Friday, October 18, 2013

The Right Way To Take Testosterone Supplements

By Bessie K. Dowling


Many men who become naturally deficient in testosterone ponder the relationship between having a vasectomy and testosterone levels if thinking about boosting their testosterone levels with testosterone replacement therapy.The connection between vasectomy and testosterone production may influence their decision as to whether to have a vasectomy or not.
Read More About The [4 Dangers Destroying Men]


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.

Some research concerning having a vasectomy and testosterone levels shows no change in hormone level in the blood.A link between prostate cancer and the amount of testosterone in the blood sheds light on the subject. The association between prostate cancer, and vasectomy and testosterone production research is sketchy.

For men who already have prostate cancer, increasing testosterone advances the condition. A higher incidence of men who have had vasectomies having prostate cancer indicates a higher relationship between those have had a vasectomy and testosterone production increase. In 1993 two large research projects concerning vasectomy and testosterone levels were conducted. In one, 10,000 men that had a vasectomy had 1.5 times the chance of getting prostate cancer. The other study of vasectomy and testosterone levels came to the same conclusion.But in June of 1999 a study of vasectomy and testosterone production showed there was no difference in the number of people who had had vasectomies when prostate cancer victims were surveyed.

Obesity. Based on the way the testosterone-estrogen mechanism works, increased levels of estrogen will ultimately decrease the circulating testosterone. Excess fat causes more estrogen production due to the fact that fat cells are those, which manufacture estrogen. So, the more fat cells, the more estrogen in the blood and the less testosterone.Drug and alcohol abuse. Alcohol has the property to inhibit your ability to remove estrogen from the blood stream by acting as a central nervous system depressant and also by decreasing zinc levels.Stress elevates corticosteroid levels in the blood steam, which causes the testosterone levels to decrease.Medications. Some medications, including estrogen and progesterone, lower the lutenizing hormone (LH) levels. LH is the hormone, responsible for the steroid hormones production.Diabetes. Studies suggest that there is a link between type 2 diabetes and lower testosterone levels.Hypertension and high cholesterol levels. These both cause the arteries to harden, this way decreasing the blood flow to the sex hormone producing organs. That of course leads to low sex hormone levels. Fact is after the age of 40 test levels drops by roughly one per cent per year. We can't do too much about that. The clock keeps ticking for all of us. However, we can try to manipulate testosterone levels in any other possible way.Low fat diet. Low fat consumption causes increase of the SHGB, which means one thing less free testosterone. It is considered that monounsaturated fats play an important role in testosterone levels and bioavailability.Overtraining can contribute to as much as 40 per cent drop in testosterone levels. That is why it's important to notice early the signs of overtraining and give the body a week or two well-deserved rest.Not enough sleep. If you are not getting enough sleep the body is not recuperating well, which causes less testosterone and more corticosteroids to be released. Just to mention corticosteroids like cortisol are in fact catabolic hormones meaning they use up muscle tissue to provide the brain and the heart with energy.

Vitamin C. It suppresses the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol decreases testosterone levels. So, ultimately less cortisol, more testosterone.How to boost testosterone levels Incorporate basic movements that involve several muscle groups in your training routine. Good ones are squats, dead lifts, and military presses. Basic (compound) exercises have been shown to play an important role in the testosterone levels.The greatest workout related testosterone production occurs with the use of heavier weights and lower rep range. A study shows that the best is 85 per cent of your one-rep max.Tribulus terestris is a natural supplement, which has been shown in some studies to have the ability to increase the leutenizing hormone (LH) levels. As we already mentioned above, one of the functions of LH is to stimulate testosterone production by the testes.

Testosterone is a naturally occurring hormone in men as well as women, of course, women having lower levels in their body. The primary effects of the hormone in the body are anabolic, which is responsible for building bones from infancy through puberty and into early adulthood and androgen, which causes the growth of muscles and hair on the body. Although it is a natural part of the bodies system and ideally should regulate itself, there are times when Testosterone Supplements may be desired or even necessary for the body.

Those that may choose on their own to take Testosterone Supplements are usually bodybuilders and athletes that want to increase muscle mass and stamina during their workouts and exercises. Others that may find it necessary to take the supplements are those that have less natural testosterone in their bodies caused by medical conditions and have it prescribed to them by a doctor. Whatever the case and cause may be, testosterone should be taken in a certain way and at particular times.

Switch to unscented natural products, and make changes in your daily routine to avoid exposure to these chemicals.Reduce consumption of estrogenic foods, especially soy products.Increase your consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower.Make a few changes in your sleep patters, and you'll kick start your testicles into producing more testosterone.Poor sleep habits can have a devastating impact on T levels, especially, if the habits are chronic.Several studies have show that when sleep levels decline, so do T levels.The sweet spot for most men falls somewhere between 7-8 hours.




About the Author:



No comments: