In the book “Count Down” by Shanna H. Swan, PhD, she found that from 1973 to 2011, the total sperm count of men in Western countries dropped by 59 percent. The quality of sperm also nose-dived, with more odd-shaped sperm cells and fewer strong swimmers capable of fertilizing an egg. Perhaps most eye opening, the DNA they carried was also more damaged.
Another alarming thing she has found is the “1%” effect on male fertility. There is a 1% downward trend of sperm counts and testosterone, and increases in testicular cancer and erectile dysfunction. This is not good. On the female side of the equation, miscarriage rates are also increasing by about 1 % per year in the U.S. The percentage rate of gestational surrogacy is also increasing. Meanwhile, the total fertility rate worldwide has dropped by nearly 1 percent per year from 1960 to 2018. These are alarming statistics.
This lowering of testosterone in males also shows up as low energy, depression (men are more likely to commit suicide), low motivation, belly fat, blood sugar issues, and addiction. While the author points to the fertility factor in her book, there are many other health consequences to low testosterone.
What are the functions of testosterone in males?
Testosterone helps to do the following:
- Decrease excess body fat
- Natural antidepressant
- Helps maintain memory
- Increases muscle mass and strength
- Increases sense of emotional well-being, self-confidence, and motivation
- Increases sexual interest and reproductive ability
Having optimal levels of testosterone is a good thing.
What is the cause of the “Disappearing Male” crisis we are facing?
It is stress, environment, standard American diets, and the toxins subjected to our bodies to each and every day. Many chemicals act like estrogen. This leads to estrogen dominance in males and lowered testosterone levels. Hormones become imbalanced.
Here is a list of the things we often find in males these days that can act like toxins.
- Adrenal stress (cortisol steals)
- Toxins: plastics, heavy metals, personal hygiene products
- Increases Aromatase which converts to estrogen
- Diet high in refined carbs (blood sugar imbalances): leads to estrogen dominance
- Medications:
- Asthma Inhaler
- Anti-depressants
- Anti-histamines for allergies
- Cholesterol lowering meds: need this to make hormones
- Tagamet for Acid Reflux
- Opioids
- Gut dysbiosis, gallbladder dysfunction, infections
What are the next steps?
Getting your testosterone levels checked through the DUTCH test is a great way to determine the optimal levels. The test shows how your body breaks down the estrogen in your body. It is desirable for the toxins and extra estrogen to be pushed out through the pathway called the 2-OH pathway (safest for our body) to be eliminated. The DUTCH test also reports cortisol levels which determine how much stress you are under. Stress should be addressed and is a key component if we want to raise testosterone levels and reduce estrogen levels.
While waiting for the test results, it’s a good idea to make changes in a male’s diet. Focusing on adding more quality protein and good fats (like avocados/olive oil/organic butter) is a start. Eliminate sugary drinks, breads, and pastas- these increase insulin levels and in turn increase estrogen levels-which we don’t want. You may want to introduce an intermittent fasting schedule. Start with 10 hours and moving to 16 hours of fasting each day. This helps control blood sugar and increases fat burning. Additionally, consuming lots of cruciferous veggies (in particular broccoli sprouts) which have tons of I3C and DIM- which are anti oxident compounds that help to detoxify bad estrogen metabolites that cause problems with estrogen/testosterone balance.
The next step is to look at changing personal hygiene products. Shampoo, body wash/soap, deodorant, and skin care products are filled with estrogen-like chemicals. I have patients download the App called “The Healthy Living App” by EWG.org. It serves as a guide for men to buy things that are non-toxic for their body.
Sleep is also a very important factor to increase testosterone levels. It is absolutely critical to sleep well in order to produce healthy sex hormones. Inadequate sleep will result in elevated stress hormone production and lower testosterone. Limiting blue light from electronics at night or wearing amber colored sunglasses them is a good idea. Make sure to fill your head with positive thoughts at night to calm and uplift your well-being.
Testosterone levels are highest at night and also after exercise. Not all exercise increases the needed level of testosterone. Weight training and high intensity interval training do that. Going for a walk, running on a treadmill, or getting on the bicycle will not cause an increase in testosterone. You need to lift weights so that muscle mass will increase.
Lastly, we need to help your body get rid of the excess estrogen in your body. We do this by completing a month long liver and hormone detox plan. Estrogen is broken down in the liver and then excreted through the stool. Getting your bowels moving is key. Using a liver detox program for 2 weeks followed by a hormone balancing program for 2 weeks will help. I like to add in things such as litramine, branched chain amino acids, fiber, and creatine to help with building muscle and keeping the bowels moving.
Other helpful supplements to help with cravings and blood sugar are Crave Curb and Berberine. Crave Curb helps with improving dopamine levels which goes hand in hand with cravings. Low dopamine levels will cause you to crave sugar to increase the dopamine level quickly. Berberine is great at limiting the insulin spike which causes you to gain fat and lower testosterone levels. Two other important minerals are zinc and magnesium. These help your body make testosterone. Vitamine D is another needed body support. Increasing the intake will improve overall health.
These things will help improve your energy level, sex drive, and motivation to be a better man.
-Dr. Brian Opp, Chiropractor