reducers. In addition to reducing stress, exercise done the right way has also been proven to boost testosterone levels. 20-30 minutes of high intensity interval training where the heart rate is systematically raised and lowered along with weight or resistance training both raise and maintain the hormone levels.


Of course diet is important for all hormone function including testosterone. Research from 2012 showed that overweight men are prone to lower levels of the male hormone. We all need to reduce our intake of sugar and refined carbohydrates (starches and grains) in order to maintain a healthy weight. Likewise, experience has proven to me that we all need to increase our vegetable and fruit intake; but also don’t forget to take in the healthy fats such as avocado, raw nuts, organic egg yolks, coconut and olive oils, and even grass-fed meats. Finally, zinc and vitamin D have been shown to be important for testosterone production and the research shows that around 50% of adults over 60 are deficient in these nutrients. Sources of zinc include oysters, high protein foods such as fish and grass-fed meat, beans, and fermented foods like yogurt. Vitamin D on the other hand should come from healthy sun exposure or supplementation of a quality D3 vitamin.


I hope these last two articles help shed some light on this common problem afflicting men. Thanks for reading and please check the blog on our website (www.rivertownchiro.com) for older columns!