The phrase “t-time” probably conjures up images of golf for many or images of a hot beverage served in the afternoon with scones and biscottis for some of our female readers. But “T” is something far more important to men who are looking to be healthy, strong, and all around manly…. testosterone.
Testosterone is the king of all hormones. It is responsible for our reproductive system and our secondary sex characteristics including our ability to gain and maintain muscle. According to Mayo Clinic, as we age, our testosterone production goes down an average by one percent per year after the age of thirty. This decline in testosterone can have negative effects on a man’s health and is often referred to as male menopause or andropause.
Symptoms of andropause may include loss of libido, decrease in strength, decreased bone density, depression, loss of energy, and muscle loss. These symptoms can put a strain on a marriage as well as one’s physical and mental health.
Somehow we’ve distanced God from testosterone. Instead we need to understand that it is a significant way that God has blessed men.
Many guys just let it happen. They are too busy, too distracted, too tired or they just don’t care anymore. When that happens, a man isn’t just dealing with circumstances. You’re not just in need of an attitude adjustment. You’re in a spiritual battle where resignation and defeat gain position over the hope and vision God intends for you.
Pharmaceutical drugs and souped-up designer supplements are available to help fix the problem. However many treatments can lead to undesirable side effects. High cholesterol, sleep apnea, hair loss and breast enlargement are just a few of the side effects. More seriously, prostate cancer can be a risk with some of these treatments. Research is ongoing. So, possible risks and side effects are not fully known. Consider making some basic supplements part of your mainstay.
FROM “HALLELUJAH HAPPY HOLY HEALTH” TO “JACKED-UP JESUS JUICE”
You’ll hear Christians talk about how, “Your body is a gift from God!” The Bible describes our bodies as “fearfully and wonderfully made.” God’s design of the human body is certainly without parallel. We can recognize His power in the provision of our daily health and rely on His grace for healing. This is all good stuff. It’s nothing short of amazing. But in a guy’s world such talk can seem soft and passive.
In today’s cultural perspective God is locked in some cold church, sitting all alone on His throne possibly ready to zap you with some magical miracle if He’s so inclined to save you from death if you’re lucky enough to catch His attention about your catastrophic health crisis. Testosterone, on the other hand, is dripping from muscled-up, over-sexed self-absorbed guys. It’s our excuse for out-of-control bad behavior when we’re young and our secret tool to juice-up our ego as we get older.
Somehow we’ve distanced God from testosterone. Instead we need to understand that testosterone is a significant way that God has blessed men. You need to value this gift and do all you can to promote your body’s natural ability to produce this wonderful hormone. The good news is there is a lot you can do naturally to increase your testosterone levels.
EXERCISE, REST AND DIET
As a thirty-two year old man I have just reached the point where my testosterone levels will naturally begin to decrease and, like most men approaching middle age, I would like to avoid as many of the side effects of low testosterone as possible. Men can boost testosterone levels naturally through diet, exercise and generally healthy living — living life the way God intends for us to live.
Start with exercise. If we want to be big, strong, testosterone filled men we have to lift like men. No amount of reps with pink, two-pound dumbbells is going to get the testosterone flowing. While, yoga is great for flexibility, it’s not going to help you here.
After throwing some massive weight around in the gym, not only will you feel like a beast, but also your testosterone levels will be on the rise.
Lift heavy and use compound weight-lifting exercises that train several large muscle groups at once. For example, studies have shown that doing squats, bench presses or back rows increases testosterone more than doing biceps curls or triceps pushdowns, even though the effort may feel the same.
I would also throw the king of all compound movements in the mix, the deadlift. By doing those larger compound movements, our biceps and other small muscles will have the opportunity to grow due to the extra levels of testosterone promoted in the body from the heavy compound training.
The key for testosterone production is compound AND heavy exercises. We have covered compound. What is considered heavy? For an experienced weightlifter, find 85% of your one rep max. You should be able to do 5 reps for 3-5 sets at this weight. If you are just getting started with weight lifting, work up to your 5-rep max on each exercise. This workload should produce the greatest boosts in testosterone. After doing some compound movements feel free to throw in some bicep curls, triceps pushdowns, or any other small muscle isolation movement you desire. Can you go too heavy? Sure! Use your head and don’t hurt yourself in your pursuit of increased testosterone. Personal trainers can help you learn “heavy”.
After throwing some massive weight around in the gym, not only will you feel like a beast, but also your testosterone levels will be on the rise. To keep the testosterone circulating, your body needs plenty of rest. Make sure to take adequate time to recover after each work out. Shoot for eight hours of sleep each night. Never work the same muscle groups two days in a row.
“If you over-train, not allowing your body to recuperate enough between training sessions, your circulating testosterone levels can plunge by as much as 40 percent,” according to a study at the University of North Carolina (Ralph Teller). Your goal is to keep that testosterone on the rise so be sure to get rest and avoid overtraining. Symptoms of overtraining may include: injury, sickness, irritability, insomnia, and muscle shrinkage. So listen to your body, and remember: all things in moderation, even lifting.
On the topic of moderation, you need to understand the effects of food and alcohol on testosterone production. To maintain a healthy testosterone count, cut yourself off after three drinks. Binge drinking will kill your testosterone levels not to mention making you feel like skipping the gym for a few days. Alcohol directly affects the endocrine system, causing your body to stop producing testosterone. So remember, all things in moderation!
Maintaining a healthy body weight through diet and the aforementioned exercise will also have an effect on testosterone levels. Carrying excess body fat elevates your estrogen levels, and that may cause your testosterone levels to sink. Two or three extra pounds won’t cause this hormonal shift; it tends to occur more readily when you’re 30 percent over your ideal body weight.
Unfortunately, such weight gain is pretty common, especially as men get older. So ditching the spare tire around our midsection will not only make us look more like Greek Gods but could actually make us feel more like one too. In effect, we need to slim down to bulk up.
A well-rounded diet is key to bulking up by slimming down. A well-rounded diet consisting of the proper amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and fats is necessary for weight management but also for testosterone production. We need all three macronutrients for proper body function and to be able to flip massive tires in the gym rather than tote one around our waists. In particular, maintaining the proper amount of fat will help you boost testosterone production in your body.
If you want to raise your testosterone score, eat a diet that includes about 30 percent fat, and not much less. Your body needs dietary fat to produce testosterone. Fat contains cholesterol, which your body converts to steroidal hormones. This includes testosterone and also estrogen. A diet in which less than 20 percent of the calories come from fat limits your body’s production of testosterone. This does not mean that you need to consume a diet loaded with saturated fat , but rather, you should consume some fats from meat sources as well as healthy fats (unsaturated and monosaturated) to maintain hormone production.
By following these recommendations you can naturally boost your testosterone levels. Put these tips to the test, reap the benefits of higher testosterone levels and avoid the symptoms of andropause. But, don’t just stop there.
WHAT MAKES THE MAN
Combine higher testosterone levels with your God-defined role as a man and your personal life purpose to be that totally fulfilled guy known as you. If you’re single you have tremendous freedom to invest in others and be a mentor – a tool for God to use. If you are a husband, father or grandfather you have the additional responsibility and opportunity to define what it is to be a man to some very specific people – your spouse and family.
God calls you to lead with strength and determination and to be aggressive in taking ownership of your male role. When you sincerely seek God, listen and follow His instruction you’ll find that focus in every aspect of your life is transformed.
Combine higher testosterone levels with your God-defined role as a man and your personal life purpose to be that totally fulfilled guy known as you.
The tension is a tool to personal growth. Your motivation is intensely tempered with a higher purpose.
Your testosterone becomes the secret ingredient in the compassion you demonstrate, the faith that defines you, the wisdom that guides you and the acts that impact others. It is about being big, bold and strong as a man driven by God. Regain God’s vision for you. Maintain your male vitality for others.
Adam Atkinson is an ISSA Certified Personal Trainer who works as a personal trainer at Beyond Limits Training in downtown Columbus, Ohio. He is also the Diet Doc of Columbus Clinician helping numerous clients achieve their weight loss and fitness goals. He trains competitive bodybuilders and has competed in several NPC bodybuilding competitions. He is married to Sarah Atkinson a youth minister at Bexley United Methodist Church.
