By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

Men today face an uncomfortable fate that seems to be happening at younger and younger ages—at alarming rates.

Men’s testosterone levels have been declining for several decades. The average modern man has testosterone levels far below levels from even 50 years ago and most likely drastically lower than men hundreds of years ago.

While it is somewhat normal for testosterone levels to decline with age, there has been a generational drop, with every generation, since the 70’s or before. On average, our Gen Z men and millennials have significantly lower levels of testosterone when compared to their fathers and grandfathers—and probably farther back in the family tree.

Measuring testosterone levels in men only dates to the mid 20th century, and obtaining accurate measurement of testosterone in blood has only been possible since the development of radio immunoassay techniques in the 1960’s, otherwise, we would most certainly see a serious decline in testosterone going back several generations.

Average total testosterone level of a 60-year-old man in the late 80’s was approximately 17.5nmol/L or 504.32ng/dL, according to this 2007 study. However, a 60-year-old man in 2002 had an approximate total testosterone level of 432.28ng/dL. And this is 2023, with testosterone levels dropping even further. Based on this, average testosterone levels in men are declining by approximately 10-15% every year, but could be as high as a 25% drop in testosterone.

Research carried out on Finnish and Danish populations are showing similar trends. More recently, another large-scale study of Israeli men has shown average testosterone levels dropping between 2006 and 2019, by more than 10% across every age category.

This Finnish study also shows free testosterone levels declining, combined with higher levels of Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), a substance that binds up free testosterone, making it unusable in the body.

What is the Difference Between Free Testosterone and Bound Testosterone?

Total testosterone levels include both bound and unbound portions of testosterone. These are calculated in a simple blood test that measures testosterone levels.

Total testosterone levels have been a primary indicator of men’s health and fertility for many years. But when measuring testosterone, it’s important to look at both bound and unbound levels of this hormone.

Free testosterone is considered “unbound testosterone” and can attach to receptors on any cell in the body. Free testosterone can freely execute functions such as regulate metabolism and execute cellular functions.

There are proteins in the body called Sex Hormone Binding Globulins. SHBG is made mostly in your liver. It binds (attaches) to testosterone. SHBG controls the amount of sex hormones that are actively working in your body. When testosterone is bound to SHBG, the body cannot access or utilize testosterone that is bound. Body tissues can only use free testosterone.

For various reasons, SHBG levels can be overly high, causing more bound testosterone that cannot be utilized. So even if testosterone levels are normal, a man can have symptoms of low T, if there is too much SHBG attached to testosterone. High levels of SHBG combined with normal T levels, also contribute to the low testosterone epidemic.

However, the problem is not just bound or unbound testosterone levels in men. Sperm counts are dropping, along with other reproductive disorders, like ED, impotence, and testicular and prostate cancer.

Testosterone is an important hormone. Testosterone is not only considered a man’s sex hormone—the thing that makes a man a man—but testosterone also has to do with a man’s overall health and wellness. Testosterone helps with mood, motivation, drive, a sense of wellbeing, hair growth, bone density, weight management, muscle size, and more.

Why are testosterone levels falling?

That’s a complicated question. The truth is, it’s not entirely clear, but it most likely boils down to a combination of factors that exist in the modern world. These things were not present in earlier times—or at least not to the degree that they are now in modern industrialized societies. So, it’s no surprise testosterone levels seem to be plummeting overall.

High Levels of Xenoestrogens Everywhere

It becomes more and more difficult to avoid encountering hormone-disrupting chemicals in our food and water supply, personal care products, cookware, sunscreens, lawn care products, household cleaners, and even pharmaceutical products.

Many of these chemical-based endocrine disrupters are dangerous because they mimic estrogen in the body. These synthetic estrogen-like compounds are called ‘xenoestrogens’. Xenoestrogens attach to estrogen receptors and amplify harmful effects of estrogen, causing natural hormones to go askew.

Xenoestrogens can contribute to unnatural early puberty, hormone imbalances, reduced testosterone and fertility, reproductive problems, and a higher risk of certain types of cancers. Xenoestrogens are also responsible for weight gain, erectile dysfunction, and ‘man boobs’.

Xenoestrogens cause an unnatural increase in estrogen in men, block the natural production of testosterone, and lower sperm count and decrease fertility.

Obviously, xenoestrogens sound like something people should avoid at all costs. But how do we avoid them when they are everywhere? It may be difficult to totally avoid them, but there are definite ways to reduce exposure to xenoestrogens. Let’s look at where xenoestrogens are found:

Xenoestrogens can be found in pesticides, plastics, fuels, foods, preservatives, and drugs. Many xenoestrogens are present in processed, packaged foods and conventionally grown produce—as either preservatives or pesticides.

There are also xenoestrogens in conventional dairy, meat, and eggs. Commercial dairy and egg farmers often feed estrogenic chemicals to dairy cows and chickens because it will increase production of their milk or eggs. This makes conventional dairy, eggs, and meat major sources of xenoestrogens. Growth hormones given to commercial livestock have estrogen-like qualities as well.

Plastics contain a lot of xenoestrogens, particularly in softer plastics like water bottles, soft drink containers, and storage containers. Worst of all are the plastic food containers that are used to heat up leftovers in the microwave. Microwaving sends a large dose of the xenoestrogens from the plastic into food.

High Cortisol and Testosterone

Life has become very competitive and very stressful. Jobs, money, family, climate change, pandemics, wars, and on and on. More people than ever are dealing with unprecedented levels of chronic stress today. While you probably already know that stress can impact moods, sleep, and immune function—it also can affect your testosterone levels as well.

High stress levels cause higher cortisol levels. According to research from University of Texas at Austin, chronically elevated cortisol levels will lower testosterone, increase the occurrence of impotence, and lower libido by inhibiting testosterone production in men.

Stress and cortisol can come from physical stress like exercise, or mental and emotional stress. Male athletes who are training hard tend to have lowered levels of testosterone as well. Athletes who overtrain, and don’t take enough time off for their bodies to recover, tend to have lower levels of testosterone than average. Reductions in testosterone at the low end of ‘clinically normal’ is generally true particularly with excessive endurance training.

The problem with stress and testosterone is that it can turn into a vicious cycle. Low testosterone levels lead to more stress, which raises cortisol and causes testosterone levels to drop even lower.

Researchers are still learning more about the direct physiological connection between stress and low testosterone. In addition to the physical response other side effects of stress like poor sleep, and low energy also contribute to lower testosterone levels.

Excess Alcohol

Men’s bodies contain three glands responsible for production of testosterone in men: The hypothalamus, the anterior pituitary gland, and the testes. The hypothalamus releases a hormone called gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), which acts on the pituitary gland.

1. The pituitary gland releases luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH).
2. In response to circulating LH and FSH levels, your testes will begin to make more testosterone.

Alcohol disrupts testosterone production by interfering with the signals of all three glands. This results in the usual low testosterone symptoms: erectile dysfunction, infertility, and reduced male sexual characteristics. Alcohol also impairs the function of the testicular Sertoli cells that play an important role in sperm maturation.

Disruptions to these LH and FSH can lead a complete stoppage of sperm production. Studies have found that 50 percent of heavy drinkers had spermatogenic arrest compared to only 20 percent of men who were not heavy drinkers. They also found that men who drank heavily had significantly smaller testicles than men who don’t drink.

Alcohol is also a substance that can cause the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. When alcohol is consumed, alcohol stimulates an enzyme called aromatase, which initiates the process of converting testosterone into estrogen. So, testosterone levels decrease, and estrogen increases in response to drinking.

Overweight, Obesity and Testosterone

We all have body fat, but some of us have more than others. One of the biggest health issues in modern society is the prevalence of excess body fat and obesity. There are many reasons for this including, a poor diet high in carbohydrates and sugar, stress, lack of exercise, and sleep issues that can pile on the pounds.

Unfortunately, being a man and being overweight can cause free testosterone levels to drop drastically. There is a ton of evidence that shows obesity as being a primary factor in low testosterone levels. Obesity, in fact, is the number one most effective predictor of low testosterone in men—out of all possible risk factors.

The key reason is that fat cells contain aromatase. As with alcohol, aromatase converts testosterone and its ‘parent’ hormones into estrogen. What happens is this—when a man starts gaining extra fat, aromatase levels go up. This converts existing testosterone into estrogen. And by the way, abdominal fat contains the highest levels of aromatase.

Here’s an all-too-frequent-scenario of today’s modern man: Our modern guy is carrying around excess chronic stress from work, his home life, kids, and more. This causes him to have high cortisol levels which in turn begins to lower testosterone, and probably affects his sleep as well.

Cortisol also increases blood sugar and causes this guy to get the munchies and gain weight—especially around the midsection. Aromatase starts to increase.

To combat the excess stress, our guy goes out and throws back a couple pints every evening after work with his buddies, instead of heading to the gym to work out. The alcohol raises his cortisol levels and his aromatase levels. More testosterone is converted to estrogen and testosterone production also slows down. The excess alcohol, combined with the higher-than-normal cortisol levels begin to cause a ‘beer belly’ in our guy.

All these things increase aromatase, raising levels of estrogen, and lowering testosterone. Lower testosterone makes managing stress more difficult. In addition, low testosterone levels decrease muscle mass, instead of increasing it, meaning more body fat as well. Low T also means low motivation, so instead our guy feeling like he can ‘take on the world,’ he’d much rather sit on his couch with a cold one in his hand.

The result for our poor guy is a vicious cycle of low testosterone, high estrogen, low motivation, low energy, low libido, erectile dysfunction, ‘man boobs’, more body fat, loss of lean muscle tissue, along with irritability and depression. This is today’s man stuck in a downward spiral of stress, excess fat, and consuming too much alcohol and junk food. This happens every day, all the time, with too many men. No wonder average testosterone levels are way lower than the past!

Contrast that with a primitive man, who spent most of his day laboring or tracking animals. he was lean and muscular. Stress was short-lived, and not chronically present in his everyday life. Alcohol was not readily available, food was completely natural and void of excess sugars, and there were no processed vegetable oils and refined carbohydrates. And no xenoestrogens in his environment. This guy had plenty of testosterone, along with motivation, drive, high libido and energy.

How to Regain Control of Testosterone Levels

1. Cut out sugar, starches, carbs, and processed vegetable oils, and, if necessary, get a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to monitor blood sugar levels.
2. Eat REAL meat, especially grass-fed meat. Eat organic, grass fed dairy. Sorry vegans.
3. Cut way back on alcohol or quit all together. One drink per day should be maximum. Hint: sometimes it’s easier to quit totally then trying to reduce alcohol intake.
4. Remove or reduce xenoestrogens in your environment. Switch to natural, organic personal care products including shave cream, soaps, deodorant, shampoos, lotions, sunscreen, laundry soap, and cleaning products. Stop the cologne and body sprays. Avoid all plastic, especially if it is in contact with your food. Stop microwaving your food. Avoid other chemicals, solvents, and paints.
5. Get back to the gym! Lift heavy weights, sprint, and do intense exercise. Lifting weights and other intense exercise not only helps to increase testosterone levels but also burns fat, and increases lean muscle mass. Working out also decreases stress and cortisol.

As the article mentions testosterone is dropping at an alarming rate for men all over the world,  so if you’re a man over the age of 40, then pay attention…

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References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880087/
Ori Hofmekler, “The Anti-Estrogenic Diet, How Estrogenic Foods and Chemicals Are Making You Fat and Sick”, North Atlantic Books, 2007.
Joseph Mercola, “12 Food Additives to Remove from Your Diet’, Mercola.com,
July 14, 2009
Elizabeth Smith, MD, “Xenoestrogens interfere with Normal Hormones.” Endo101.com
https://ltmensclinic.com/how-stressful-times-can-impact-your-testosterone/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3880087/
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-alcohol-affects-testosterone#effect-on-sperm
Fui MN, Dupuis P, Grossmann M. Lowered testosterone in male obesity: mechanisms, morbidity and management. Asian J Androl. 2014;16(2):223-231. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.122365
Corona G, Rastrelli G, Monami M, et al. Body weight loss reverts obesity-associated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Endocrinol. 2013;168(6):829-843. Published 2013 May 2. doi:10.1530/EJE-12-0955
Cabler S, Agarwal A, Flint M, du Plessis SS. Obesity: modern man’s fertility nemesis. Asian J Androl. 2010;12(4):480-489. doi:10.1038/aja.2010.38T
Saad F, Aversa A, Isidori AM, Gooren LJ. Testosterone as potential effective therapy in treatment of obesity in men with testosterone deficiency: a review. Curr Diabetes Rev. 2012;8(2):131-143. doi:10.2174/157339912799424573
Vingren JL, Kraemer WJ, Ratamess NA, Anderson JM, Volek JS, Maresh CM. Testosterone physiology in resistance exercise and training: the up-stream regulatory elements. Sports Med. 2010;40(12):1037-1053. doi:10.2165/11536910-000000000-00000
Grossmann M, Matsumoto AM. A Perspective on Middle-Aged and Older Men with Functional Hypogonadism: Focus on Holistic Management. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;102(3):1067-1075. doi:10.1210/jc.2016-3580
https://www.everlywell.com/blog/testosterone/testosterone-weight-loss/
https://medlineplus.gov/lab-tests/shbg-blood-test/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955331/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323085#high-levels
https://www.medichecks.com/blogs/testosterone/why-do-gen-z-and-millennial-men-have-lower-testosterone

The post The Great Testosterone Reset appeared first on thenutritionwatchdog.com.

By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers:  The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix

I was fortunate enough to get to spend some time in Baja Mexico this year. Although we stayed at nice homes with great kitchens, I was dismayed to find that most of the pans available to use were scratched up Teflon. I actually went out and bought my own pan to use so I could avoid any possible toxic elements coming out of the pans.

Is Teflon safe to use?

Until the year 2013, Teflon was made using a chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA. PFOA is a possible carcinogen, a hormone disrupter and a reproductive toxin. PFOA has been linked to a number of health conditions, including thyroid disorders, chronic kidney disease, liver disease and testicular cancer. It has also been linked to infertility and low birth weight babies.

What’s more, it was found in the blood of more than 98% of people who took part in the US 1999–2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).

The other big problem with PFOA is that it is ‘highly persistent’, meaning once it’s there—in your body, in the soil, in the water or air—it does not leave. PFOA’s tend to end up in our drinking water. In fact, many water sources have been contaminated by PFOA factories over the years and it’s now there forever.

While most of the carcinogens are eliminated during the manufacture of Teflon pans, small amounts do remain. The biggest problem is that when Teflon is overheated, the chemicals not only enter the food being cooked, but they vaporize into the air as well. Here’s a list of some of the toxic ingredients that get released (Ugh!):

• TFE (tetrafluoroethylene)
• HFP (hexafluoropropylene)
• OFCB (octafluorocyclobutane)
• PFIB (perfluoro butane)
• CF4 (carbon tetrafluoride)
• TFA (trifluoro acetic acid)

Because of the concerns to human health and the environment, Teflon with PFOA has been phased out, as of around the year 2013. Most non-stick cooking pans now use a chemical compound called ‘PTFE’ (polytetrafluoroethylene) in their products, which still poses a danger to our health when overheated, causing the chemical compounds to break down and release toxic fumes. However, many people still have the older, scratched up Teflon pans in use in their households. These should be thrown out.

Teflon and Temperature

When Teflon is heated to temperatures above 500°F (250°C), the coating on the nonstick cookware begins to break down, releasing toxic chemicals into the air. Inhaling these toxic chemicals can actually make you sick, and it’s often known as the “Teflon flu”. This includes both older Teflon and the newer (post 2013) Teflon.

So you’re thinking, “Ok, I just won’t heat my pan up super-hot, and I will be fine.” Yes, but it’s unbelievably easy for pans to quickly get to 500 degrees, as you can see from this video. (Keep in mind, this video is referring to Celsius degrees, not Fahrenheit).

So, if you really insist on using Teflon pans, keep these things in mind:

1. Discard any non-stick pan with scratches, flaking or peeling immediately. And if you know it was made before 2013, get rid of it.
2. You have to be really attentive when cooking. If you tend to burn foods, that’s too hot.
3. Be aware of what you are cooking. Liquids boil at 212F, so no need to heat any higher. Eggs cook at low temperatures, so generally OK. Meat, however, cooks at a higher temperature and has a bigger surface area, so better to use a cast iron or stainless steel pan.
4. Be sure to ventilate your kitchen when cooking to clear out any possible toxic fumes.
5. Keep a close eye on what you are cooking, and never cook on heat any higher than Medium on your burner.
6. Use silicone or plastic utensils so you do not scratch up your pan.
7. Always hand wash with a non-scratchy sponge.

Non-Stick Alternatives

Cast Iron–My favorite is the standard cast-iron skillet–properly seasoned of course. When it is well seasoned, cast iron pans are basically non-stick. They also last forever and can withstand high temperatures. You can cook just about anything in them. They are great for searing meat, along with a variety of other types of cooking.

Biggest downside, they are heavy and can be harder to maneuver. Be careful if you have a glass/ceramic cooktop. They can easily break that surface. I know, I did it to my beautiful 5-burner cooktop. Not cheap to replace!

Ceramic—Ceramic cookware is a relatively new product. It has excellent nonstick properties, but the coating can be easily scratched, which means it begins to lose it’s ‘non-stick-ness’. It is, however, quite safe. Ceramic coatings are made of silica, so they aren’t actually ceramic, but more like glass. Ceramic coatings like this are also called “Thermalon”. Compared to the PTFE Teflon-style coatings, ceramic pans can function well at higher temps, up to 450C/840F. One of the more popular brands is, “The Green Pan”.

Stainless Steel–I am a big fan of stainless steel pans, especially the higher quality ones like All-Clad. I find them to be far more versatile, and easy to use than most other pans. These pans are capable of cooking food at high temps. So, you can sear meat and cook stir-fries and not worry about making the pan too hot to damage it. I’ve also noticed that a good quality stainless pan can actually become somewhat ‘seasoned’ and things like eggs don’t stick if you cook them at lower heat

Anodized Aluminum—Anodized aluminum is generally found in higher end cookware. Most people tended to avoid aluminum cookware, as it was connected to Alzheimer’s disease. Anodized aluminum is sealed,  so that the metal cannot leach into food or react with acidic foods.

Unlike ordinary, lightweight aluminum pots and pans, which are highly reactive with acidic foods (like tomatoes), anodized aluminum cookware is safe. It is also non-stick, scratch-resistant and easy to clean. Just be aware that if the inside lining is scratched, acidic liquids like tomato sauce can leach into the metal, which can then get into food.

‘Granite’ Cookware–Granite cookware does not actually contain any granite. Instead, it consists of a stainless-steel inner core that is covered with porcelain enamel, making it similar to ceramic cookware. The surface is made by fusing porcelain enamel at very high temperatures to create a non-stick surface. The look of the cookware closely resembles granite, as it has a solid black surface with smaller flecks of gray or white scattered throughout.

There are many healthy nonstick choices to cook with, and you cannot go wrong with cast iron and stainless steel. They last forever! However, if you insist on ‘sticking’ with your Teflon, make sure it is newer, not scratched and you only use it for low temp cooking. Bon Appetit!

References
https://www.ecoparent.ca/eco-home/teflon-really-so-bad
https://chemical-materials.elsevier.com/new-materials-applications/todays-non-stick-cookware-safe/
https://www.twokitchenjunkies.com/the-dangers-of-teflon/
https://www.ewg.org/research/canaries-kitchen
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safety#TOC_TITLE_HDR_6
https://www.twokitchenjunkies.com/best-nonstick-pans/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/greenpan-thermolon-ceramic-nonstick-frypan-review-1907517

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