Low Testosterone Got You Down?

Men you are wired to perform. Wired for strength. Wired to protect. Your chemical makeup drives your body to succeed and you have testosterone to thank for that! Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone responsible for sex drive, semen volume, hair loss, bone mass, body fat, red blood cell production, and overall mood. We can all agree that testosterone plays a major role in a man’s day-to-day productivity and overall well-being.

Testosterone is also the primary hormone that has a direct effect on skeletal muscle tissue. It promotes growth hormone responses which directly impact the size and potential strength of a muscle. 

Signs of low testosterone levels in men 

According to Harvard Health Publishing, more than a third of men over the age of 45 may have lower than normal levels of testosterone. Some symptoms include:

Men, take notice if you experience any of these symptoms and decide for yourself if declining testosterone levels are impacting your health. 

Testosterone levels decrease with age

It is common for testosterone levels to decline with age. Some people refer to declining testosterone levels as “male menopause.” But men don’t experience the rapid loss of hormonal levels with age as women do during menopause. Instead, men experience a gradual decline over time, particularly after the age of 45. Decreased bone mineral density and an increase in body fat are other factors that negatively impact testosterone levels. Lifestyle choices such as smoking or anabolic steroid use can interfere with the endocrine system as well. With all of these factors impacting testosterone levels in the blood, is it possible to boost testosterone or at least maintain healthy blood serum levels? The answer is yes! 

How weight training stimulates the production of Testosterone 

The physiological responses at the cellular level make the science of exercise so fascinating to me. Weight lifting, or resistance training, naturally boosts and counteracts declining levels of testosterone. A well-designed resistance training program plays a major role in maintaining or improving testosterone levels in men.  Lifting moderate to heavy weights stimulates the production of hormones during and after resistance training. This is in response to the physiological stress demanded by the muscles. The body recognizes the need to stimulate contractile proteins to support muscle contractions during exercise.

In addition to electrical and chemical responses, signals are sent from the brain to the endocrine system to produce hormonal secretions – one of the hormones being testosterone.  This is in response to heavy lifting, different from other modes of exercise such as aerobic or endurance activities. The force-production on the muscle fibers is so great with weight lifting, that anabolic hormones like testosterone lead to muscle growth and increased strength. It is worth noting that too much stress on the working muscles can have a catabolic effect (break down) which will inhibit the body’s ability to effectively recover and repair muscle tissue. A resistance training workout must be appropriately designed to have the desired effect on not only the muscular system but the endocrine system as well.

Exercises that target large muscle groups are shown to result in greater acute testosterone concentrations in men.  It is also worth noting that women do not have the same hormonal responses to resistance training. If testosterone increases occur in women, the production is small. The role that testosterone plays in females is important but quite different than in males.  

How can I design a workout program to boost T levels?

More muscle mass equals higher testosterone levels! Intensity matters, so men, you need to dig deep and put more effort into your workout. Workouts are not meant to stay the same day after day. In fact, there are a number of ways to add intensity to your programming in an effort to boost testosterone. 

Testosterone boosting workout variables include:

– Multiple sets (4-5 sets per exercise)

– 8 – 10 exercises per day as a starting point (split workout routines work very well)

– Explosive training (for trained individuals or under the supervision of a trained professional)

– HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) – Mix it up!

– Maintain resistance training overtime (consistent resistance training)

Normal testosterone levels may vary, however, it is a good idea to know where you stand. This is as simple as taking a blood test. If you are concerned about low testosterone, reach out to your doctor to start the conversation. At the same time, think about mixing up your workout routine so low T levels don’t get you down! Look better. Feel better. Get after it!