Low Testosterone - Global Epidemic

Chances are if you are reading this is because you believe your testosterone could be low. The reality is you could be absolutely right. All over the world, there is a global epidemic affecting men, LOW TESTOSTERONE.

The only way to determine your testosterone levels is with a blood test. In this article, you will understand if your testosterone levels are low and what is the root cause of the problem.

How is testosterone measured and what’s the cut-off for low testosterone?

Testosterone is measured in blood, ideally first thing in the morning in a fasting state. At this time testosterone it’s at its highest. Total testosterone references range goes from 6.0 to 28.0 nmol/L. This includes all the testosterone your testes are capable of producing. However, for the most part, total testosterone is bound to other proteins and it is not able to cause an effect in the body. Meaning it is not capable of attaching itself to the receptor site (in the brain, bone, muscle or lungs)

The only testosterone capable of having an effect and attaching to a receptor is Free Testosterone. This form of testosterone isn’t attached to any other proteins. If you had a blood test changes are you have had both types of testosterones measured. The reference range for free testosterone varies from different labs but most commonly goes from

265 to 923 ng/dL.

WAIT A MINUTE!  

This means someone with a free testosterone level of 266ng/dL is considered “normal”. And someone with testosterone levels of 920ng/dL is also considered “normal”

And there it is, this annoying word “NORMAL”. When most doctors are reading or interpreting a blood pathology result, as long as it fits within the reference ranges, no more questions are asked, and no more investigations are performed. Leaving many men wondering…

Why am I feeling this way if my blood results are normal?

THE ANSWER!

No one has used context. Context is everything when reading and understanding blood results. I will give you two examples which illustrate this problem much better.

Mike is 35 years old and has been feeling low mood. Mike reports depressive-like symptoms to his doctor, inability to lose weight, brain fog and erectile dysfunction. His doctor suspects testosterone could be the issue and runs a blood test. Mike’s free testosterone is 310ng/dL.

Because his free testosterone level falls within the “normal” range, his doctor concludes testosterone is not the issue.

Tom is a 68-year-old who wants to do his yearly blood test to make sure everything is fine. His free testosterone is at a level of 375ng/dL.

Because his free testosterone level falls within the “normal” range, his doctor concludes testosterone is not the issue.

Do you see the problem? There is no context. The doctor or health professional is failing to understand that at different times of a man’s life span, the level of expected testosterone should be different.

Men’s peak in testosterone usually occurs at 17 to 19 years old. Those levels remain high until around the age of 30. After, testosterone levels start to decline.

If everything is going well in the body, the testosterone level of Mike (35yo) should be almost at its peak, at the top end of the reference range (closer to the 900)

Tom’s testosterone levels read within context are not only “normal” but optimal. His testosterone level has been reducing for almost 4 decades, this is why for him, in his context, his levels are as it would be expected for someone of his age group.

But the big question remains. Why is Mike's testosterone so low? He is only 35 years old.

There are many possible contributors to low testosterone in men other than normal ageing.

Pituitary disorders, HIV, certain medications (opioids and steroids particularly) and inflammatory diseases such as tuberculosis and histiocytosis.

 However, based on my clinical experience and years of treating low testosterone. I can say with a high level of confidence that most cases have nothing to do with the causes listed above.

For most males, low testosterone levels are a result of too much stress in the body. The source of stress can be different but the consequences in testosterone are not. Some of the most common sources of stress include:

• Environmental toxins: the high exposure to many types of toxins creates a challenge for the body to maintain optimal testicular function. The list is long, but some of the most common ones include Bisphenol A (BPA) found in plastic bottles, Organophosphates found in certain insecticides and herbicides and heavy metals like Lead and Mercury.

• Physical stress: while most types of exercises are beneficial for testosterone levels, extreme and prolonged physical activity without adequate recovery can lead to cortisol dysregulation and lower testosterone. In other words: Stop training 6 days per week, 4 to 5 gym sessions per week is more than enough.

• Poor sleep: goes hand in hand with physical stress. If you are running a busy schedule of work, social life and gym, but not allowing enough recovery at night, cortisol levels rise and testosterone lowers.

• Caloric restriction: while adequate hours of fasting have tremendous health benefits. Severe caloric restriction increases stress in the body.

The more stressed you are, the less fasting you should do.

There are many other possible causes for low testosterone like poor diet, chronic pain, and social isolation but you get the point.

You don’t need very expensive supplements to raise your testosterone. The most important 1st step is analysing why in the first place your testosterone is lower than it should. This will give you the information you need to determine what changes are required from your lifestyle or routine to support better your testicular function.

If you are unsure where to start quick here to book your 15-minute discovery call and start increasing your testosterone levels.