Testosterone. It’s what makes a man a man. (Or so it’s said.) So it isn’t something any man would want a lack of. But it happens. It’s called low testosterone, or Low T. Low T is a condition surrounded by misinformation. Or little information at all. It’s not something most men could get into a meaningful conversation about around the treadmill. But it’s important to understand this misunderstood hormone. What’s the truth? And what isn’t? Let’s test your knowledge:
Testosterone is a hormone made primarily in a man’s testicles: True
The process of producing it starts early. A male fetus can get erections in the womb. During the first 4-6 months of a male baby’s life, his testosterone levels are almost at pubertal levels.
Men today have more testosterone than their ancestors. False
Across the population, men today have less testosterone compared to men of the same age a generation ago. A study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism revealed a “substantial” drop in U.S. men’s testosterone levels since the 1980s.
Bodybuilding can raise testosterone levels: True
In general, higher volume weight training performed at an intensity above your current threshold stimulates testosterone production.
Low testosterone increases sex drive: False
Naked truth is, in some men, libido may lag even with normal testosterone levels. But if testosterone is lowered far enough, virtually all men will experience some decline in sex drive.
Men don’t get osteoporosis: False
Testosterone plays a huge role in bone mineral density. Bone density decreases as men age and testosterone levels drop. This raises the risk of weak bones and osteoporosis. Strong bones help support your muscles and internal organs, which can boost athletic performance.
Low testosterone increases weight: True
Not only does low testosterone increase weight gain and belly fat, but it also sets off a vicious cycle. It increases body fat that impairs your body’s ability to produce and effectively utilize testosterone, further lowering your already lower-than-normal levels.
Low T has nothing to do with cardiac health: False
One way in which excessive testosterone is known to be harmful is by acting on the liver to increase cholesterol production (working in the opposite way to statins, which are prescribed to reduce cholesterol). This can increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Stress can lower testosterone levels: True
When under stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. This “stress” hormone” makes it difficult for the body to produce testosterone.
Low testosterone can help you sleep: False
Low testosterone can cause disruption in sleep cycles. Disrupted sleep cycles can lower testosterone production creating a vicious cycle. Daytime testosterone can drop up to 15% when you only get 5 hours of sleep.
There’s no such thing as overtraining: False
Overdoing it could backfire. Training at too high an intensity for too long can begin to affect testosterone production, as can staying in a calorie deficit for too long. When calories are very low, and saturated fat, in particular, the body will stop producing testosterone at the same levels.
Testosterone therapy can reduce the effects of low testosterone: True
That is if it is diagnosed properly and the results are interpreted correctly by a medical hormone specialist.
Pellet therapy and testosterone injections are the most effective methods of restoring testosterone levels: True
Creams and patches are not only messy, but they also don’t go directly into your bloodstream guaranteeing 100% absorption of your specific dose the way pellets and injections do.
Pellets therapy is exactly the same as injections: False
The advantage of pellets as a treatment method is that the patient only needs to go into a medical office for the procedure 4 times per year as the pellets generally last 90 days before being completely absorbed by the body and needing to be replaced.
When it comes to testosterone replacement therapy of any kind, the only place to go is SculptedMD: True
With bioidentical testosterone therapy, the medical experts at SculptedMD can customize a testosterone therapy program to the unique needs of each patient to enhance efficacy: True
Safe, natural testosterone injections at SculptedMD, allow an individualized dose to be closely monitored and adjusted as needed: True
The hormone professionals at SculptedMD make it easy to talk testosterone (even sexual problems) with thoughtfulness and care. True
You should just “tough it out” when it comes to low testosterone: Are you kidding? It might be a good idea to drop your weights and make an appointment at SculptedMD now: More “true” than you could imagine.
