Low testosterone is probably the #1 concern for men today. Testosterone stimulates sperm production, libido, muscle strength, and physical characteristics. Low testosterone can cause a number of symptoms including frustration and anxiety, mild depression, low self-esteem, decreased sex drive, and lack of muscle tone. Most men today have half the testosterone levels of men their same age 20 years ago. What exactly is causing this?
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Causes Of Low Testosterone
Excess estrogens upset the balance between testosterone and estrogen in men, with xenoestrogens being the main culprit. Xenoestrogens are compounds or chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body. Pesticides and herbicides (including Roundup) that are sprayed on our food and in our environment are a major source of xenoestrogens. Red meat is known to raise testosterone but when it is commercially raised with so many chemicals, it is full of xenoestrogens. My #1 diet tip for men is to only eat grass-fed and organic red meat sources. This goes for fruits and vegetables too. You really want to stick with the organic stuff and avoid the endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
PCP and thalamus found in plastic materials are next on the list. Really any plastic – even if it’s BPA Free, leaches toxic chemicals that are mostly xenoestrogens. Because of this, avoid drinking from plastic and storing or heating food in plastic containers. Fluoride is another chemical that directly insults testosterone production and is unfortunately in our city water supply as well as toothpaste. Try picking a natural fluoride-free toothpaste instead and installing water filters in your home if this option is available for you. Sorry guys but FYI hops are extremely estrogenic, making beer one of the last beverages to grab for. Just be aware and consume in moderation.
Lastly, adrenal stress directly affects male hormone balance. Sugars, coffee, emotional stress, and even high-carbohydrate foods all play a part in stressing the adrenals. In addition to making some lifestyle changes, here are some great supplements to support stress and testosterone production in men.
Supplements for Men
Adaptogenic herbs. Adaptogenic herbs help the body adapt to stress by helping reduce cortisol and adrenalin production while in stressful situations. I recommend Adapt-a-Max from www.NaturesSunshine.com. If your life is super stressful, consider tripling the dose on the bottle to get a therapeutic effect and adding the “Adrenal Support” product from the same company. Some great testosterone and libido-supporting formulas, also from Nature’s Sunshine, include Men’s Formula, Men’s X-Action, and Korean Ginseng.
Due to the build-up of xenoestrogens in the body, I also recommend running a full-body detox protocol twice yearly, in the spring and the fall. You want to find a kit that addresses the whole body and all the elimination organs including the colon, liver, kidneys, and lymphatics. I recommend the Step One Cleanse Kit. If you have never done a detox before and realize that you have been exposing yourself to an abundance of xenoestrogens, you may want to consider doing a full two months of detoxing for the first round.
And last but not least, so much of our health is grounded in our gut. When our gut is healthy, it can bind to and eliminate toxins properly and is the seat of our immune system. If you are not already taking some form of digestive support this is a must-have for men. I recommend the Digestive Support Kit because this bundle includes a digestive enzyme, probiotic and digestive support formula. A lot of people don’t realize that a healthy gut eliminates 2-3 times per day so if you are not doing this, it’s time to clean up your diet, increase hydration and take supplements that will populate your microbiome and support gut barrier function.
New routines can be overwhelming so it’s important to set goals and change things as you can. Most men resort to HRT (hormone replacement therapy) but as you can see, this leaves to root cause of hormone imbalance going unchecked in the body which can continue to wreak havoc for years to come.
Contribution by Diana M Drake
“I began as an esthetician and was inundated with clients who experience acne, eczema and perioral dermatitis. Even with cleaning up their diet and using high quality skincare products, I quickly learned that there was so much more to the skin that I needed to understand. I embarked on becoming a Naturopath in order to better serve my clients and the community. After practicing for several years and specializing in skin conditions, I have created an easy to use system for both consumers and practitioners. Simply follow my baseline 3-step protocol and customize it to your specific needs by stacking additional products to support your imbalances”.
Skin Naturopathics was created by Diana M Drake, Board Certified Naturopath and medical esthetician in collaboration with Master Herbalist Steven Horne. The goal of the line is to balance skin conditions at the root cause, in a holistic and natural manner and there is nothing else like this on the market today. The kits are assembled in an easy to use, step by step process that can be utilized directly by end users, dermatologists, estheticians and wellness professionals. If you are suffering from an inflammatory skin condition and have tried topical solutions or prescription drugs that don’t have lasting effects then this is the system for you!
