By David Blyweiss, M.D., Advanced Natural Wellness

April 04, 2014

• Why testosterone problems plague men
• Don’t let this female hormone dominate your body
• Look and feel like a real man again

We men didn’t have it easy in our younger years.

In our teens, testosterone made our lives miserable. Our siblings and school friends made fun of us when hair sprouted under our arms and on our chests. Even worse, it’s what made our voices squeak intermittently and sent our nether regions standing at full attention when we least expected it.

By the time we hit our 20s and 30s, we finally had it all under control. Life was good. Everything worked the way it should.

Then, boom! We hit our 40s and that old testosterone hammer fell once again. Only this time the results have been much less comical and quite a bit more depressing.

• Desire and libido are flagging.
• Muscles are shrinking, and unwanted fat is gaining ground.
• Drive and ambition seem to have flown the coop.
• You may be restless, moody and dissatisfied with your life.

And, this time around, it’s not just testosterone that’s causing the problem. Instead, it’s something much more insidious. And it’s hijacking your supply of T!

The good news is there are ways to reverse the problem.

First, let me explain what’s going on in our modern environment…

One of the reasons your testosterone levels may be falling is an increased exposure to feminizing chemicals that mimic estrogen. These are called xenoestrogens. And they might just be hijacking your testosterone.

You see, these estrogen mimics are constantly working against you. They build up in your body where they block the normal production and activity of testosterone.

At the same time, they increase estrogen levels – working hard to feminize you in any way they can.

Well, no man wants soft, broad hips and over-developed breasts. So, it’s critical to watch out for some of these common causes of estrogen dominance:

• Commercially raised meats and poultry are pumped full of hormones. They alter your testosterone levels and ramp up estrogen. And that’s something no man wants to do. That’s one of the reasons I always recommend eating grass-fed meats and free-range poultry.

• Soy products contain plant-based estrogens called isoflavones, which mimic estrogen in the body. Even if you don’t eat soy products, you could be getting far more of it than you realize. It’s one of the most commonly used additives in processed foods. You’ll find soybean oil in things like mayonnaise and salad dressing. Soy lecithin is also added to many packaged foods – from frozen dinners to candy bars.

• Chemicals hidden in food wraps, plastics and cash register receipts. Many of these gender-bending chemicals sneak their way into your food and drink supply in the form of packaging. For example, bisphenol A (BPA) is often present in plastic bottles, food containers, and food wraps. It’s also present in cash register receipts that you come into contact with every day. Phthalates are even more insidious. They’re in everything from deodorants to hoses to building materials.

• Your shampoo, deodorant and other personal care products may contain preservatives known as parabens. These chemicals are absorbed through your skin and interrupt natural hormone production in the body. They come in many different forms: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben and anything else that ends in “paraben.”

These are all things you need to watch out for. So it’s important to get into the habit of reading labels. Make a list of all the items above and keep it handy in your wallet. This will make it easier to check for estrogen-like chemicals that can hijack your testosterone.

You’ll be glad to know that certain natural substances can help halt the feminization of your body. These estrogen-fighters promote a normal hormone balance, so you can look and feel like a real man again.

For example, men can eliminate excess estrogens by eating plenty of cruciferous vegetables. Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collard greens and cauliflower all contain a compound called diindolylmethane (DIM). It helps to balance and reduce estrogen dominance. DIM is also available in supplement form. About 100 mg. daily should do the trick.

Chrysin is a supplement that works to prevent the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. As a result of this blocking action, testosterone levels are raised. And when combined with an extract of black pepper called bioperine, chrysin may help reduce estrogen levels and increase free testosterone levels in as little as one month. For men I recommend 150 mg. of chrysin with 5 mg, of bioperene daily.

Zinc is important to a man’s health. It helps reduce levels of aromatase, an enzyme that transforms testosterone into estrogen. Supplementing with 30 mg. of zinc daily (balanced with 3 mg. copper) could double your T levels in six months or less.

And don’t forget to eat plenty of fresh, healthy foods, get a full night’s sleep, and exercise regularly. All of these can help improve your hormonal balance and increase testosterone levels.

Armed with this information, you can finally lose that belly fat… rebuild lost muscle… and enjoy a satisfying sex life again!

Sources:
Ae-Son OM, et al. “Dietary Zinc Deficiency Alters 5-Reduction and Aromatization of Testosterone and Androgen and Estrogen Receptors in Rat Liver.” J. Nutr., Apr 1996; 126: 842-848.

Prasad AS, et al. “Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults.” Nutrition. 1996 May;12(5):344-8.

Gambelunghe C. et al. “Effects of chrysin on urinary testosterone levels in human males.” J Med Food. 2003 Winter;6(4):387-90.

Srinivasan K. “Black pepper and its pungent principle-piperine: a review of diverse physiological effects.” Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2007;47(8):735-48