Health Articles

As men age they lose both energy and muscle mass. This in turn effects stamina and endurance in athletics as well as in the bedroom. Feeling not quite as young or energetic in regards to your sex life will have you searching for a magic potion to get back to feeling like a 20-year old. Of course from a scientific standpoint, as we get older, our bodies stop manufacturing certain hormones at the same levels as they used to. One of these hormones that is produced at a lower rate than before is testosterone.

Testosterone is a hormone which helps men maintain bone density, muscle strength and mass, sex drive, sperm production and fat distribution. It is primarily produced in the testicles, and to a lesser extent, by the adrenal gland; regulation of testosterone is controlled by the pituitary gland. Levels of testosterone are lowest before puberty and begin to increase during puberty. Testosterone levels continue to increase until about age 30. But, as you age, the male testosterone level gradually decreases. The effect of this decrease can become more and more obvious with age. Low (or lower) testosterone can lower sex-drive, energy levels, and performance, and increase that dreaded belly fat.

So if the decrease of testosterone can have these unwanted effects, could adding testosterone back into the equation reverse the aging process, in a manner of speaking, and increase libido and performance? Currently there are testosterone replacement treatments on the market, but they come with a price. It is not as simple as getting an injection (patch or gel), and increasing muscle definition, endurance, and performance in the bedroom.

Replacement treatment can have side effects that include: acne, enlarged breasts, prostate problems, testicle shrinkage and limited sperm production. Similarly, once you start replacement therapy, it becomes a lifetime commitment. These injections will you suppress your own production of testosterone, so without them your body isn’t producing any testosterone at all. As is the case with most hormones, testosterone needs to be kept in balance. For most men, testosterone replacement therapy is probably NOT the answer to solving side-effects of aging. The benefits are likely not to outweigh the potential side effects. The key to solving this dilemma, and getting me to feel young again after entering “manopause”, is to safely get the body to start producing more testosterone on its own.

Finding a more natural way to boost testosterone levels could help men feel as they once did without the potentially harmful side effects. Even though testosterone levels drop as men age, there are some natural ways that can help boost these levels if you aren’t feeling as young and spirited as you once did. Try incorporating some of these things into your daily exercise and nutritional routine:

• Weightlifting
• Vitamin D
• Zinc
• Nuts and legumes
• Garlic
• Caffeine