There are natural ways to boost low testosterone, says naturopath Jeremy Hill.

As males age, their hormonal profiles begin to shift, testosterone levels begin to drop and many develop some very unwanted changes including muscle loss, fat gain, depression, moodiness, erectile dysfunction (ED, or impotence), and a low libido, causing a significant amount of further emotional and physical distress. While ED and a lowered libido are two separate conditions with different causes, they can both play havoc with a good sex life. That's pretty important stuff, but the implications for health go much further.

There can be several reasons behind the development of ED and low libido. But one commonality they share is that they are rarely mentioned by sufferers, instead being quietly accepted as normal ageing. Here's the news flash - it doesn't happen to everyone, and it needn't happen to you.

A common thread that often tends to run through these two conditions is low levels of bio-available testosterone. While ED is more of a circulatory problem, (diabetic smokers are in real trouble), or due to mental or emotional issues, a low testosterone level is often an accompanying complication, rather than being the primary cause. On the other hand, a flagging libido has a higher incidence of low testosterone levels being involved.

Lowered testosterone is also known as ADAM (androgen deficiency in the ageing male), or male menopause (although progression is far slower and less dramatic than in the female menopause).

While some researchers have concluded that testosterone levels decline naturally with age, others have found that in fit and healthy men, testosterone levels can be maintained naturally. Take note, however, that simply being of normal weight and disease-free does not necessarily grant you the title of fit and healthy... although it is a good start.

Carrying excess weight, especially around your midline, will lower a male's testosterone, with the aromatase enzymes in the fat cells transforming testosterone into the feminising oestrogen - a double whammy!!
Excessive alcohol, stress and late nights will also drop testosterone levels.

Researchers have found that a low testosterone level will impair memory by inducing an increased LH production which elevates blood levels of the beta amyloid proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease. This effect is noticed quickly by prostate cancer sufferers who are put on androgen blocking drugs and notice poorer memory within weeks of starting treatment.

Males maintaining a good level of testosterone throughout life can even reduce their chances of developing heart disease and diabetes, with testosterone helping to reduce blood sugar and LDL cholesterol levels. Combined with the added muscle and bone strength, there is real potential here to assist males in maintaining a better quality of life on several levels as they age.

Testosterone production relies upon several steps and multiple nutrients for its production. This includes maintaining healthy feedback and response from the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, responsible for producing the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GRH) and luteinising hormone (LH), along with the hormone DHEA produced by the adrenal gland, which is finally converted in the testes into testosterone. Stress, inactivity, inadequate sleep, poor diet, illness, cigarettes and other factors can cause the message to get lost along the way.

Add to this scenario the fact that ageing raises your blood level of a protein called sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) by around one per cent annually, which binds to most of the testosterone in the blood making it unavailable for use. Another protein, albumin, also binds to testosterone; thus these two proteins leave behind a very small and progressively reducing amount known as "free testosterone". Free testosterone is the testosterone of importance.
Blood and saliva tests can tell us your free testosterone level, but before the guys all start getting out their test results so that they can compare measurements, it is worth noting that testosterone requirements seem to vary according to the individual

Comfortingly, elevation of sub-optimal testosterone levels can generally be easily achieved naturally in most men through simple attention to some basic healthy living guidelines. These include not smoking, minimising alcohol intake, getting plenty of quality sleep, achieving a healthy weight, not stressing, doing regular exercise (particularly resistance exercise which induces an adaptive response sending the message that more testosterone is needed to boost muscle development) and eating a healthy diet.

The addition of specific nutritional or herbal supplements is often necessary to achieve the desired results in many males, with numerous studies validating the effectiveness of such supportive approaches.

A helpful, although slightly ironic, complementary treatment found to raise testosterone production is to simply have more sex. If you have a low testosterone level to begin with, this may indeed prove to be an obstacle, but perhaps it might be a genuine case of fake it till you (start to) make it?

Good Health,
Jeremy Hill.

Jeremy Hill (Diploma of Natural Therapy) is a qualified naturopath.