As men approach 30 years old, their testosterone levels naturally begin to decline about 1% per year. A poor diet, stressful lifestyle and lower activity level can make things worse - making men susceptible to lower stamina, increased body fat, trouble with sleep, reduced muscle and even lowered cognitive performance. In fact, the list of symptoms of sub-optimal testosterone levels is extensive!
Symptoms of Low T:
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Brain fog and fatigue
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Poor sleep
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Fat accumulation
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Anxiety/depression
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Potential insulin resistance
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Osteoporosis
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Decreased stamina & muscle mass
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Lower sex drive
The good news is that there are several clinically proven natural remedies that can help rebalance male hormones and restore free testosterone levels. And while free testosterone levels are important, it is also important to consider appropriate control of downstream conversion of testosterone into potentially detrimental hormone forms like dihydrotestosterone (DHT) or estrogen – so that healthy balanced ratios remain intact, and equilibriums are not thrown into disarray.
Testosterone Production:
Production of testosterone is a complex process with several upstream points of regulation; however, many of the controls happen along the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) axis. Located in the brain, the hypothalamus is the master testosterone regulator in the body. As seen in Figure 1, the hypothalamus controls the release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) which triggers the pituitary gland to release Luteinizing Hormone (LH). In males, LH stimulates testosterone release by the Leydig cells found in the testes.
Figure 1. The Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) and Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axes. Also depicted is downstream testosterone activity and conversion to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) and interaction with androgen receptors in the prostate.
In parallel to the HPG axis, the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis exerts similar control to other hormones, like the glucocorticoid cortisol (stress hormone), androgens like DHEA and estrogen. These hormones are involved in regulation of metabolism, immunity, blood pressure and our stress response.
Cortisol is an important hormone to note, because of its prevalence with the chronic stress that many experience in today’s fast-paced world. The cortisol-testosterone ratio is an critical balance in the body, and while it may vary during times of physical (exercise) or mental stress, prolonged cortisol elevation can play a role in inhibiting testosterone production, via a negative feedback loop that affects the HPG axis. Additionally, both cortisol and testosterone compete for utilization of cholesterol as a building block in their synthesis by the body – so when cortisol is running high, more cholesterol is getting consumed in its production, leaving less available for making testosterone.
Stress can also lead to negative life choices, men who are stressed tend to turn to vices like smoking and alcohol as a means of coping – both of which will further negate testosterone production.
3 Powerful Ingredients to Reclaim Youthful Testosterone levels!
KSM-66™ ASHWAGANDHA Root extract
Ayurvedic medicine has gifted us many miraculous herbs, and perhaps none are as powerful for hormone balance as Ashwagandha. Extraction of the most bio-active components of Ashwagandha root has been optimized in KSM-66® - this powerful full-spectrum extract has 22 gold-standard human clinical studies, demonstrating its vast health benefits. Summarizing all 22 studies would require an entire blog on its own, but below are some of the key benefits from a clinical daily dose of 600mg of KSM-66®:
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Stress Reduction: over 8 weeks, serum cortisol was reduced by 28% and associated perceived stress and anxiety reduced by 44%
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Performance Benefits: over 8 weeks, test subjects had significant increases in arm muscle size (67% more) and bench press strength (74% more) vs. placebo, experienced less exercise-induced muscle damage, dropped 127% more fat than the placebo group and notably had a whopping 434% higher testosterone increase compared to the placebo group.
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Sexual Health Benefits: 90d protocol saw 167% increase in sperm count, 53% increase in semen volume, 57% increase in sperm motility and 17% increase in serum testosterone levels.
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Sleep Improvement: over 8 weeks, sleep quality improved, time to fall asleep was shortened and test subjects felt significantly calmer.
Figure 2. The many benefits of KSM-66 Ashwagandha use – stress reduction, performance benefits, body re-composition and sexual health.
FERUTEST™ - Asafoetida – Ferula assa-foetida
Asafoetida, the active herb used in FERUTEST™ is originally found in the regions of ancient Persia and India. It has long been mentioned in old Arabic scripture for its powerful sexually stimulating and fertility enhancing effects, but until recently it had not been formally tested to quantify its effects.
Prior to engaging in formal human studies, scientists performed several rodent studies on FERUTEST™ to properly assess safety & efficacy – the results of those were very intriguing and led to further human trials. Mice were given a dose range of the herbal extract and measures of sexual performance were measured – namely # of erections over a 3-hour period after dosing vs. placebo, and frequency of ‘mounting’ in the present of a female mouse. The results were quite incredible, with the test mice experiencing 5.5x the number of erections of the control group.
Researches also found that the primary mechanism of action was enhancement of nitric oxide in endothelial cells – contributing toward enhanced blood flow and erectile activity, basically acting like a natural Viagra.
This also has significant implications into fertility because enhancing blood flow to the testes also enhances oxygen and nutrient delivery to developing sperm. This was demonstrated in human clinical studies using FERUTEST™, which illustrated significant benefits for enhancing sexual health.
Here is a summary of the human study results:
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Over 3 months, erectile function improved dramatically in a group of men with ED.
80% of trial subjects had improvements, and 60% reported considerable improvement -
Test subjects experienced a substantial 27% increase in sperm count and 83% increase in sperm motility among oligospermic men (lower than normal levels)5
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Remarkably even 17% of azospermic men (clinically sterile) also saw sperm count increases5
Diindolylmethane (DIM):
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale & brussels sprouts. It’s the by-product of a compound called indole-3-carbinol (or I3C), which gets converted to the more biologically active DIM during the process of digestion.
DIM’s potent effects on estrogen metabolism, help keep estrogen metabolites within the body relatively balanced, by converting potent forms of estrogen into less potent varieties.
DIM has been shown in human clinical trials to enhance the conversion of the estrogen form estrone, into 2-hydroxyestrone. This is important because estrone activates the estrogen receptor, while 2-hydroxyestrone down-regulates estrogen receptor activity.6 Imbalance of estrogen can result in several issues including weight gain in both men and women.
DIM impacts testosterone levels in the body in a couple different ways. DIM has been shown to inhibit an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen. This helps preserve a higher testosterone to estrogen ratio in the body.
In addition to enzyme inhibition, DIM also prevents testosterone from being bound up by Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG), a carrier protein. The net effect is that DIM increases the fraction of total testosterone that is present in the body as ‘free’ testosterone. Only free testosterone is able to easily cross into the brain, muscles and fat cells and impart most of the desirable outcomes at the local androgen receptor sites.
POWERFUL COMBINATION:
Taking a multi-pronged approach is best for optimal enhancement of natural testosterone levels. The endocrinology of androgen hormones is complex, so it is important to consider the multiple pathways available to hormone metabolism as well as their careful balance required for health.
KSM-66® Ashwagandha, FERUTEST™ Asafoetida and DIM are 3 powerful natural products that can offer a multitude of benefits that synergistically overlap to optimize natural testosterone levels from different angles. For anyone looking to naturally boost testosterone, reduce stress or improve sexual health – this trio delivers and can only be found in ANS Performance’s all-new FORTITUDE. Taking a supplement like FORTITUDE for at least 2-3 months can help re-balance key hormones and help users regain their youth – improving the strength, stamina and sexual performance; while also reducing perceived stress, improving sleep and recovery.
OTHER WAYS TO INCREASE TESTOSTERONE NATURALLY:
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Eat a well-balanced diet, not fearing foods high in saturated fats like butter, coconut oil or eggs.
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Supplement with Vitamin D3, Omega-3s, protein and magnesium.
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Exercise, but don’t overtrain.
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Get more high-quality sleep.
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Control stress.
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Have more sex.
