What To Do About Low “T”
Before you reach for that testosterone gel because your libido is reduced and/or you have been diagnosed with low “T”, think about a few things. The first thing to consider is that most cases of ED, ie., erectile dysfunction, have more to do with inflammed, clogged arteries than they have with testosterone levels. Inflammation on the insides of arteries, the reduced ability of these arteries to dilate due to hardening of the arteries, and the increased likelihood that cholesterol will build up inside these arteries, that results in decreased blood flow to the brain, the organs, and the penis. Addressing the inflammation and other aspects of endothelial dysfunction by eating a healthier diet, losing weight, consuming fewer trans fats, more omega 3 fats, fewer high glycemic carbs, more antioxidants, and getting more exercise will do more to help you than taking testosterone gel.
Second, consider that pharmaceutical companies have made “low T” a medical diagnosis that needs to be treated with a prescription of testosterone gel or injection. Their goal is not our health but selling us more prescription medications like Andro gel. So think twice before you simply reach for the testosterone.
Thirdly, consider that taking testosterone has a number of potential side effects, including an increased risk of prostate cancer, heart disease, kidney and liver damage. More minor side effects include acne, hair loss, breast tenderness, gynecomastia (growth of female type breast tissue in men), aggressive behavior, mood changes, and shrinkage of the testicles.
Fourth, also consider that most of us have been exposed to 100s of toxic estrogens (xenoestrogens) such as pesticides, food preservatives like BHA, and bisphenol A, that inhibit testosterone levels. Did you know that virtually all cans are lined with BPA, as are most shiny cash register and credit card receipts? Long term exposure to these estrogenic toxins can reduce our testosterone levels. Wouldn’t it make more sense to rid our bodies of some of these estrogenic substances to allow our natural testosterone levels to return rather than masking the problem with testosterone gel?
Before taking testosterone, you should consider doing the following things:
1. Lose weight, since excess body fat will be converted into estrogen.
2. Do an estrogen detox cleanse to reduce your body burden of toxic estrogens.
3. Take supplements that promote estrogen clearance, such as indole 3 carbonol or DIM.
How do you do an estrogen detox? You need to do a modified cleanse by eating mostly vegetables and fruit for a week, 10 days, or a month. You need to avoid or at least limit alcohol, coffee, and anything that places any stress on your liver. You need to drink plenty of water and make sure that you are having a bowel movement every day, so that the toxins leave your body. You need to take nutritional supplements that support both phase I and phase II of liver detoxification as well as support the clearance of estrogen. There are medical foods that easily support both of these functions that can be made into convenient shakes.
Only after detoxing, improving estrogen clearance, losing weight, dealing with stress levels, making sure that your digestive system is functioning properly, eliminating any heavy metals you may have been exposed to, and correcting any nutritional deficiencies, should you consider taking testosterone. We should always get to the cause of the issue rather than just masking the symptoms with drugs.