aesthetic villain

strenght & well-being

Table of Contents

Factors Affecting Testosterone

Levels

Body Fat %
Diet
Sleep
Stress

Exercising
Sunlight
Alcohol
Smoking
 FACTORS
AFFECTING
TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS

WELCOME, MY FRIEND. IF YOU'RE FEELING LOST AND

OVERWHELMED BY THE MYRIAD OF ADVICE ON OPTIMIZING
YOUR HEALTH, YOU'RE NOT ALONE. YOU'RE HERE BECAUSE
YOU WANT TO MAKE A CHANGE, AND THAT'S THE FIRST
STEP TOWARDS A BETTER, STRONGER YOU. THIS CHAPTER
IS YOUR GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING THE FACTORS THAT
AFFECT YOUR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS AND HOW YOU CAN
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HORMONAL HEALTH. BY THE END
OF THIS CHAPTER, YOU'LL HAVE PRACTICAL, EVIDENCE-
BASED STRATEGIES TO BOOST YOUR TESTOSTERONE
NATURALLY.

LET'S EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER, EXPLORING

HOW LIFESTYLE CHOICES, DIET, EXERCISE, SLEEP, AND
STRESS MANAGEMENT ALL PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN
MAINTAINING OPTIMAL TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. WITH THE
RIGHT KNOWLEDGE AND ACTIONABLE STEPS, YOU'LL BE
EMPOWERED TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS THAT
SUPPORT YOUR OVERALL WELL-BEING AND ENHANCE YOUR
QUALITY OF LIFE.
 BODY FAT %

MAINTAINING A HEALTHY PERCENTAGE OF BODY FAT IS

NECESSARY FOR MAINTAINING HORMONE BALANCE,
INCLUDING TESTOSTERONE. THE OPTIMAL RANGE FOR
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS FOR MOST MEN IS BETWEEN 10 AND
20 PERCENT BODY FAT. HOWEVER, YOUR RESPONSE MAY
VARY BASED ON YOUR PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES,
INCLUDING YOUR AGE, WAY OF LIFE, AND HEREDITY.

PRIOR TO REASSESSING YOUR EMOTIONS, TRY TO GET YOUR

BODY FAT DOWN TO LESS THAN 20%. IF YOU WANT TO GET
LEANER, KEEP IN MIND THAT YOU CAN FEEL AND PERFORM
BETTER AT, SAY, 14% BODY FAT THAN AT 10%. EACH PERSON
IS DISTINCT.

THESE ARE A FEW REAL-WORLD OBSERVATIONS:

OVERWEIGHT PEOPLE OFTEN SEE AN INCREASE IN

TESTOSTERONE LEVELS (100–300 NG/DL) AFTER LOSING
WEIGHT.

IF WEIGHT LOSS IS CLOSELY MONITORED AND

CONTROLLED WITH LOW INFLAMMATION AND STABLE
BLOOD SUGAR IN MIND, YOU MIGHT SEE AN
ADDITIONAL 50–100 NG/DL INCREASE.

A SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN WEIGHT, LIKE GOING

FROM 250 TO 200 POUNDS, CAN RAISE YOUR
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS BY 100–150 NG/DL.
 MEN WHO ARE BETWEEN 10 AND 20 PERCENT BODY FAT
OFTEN HAVE BETTER METABOLIC HEALTH AND INSULIN
SENSITIVITY, WHICH SUPPORTS STABLE TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS AND MUSCLE BUILDING.

ADDITIONALLY, WITHIN THIS RANGE, BALANCED LEVELS

OF SHBG (SEX HORMONE-BINDING GLOBULIN) ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING STEADY AMOUNTS OF
BIOAVAILABLE TESTOSTERONE.

THE FOLLOWING STRATEGIES WILL HELP YOU MANAGE

YOUR BODY FAT:

DETERMINE YOUR WEIGHT EACH MORNING: MERELY

BEING AWARE OF YOUR WEIGHT CAN ASSIST YOU IN
MAKING HEALTHIER DIETARY CHOICES.

EAT ADDITIONAL LEAN PROTEIN: CONSUME LEAN

PROTEIN SOURCES AND FOCUS ON REDUCING FAT AND
CALORIES TO MAINTAIN A HIGH PROTEIN INTAKE.

SWAP OUT HIGH-CALORIE AND REFINED FOODS:

REPLACE REGULAR SODA WITH DIET SODA, ENTIRE
FRUITS WITH FRUIT JUICE WITHOUT SUGAR, AND
SUGARY CONDIMENTS WITH SPICES OR REDUCED-
CALORIE OPTIONS. REMOVE CHOCOLATE AND OTHER
FOODS FROM YOUR HOME THAT MAY LEAD TO BINGE
EATING. TRUST ME, YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOURSELF.
 AVOID SNACKING: HIGH-CALORIE SNACKS LIKE
NUTS AND DRIED FRUITS CAN ADD UP QUICKLY. IF
YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A LASTING AND FILLING
SNACK, TRY BOILED EGGS WITH AN APPLE. IF
YOU'RE CRAVING SWEETS, START WITH A HUGE
SALAD TO REDUCE YOUR OVERALL CALORIE
INTAKE.

OBJECTIVE: REDUCE BY HALF TO ONE POUND

EVERY WEEK. RAPID WEIGHT LOSS CAN LOWER
YOUR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS RATHER THAN
INCREASE THEM. A SLOW, DELIBERATE APPROACH
IS MORE EFFECTIVE AND DURABLE.

UNDEREATING MAY ALSO HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT

ON YOUR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. YOUR BODY NEEDS
TO REALIZE THAT IT IS NOT STARVING ITSELF IN
ORDER TO START PRODUCING MORE TESTOSTERONE.

TO TAKE IN ADDITIONAL CALORIES:

EAT MORE CALORIE-DENSE FOOD: CHOOSE HIGHER-

FAT MILK, USE HONEY AND BUTTER IN COOKING, ADD
PEANUT BUTTER, EAT NUTS, TOP SHAKES WITH EXTRA
PROTEIN SCOOPS, AND VARY YOUR DIET TO MAKE
MEALS INTERESTING.

BY FOCUSING ON THESE STRATEGIES, YOU CAN CREATE

AN ATMOSPHERE WHERE YOUR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS
CAN INCREASE. REMEMBER THAT THE PURPOSE OF
THIS JOURNEY IS TO IMPLEMENT PERMANENT
CHANGES THAT SUPPORT YOUR GENERAL WELL-BEING
AND VITALITY. CONTINUE YOUR SUCCESS AND LET'S
WORK TOGETHER TO RAISE YOUR TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS.
 DIET

YOUR CALORIE REQUIREMENTS WILL CHANGE BASED ON

YOUR WEIGHT, OBJECTIVES, EXERCISE LEVEL, AND
CURRENT BODY FAT PERCENTAGE. THE QUALITY AND
DISTRIBUTION OF YOUR MACRONUTRIENTS (MACROS) WILL
BE IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ARE DISCUSSING
TESTOSTERONE OPTIMIZATION.

YES, LOW-FAT DIETS ARE QUITE EFFECTIVE AT HELPING

PEOPLE LOSE WEIGHT, BUT UNLESS YOU ARE MORE
CONCERNED WITH YOUR APPEARANCE THAN YOUR
HORMONES, I DON'T THINK CUTTING CALORIES FROM FAT
IS A SMART IDEA IN THIS CASE OR SHOULD BE FOLLOWED
CONSISTENTLY. FATS ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE SYNTHESIS
OF SEVERAL HORMONES, INCLUDING TESTOSTERONE, AND
IGNORING THEM CAN HAVE NEGATIVE EFFECTS.

ADDITIONALLY, I ADVISE CONSUMING LARGELY CLEAN

FOODS.

THE 80-20 GUIDELINE, WHICH CALLS FOR 80% HEALTHFUL

(OR "CLEAN") FOODS AND 20% OF ANYTHING YOU LIKE, IS A
GOOD PLACE TO START. LIKE IT HAPPENED TO ME - YOU
MAY DISCOVER THAT YOU AUTOMATICALLY CUT BACK ON
PROCESSED FOODS AND SWEETS OVER TIME, YOU JUST
START GRADUALLY REALIZING IT IS POISONOUS.
I NOW EAT MOSTLY 100% CLEAN, WHICH IS UNDOUBTEDLY
THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION.
 MACROS

PROTEIN: GENERALLY, 1.5–1.8G PER KILOGRAM OF

BODY WEIGHT IS IDEAL IF YOU ARE TRYING TO BUILD
MUSCLE AND ARE IN A CALORIE SURPLUS. EATING UP
TO 2.2 GRAMS PER KILOGRAM OF BODY WEIGHT WHILE
ON A DIET IS BENEFICIAL AND HAS NO HARMFUL
CONSEQUENCES. I PERSONALLY PREFER THE UPPER
END. I FEEL BETTER ALL AROUND, FULLER AND
STRONGER.

MANY INDIVIDUALS WHO DO NOT KEEP TRACK OF

THEIR CALORIC INTAKE UNDERREPORT THEIR PROTEIN
AND CALORIE INTAKE. GETTING EXTRA PROTEIN INTO
YOUR DIET WILL GUARANTEE IMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR
ENERGY, LIBIDO, MOOD, AND MAYBE EVEN THE
QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP.

ADVICE: SWITCH UP THE SOURCES OF MEAT IF, LIKE

ME, YOU'RE CONCERNED ABOUT STRENGTH. I'VE
FOUND THAT CONSUMING BEEF INSTEAD OF CHICKEN
INCREASES MY STRENGTH AND FACILITATES A
QUICKER RECOVERY.

FAT: WHEN IT COMES TO TESTOSTERONE LEVELS, FAT

IS CRUCIAL. VITAL VITAMINS LIKE A, D, E, AND K ARE
ALSO PRESENT IN HIGH-QUALITY ANIMAL FATS AND
AID IN THE SYNTHESIS OF TESTOSTERONE. SINCE
CHOLESTEROL IS THE BUILDING BLOCK OF
TESTOSTERONE, MAINTAINING A CONSISTENT SUPPLY
IS CRUCIAL FOR ACHIEVING DESIRABLE HIGH
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. THIS CRUCIAL FUNCTION IS
FULFILLED BY SATURATED FAT. STATINS PROVIDE
PROOF OF THIS BY LOWERING CHOLESTEROL AND
FREQUENTLY - TESTOSTERONE AS WELL.
 ADDITIONALLY, OVERINDULGING IN FAT CAN LEAD TO A
CONDITION THAT RESEMBLES FASTING.
THIS TELLS THE BODY TO LOWER TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IN
ORDER TO SAVE ENERGY.

CARBS:

IMAGINE CARBS AS THE GASOLINE THAT DRIVES THE BODY'S

METABOLIC ENGINE, GIVING YOU THE ENERGY REQUIRED
FOR HORMONE BALANCE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND CELLULAR
FUNCTION. IN THIS PARTICULAR CONTEXT, CARBOHYDRATES
ARE AN ESSENTIAL SUBSTRATE FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF
TESTOSTERONE, HENCE PROMOTING THE METABOLIC
EVENTS THAT PROPEL THE CREATION OF HORMONES.

GLYCOGEN IS A STORED FORM OF GLUCOSE THAT IS

PRODUCED FROM CARBOHYDRATES AND IS MOSTLY KEPT IN
THE MUSCLES AND LIVER. SUFFICIENT STOCKS OF GLYCOGEN
ARE NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN HIGH LEVELS OF PHYSICAL
ACTIVITY AND STEADY BLOOD GLUCOSE, BOTH OF WHICH
ARE NECESSARY FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE TESTOSTERONE
SYNTHESIS. PEOPLE WHO CONSUME ENOUGH
CARBOHYDRATES ARE ABLE TO REFILL THEIR GLYCOGEN
RESERVES AND SUPPLY THE ENERGY REQUIRED FOR STRONG
TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION.

CARBOHYDRATES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR CONTROLLING

INSULIN SENSITIVITY, WHICH AFFECTS TESTOSTERONE
SYNTHESIS AND METABOLIC HEALTH IN SIGNIFICANT WAYS.
INSULIN IS A HORMONE THAT PROMOTES THE ABSORPTION
OF GLUCOSE INTO CELLS, WHICH HELPS CONTROL BLOOD
GLUCOSE LEVELS. A BALANCED CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE
TOGETHER WITH REGULAR EXERCISE CAN HELP INDIVIDUALS
MAINTAIN NORMAL TESTOSTERONE SYNTHESIS AND
METABOLIC FUNCTION BY INCREASING INSULIN SENSITIVITY.
 THE BODY PREFERS TO USE CARBOHYDRATES AS FUEL FOR
HIGH-INTENSITY EXERCISES LIKE WEIGHTLIFTING AND
SPRINTING. CARBOHYDRATES CAN HELP WITH
RECUPERATION, MUSCLE GLYCOGEN REPLACEMENT, AND
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER
EXERCISE. PEOPLE CAN ENHANCE TESTOSTERONE SYNTHESIS
AND OPTIMIZE THEIR TRAINING EFFORTS BY STRATEGICALLY
TIMING THEIR CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE AROUND THEIR
EXERCISE SESSIONS.

WHEN IT COMES TO PROMOTING HEALTHY METABOLISM AND

TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION, NOT ALL CARBS ARE MADE
EQUAL.
WHOLE GRAINS, FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND LEGUMES ARE
EXAMPLES OF COMPLEX CARBS THAT OFFER A CONSISTENT
SUPPLY OF ENERGY AND VITAL NUTRIENTS, SUPPORTING
STABLE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AND HORMONAL BALANCE.
ON THE OTHER HAND, SUGAR AND REFINED CARBS CAN
CAUSE BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS TO RISE AND FALL QUICKLY,
WHICH MAY UPSET THE BALANCE OF HORMONES. IT'S
CRITICAL TO UNDERSTAND THAT, DEPENDING ON A VARIETY
OF FACTORS INCLUDING HEREDITY, EXERCISE LEVEL, AND
METABOLIC HEALTH, AN INDIVIDUAL'S TOLERANCE TO
CARBOHYDRATES CAN VARY GREATLY.

WHILE SOME PEOPLE MAY DO BETTER WITH A MORE

MODERATE OR LOW-CARB DIET, OTHERS MAY DO BETTER
WITH A LARGER CARBOHYDRATE CONSUMPTION. THROUGH
ATTENTIVE LISTENING TO THEIR BODIES AND
EXPERIMENTATION WITH VARYING CARBOHYDRATE
AMOUNTS, PEOPLE MAY DETERMINE THE BEST NUTRITIONAL
PLAN TO SUPPORT THEIR OVERALL HORMONAL HEALTH AND
FITNESS. AS FOR ME, I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THOSE WHO
FOLLOW KETOGENIC DIETS SUCCEED. I CANNOT FATHOM
GIVING UP CARBOHYDRATES.
 YOU WILL NEED TO TAKE IN CARBOHYDRATES IF YOU ARE
ENGAGING IN INTENSE EXERCISE.

AFTER EXPERIMENTING WITH POTATOES, RICE, OATS, AND

FRUITS, I FOUND THAT POTATOES SATISFY ME THE MOST,
FOLLOWED BY OATS AND RICE. I HAVE NO TASTE FOR FRUITS.

ADDITIONALLY, I FEEL BETTER ON POTATOES AND OATS

THAN RICE. MY DIGESTIVE SYSTEM LIKES OATS THE MOST, I
HAVE NOTICED.

TRY VARYING THE AMOUNT OF CARBOHYDRATES YOU EAT,

WHEN YOU EAT THEM IN RELATION TO YOUR WORKOUT,
HOW THEY MAKE YOU FEEL, AND WHICH KIND BEST SUITS
YOUR NEEDS.

FURTHERMORE, A DIET HEAVY IN CARBOHYDRATES (>30%)

MAY RAISE LEVELS OF DHT, A POWERFUL ANDROGEN
DERIVED FROM TESTOSTERONE.

CONSUMING INSUFFICIENT CARBOHYDRATES MIGHT RAISE

CORTISOL LEVELS AND REDUCE THYROID OUTPUT
(DECREASED T3, INCREASED RT3). BECAUSE OF THE
CORTISOL, THIS RESULTS IN A GENERALLY DAMAGING
SITUATION WHERE LESS TESTOSTERONE IS PRODUCED AND
LESS EFFECTIVE TESTOSTERONE IS PRODUCED. YOUR BODY
SUSTAINS LESS HARM THE LOWER YOUR CORTISOL LEVELS
ARE, WHICH FACILITATES TESTOSTERONE'S FUNCTION.
USING CARBS IS AN EASY METHOD TO AVOID THIS.
 OVERALL SYNOPSIS:

PROTEIN: 25–35% PROTEIN (TARGET FOR ABOUT 2 G/KG)

CARBS: 10% OF CALORIES SHOULD COME FROM CARBS TO

HELP THE THYROID AND REDUCE CORTISOL.
30% WHEN DHT LEVELS ARE OPTIMIZED.
40% WHILE BATTLING HIGH LEVELS OF CORTISOL AND
STRESS.

FAT: 25–40%, MOSTLY IN THE FORM OF MONOUNSATURATED

AND SATURATED FAT.

MICROS

MINERALS AND VITAMINS ARE EXAMPLES OF

MICRONUTRIENTS THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR THE
PRODUCTION OF TESTOSTERONE.

EACH AND EVERY VITAMIN AND MINERAL IS REQUIRED.

FOODS DERIVED FROM ANIMALS, SUCH AS BEEF, SHELLFISH,
DAIRY, EGGS, BUTTER AND LIVER ARE AMONG THE TOP
PROVIDERS OF MICRONUTRIENTS.

WE SHALL DISCUSS SEVERAL OPTIMIZATION TACTICS IN

GREATER DETAIL LATER ON.

FOR FLAVOR AND NUTRIENTS ABSENT FROM ANIMAL DIETS,

PUT FRUITS AND VEGETABLES ON TOP.
MICROELEMENT INSUFFICIENCY SHOULD OFTEN NOT BE AN
ISSUE IF YOU FOLLOW THE PREVIOUSLY DESCRIBED 80-20
RULE. THE GOOD THING IS THAT YOU CAN PURCHASE
SUPPLEMENTS IF YOU DO.
 YOU MAY MAXIMIZE YOUR HEALTH AND TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS BY ADJUSTING YOUR DIET ACCORDING TO THESE
IDEAS. TRY DIFFERENT THINGS, PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR
BODY, AND MAKE NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS TO SEE WHAT
SUITS YOU THE BEST.

SLEEP

THE RELATION BETWEEN TESTOSTERONE LEVELS AND SLEEP

QUALITY IS HUGE. IN FACT, YOUR LEVELS INCREASE AS YOU
SLEEP AND DECREASE AS LONG AS YOU ARE AWAKE. THE
HIGHEST LEVEL OF TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION OCCURS
DURING REM SLEEP - THE PERIOD LATE IN THE SLEEP CYCLE
THAT REPLENISHES THE BODY AND THE MIND. YOU COULD
SAY THAT YOUR BODY TURNS INTO A TESTOSTERONE
PRODUCING FACTORY DURING THIS TIME. THAT’S WHY IT
DOESN’T TAKE LONG FOR POOR SLEEP TO DERAIL YOUR
TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION. ONE STUDY FOUND THAT
AFTER 8 DAYS OF 5.5 HOURS OF SLEEP OR LESS EACH NIGHT,
PARTICIPANTS SHOWED 10- 15 % DECREASE IN
TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION ON AVERAGE. THEIR
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS SUFFERED BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T
ABLE TO STAY IN DEEP SLEEP LONG ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THE
NATURAL BENEFITS OF INCREASED T LEVELS.

IN ANOTHER STUDY FROM PLAMEN D. PENEV, MD, PHD

SLEEP, VOLUME 30, ISSUE 4, APRIL 2007

RESEARCHERS GATHERED A GROUP OF HEALTHY MEN TO

TEST THEIR T LEVELS FIRST THING IN THE MORNING. THEY
ALSO GAVE THESE MEN A WRISTBAND THAT SHOWED HOW
LONG EACH GUY HAD SLEPT.
 THE RESULTS SHOWED THAT THE GUYS WHO SLEPT FOR 4
HOURS HAD T LEVELS HOVERING AROUND 200-300 NG/DL
AND THE GUYS WHO SLEPT AROUND 8 HOURS HAD T LEVELS
AROUND 500-700 NG/DL THE NEXT MORNING. THAT’S MORE
THAN DOUBLE THE LEVEL OF THE PREVIOUS GROUP,
BASICALLY SHOWING THE LONGER YOU SLEEP THE HIGHER
YOUR LEVELS WILL BE THE NEXT MORNING.

AND FINALLY, ANOTHER STUDY FROM GORAN MEDIC, THAT

USED 531 HEALTHY MEN, SHOWED THAT AFTER JUST 1 NIGHT
OF 4 HOUR SLEEP THOSE MEN HAD 60% LESS TESTOSTERONE
THAN THE MAN WHO SLEPT FOR 8 HOURS.

AND WHEN IT COMES TO SLEEP, YOUR GOAL IS TO GET

BETWEEN 7- 9 HOURS OF QUALITY SLEEP EVERY NIGHT.

SO YOU CAN SEE HOW IMPORTANT SLEEP IS TO GET OPTIMAL

T LEVELS AND IT’S NOT JUST THE DURATION OF YOUR SLEEP,
BUT ALSO THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP.

NOW THAT YOU’VE REALIZED HOW IMPORTANT SLEEP IS,

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO IMPROVE IT?
LUCKILY,
IF YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK, YOU WILL GET A FULL GUIDE
OF MY EXPERIENCE WITH OPTIMIZING SLEEP.
I HAVE NOT READ NOR WATCHED ANYTHING THAT IS AS
COMPREHENSIVE AS THE SLEEP OPTIMIZATION GUIDE I MADE
IS.

STRESS
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS CAN BE SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY
STRESS. CORTISOL, A HORMONE RELEASED BY THE ADRENAL
GLANDS IN REACTION TO STRESS, IS WHAT YOUR BODY
RELEASES WHEN YOU'RE UNDER STRESS. THE SYNTHESIS OF
TESTOSTERONE CAN BE INHIBITED BY ELEVATED CORTISOL
LEVELS.
 IN INSTANCE, LONG-TERM STRESS CAN CAUSE CORTISOL
LEVELS TO RISE, WHICH CAN UPSET THE BODY'S HORMONAL
BALANCE AND CAUSE TESTOSTERONE LEVELS TO DROP. OVER
TIME, LOWER TESTOSTERONE LEVELS MAY BE THE
CONSEQUENCE OF THIS DISTURBANCE.

FURTHERMORE, STRESS CAN INFLUENCE HABITS AND

BEHAVIORS THAT DISRUPT HORMONAL BALANCE, WHICH IN
TURN CAN HAVE AN INDIRECT EFFECT ON TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS. STRESS, FOR INSTANCE, MAY RESULT IN
UNHEALTHFUL EATING PATTERNS, LESS PHYSICAL EXERCISE
AND POOR SLEEP, ALL OF WHICH CAN FURTHER SUPPRESS
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS.

PROLONGED STRESS MIGHT HARM THE TESTES IN ADDITION

TO LOWERING TESTOSTERONE. IT'S HARD TO IDENTIFY A
SINGLE CAUSE OF STRESS SINCE EVERYONE REACTS TO IT
DIFFERENTLY, ALTHOUGH SOURCES OF STRESS FREQUENTLY
HAVE TO DO WITH FAMILY, JOB, AND MONEY.

OTHER FACTORS THAT MIGHT CAUSE STRESS INCLUDE

FEELING UNSAFE, TOO MUCH COLD OR HEAT, TOO MUCH
NOISE (PARTICULARLY WHILE ATTEMPTING TO SLEEP),
INADEQUATE SLEEP, EXCESSIVE PHYSICAL WORK,
OVERTRAINING, AND AN OVERALL LACK OF REST.

SEVERAL FIXES:

INHALE DEEPLY
THE DOUBLE BREATH METHOD IS A USEFUL TIP. TAKE A DEEP
BREATH TO AROUND 90% OF YOUR LUNG CAPACITY, REST FOR
A WHILE, AND THEN QUICKLY INHALE AGAIN TO
APPROXIMATELY 110% OF YOUR LUNG CAPACITY. THIS
METHOD CAN OFFER A PEACEFUL, RESET MOMENT THAT
REDUCES TENSION AND ENCOURAGES RELAXATION.
 GET SOME SUNLIGHT

BECAUSE SUNLIGHT LOWERS STRESS LEVELS AND INCREASES

DOPAMINE, IT HAS A PROFOUNDLY POSITIVE IMPACT ON OUR
WELLBEING. SUNSHINE'S BRILLIANT BRIGHTNESS SERVES AS
A NATURAL ENERGY BOOSTER, REVIVING YOUR VIGOR AND
SPIRIT AND MAKING YOU FEEL ALIVE AND ENERGIZED.

PUT YOUR FOCUS ELSEWHERE

GOING FOR A WALK OUTDOORS IS A GREAT WAY TO

DECOMPRESS. THE CALM ENVIRONS OF NATURE DO
WONDERS FOR REVITALIZING YOUR SPIRIT, ELEVATING YOUR
MOOD, AND SPARKING YOUR IMAGINATION, ENABLING YOU
TO TAKE ON OBSTACLES WITH RENEWED STRENGTH AND
CLARITY.

SUPPLEMENT MAGNESIUM

LONG-TERM STRESS CAN QUICKLY LOWER THE BODY'S

MAGNESIUM LEVELS, WHICH MAY CAUSE SYMPTOMS OF
HYPOTHYROIDISM AND HYPOGONADISM. MAGNESIUM IS
ESSENTIAL FOR CONTROLLING HORMONE LEVELS,
ESPECIALLY CORTISOL. SUSTAINING SUFFICIENT AMOUNTS
OF MAGNESIUM CAN ASSIST IN REGULATING CORTISOL,
PROMOTING HORMONAL EQUILIBRIUM OVERALL AND
LESSENING THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF PROLONGED STRESS
ON THYROID AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH.

ADD L-THEANINE OR ASHWAGANDHA TO YOUR DIET

L-THEANINE AND ASHWAGANDHA BOTH EFFECTIVELY

REDUCE STRESS VIA SEVERAL METHODS. L-THEANINE, VIA
ITS EFFECTS ON BRAIN WAVES AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS,
PROMOTES RELAXATION AND MENTAL CLARITY, WHEREAS
ASHWAGANDHA LARGELY LOWERS CORTISOL AND
INCREASES THE BODY'S RESILIENCE TO STRESS. COMBINING
THESE SUPPLEMENTS CAN PROVIDE A WELL-ROUNDED
STRATEGY FOR STRESS REDUCTION AND WELLBEING
ENHANCEMENT. IN MY SLEEP GUIDE I SHARE MORE ABOUT
MY EXPERIENCE WITH THOSE 2 SUPPLEMENTS.
DO SOMETHING RELAXING AT THE END OF THE DAY

WHETHER THAT BE WATCHING A MOVIE, YOUR FAVORITE

YOUTUBE CHANNEL, READING, GOING OUT WITH
FRIENDS/GIRLFRIEND OR WHATEVER IT IS, IT IS GOOD TO
DO SOMETHING TO GET YOUR MIND OFF THINGS. THIS WILL
CERTAINLY ALLEVIATE STRESS OVERTIME.

WORKOUT

HERE ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF WORKING OUT:

ENDORPHIN RELEASE: WHEN YOU EXERCISE, YOUR BODY

RELEASES ENDORPHINS, THOSE FEEL-GOOD
NEUROTRANSMITTERS THAT NATURALLY REDUCE PAIN AND
IMPROVE YOUR MOOD. THESE ENDORPHINS HELP IN
REDUCING STRESS AND CAN MAKE YOU FEEL HAPPIER
OVERALL.

DECREASE IN CORTISOL: EXERCISE CAN LOWER YOUR

CORTISOL LEVELS, THE PRIMARY STRESS HORMONE. BY
KEEPING CORTISOL IN CHECK, REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
CAN MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF LONG-TERM
STRESS, HELPING YOU MAINTAIN A HEALTHIER HORMONAL
BALANCE.

BENEFICIAL DIVERSION: FOCUSING ON YOUR WORKOUT

INSTEAD OF YOUR WORRIES PROVIDES A BENEFICIAL
DISTRACTION. PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR MOVEMENTS
AND HOW YOUR BODY FEELS DURING EXERCISE CAN BREAK
THE CYCLE OF OVERTHINKING AND CLEAR YOUR MIND.

ENHANCED SLEEP QUALITY: REGULAR

WORKOUTS CAN LEAD TO BETTER SLEEP
QUALITY, WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR STRESS
REDUCTION. BY PROMOTING DEEPER AND MORE
RESTFUL SLEEP, EXERCISE HELPS YOU BECOME
MORE RESISTANT TO STRESS AND BOOSTS YOUR
OVERALL WELL-BEING.
 MOOD IMPROVEMENT: EXERCISE BOOSTS THE
PRODUCTION OF DOPAMINE AND SEROTONIN,
NEUROTRANSMITTERS ASSOCIATED WITH HAPPINESS AND
MOOD REGULATION. REGULAR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CAN
HELP REDUCE ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION, KEEPING YOUR
MOOD STABLE AND POSITIVE.

BOOST IN CONFIDENCE: ACHIEVING YOUR FITNESS

GOALS AND SEEING IMPROVEMENTS IN STRENGTH,
STAMINA, AND PHYSICAL APPEARANCE CAN BOOST YOUR
CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM. FEELING STRONG AND
CAPABLE IN YOUR BODY CAN HELP REDUCE STRESS AND
BUILD RESILIENCE.

SOCIAL SUPPORT: EXERCISE CAN HELP YOU CONNECT

WITH OTHERS, FOSTERING A SENSE OF CAMARADERIE AND
BELONGING. JOINING GROUP WORKOUTS, SPORTS TEAMS,
OR FITNESS CLASSES PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO
SOCIALIZE AND BUILD A SUPPORTIVE COMMUNITY.

ENCOURAGEMENT OF RELAXATION: ACTIVITIES LIKE TAI

CHI, YOGA, AND GENTLE STRETCHING FOCUS ON DEEP
BREATHING AND CALM, INTENTIONAL MOVEMENTS.
THESE EXERCISES TRIGGER YOUR BODY'S RELAXATION
RESPONSE, LOWERING STRESS LEVELS AND PROMOTING A
SENSE OF PEACE.

OUTLET FOR FRUSTRATION: INTENSE WORKOUTS, LIKE

KICKBOXING OR HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING,
OFFER A HEALTHY OUTLET FOR PENT-UP ANGER OR
FRUSTRATION. ENGAGING IN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CAN BE A
LIBERATING WAY TO BLOW OFF STEAM AND RELEASE
NEGATIVE EMOTIONS.

STOP LOOKING AT YOUR PHONE

A LOT OF US CAN’T ADMIT THE FACT WE
ARE ADDICTED TO OUR PHONES. THERE
ARE CERTAINLY A LOT OF BENEFITS
THAT THEY BRING US, BUT THERE ALSO A
LOT OF NEGATIVES:
 CONSTANT CONNECTIVITY: WITH SMARTPHONES
ALWAYS WITHIN REACH, THERE'S A CONSTANT
PRESSURE TO STAY CONNECTED AND REACHABLE AT
ALL TIMES. THIS CAN LEAD TO FEELINGS OF BEING
OVERWHELMED AND CONSTANTLY "ON,"
CONTRIBUTING TO STRESS AND ANXIETY.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD: THE CONSTANT INFLUX

OF NOTIFICATIONS, EMAILS, MESSAGES, AND SOCIAL
MEDIA UPDATES CAN BOMBARD YOUR BRAIN WITH
INFORMATION, LEADING TO COGNITIVE OVERLOAD
AND HEIGHTENED STRESS LEVELS.

DISTRACTION AND PROCRASTINATION: SPENDING

EXCESSIVE TIME ON YOUR PHONE CAN DISTRACT
YOU FROM IMPORTANT TASKS AND
RESPONSIBILITIES, LEADING TO PROCRASTINATION
AND INCREASED STRESS AS DEADLINES APPROACH
AND TASKS PILE UP.

COMPARISON AND SOCIAL PRESSURE: SOCIAL

MEDIA PLATFORMS OFTEN PRESENT CURATED AND
IDEALIZED VERSIONS OF PEOPLE'S LIVES, LEADING
TO FEELINGS OF INADEQUACY AND COMPARISON.
CONSTANTLY COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS CAN
FUEL STRESS AND DIMINISH SELF-ESTEEM.

DISRUPTED SLEEP: THE BLUE LIGHT EMITTED BY

SCREENS CAN INTERFERE WITH THE PRODUCTION OF
MELATONIN, A HORMONE THAT REGULATES SLEEP-
WAKE CYCLES. USING YOUR PHONE BEFORE BEDTIME
CAN DISRUPT SLEEP PATTERNS, LEADING TO POOR
SLEEP QUALITY AND INCREASED STRESS THE NEXT
DAY.
REDUCED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY: EXCESSIVE
PHONE USE CAN LEAD TO A SEDENTARY
LIFESTYLE, AS TIME SPENT ON SCREENS
OFTEN REPLACES TIME THAT COULD BE
SPENT BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE. REDUCED
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY CAN CONTRIBUTE TO
STRESS BY IMPACTING MOOD REGULATION
AND OVERALL WELL-BEING.
 FOMO (FEAR OF MISSING OUT): CONSTANTLY CHECKING
YOUR PHONE FOR UPDATES AND NOTIFICATIONS CAN STEM
FROM A FEAR OF MISSING OUT ON IMPORTANT INFORMATION
OR SOCIAL EVENTS. THIS FEAR OF MISSING OUT CAN DRIVE
COMPULSIVE PHONE CHECKING BEHAVIOR AND CONTRIBUTE TO
STRESS AND ANXIETY.

TO MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF PHONE ADDICTION,

CONSIDER SETTING TIME LIMITS ON APPS, AS WELL AS TURNING
NOTIFICATIONS OFF. I KNOW YOU MIGHT THINK I’M CRAZY, BUT
HAVING NO (OR ALMOST NONE) NOTIFICATIONS WILL MAKE YOU
HAPPIER AND A LOT MORE PRODUCTIVE.
JUST TRUST ME AND TRY IT OUT.

STRESS JOURNALING

THIS IS ESPECIALLY HELPFUL WHEN YOU HAVEN'T FINISHED A TASK,

OR SOMETHING ELSE IS BOTHERING YOU. SEEING IT ON PAPER OR
SAYING IT OUT LOUD IS OFTEN ENOUGH TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO
RELAX.

EXAMPLE:
DATE: [TODAY'S DATE]
TIME: [TIME OF ENTRY]

SITUATION:

TODAY, I HAD TO ATTEND A FAMILY GATHERING, WHICH ALWAYS

CAUSES ME STRESS DUE TO UNRESOLVED CONFLICTS AND TENSION
AMONG FAMILY MEMBERS. THROUGHOUT THE EVENT, THERE WERE
SEVERAL HEATED ARGUMENTS AND UNCOMFORTABLE MOMENTS,
ADDING TO MY OVERALL STRESS LEVELS.

EMOTIONS:
I FELT A MIX OF EMOTIONS DURING THE FAMILY GATHERING,
INCLUDING FRUSTRATION, ANGER, AND SADNESS. THE CONSTANT
BICKERING AND NEGATIVITY MADE ME FEEL DRAINED AND
EMOTIONALLY EXHAUSTED. I ALSO NOTICED FEELINGS OF GUILT
FOR NOT BEING ABLE TO ENJOY THE TIME WITH MY FAMILY
DESPITE MY EFFORTS TO STAY POSITIVE.
 PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS:
PHYSICALLY, I EXPERIENCED TIGHTNESS IN MY CHEST AND
SHALLOW BREATHING AS THE TENSION ESCALATED DURING
THE ARGUMENTS. I ALSO FELT A HEADACHE DEVELOPING AS
THE STRESS PERSISTED, AND MY MUSCLES FELT TENSE AND
SORE BY THE END OF THE DAY.

COPING STRATEGIES:
TO COPE WITH THE STRESS DURING THE FAMILY GATHERING, I
TRIED TO MAINTAIN A CALM DEMEANOR AND AVOID GETTING
INVOLVED IN CONFLICTS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. I TOOK BREAKS
TO STEP OUTSIDE AND PRACTICE DEEP BREATHING TO CALM
MY NERVES. ADDITIONALLY, I REMINDED MYSELF THAT I
CANNOT CONTROL OTHERS' BEHAVIOR BUT CAN CONTROL MY
REACTIONS AND MINDSET.

REFLECTION:
REFLECTING ON THE FAMILY GATHERING, I RECOGNIZE THE
CHALLENGING DYNAMICS AND THE TOLL THEY TAKE ON MY
WELL-BEING. WHILE I DID MY BEST TO MANAGE THE STRESS IN
THE MOMENT, I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT'S OKAY TO PRIORITIZE
MY OWN EMOTIONAL HEALTH AND SET BOUNDARIES WHEN
NECESSARY. MOVING FORWARD, I WILL EXPLORE WAYS TO
NAVIGATE FAMILY GATHERINGS MORE EFFECTIVELY AND
PRIORITIZE SELF-CARE TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF
STRESSFUL SITUATIONS.
THIS MIGHT SEEM LIKE A LOT OF WORK, BUT IF YOU ARE
SOMEONE WHO DEALS WITH A LOT OF STRESS THIS MIGHT
HELP YOU A TON.

ANOTHER SHORTER IDEA IS TO MOOD JOURNAL.

ON A PIECE OF PAPER, WRITE A SCALE FROM 1 TO 10 AND

EVERY 2 HOURS MARK WHERE YOU THINK YOUR MOOD IS AT.
DO THIS FOR A WEEK AND CHECK YOUR DAILY AVERAGES. THE
NEXT WEEK, IF YOU NOTICE A PLUMMET, WRITE
SPECIFICALLY WHY YOU THINK THAT MAY BE AND TRY TO DO
SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
ONE IDEA IS - JUST DON’T REPEAT THAT THOUGHT OR ACTION
EVER AGAIN OR TRY TO LIMIT IT. IF IT IS SOMETHING THAT
CAN’T BE CHANGED OVERNIGHT, TRY TO INCREMENTALLY
MAKE A DIFFERENCE (YOU WILL NEED TO MAKE A PLAN OF
HOW TO ACTUALLY DO THIS, STEP BY STEP, THEN STICK TO
THAT PLAN).

ANOTHER IDEA IS TO REFRAME THE SITUATION IN YOUR MIND,

BASICALLY EXPLAINING TO YOURSELF WHY THAT HAPPENED
AND HOW THAT THING CAN ACTUALLY HELP YOU.

MAYBE SOMEONE TOLD YOU YOU ARE FAT. ARE YOU ACTUALLY
FAT? IF NOT - IGNORE IT. IF YOU ARE - DON’T GET MAD, USE IT
AS FUEL AND ACCEPT IT, IF IT IS TRUE. NOW THE POWER IS IN
YOUR HANDS. YOU CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
AND MAKE A CHANGE. THAT WILL DRASTICALLY IMPROVE
YOUR STRESS SITUATION AND YOUR LIFE PERCEPTION AND
QUALITY AS A WHOLE.
REMEMBER THAT CONSISTENCY IS KEY WHEN IT COMES TO
USING A MOOD JOURNAL EFFECTIVELY. MAKE IT A HABIT TO
REGULARLY ENGAGE WITH YOUR JOURNAL.

EXERCISING

REGULAR EXERCISE CAN HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON

TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. ENGAGING IN BOTH AEROBIC AND
RESISTANCE TRAINING HAS BEEN SHOWN TO INCREASE
TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION IN MEN, PARTICULARLY WHEN
COMBINED WITH A HEALTHY DIET AND SUFFICIENT SLEEP.

AEROBIC EXERCISE:
AEROBIC EXERCISES, ALSO KNOWN AS CARDIO,
ARE ACTIVITIES THAT INCREASE YOUR HEART
RATE AND BREATHING, SUCH AS RUNNING,
CYCLING, SWIMMING, OR BRISK WALKING.
WHILE AEROBIC EXERCISE MAY NOT DIRECTLY
STIMULATE TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION TO
THE SAME EXTENT AS RESISTANCE TRAINING, IT
CAN STILL HAVE A BENEFICIAL EFFECT ON
HORMONE LEVELS.
 AEROBIC EXERCISE HELPS MANAGE WEIGHT BY BURNING
CALORIES AND REDUCING EXCESS BODY FAT. EXCESS BODY
FAT, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE ABDOMEN, IS ASSOCIATED
WITH LOWER TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. BY MAINTAINING A
HEALTHY WEIGHT AND REDUCING BODY FAT, AEROBIC
EXERCISE INDIRECTLY SUPPORTS OPTIMAL TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS.
ADDITIONALLY, AEROBIC EXERCISE IMPROVES
CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, WHICH IS CRUCIAL FOR OVERALL
WELL-BEING.

RESISTANCE TRAINING:

IN THE REALM OF EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY, FEW MODALITIES

RIVAL THE EFFICACY OF RESISTANCE TRAINING IN ELICITING
HORMONAL RESPONSES. ALSO KNOWN AS STRENGTH OR
WEIGHT TRAINING, RESISTANCE TRAINING INVOLVES
EXERTING FORCE AGAINST RESISTANCE TO BUILD MUSCLE
STRENGTH AND SIZE. ITS IMPACT ON TESTOSTERONE LEVELS
IS BOTH DIRECT AND PROFOUND.
INTENSE RESISTANCE TRAINING SESSIONS TRIGGER ACUTE
SPIKES IN TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION, IMMEDIATELY
FOLLOWING EXERCISE. THESE TRANSIENT INCREASES PLAY A
PIVOTAL ROLE IN SUPPORTING MUSCLE GROWTH AND
REPAIR PROCESSES. OVER TIME, CONSISTENT ENGAGEMENT
IN RESISTANCE TRAINING CAN LEAD TO SUSTAINED
IMPROVEMENTS IN TESTOSTERONE LEVELS, ESPECIALLY IN
INDIVIDUALS WITH SEDENTARY LIFESTYLES OR LOWER
BASELINE TESTOSTERONE LEVELS.

CRUCIALLY, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING

IN MODULATING TESTOSTERONE HINGES ON THE INTENSITY
AND VOLUME OF WORKOUTS. EXERCISES TARGETING LARGE
MUSCLE GROUPS, SUCH AS SQUATS, DEADLIFTS, AND BENCH
PRESSES, PERFORMED AT MODERATE TO HIGH INTENSITY,
YIELD THE MOST TESTOSTERONE RESPONSE.
HOWEVER, IT'S CRUCIAL TO STRIKE A BALANCE WITH
RESISTANCE TRAINING AND AVOID OVERTRAINING, AS
EXCESSIVE EXERCISE WITHOUT ADEQUATE REST AND
RECOVERY CAN LEAD TO FATIGUE, HORMONAL IMBALANCES,
AND DECREASED TESTOSTERONE LEVELS.
 A WELL-DESIGNED RESISTANCE TRAINING PROGRAM THAT
INCLUDES PROPER REST PERIODS IS ESSENTIAL FOR
MAXIMIZING THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE ON TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS AND OVERALL HEALTH.

WALKING

I TOUCHED ON WALKING, BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE IT A

LITTLE MORE. WALKING IS A SIMPLE, LOW INTENSITY
ACTIVITY THAT RAISES TEST IN MEN.

INSTEAD OF AIMING FOR AN UNACHIEVABLE GOAL, AIM TO

WALK FOR 10 MINUTES AFTER EACH MEAL. IT SOUNDS LIKE
NOT A BIG DEAL, BUT IT COMPOUNDS VERY QUICKLY.

ACCORDING TO A RECENT STUDY, MEN WHO WALK LESS THAN

4K STEPS A DAY HAVE THE LOWEST TESTOSTERONE, THOSE
WHO WALK 6-8K STEPS TEND TO HAVE HIGHER LEVELS AND
THOSE WITH 8-12K - THE HIGHEST. I AM NOT SAYING GO AND
WALK 12K STEPS EVERYDAY HERE. ALL I AM SUGGESTING IS TO
START INCREMENTALLY IMPROVING YOUR ACTIVITY OVERALL.

A FEW STRATEGIES TO WALK MORE:

THIS MAY SOUND RIDICULOUS, BUT GETTING A DOG MIGHT
CHANGE YOUR LIFE. YES, YOU WILL BE GETTING A
COMPANION, BUT BESIDES THAT - HAVING THE OBLIGATION
TO WALK IT EVERYDAY WILL IMPROVE YOUR STEP COUNT
SIGNIFICANTLY, WHICH IN TURN WILL IMPROVE YOUR
HEALTH, YOUR STRESS AND YOUR TESTOSTERONE LEVELS.

ANOTHER IDEA IS TO WALK IN THE PARK WITH FRIENDS -

INSTEAD OF GOING TO A BAR AND GOSSIPING OR TRYING TO
IMPRESS WOMEN THAT YOU WILL NOT APPROACH, GET
OUTSIDE WITH THEM AND START WALKING. YOU WILL NOT
NOTICE WHEN 10K STEPS HAVE BEEN MADE. IT HAPPENS LIKE
MAGIC. THIS IS A VERY GOOD WAY TO INCREASE YOUR
ACTIVITY.
ANOTHER ONE IS - JUST GO OUT SOMETIMES BY YOURSELF.
PUT ON A PAIR OF HEADPHONES AND JUST WALK FOR 30-60
MINUTES. IT’S GREAT FOR ALLEVIATING STRESS AS WELL.

YOU CAN TURN WALKING INTO A GAME, IF YOU WILL. WHAT

YOU CAN DO IS - IF YOU WANT TO WATCH A MOVIE OR PLAY
A GAME ON YOUR PHONE, CONVINCE YOURSELF YOU CAN
ONLY DO THAT WHILE ON A TREADMILL. SO NEXT TIME YOU
GO TO THE GYM - YOU CAN WATCH YOUR FAVORITE SERIES
WHILE WALKING. EVEN BETTER THAN THAT IS - IF YOU CAN
AFFORD IT - BUY ONE FOR YOUR HOUSE. NO NEED TO GO TO
THE GYM, NO NEED TO BE STUCK IN TRAFFIC, NO NEED TO
LOSE TIME COMMUTING TO THE GYM. YOU CAN TALK ON
THE PHONE, WHETHER BUSINESS OR WITH YOUR FRIENDS
OR GIRL. WORKS LIKE A CHARM.

SUNLIGHT

SUNLIGHT CAN INCREASE TESTOSTERONE, AND MEN TEND

TO HAVE HIGHER TESTOSTERONE LEVELS IN THE SUMMER
COMPARED TO THE WINTER.
SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE, PARTICULARLY ON THE SKIN, HAS
BEEN LINKED TO VARIOUS HEALTH BENEFITS, INCLUDING
THE POTENTIAL TO BOOST TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. FOR
MEN AIMING TO OPTIMIZE THEIR TESTOSTERONE
NATURALLY, UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE OF SUNLIGHT CAN
BE PIVOTAL.

HOW SUNLIGHT AFFECTS TESTOSTERONE LEVELS

ANDREW HUBERMAN, A RENOWNED NEUROSCIENTIST, HAS

EXTENSIVELY DISCUSSED THE IMPACT OF SUNLIGHT ON
HORMONAL HEALTH. ACCORDING TO HUBERMAN,
EXPOSURE TO ULTRAVIOLET B (UVB) LIGHT FROM THE SUN
CAN STIMULATE SKIN CELLS TO PROMOTE THE PRODUCTION
OF SEX STEROIDS, INCLUDING TESTOSTERONE AND
ESTROGEN.
 THIS PROCESS INVOLVES THE ACTIVATION OF THE P53
GENE IN KERATINOCYTE SKIN CELLS, WHICH THEN SIGNAL
THE PITUITARY GLAND TO RELEASE HORMONES THAT
BOOST TESTOSTERONE LEVELS​ (HONE HEALTH)​​
(HUBERMAN LAB)​.

RESEARCH SUPPORTS THIS, SHOWING THAT REGULAR

SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE
TESTOSTERONE LEVELS. FOR INSTANCE, MEN WHO SPENT
20 TO 30 MINUTES IN THE SUN TWO TO THREE TIMES A
WEEK EXPERIENCED NOTABLE INCREASES IN
TESTOSTERONE. THIS IS PARTLY DUE TO THE ROLE OF
VITAMIN D, WHICH IS SYNTHESIZED IN THE SKIN UPON
EXPOSURE TO UVB LIGHT. HIGHER VITAMIN D LEVELS ARE
ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASED TESTOSTERONE​ (HONE
HEALTH)​​ (HUBERMAN LAB)​.

APART FROM INCREASING TESTOSTERONE, SUNLIGHT

ALSO HELPS WITH BLOOD FLOW, MOOD, PAIN, SLEEP, AND
MUCH MORE. EXPOSING YOURSELF TO SUNLIGHT
THROUGHOUT THE DAY CAN DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE
HOW YOU FEEL AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR
LIFE.

FIRST OF ALL, GET SOME SUNLIGHT IN YOUR EYES FIRST

THING IN THE MORNING. I CANNOT EMPHASIZE THIS
ENOUGH, IDEALLY DO THAT WHILE WALKING OR BEING IN
MOTION - IF YOU WANT TO RUN, RUN, BUT SUNGLASSES
OFF. CORRECTIVE LENSES LIKE EYEGLASSES OR CONTACTS
ARE FINE.

HOW MUCH LIGHT IS ENOUGH?

WELL, DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE AND THE TIME OF YEAR,
THERE ARE ALOT OF FACTORS, BUT - 10 TO 30 MINUTES.
GET OUTSIDE, EVEN IF YOU’RE CHECKING YOUR PHONE,
GET OUTSIDE, GET SUNLIGHT IN YOUR EYES. IT'S GONNA
SET YOU UP TO FALL ASLEEP ABOUT 16 HOURS LATER. IT'S
GOING TO CAUSE THE CORTISOL RELEASE, WHICH HAPPENS
EVERY 24 HOURS AND IS NONNEGOTIABLE TO COME EARLY
IN THE DAY, WHICH IS GONNA PRIME YOU FOR ENERGY AND
OUTPUT. IT’S REALLY REALLY GOOD TO DO.
 ANOTHER KEY THING THAT YOU SHOULD NOT FORGET
ABOUT IS JUST DON’T TRY AND GET THIS SUNLIGHT
EXPOSURE THROUGH A WINDSHIELD OF A CAR OR A
WINDOW TINTED OR OTHERWISE - IT TAKES FAR TOO
LONG. IT’S SIMPLY NOT GOING TO TRIGGER THE
RELEVANT MECHANISMS, YOU WOULD BE STANDING
THERE ALL DAY TRYING TO GET ENOUGH LIGHT INTO
YOUR EYES FROM THE MORNING SUNLIGHT AND BY
THEN THE SUN WILL HAVE ALREADY MOVED FROM LOW
SOLAR ANGLE TO OVERHEAD AND IT SIMPLY WON’T
WORK FOR ALL SORTS OF MECHANISMS RELATED TO
YOUR CIRCADIAN RHYTHM FUNCTIONS. SO JUST DON’T
TRY AND DO IT THROUGH A WINDSHIELD, SUNGLASSES
OR A WINDOW IT’S JUST NOT GOING TO WORK. GET
OUTSIDE. IF THE WEATHER IS REALLY BAD OR FOR
WHATEVER SAFETY REASON YOU CANNOT GET OUTSIDE,
TRY AND GET NEAR A WINDOW - THAT WOULD BE THE
LAST LAST RESORT, BUT YOU REALLY WANT TO GET
OUTSIDE TO GET THE SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE.

THAT’S THE NUMBER ONE THING.

ABOUT SUNLIGHT EXPOSURE TO THE EYES AND THE

FACE AND THE UPPER PART OF THE BODY.

IN A RECENT STUDY THAT WAS JUST PUBLISHED, IN

HUMANS, SHOWS THAT IT INCREASES TESTOSTERONE IN
MEN AND IN WOMEN, TO GET THAT COUPLE HOURS OF
SUNLIGHT A DAY, COUPLE HOURS IS A LOT AND DURING
THE YEAR YOU OFTEN DON’T HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY,
BUT GET AS MUCH SUN AS YOU CAN IN THE MORNING
AND THROUGHOUT THE DAY.

THE OTHER ONE IS TO AVOID BRIGHT LIGHTS IN YOUR EYES

BETWEEN 10 PM AND 4 AM. A LITTLE BIT OF LIGHT, FINE, YOU WEAR
BLUE BLOCKERS - FINE, BUT IT SUPPRESSES DOPAMINE AND
DOPAMINE AND TESTOSTERONE ARE CLOSE COUSINS, THEY HANG
OUT A LOT. TRYING TO AVOID BEING ON THE PHONE IN THE MIDDLE
OF THE NIGHT IS IMPORTANT. IF FOR SOME REASON, YOU ARE ON
YOUR PHONE DURING THAT PERIOD - DIM YOUR SCREEN!
TRY AND GET OUTSIDE IDEALLY WITHIN THE FIRST 15-60
MINUTES OF WAKING.

I WANNA SHARE WITH YOU THREE CRITICAL THINGS ABOUT

THIS.

FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS NOT SOME WOO-WOO BIOLOGY

THING, THIS IS GROUNDED IN THE CORE OF OUR
PHYSIOLOGY. THERE ARE LITERALLY HUNDREDS, IF NOT
THOUSANDS OF QUALITY PURE REVIEW PAPERS SHOWING
THAT LIGHT-VIEWING EARLY IN THE DAY IS THE MOST
POWERFUL STIMULUS FOR WAKEFULNESS THROUGHOUT
THE DAY AND IT HAS A POWERFUL POSITIVE IMPACT ON
YOUR ABILITY TO FALL AND STAY ASLEEP AT NIGHT. SO THIS
IS REALLY THE FOUNDATIONAL POWER TOOL FOR ENSURING
A GREAT NIGHT SLEEP AND FOR FEELING MORE WEIGHT
DURING THE DAY.
SECOND OF ALL, IF YOU WAKE UP BEFORE THE SUN IS OUT,
YOU CAN TURN ON ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS IN YOUR HOME
ENVIRONMENT IF YOUR GOAL IS TO BE AWAKE. IF YOU WAKE
UP AT FOUR IN THE MORNING AND YOU NEED TO BE AWAKE,
TURN ON ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS. ONCE HOWEVER, THE SUN HAS
RISEN, THEN YOU STILL WANT TO GET OUTSIDE AND VIEW
SUNLIGHT. SOME OF YOU, WHO WAKE UP BEFORE THE SUN
IS OUT, WILL ASK IF ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS WOULD BE ENOUGH.
SADLY, THE ANSWER IS NO.
SO THERE’S THERE IS THAT ASYMMETRY IN OUR RETINAL
BIOLOGY AND OUR BRAIN’S BIOLOGY WHERE BY EARLY IN
THE DAY RIGHT ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE WAKING, YOU NEED
A LOT OF LIGHT, A LOT OF PHOTONS, A LOT OF LIGHT
ENERGY AND ARTIFICIAL LIGHTS GENERALLY JUST WON’T
ACCOMPLISH WHAT YOU NEED THEM TO ACCOMPLISH, BUT
AT NIGHT EVEN A LITTLE BIT OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT CAN
REALLY MESS UP YOUR SO-CALLED CIRCADIAN RHYTHM.

ON CLOUDY DAYS YOU ESPECIALLY NEED TO GET OUTSIDE

AND GET SUNLIGHT. YOU JUST NEED TO GET MORE OF IT.
HOW MUCH LIGHT AND HOW MUCH LIGHT VIEWING DO
YOU NEED?
 THIS IS GOING TO VARY DEPENDING ON THE PERSON AND
PLACE LITERALLY, WHERE YOU LIVE ON EARTH, WHETHER OR
NOT THERE’S A LOT OF TREE COVER, WHETHER OR NOT YOU’RE
SOMEBODY WHO HAS SENSITIVE EYES OR LESS SENSITIVE EYES.
IN GENERAL ON A CLEAR DAY, MEANING NO CLOUD COVER OR
MINIMAL CLOUD COVER, YOU WANT TO GET THIS SUNLIGHT
EXPOSURE TO YOUR EYES FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES OR SO.
ON A DAY WHERE THERE’S CLOUD COVER - SO THE SUN IS JUST
PEEKING THROUGH THE CLOUDS OR IT’S MORE DENSE CLOUD
COVERED, YOU WANT TO GET ABOUT 10 MINUTES OF SUNLIGHT
EXPOSURE TO YOUR EYES AND ON DAYS THAT ARE REALLY
DENSELY OVERCAST OR MAYBE EVEN RAINY, YOU’RE GOING TO
WANT TO GET AS MUCH AS 20 OR 30 MINUTES OF SUNLIGHT
EXPOSURE.

ALCOHOL
FOR MOST PEOPLE, IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT ALCOHOL IS A
SUBSTANCE THAT CAN NEGATIVELY IMPACT PHYSICAL AND
MENTAL PERFORMANCE, DISRUPTING THINGS LIKE EXERCISE,
SLEEP PATTERNS, HORMONE LEVELS AND MUCH MORE. YET
DESPITE THESE WELL-KNOWN DETRIMENTAL EFFECTS, THE
CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES REMAINS DEEPLY
ENTRENCHED WITHIN OUR SOCIETAL NORMS AND CULTURAL
FABRIC.
DRINKING PLAYS AN ANTICIPATED ROLE ACROSS A WIDE
SPECTRUM OF SOCIAL GATHERINGS AND CONTEXTS.

FAMILY PARTIES AND HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS FREQUENTLY

INVOLVE IMBIBING BEER, WINE OR LIQUOR AS AN EXPECTED
RITUAL ACCOMPANIMENT. GOING OUT TO BARS OR
NIGHTCLUBS WITH FRIENDS IS LARGELY PREDICATED ON
THE CONSUMPTION AND INEBRIATION EFFECTS OF
ALCOHOL.BUT EVEN SOLITARY, CASUAL EVENINGS AT HOME
MAY INCLUDE CASUALLY SIPPING A BEER OR GLASS OF WINE
WHILE WATCHING A MOVIE OR TELEVISION SHOW,
OSTENSIBLY TO "RELAX" AND UNWIND AFTER THE DAY'S
RESPONSIBILITIES.
 FOR SOME, DRINKING PROVIDES A WAY TO LOOSEN UP
SOCIALLY. PEOPLE WHO ARE SHY OR ANXIOUS MAY USE
ALCOHOL TO FEEL MORE CONFIDENT TALKING TO POTENTIAL
ROMANTIC PARTNERS. IN MORE EXTREME CASES, ALCOHOL
CAN REDUCE INHIBITION TO THE POINT OF ENABLING VIOLENT
CONFRONTATIONS THAT WOULDN'T HAPPEN WHILE SOBER.

DESPITE THE WELL-KNOWN DRAWBACKS, ALCOHOL HOLDS AN

ESTABLISHED PLACE IN HOW WE SOCIALIZE, CELEBRATE, AND
EVEN VIEW OUR TRANSITION INTO ADULTHOOD. NOT
DRINKING CAN SOMETIMES BE VIEWED AS IMMATURE OR
GOING AGAINST CULTURAL NORMS. CONSUMING ALCOHOL IS
DEEPLY WOVEN INTO THE CULTURAL FABRIC, EVEN AS PEOPLE
RECOGNIZE ITS ABILITY TO NEGATIVELY IMPACT HEALTH AND
BEHAVIOR.

THUS, DESPITE THE MYRIAD NEGATIVES, ALCOHOL IS DEEPLY

EMBEDDED INTO OUR CULTURAL CONSCIOUSNESS - A SOCIAL
LUBRICANT THAT PLAYS A CENTRAL ROLE IN HOW WE
CELEBRATE, SOCIALIZE, FIND LIQUID COURAGE, AND
OSTENSIBLY CLAIM OUR ADULT IDENTITIES. DARING TO
REFUSE CAN BE SEEN AS COUNTERCULTURE AND IMMATURE BY
SOME.
I WILL GET A LITTLE MORE SCIENTIFIC WITH MY HOPES SOME
OF YOU, WHO ARE DRINKERS WILL CONSIDER ALCOHOL’S
NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON OUR BODIES.ALCOHOL INTAKE, EVEN
AT LOW TO MODERATE LEVELS, SUCH AS ONE OR TWO DRINKS
PER DAY, IS DETRIMENTAL TO THE BRAIN AND SPECIFICALLY
PROMOTES NEURONAL OR NERVE CELL DEGENERATION.

HIGH LEVELS OF ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION - 12 TO 24 DRINKS A

WEEK OR MORE - HAVE BEEN LINKED TO NEURODEGENERATION,
ESPECIALLY IN THE SO-CALLED NEOCORTEX, WHICH IS
LOCATED IN THE OUTER LAYERS OF THE BRAIN AND IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSOCIATIVE MEMORIES, PLANNING AND
THOUGHT PROCESSES, AND THE REGULATION OF PRIMAL URGES,
AMONG OTHER FUNCTIONS.
 THE TOPIC OF WHETHER MODERATE TO LOW ALCOHOL USE
MIGHT LEAD TO BRAIN DETERIORATION WAS FINALLY
ANSWERED BY A RECENT STUDY.
FIRST, THE SO-CALLED CELL BODIES, OR GRAY MATTER OR
NEURONS, ARE WHERE THE CELL'S GENOME IS STORED. THE
FIBERS, CONNECTIONS, AND SO-CALLED AXONS OF NEURONS
MAKE UP WHITE MATTER.

THIS STUDY EXAMINED THE GRAY AND WHITE MATTER IN

THE BRAINS OF OVER 35,000 MIDDLE-AGED AND OLDER,
TYPICALLY HEALTHY PEOPLE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM WHO
WERE CONSUMING DIFFERENT QUANTITIES OF ALCOHOL.
THEY DISCOVERED THAT THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF
NEOCORTEX THINNING, OR THE LOSS OF NEURONS IN THIS
AND OTHER BRAIN REGIONS, EVEN IN INDIVIDUALS WHO
DRANK ONE OR TWO DRINKS OF ALCOHOL PER DAY, WHICH
IS CONSIDERED LOW TO MODERATE ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION.
THIS STUDY IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE IT SUGGESTS THAT
EVEN A WEEKLY INTAKE OF 7 GLASSES OF WINE MAY
PRODUCE SOME BRAIN DAMAGE DUE TO ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION. ALCOHOL MAY ENTER ALL OF YOUR BODY'S
CELLS AND TISSUES WHEN YOU CONSUME IT. IT ENTERS
THOSE CELLS WITH EASE AND PASSES RIGHT THROUGH.
ALCOHOL MAY ENTER CELLS DIRECTLY AND HAS ITS OWN
DIRECT EFFECTS ON THEM, UNLIKE MANY OTHER
CHEMICALS AND MEDICATIONS THAT ADHERE TO THE
SURFACE OF CELLS AND THEN PRODUCE A SERIES OF
DOWNSTREAM DOMINO CASCADES OF EFFECTS.

THREE PRIMARY CATEGORIES EXIST FOR ALCOHOL. ONLY

THE LAST KIND, ETHYL ALCOHOL, SOMETIMES KNOWN AS
ETHANOL, IS SUITABLE FOR INGESTION BY HUMANS. THE
OTHER TWO TYPES OF ALCOHOL ARE ISOPROPYL AND
METHYL. IT'S STILL HARMFUL, THOUGH. CELLS ARE
SEVERELY STRESSED AND HARMED BY IT. I WISH I COULD
TELL YOU DIFFERENTLY, BUT DRINKING ALCOHOL DOES
INCLUDE POISON THAT YOUR BODY TRANSFORMS INTO EVEN
MORE POISON.
 A PORTION OF THIS WORSE POISON IS TRANSFORMED INTO
CALORIES THAT YOUR BODY CAN UTILIZE TO PRODUCE ATP, OR
ENERGY.

ALCOHOL IS REGARDED AS EMPTY CALORIES BECAUSE THE

WHOLE PROCESS IS VERY EXPENSIVE FOR THE METABOLISM,
EVEN THOUGH THE CALORIES IT PRODUCES HAVE NO ACTUAL
NUTRITIONAL VALUE. IT IS ESSENTIALLY EMPTY CALORIES
THAT CAN ONLY BE USED FOR INSTANT ENERGY. IT CANNOT BE
STORED IN ANY FORM THAT WOULD BE USEFUL OR
SIGNIFICANT. IT ALSO CONTAINS NO VITAMINS, AMINO ACIDS,
OR FATTY ACIDS. IN ACTUALITY, SUGAR IS A FAR SUPERIOR
FUEL SOURCE THAN ALCOHOL.

IF YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT BEING INEBRIATED TOO SOON,

EVEN AFTER CONSUMING A LITTLE AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL, IT
COULD BE HELPFUL TO EAT BEFOREHAND.

CHRONIC ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, EVEN IF IT'S NOT EVERY

NIGHT, IS KNOWN TO ALTER NEURAL CIRCUITS, BRAIN
CHEMISTRY, AND THE BRAIN-TO-BODY STRESS SYSTEM. THESE
CHANGES TYPICALLY POINT IN THREE DIRECTIONS:
INCREASED STRESS DURING ABSTINENCE, DECREASED MOOD
AND SENSE OF WELL-BEING DURING ABSTINENCE, AND
ALTERED NEURAL CIRCUITRY THAT MAKES PEOPLE WANT TO
DRINK EVEN MORE TO RETURN TO BASELINE—THAT IS, THE
POINT AT WHICH THEIR STRESS MODULATION AND MOOD
WERE BEFORE THEY EVER STARTED DRINKING.

EVEN AFTER ONLY ONE DRINK, THE KIND OF SLEEP THAT ONE
EXPERIENCES IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF A STATE IN WHICH
ALCOHOL IS NOT PRESENT IN THE BODY. THE STRUCTURE OF
SLEEP IS DISTURBED WHEN ALCOHOL IS PRESENT IN THE
CIRCULATION AND BRAIN. THE THREE TYPES OF SLEEP THAT
ARE NECESSARY FOR A RESTORATIVE NIGHT'S SLEEP—WAVE,
DEEP, AND RAPID EYE MOVEMENT—ARE ALL DISTURBED.
IF YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO NEEDS A GLASS OF
WINE OR BEER TO FALL ASLEEP, THE QUALITY OF THE SLEEP
YOU ARE GETTING IS SIMPLY NOT AS GOOD AS IT WOULD BE
IF ALCOHOL WAS NOT PRESENT IN YOUR SYSTEM.

IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT ALCOHOL IS TOXIC TO BODILY

CELLS. SOME OF YOU MAY BE THINKING, "WAIT, WHAT
ABOUT THIS PHENOMENON WHERE WE GET STRONGER IF
WE REGULARLY INGEST A TOXIN? OR, TO PUT IT ANOTHER
WAY, WHAT DOESN'T KILL US MAKES US STRONGER?"
SORRY, BUT THAT IS NOT HOW IT WORKS.
OF COURSE, CONSUMING ZERO OUNCES OF ALCOHOL IS
HEALTHIER THAN CONSUMING LOW TO MODERATE
AMOUNTS, AND CONSUMING LOW TO MODERATE AMOUNTS
IS HEALTHIER THAN CONSUMING MODERATELY HIGH TO
HIGH AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL (12 TO 24 ADDITIONAL DRINKS
PER WEEK).

FINALLY, I WANT TO DISCUSS HOW ALCOHOL AFFECTS

HORMONES AND MAKE A DISTINCTION BETWEEN
MODERATE ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION, EXCESSIVE ALCOHOL
CONSUMPTION, AND CHRONIC ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION -
THAT IS, ALCOHOL USE DISORDER, IN WHICH A PERSON
CONSUMES LARGE AMOUNTS OF ALCOHOL CONTINUOUSLY.
THE RESEARCH ON HORMONES AND ALCOHOL IS WELL
DOCUMENTED. WHILE THERE ARE UNDOUBTEDLY MORE
HORMONES, WE'LL FOCUS ON TWO THAT ARE FOUND IN
BOTH MEN AND WOMEN: ESTROGEN AND TESTOSTERONE.

THEY PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE

LIBIDO, SEXUAL AROUSAL, AND THE ACTUAL PRENATAL AND
POSTNATAL GENITAL GROWTH. ALONG WITH MANY OTHER
THINGS, THEY ARE IN CHARGE OF MEMORY AND COGNITION.
IN BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, YOU DON'T WANT TO LOWER
ESTROGEN TOO MUCH BECAUSE IT CAN AFFECT JOINT
HEALTH, COGNITIVE FUNCTION, AND OTHER AREAS.
 TO PUT IT SHORTLY, ALCOHOL'S HARMFUL METABOLITES
PROMOTE THE CONVERSION OF TESTOSTERONE TO
ESTROGEN. THERE ARE MANY TISSUES THAT EXHIBIT THIS,
AND I WILL DIRECT YOU TO A TOP-NOTCH REVIEW.

EVEN THOUGH THE PAPER WAS PUBLISHED IN 2000, THE

DATA IS STILL VERY RELIABLE. THE PAPER,

"CAN ALCOHOL PROMOTE AROMATIZATION OF

ANDROGENS TO ESTROGENS?"

IS PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL "ALCOHOL."

THIS REVIEW COVERS ALMOST EVERY TISSUE, INCLUDING
THE FEMALE OVARY, THE PLACENTA, THE LIVER, AND THE
TESTES, WHERE ALCOHOL CAN ENHANCE THE
CONVERSION OF TESTOSTERONE TO ESTROGEN.
AROMATIZATION IS THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING
TESTOSTERONE AND OTHER ANDROGENS TO ESTROGENS
THROUGH ENZYMES LIKE AROMATASE.
NOW, THIS MIGHT CONTRIBUTE TO THE RISE OF CANCERS
LINKED TO ESTROGEN IN FEMALES. ACCELERATED OR
IMPROPER CONVERSION OF TESTOSTERONE TO ESTROGEN
IN MEN CAN CAUSE GYNECOMASTIA, OR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF BREAST TISSUE. CHANGES IN
TESTOSTERONE-ESTROGEN RATIOS CAN ALSO LEAD TO
INCREASED FAT STORAGE, DECREASED SEX DRIVE, AND A
HOST OF OTHER SIDE EFFECTS THAT MOST INDIVIDUALS
WOULD PROBABLY FIND UNDESIRABLE.

I'D LIKE TO DISCUSS A FASCINATING FACT: A HALF-

GLASS OF WINE OR HALF A GLASS OF BEER CAN
CONTAIN AROUND 5 GRAMS OF ALCOHOL, OR A
MODEST QUANTITY OF ALCOHOL CONGESTION. IT
WAS SORT OF SURPRISING THAT AT LEAST SOME OF
THEM HAD INCREASES IN TESTOSTERONE, BUT IT'S
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT PREVIOUS RESEARCH HAS
INDICATED THAT ALCOHOL INDIGESTION
EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN DECLINES IN
TESTOSTERONE.
 I BELIEVE IT'S REASONABLE TO STATE THAT FREQUENT
ALCOHOL USE WILL RAISE ESTROGEN LEVELS,
REGARDLESS OF GENDER, AND THAT THIS IS MOSTLY
DUE TO THE AROMATIZATION PROCESS, WHICH RAISES
THE AROMATASE ENZYME. THIS IS SUPPORTED BY
REVIEWS LIKE THIS ONE AND OTHERS THAT ARE MORE
SPECIFICALLY FOCUSED ON HUMANS.

YES, THERE IS SOME DOSAGE DEPENDENCE, BUT IF

YOU'RE LOOKING TO MAXIMIZE YOUR RATIO OF
TESTOSTERONE TO ESTROGEN, YOU SHOULD PROBABLY
AVOID CONSUMING TOO MUCH ALCOHOL - OR BETTER
YET, NONE AT ALL.

I HOPE I WAS ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH A THOROUGH

UNDERSTANDING OF ALCOHOL AND THE REASONS YOU
DON'T NEED IT IN YOUR LIFE. I RECOGNIZE THAT WHEN
YOU HANG OUT WITH YOUR FRIENDS OR GO OUT, YOU
COULD EXPERIENCE SOCIAL PRESSURE. I WOULD ADVISE
YOU TO TRY CUTTING BACK ON YOUR CONSUMPTION BIT
BY BIT. ESTABLISH A SELF-IMPOSED RESTRICTION. YOU
SHOULD ONLY HAVE TWO DRINKS EACH WEEK, IF NOT
NONE AT ALL, TO AVOID FEELING LIKE A "LEFT OUT"
AND TO AVOID DRINKING TOO MUCH THAT MAY BADLY
IMPACT YOU.

SMOKING

WHILE THE HARMFUL CONSEQUENCES OF SMOKING ON

LUNG AND CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH ARE WELL-
DOCUMENTED, MANY ARE UNAWARE OF THE
SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IT CAN HAVE ON TESTOSTERONE LEVELS
IN MEN. SMOKING REPRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT LIFESTYLE
FACTOR THAT DIRECTLY IMPAIRS THE BODY'S ABILITY TO
PRODUCE AND MAINTAIN OPTIMAL TESTOSTERONE.THE
BIOCHEMICAL LINK CIGARETTE SMOKE CONTAINS A NOXIOUS
COCKTAIL OF OVER 7,000 CHEMICALS, MANY OF WHICH CAN
WREAK HAVOC ON THE DELICATE PROCESSES INVOLVED IN
TESTOSTERONE BIOSYNTHESIS AND METABOLISM. KEY
OFFENDERS INCLUDE CADMIUM, LEAD, AND NICOTINE.
 THESE COMPOUNDS CAN DISRUPT TESTOSTERONE
PRODUCTION THROUGH SEVERAL MECHANISMS:

1. HPG AXIS DISRUPTION: SMOKING INTERFERES WITH

THE INTRICATE FEEDBACK LOOPS OF THE
HYPOTHALAMIC-PITUITARY-GONADAL (HPG) AXIS,
WHICH REGULATES TESTOSTERONE SYNTHESIS. THIS
CAN THROW OFF THE FINELY-TUNED SIGNALING
REQUIRED FOR PROPER TESTOSTERONE REGULATION.
2. OXIDATIVE STRESS: THE FREE RADICALS AND
REACTIVE OXYGEN SPECIES IN CIGARETTE SMOKE
INDUCE OXIDATIVE STRESS, DAMAGING CELLS AND
INHIBITING ENZYMES CRUCIAL FOR TESTOSTERONE
PRODUCTION.
3. DIRECT ENZYME INHIBITION: CHEMICALS LIKE
CADMIUM CAN DIRECTLY INHIBIT THE ACTIVITY OF
ENZYMES LIKE 17Α-HYDROXYLASE AND 17,20-LYASE,
WHICH ARE VITAL FOR CONVERTING CHOLESTEROL
INTO TESTOSTERONE PRECURSORS.
4. AROMATASE UPREGULATION: SMOKING MAY
INCREASE AROMATASE ACTIVITY, THE ENZYME
RESPONSIBLE FOR CONVERTING TESTOSTERONE INTO
ESTROGEN. THIS CAN SKEW THE TESTOSTERONE-
ESTROGEN BALANCE UNFAVORABLY.

THE TESTOSTERONE-DEPLETING EVIDENCE -

NUMEROUS STUDIES HAVE QUANTIFIED THE STARK
DIFFERENCES IN TESTOSTERONE LEVELS BETWEEN
SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS:

1. ON AVERAGE, SMOKERS HAVE 15-20% LOWER

TESTOSTERONE LEVELS COMPARED TO NON-
SMOKERS.
2. HEAVY SMOKERS (≥20 CIGARETTES/DAY) CAN
EXPERIENCE TESTOSTERONE DEFICITS OF UP TO 40%.
3. EVEN PASSIVE EXPOSURE TO SECONDHAND SMOKE
IS LINKED TO REDUCED TESTOSTERONE IN MEN.
 I SHOULD ADD THAT THERE ARE A FEW INTERESTING STUDIES
(ONLY FOR CIGARETTE SMOKING), WHICH ACTUALLY SHOW
THE OPPOSITE - PEOPLE WHO SMOKE HAVE HIGHER LEVELS
THAN THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER SMOKED AND THOSE WHO
STOP SMOKING - GET WORSE LEVELS THE MORE TIME PASSES
AFTER THE DISCONTINUATION. THAT PROBABLY IS, BECAUSE
OF THE APPETITE SUPPRESSING EFFECT OF NICOTINE AND
THOSE WHO SMOKE TEND TO HAVE LESS BMI THAN THEIR
NON-SMOKING COUNTERPARTS, WHICH IS A VERY BIG FACTOR
FOR TESTOSTERONE. SO, SORRY, BUT SMOKING CIGARETTES IS
LIKELY NOT IMPROVING YOUR LEVELS.

I AM NOT PERFECT MYSELF. I SMOKE SHISHA OFTEN AND

SOMETIMES I LIGHT A CIGAR. DO I THINK NICOTINE IN THIS
INSTANCE RAISES TESTOSTERONE? I AM NOT SURE. I FEEL
QUITE WELL, BUT CAN’T TELL FOR SURE. CIGARS DO IMPACT
MY CARDIO THOUGH, SO THAT’S WHY I DON’T DO THAT OFTEN,
VERY RARELY ACTUALLY. I HAVE SMOKED CIGARETTES AND
IQOS FOR A YEAR AND THEY ARE DEFINITELY SHIT. I WILL NOT
EVEN COMMENT ON E-CIGARETTES AND VAPING. IT’S EVEN
MORE FULL OF CRAP AND IT’S GAY. PLEASE STOP IF YOU ARE
USING ANY OF THAT.

A DOSE-DEPENDENT EFFECT - THE MORE AN INDIVIDUAL

SMOKES, THE GREATER THE IMPACT ON TESTOSTERONE
APPEARS TO BE. HEAVY, LONG-TERM SMOKERS GENERALLY
EXPERIENCE MORE PRONOUNCED TESTOSTERONE
DEFICIENCIES THAN LIGHTER SMOKERS OR THOSE WHO HAVE
ONLY SMOKED FOR A FEW YEARS.

REVERSING THE DAMAGE - THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT QUITTING

SMOKING CAN HELP RESTORE TESTOSTERONE LEVELS OVER
TIME AS THE BODY RECOVERS. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF SMOKING
CESSATION, STUDIES SHOW THAT TESTOSTERONE LEVELS CAN
REBOUND BY 15% OR MORE AS ENZYMATIC FUNCTION AND THE
HPG AXIS BEGIN TO RENORMALIZE.
WHILE CERTAINLY CHALLENGING, THE PATH TO RECLAIMING
OPTIMAL TESTOSTERONE LIES IN PERMANENTLY ELIMINATING
EXPOSURE TO THE DAMAGING COMPOUNDS IN CIGARETTE
SMOKE. BY UNDERSTANDING SMOKING'S BIOCHEMICAL
ASSAULT ON THIS VITAL HORMONE, YOU CAN FIND THE
MOTIVATION TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR TESTOSTERONE
LEVELS AND OVERALL HEALTH.

KNOWING SMOKING IS BAD FOR YOUR HEALTH IS ONE THING,

BUT BEING ABLE TO ACTUALLY STOP IT IS A WHOLE NOTHER
THING.

WHAT I WOULD DO IS TRY A 30 DAY PROTOCOL.

ON A PIECE OF PAPER OR IN YOUR NOTES, DOCUMENT EACH

SINGLE DAY - HOW DO YOU FEEL ( SPECIFICALLY, YOUR URGES
TOWARDS SMOKING), DO YOU REALLY NEED A SMOKE OR ARE
YOU JUST BORED? YOU HAVE TO GET TO KNOW YOURSELF,
TRULY. BEING ABLE TO GO “COLD TURKEY” WOULD BE
POSSIBLE ONLY FOR THE STRONGER WILLED ONES, BUT WHAT
ABOUT THE OTHERS? I WOULD ADVISE YOU TO SET A LIMIT FOR
YOURSELF ON HOW MANY YOU ARE GOING TO SMOKE IN A DAY
AND TRY TO STICK TO THAT. WRITE IT IN YOUR PROTOCOL. TRY
TO SET PRS SOMETIMES, WHEN YOU THINK YOU CAN HANDLE
IT.

I BET IN 30 DAYS, YOU WILL BE BETTER. EVEN IF YOU HAVEN’T

QUIT THEM, YOU WOULD STILL HAVE LOWERED THE DOSAGE,
WHICH IS STILL AWESOME.

CONSISTENCY AND MINDFULNESS ARE KEY.

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