If you are forty plus and male, this question might be beginning to rear its ugly head. It’s something that every man will go through, so yes, it’s normal, but normalising it for you doesn’t necessarily make it easier to deal with. It’s a tricky transitional phrase when you can feel your testosterone plummet that can really affect your mood and general sense of confidence.
What Gives Me the Right to Blog on Such a Topic?
Fair enough. Legitimate question. Well, a medical degree stint of three years (unfinished) gave me a very good overview of the human body. Further, I have a vast knowledge of hormone replacement therapy as it applies to men and women as it’s an area of interest to me and always has been. Add to the mix the fact that I have written for MANY men’s health magazines over the last 20 years and being an elite competitive swimmer, I fraternise a lot with athletes at a high level that manipulate their hormones for competitive success. So yes, I think I have a wealth of wisdom on the topic.
Understand your testosterone count doesn’t tell the whole story. If you are low, you are not less of a man, and if its high you are not more of a man. Your count can change even within 12 hours. And “more testosterone” may well not be your answer. Your solution to your shitty moods, not being in the mood for sex, feeling lethargic can often be due to a myriad of other factors!
So, let me explain what more testosterone can and can’t do ok?
What it can do?
- Build significant muscle mass
- Help maintain bone density
- Boost red-blood-cell production, increasing oxygen-carrying capacity
- Improve your sex drive. Significantly
- Promote hard ons
- Help keep your mood nice and stable
TOO MUCH CAN . . .
- Thicken your blood, creating a clot/ embolism risk
- Cause pimples and cysts
- Cause “man boobs”
- Shrink your balls
IT DOES NOT . . .
Make your dick bigger, longer, thicker
Give you “roid rage”
Increase odds of prostate cancer
Create heart problems (it may even reduce them)
So, I hope that just cleared up some things for you!
The way I see it you have 4 main options:
- Do nothing. Deal with it. If you aren’t coping, get some counselling to help you adjust to your new normal.
- HRT. If your Dr deems you not low enough to have HRT, you can find yourself a Dr who prescribes to those who have difficulty procuring it. Then at least you are still monitored by a Dr. This can only be a good thing.
- You can try over the counter testosterone products. Test boosters. Now, from all accounts, although I have never used them ha ha, not having gonads, my male friends who have tried them attest that they don’t do much, if anything at all. Be aware that supplement companies are possibly the most unscrupulous of all industries out there. The stories I could share. Make your hair curl. But, if you have money to “piss up against the wall”, give them a go. Believe in them. Try the placebo effect. 😊 😊
- HIGHLY RECOMMEND: LIFESTYLE CHANGE
Yeah, not the sexy option. Not as “easy” as taking a pill. This option requires WORK from you. Change your diet (don’t even try to tell me you eat well). Sorry but everyone can always eat better. And start weight training. Why weight training and not say running? Because weight training will stimulate your testosterone and boost it. AND, it will also boost your growth hormone, your most powerful anti-ageing hormone. Plus, exercise on a consistent basis will reduce your CORTISOL which in turn helps keep your testosterone dominant. WINNING.
Hope this helps. I have more insights and can perhaps to a Part 2 if anyone wants more information.
Great little blog! I’d love to hear more insights, would trying to build more muscle mass, and who doesn’t want an increased libido 😜
Thanks for your insight Lily. Always respect your view. I would love to hear more if you get the opportunity to write.
Thanks Ray I am def going to write a Part 2