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Testosterone Protocol
🕑 Added 2021-10-24 22:55:49 +0000 UTCI have to preface this with, of course, this will not compare to directly injecting testosterone, someone always mentions this as a way to dismiss anything one talks about regarding testosterone.
The most important factor is early morning and midday sun exposure for red + infrared and UVB light spectrum. It is established that there is a significant connection between vitamin D and testosterone, deficiency significantly decreasing testosterone production. UVB light spectrum midday on the eyes and skin (expose as much as you legally and comfortably can) is what increases vitamin D synthesis. UVB itself also has a positive effect on testosterone. Red and infrared are also shown to have a positive impact on testosterone production, but also fertility in general. Most all hormone production occurs with seeing the sunrise every single morning.
Chronic blue light and nnEMF exposure also dehydrates cells across the body, disrupts cortisol/melatonin function, and can also disrupt testicular function, in addition, to essentially every other organ. All of this contributes to low testosterone, men working tech jobs and in hospitals typically being hit the hardest. Keep the laptop and phone away from the reproductive system, wear blue light blockers whenever you're using the laptop or phone during the daytime, and try to shut everything off at sunset. Take breaks in the sun as often as you can. If you live somewhere with little to no sun, the UVB and infrared lamps can have some benefits, but if you have extremely severely low levels, it would be recommended to either vacation or move altogether during the winter months.
Stress management is important as cortisol has a negative association with testosterone and a positive association with prolactin and estrogen, which further decreases testosterone.
It is important to eliminate any alcohol and refined sucrose usage, due to their impact on leptin-aromatase. Aromatase/CYP19A1 is the liver enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen and there are many more factors that contribute to this, such as cannabis and smoke in general. It is also important to eliminate xenoestrogen chemicals to the greatest extent of your ability (don't get neurotic about it because the stress from neuroticism will have an even greater negative impact on your testosterone than if you weren't worried at all). This includes sunscreens, most hygiene, and skin products, many pharmaceuticals, plastics (simply do your best to source high-quality foods, water, and supplements/salts), and most tap water. It would be wise to invest in a shower filter and to avoid tap water exposure on the skin to the greatest extent that you are able to. A household filter for all water would be most optimal, though expensive. The shower filter is a safe bet. A drinking water filter certainly wouldn't hurt either, though it is wise to avoid tap water from any major cities whatsoever because of the impact of nnEMF on water structure.
Implement one daily grapefruit, apple, or glass of kombucha for glucuronic acid to facilitate the liver detox pathway, "glucuronidation", then follow this with either ground chia or flax seed soaked and blended in preferably plain goat kefir, though cow works fine as well. A glass of bone broth for sulfur to facilitate the liver detox pathway, "sulfation", would be a wise addition as well. Testosterone is ALWAYS metabolized into estradiol or estrogen via aromatase, but the metabolites created from estrogen are also counterproductive to proper hormonal health. 4-hydroxy-estrone and 16-hydroxy-estrone are a couple of the major impacting contenders here, the latter contributing to estrogen-induced cancers.
Now, this study is done on children, but it shows proper nutrition is as effective as testosterone therapy. Vitamin A (retinol) and heme iron being the most effective in this context, but magnesium, copper/zinc, iodine, selenium, molybdenum, manganese, boron, vitamin C/D/E/K2 MK4/MK7, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B5, B6, biotin, folate, and B12 are also shown to have a positive impact on testosterone production.
Testosterone is reduced when there is an excess of copper compared to zinc. There should be a 1:1 ratio within serum levels on bloodwork for optimal production. Zinc is also necessary for reducing prolactin. Too little copper also has a similar effect on hormone production, and it's also necessary for mitochondrial function and cytochrome processes in energy metabolism. The same goes for manganese and molybdenum. Excess of either three minerals can be detrimental, however. Iodine and selenium are important because thyroid function must be in place for hormone production to be functional as well. Boron helps to increase testosterone, regulate estrogen, and decrease SHBG which binds both testosterone and estrogen away from their free functional forms. Vitamin D3, vitamin E (reduces prolactin), and vitamin K2 have an antagonistic impact on estrogen excess. Not only is vitamin A (retinol) important to heme iron's function in proper utilization and thus hormone production, but also copper, zinc, magnesium, iodine, selenium, molybdenum, vitamin C/D, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, B6 (reduces prolactin), folate, and cobalamin/vitamin B12.
Magnesium: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20352370/
Zinc: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8875519/ + https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6010824/
Copper/zinc balance: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21671089/
Boron: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712861/
Vitamin C + E: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7896882/ (in rats) + https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3783921/ + http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/vitamin-e.shtml
The diet should consist of nutrient-dense foods, such as cod and beef/goat/bison liver, hearts, fish/seafood, shellfish, crustaceans, red meats/wild game, turkey, raw and cooked eggs, goat dairy/kefir (again, cow works as well if that's all that's available), bone broth, cruciferous vegetables (similar impact to grapefruit regarding elimination of estrogen metabolites, though avoid daily intake due to their role as goitrogens), fermented cabbage, fermented soybeans (miso and natto), berries + citrus + melons, RAW honey (not heated/processed), and starches/tubers, such as white rice and potatoes/sweet potatoes/yams/beets for complex carbs. The focus should be on protein and fats first and foremost, complex carbs secondarily to fill rest of calorie intake. Simple carbs are best to avoid for the same reason as alcohol and refined sucrose, anything that resembles isolated sucrose should be avoided. Protein intake should be 1-1.2g/lb of body weight, Saturated fats and cholesterol are necessary for all hormone production, especially testosterone. PUFA like DHA is necessary for mitochondrial function altogether. A calorie surplus of 250+ calories should be utilized, unless you are overweight and obese, in which case weight loss should be your goal with a 250-500 calorie deficit. Consuming organic grass-fed/pasture raised meats, fruits, and vegetables is crucial due to the xenoestrogenic effects of pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides. Avoid the common inflammatory triggers that I mention often in each nutrition-related article. Stress management is crucial, meaning spending time with family and friends, discussing your emotions rather than suppressing them, going on walks, listening to music, prayer, meditation/mindfulness, grounding and spending time in nature, getting plenty of sun, magnesium, etc. Proper circadian rhythm is crucial for the reasons stated at the beginning of the article, sleep should be optimized to the greatest extent possible. Short-term low carb periods can be useful to keep insulin sensitivity in check and have a positive impact on testosterone, longer term periods having a negative effect.
Lifting heavy weights, short duration HIIT (not chronically or excessive duration, like sprints, etc.), and daily walks also increase testosterone and reduce stress. Don't watch porn and masturbate as little as possible, have sex with a beautiful woman or man if you roll that way instead.
Herbs:
As you may know from many of my tweets and threads, there is not as much incentive to study herbs in humans as they compete with pharmaceutical drugs, however these herbs have traditional usages in supporting the hormonal system, liver, and kidneys. Some of the studies ARE performed in humans however, the more commonly known herbs.
Nettle root: aromatase inhibitor
He Shou Wu: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4223518/
Astragalus: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4522129/
Cistanche: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27422164/
Panax ginseng root: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3861174/
Kali musli: https://faseb.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.lb313
Safed musli: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3902593/
Wild yam: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7393038/
Cordyceps mushroom: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11712663/
Fenugreek seed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32048383/
Shilajit: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26395129/
Mucuna pruriens: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18973898/
Maca root: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26174043/
Carob: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32959223/
Suma: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14967943/
Ginger: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30360442/
Cloves: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18765266/
Pine pollen: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5549221/
Schisandra: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23713251/
Ashwagandha: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6438434/
Coleus forshoklii: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16129715/
Ginkgo biloba: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18481435/
Luzea/Maral root
DHEA + pregnenolone (optional but ONLY after getting hormones tested, use if necessary with low DHEA)
Regarding bloodwork, get total and free testosterone, estrogen, SHBG, progesterone, GH, prolactin, DHEA/DHEA-S, and salivary cortisol/melatonin tested. Gut function and liver function are also important to optimize. A gene analysis can be utilized to determine CYP19A1 function.
