Have you heard yourself thinking or saying any of these?

• Why am I so grouchy?
• My wife and kids don’t want to be around me!
• Why do my joints ache?
• I can’t remember things as well, and I feel clumsy.
• I just want to sit on the couch and be left alone.
• It can’t be my testosterone level – if it were, my libido would be gone

Andropause & Low Testosterone

True, men don’t go through menopause as women do, but they do experience andropause. Andropause is the gradual decline of testosterone levels as men age. The decline occurs more slowly than the hormonal decline seen in women – over decades rather than a few years.

Men may not notice, like women do, the changes that occur with this decline. Many people falsely assume that if a man can still achieve an erection, his testosterone levels must be okay. As testosterone levels drop however, every cell that has a receptor for testosterone fails to function optimally. For a man, that is almost every cell in the body! Aside from the genitals, the brain and the heart have the most testosterone receptors, so these organs suffer the most when testosterone levels drop.

Symptoms of Andropause

• Loss of drive and competitive edge
• Stiffness and pain in muscles and joints
• Falling level of fitness
• Decreased effectiveness of workouts
• Fatigue
• Depression and irritability
• Osteoporosis
• Anemia
• Reduced libido and potency

The Importance of Testosterone

Low testosterone levels have serious implications for men’s health. Testosterone helps build muscle, burn sugar, and reduce inflammation. Studies have shown a definite link between low testosterone and an increased risk of heart disease, including heart attacks and congestive heart failure. Testosterone helps the heart function well, dilate arteries, and reduce cholesterol plaque formation in blood vessels.

Testosterone also improves blood flow to the brain, leading to better performance on memory tests and decision-making, as well as a lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Testosterone is a man’s most potent anti-inflammatory. Inflammation causes most diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, autoimmune diseases, and even muscle and joint aches.

Environmental Changes Affect Testosterone Levels

Since the 1950s, men around the world have seen a decline in testosterone levels, mainly due to stress and toxins. The two primary toxins that cause a decline in testosterone levels are xenoestrogens and heavy metals. Heavy metals, an example of xenoestrogens, affect our bodies’ ability to make hormones. Xenoestrogens are toxins in our environment that act like estrogen in the body. They are found in insecticides, pesticides, solvents and plastics. Due to industrialization, our environment is filled with heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and aluminum, which our bodies can’t handle.

Read More About the Effects of Stress on the Body!