Body Fat and Testosterone are directly interlinked. Both of them can strongly affect one another and lead to an interlinked cycle of weight gain/poor health. But first – what exactly is testosterone?
Testosterone is:
The primary male sex hormone in charge of the development of male reproductive tissues, bone mass, and secondary sex characteristics. Additionally, testosterone plays a key role in the health and well-being in males.
Body Fat and Testosterone
In health circles, in goes like this:
- Testosterone Dips = Body Fat Increases
And the reverse is true as well.
- Put On Additional Weight = Testosterone Decreases
The general path that the male body takes when body fat is increased is:
- Put on extra body fat
- Increases cortisol/fat cell aromatization
- Lower testosterone
- Further lower human growth hormone
And why does this happen?
Well, the science says we’re not 100% sure. But one factor we do know that heavily contributes is aromatization.
As you gain weight, there is an increase in the level of aromatase in your fat cells. Aromatase is the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen (estradiol). So what do you get? Less test, more estrogen.
This is why it can become a vicious cycle. If you gain weight, your testosterone goes down, making it harder to lose weight. As you continue to gain weight, it becomes even harder.
If you have a drop in testosterone (for whatever reason), it’s harder to maintain your weight, because of the tendency to hold onto more fat thru aromatase.
That is why it is absolutely essential to maintain a healthy level of testosterone.
With the fall of test levels across Western countries, this is more important than ever.
Go see your doctor. Get tested. Make it a yearly ritual. And do things to help keep your testosterone in check.
Tips on Keeping Your Test High
You don’t need to go out and buy a supplement. Most of them are BS anyway. Do it natural, do it right – then you can keep your Test high without spending extra money on snake oil.
Avoid male emasculation through the following lifestyle changes:
- Get in shape. A healthy body (and thus healthy testosterone levels) requires exercise and continual physical challenge. This includes weight training, cardio, and weight loss.
- Eat healthy foods. Especially foods that are clean (not processed/no chemicals) and foods that are high in healthy fat and saturated fats.
- Get plenty of sleep.
- Avoid outside sources of sugar. Try to keep it limited to healthy sugar in fruits.
- Make sure to get enough zinc and Vitamin D. Vitamins are nice, but getting it through food is better.
- Have plenty of sex. A big reason Test drops is because of stress, and sex is a great way to alleviate stress. Also, it’s a good workout (see #1) and it positively effects Test levels over the long-term.
- Don’t be an alcoholic. Occasional drinking is fine, but moderate alcohol consumption over many days/weeks can drop Test by up to 15%(!).
If you do all of these, and your Test still isn’t going up when you get it checked at the doctor, there is likely a health problem. Consult with your physician on ways this can be fixed, you may need a physician-approved Test supplement.
Test levels have been plummeting across the board in recent years. The fight against it is now, before we all become effectively neutered.