Becoming
Flabby And Sexless

    I'm a 38 year old male, 6'1" tall. I have something of a pot belly, and some parts of my body are more flabby than others. I've been lifting weights for 6 months, and for all the hard work and split routines I'm doing 5 days a week, I get a pump, but nothing lasts. It's nothing like the hard pump I used to get when I was in my 20s. My muscles aren't maintaining that solid feeling--they seem to stay soft no matter how hard I work out.

    I eat a good, low-fat diet, including skinless breast of chicken and egg whites (no yolks), rice and beans and other starches, and a fair amount of fruits and vegetables, with little to no saturated fat. What's going on? Also, My sex life with my wife is dwindling, too. I thought working out was supposed to give all this back to me. My doctor says nothing is wrong with me. Please advise...

        Becoming Flabby and Sexless in Des Moines, Iowa


Answer

    Don't feel alone in America. In fact, most men over the age of 30 are finding a loss of muscle mass, and unbeknownst to them, some loss of bone mass is occurring too. They're also losing libido (sexual desire) and experiencing erectile difficulties.

    Unbeknownst to most medical doctors, when a man reaches 30, his testosterone starts dropping by 2% per year, such that by age 60, his testosterone level is 60% of what it was at age 30. So at your age, you have probably lost 16% of the amount of testosterone you had when you were 30.

    What you want are youthful hormone levels. You should probably get a Free Testosterone blood test run by your doctor. You don't want Total Testosterone because a higher Total Testosterone that's bound doesn't help you one iota unless a certain percentage of it is free. The higher the percentage (youthful hormone levels, say, for age 27, about 11 years younger than your current age) would make a huge difference in your outlook on life, thicker heart muscle to pump more efficiently,help control depression, increase libido and sexual function, and increase your muscle mass as well as your bone mass.

    We do not recommend the synthetic prescription androgens, such as synthetic testosterone like methyltestosterone,Testosterone Enanthate, Testosterone Cypionate and other anabolic steroids. These can cause problems in the body, including glucose intolerance, hepatic neoplasia, hypertension, testicular atrophy, decreased HDL cholesterol levels, and oligospermia (decreased sperm count).

    We recommend the natural testosterone creams, gels and supplements, and herein lies the problem--that all testosterones are equal. They aren't. The synthetic testosterones and steroids appear to resemble the molecular structure of the natural testosterone that is produced by your body, but they are different and rob you of the beneficial health results you want in the overall scheme of things. The synthetics can lay the groundwork for stroke, heart attack, low HDL cholesterol and increased LDL cholesterol, as well as thrombosis. These are the actual problems that natural testosterone will combat.

    We recommend below some natural gels and creams, but the first thing we recommend is that, from what you have said and considering your pot belly, I suspect that you also have fat deposits on your breasts. These things indicate that at your age, your testosterone is dropping because of one or all four of the following reasons. However, the fourth one we give is the most likely one in your case, and this is the one I suggest we focus on.


Four Possible Problems

First:

  • There could be a problem in your brain (hypothalamus) with the Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone (GnRH). I doubt this since you have been examined by your doctor. This hormone tells the anterior pituitary gland to release Luteinizing Hormone, and if there is a problem with this system, then the testes aren't getting the message to produce testosterone.

Second:

  • There could be a problem in the anterior pituitary gland such that not enough Luteinizing Hormone is being produced to stimulate the testes to produce testosterone.

Third

  • You could have plenty of Luteinizing Hormone, but the testes have lost the ability to produce this androgenic (masculinizing) steroid. The biofeedback mechanism from the testes tells the anterior pituitary gland to produce more Luteinizing Hormone, so the testes can produce more testosterone, but they can't, since the testes have a problem--they no longer possess this functionality.

    There could be some other problems, but the...

Fourth

  • The one we see most often, is most likely your problem, and that is that you are "aromatizing" much of the testosterone you produce into estrogen. Aromatization is the process whereby an enzyme known as aromatase acts on testosterone in the fat tissues and breast tissues and converts it into estrogen. This enzyme is also found in skin, Central Nervous System (CNS) and bone.Thus, as testosterone is aromatized into estrogen, there is less testosterone available for your intended needs.

    This happens a lot and is one of the main reasons testosterone levels drop. Therefore, it is to your advantage to lose any excess fat on your body, so that you have less available area to aromatize your testosterone.

    Aromatization is a reason why many men who take testosterone shots only get minor, sporadic improvement. You should have your doctor run an Estradiol Test for the main estrogen produced. If you are in the high normal, or even slightly high ranges, you are losing Free Testosterone, and your symptoms will be magnified in terms of asthenia (a state of deficiency characterized by:
  • weakness,
  • loss of strength
  • debility, and
  • fatigue
--all symptoms of testosterone deficiency) and impotence. If your levels of estradiol are higher than they should be, then you have most likely found your problem.

    Your doctor can give you a prescription drug to stop the aromatization, or, we suggest that you take the herb Chrysin, along with Bioperine to maximize the absorption of Chrysin, which we feel would be much safer from any side effects, and still reduces aromatization.

    A formula manufactured by Life Extension Foundation, called "Mira Forte," contains Chrysin and other factors for natural sexual enhancement effects.

    Estrogen is a necessary hormone in men, but aging brings about higher levels. Therefore, your estrogen/androgen ratio (imbalance) favors estrogen, which helps generate Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), or enlarged prostate gland, through a secondary hormone pathway. Estrogen can mimic androgens. This is not generally appreciated among the medical profession.


Problems With High Etradiol Levels

    Another problem exists with high estrogen levels in a man. Your brain is geared to think that more than enough testosterone is being produced in your body, and this biofeedback reduces your natural production of testosterone, and your available Free Testosterone drops.

    What happens is that the estrogen dams up the testosterone receptors in the brain (hypothalamus) so that it stops sending hormone messages to the anterior pituitary gland to tell the testes to produce testosterone.

    Still another problem caused from excess estrogen produced in the male is that estrogen also causes stimulation of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) which is produced in the liver. SHBG binds testosterone, lowering your levels of Free Testosterone even more. It is the Free Testosterone you want, that does the job of testosterone in the male body.


How To Protect Your Prostate

    The problem that we want to be careful with in the aging male is to protect the prostate gland from the natural testosterone going to form excess dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the testes, which can lead to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH), an increased protein synthesis that generates prostate thickening, and/or cancerous conditions set up. Mira Forte contains the methanolic extract of the herb Nettle Root, which will help protect the prostate gland for you.

    It appears to this writer that many hardcore body builders who take anabolic steroids, synthetic or natural, know about aromatization somewhat, but they know little or nothing about protecting their prostate glands from cancer, which is definitely on the rise. That group of men will no doubt contribute to BPH or prostate cancer statistics as they age, and their body building and weight lifting days are over, if not sooner.

    There are a number of things you want to be apprised of when taking testosterone and we have made it as simple as it gets, that very few in the body building world, or men wanting more muscle and bone mass and a return of their sex lives (which on the average appears to be over by age 68) pay attention to. It is no disgrace to desire to have a connubial relationship with your spouse. Hebrews 13:4 says the marriage bed is undefiled, and you have a right to this.

    But testosterone confers many other benefits to older men besides a more fulfilling sex life. According to Abraham Morgentaler, M.D., of the medical clinic, Men's Health Boston, "It's not only about sex, but about get-up-and-go and muscle strength. This is what makes us feel good."

    Men do not need to accept being told, "It's your age," when their work outs are harder with fewer gains and a lot more pain, and their sex lives are dwindling. Men sit down and do nothing, go down even faster upon hearing, "It's your age."

    Testosterone replacement therapy is an emerging treatment you will be hearing more and more about, and I wholeheartedly approve of it. But you need to know how to protect the prostate gland, and no one appears to be talking much about this.


Primary And Alternative

    Those are the two main pathways that can cause prostate trouble: Primary and Alternative. In the primary pathway, known as the androgenic pathway, testosterone goes to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), which can cause prostate trouble.

  • Primary Pathway

        Testosterone, in the presence of the enzyme 5-alpha- reductase, which is produced systemically (all over the body) and in the prostate gland, converts to DHT, and the DHT attaches to a membrane of the prostate gland. The DHT produced in the prostate gland itself attaches to binding sites therein, which activates growth factors that in turn activate cellular growth of the prostate gland cells, yielding BPH, a swollen prostate, with all the attending symptoms.

        Saw Palmetto and the prescription drug finasteride (Proscar) block 5-alpha-reductase, thereby reducing the stimulation for the prostate to grow under DHT attack. The herbal therapy is better tolerated than Proscar, which causes diminished libido and other sexual dysfunctions, including impotence in some patients.

        To control the growth factors from over-response, we suggest Curcumin, which inhibits Nuclear Factor Kappa Beta (NF-KB), a cause of DNA proliferation, and inhibits Activator Protein-1 (AP- 1), a promotor of angiogenesis (a process by which a tumor causes certain enzymes, such as AP-1, to enable that tumor to create its own blood supply).

        To help control growth factors that can lead to cancer, especially breast cancer, we suggest Indole-3 Carbinol. Quercetin helps protect against blood clots (thrombosis) and NF-KB.

        Pygeum is an herb which inhibits Epidermal Growth Factors (EG-F), Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (BFGF) and Insulin-Like Growth Factor (IGF-1).

        Incidentally, on internet you can get herbs or other substances that stimulate, possibly in excess, Insulin-like Growth Factor, which promotes growth in muscle mass, etc,, and which is often considered the major activity produced by Human Growth Hormone. Taking any of these things demands that you know what you're doing and that you take the protective substances listed above, lest you encourage the growth of cancer cells.

         Continuing with the primary pathway, testosterone can also cause prostate trouble by its binding with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), which yields:

    • Decreased Free Testosterone; and,
    • The testosterone-SHBG molecule,
    • at the prostate gland, creates the same effects brought about by DHT binding to an androgen receptor site, which spells prostate trouble and/or cancer when an excess amount continuously occurs.

    It is interesting to note that increased binding of testosterone with SHBG in the liver occurs when sedatives, alcohol, tranquilizers, and anti-hypertensive (high blood pressure) drugs are present.

Note 1:

Nettle Root knocks off (displaces) testosterone and other steroid hormones (DHEA, etc.) from SHBG binding sites and increases Free Testosterone for muscle and bone building. Then, Free Testosterone must be kept from excessive aromatizing. This is done through ingesting Chrysin with Bioperine. Chrysin is an aromatase inhibitor.

Note 2:

Nettle Root inhibits binding of DHT to attachment sites on the membrane of the prostate when produced systemically and when produced in the prostate gland itself, when DHT can attach to binding sites there.

  • Alternative Pathway

        In addition to the primary pathway, we have an alternative pathway in which estrogen mimics androgens. It happens this way. Estrogen, produced by aromatization as well as the estrogen naturally produced in a man's body, binds with the SHBG in the prostate gland which spells prostate trouble, by binding to Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) where it is bound to the cell membrane of the prostate, then the estrogen is "capable of activating pathways normally considered androgen-responsive."

        This was a shock to the medical community and the researchers who discovered it, because if a man's testosterone is falling as he ages, why is it he starts having prostate trouble and cancer when his testosterone is very low? It's a paradox, and it was surprising to all who researched it.

        Therefore, in this case, take Nettle Root extract (methanolic) which handles the estrogen side of BPH by:

    1. Inhibiting SHBG from binding to prostate cell membranes
    2. Inhibiting aromatase
    3. Decreasing conversion of androgens to estrogens

        In addition to these supplements, we would suggest to take DHEA with Chrysin and Bioperine, provided all your enzymes are working correctly to change DHEA into testosterone, but that's where we want to stop the conversion and not go any further by having testosterone converted into estrogen, or at least, the lion's share.

        Two other natural compounds you can use that contain homeopathic (very small) amounts of natural testosterone and Human Growth Hormone are creams manufactured by Fountain of Youth Technologies. One is called Doctor's Testosterone Gel, and the other is Doctor's Human Growth Hormone Gel. Rub these creams on your body several times a day, especially right before working out and at night before bed. Also, rub these on any painful joint areas.

        Another excellent gel is TestroGel, manufactured by Klein- Becker. Use small amounts of this gel several times a day, especially before workouts.

        We suggest you use all three of these gels, but not without the compounds mentioned above to protect your prostate and stop aromatization.

        We also recommend that you get a complete blood chemistry yearly, with a PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) included, and that you have a digital rectal exam of your prostate. As stated earlier, get a Free Testosterone blood test, as well as an Estradiol blood test.

        Start with the blood tests first, to have a baseline to go from, and the rectal exam. If your PSA is in the high normal range, run it again in 6 months.

        Another supplement we suggest is Natural Prostate Formula, manufactured for/ by Life Extension, 3 per day.

        However, if you have ever had prostate cancer or any other cancer, we suggest you do not undertake this program at all, unless you have a good alternative physician who knows what he's doing. Testosterone promotes sexual desire and facilitates performance, sensation and the ultimate degree of fulfillment. Men with low testosterone routinely suffer from low sex drive and impotence.

        If you do the above, then build your muscles tight, strong, and big, including bone mass. Eat well and get plenty of rest. Take supplements. We would also suggest N-Acetyl Cysteine, Silibinin, and Super Alpha Lipoic Acid, as well as a good vitamin tablet and a good mineral tablet without iron.

        Also, if you follow this routine, be sure and take a moderate dose of Niacin (500 mg per day) to raise your HDL (good) cholesterol, as testosterone will tend to lower it. You should also take antioxidants to protect the liver from free radicals formed when Niacin is metabolized. We suggest Gamma E and Vitamin C in addition to the Silibinin and Super Alpha Lipoic Acid, all by Life Extension.

        People who take testosterone have found they feel better, have a general sense of well-being, and have less episodes of depression if they are prone to such dysfunction.

        Remember, it's not just about sex anymore, but about get up and go, increased muscle strength and bone mass, and decreased depression. Testosterone is being recognized and used by more doctors as a youth-promoting, anti-aging hormone. Testosterone therapy, with replacement of other hormones, has been shown to lower cholesterol.

        Another supplement you should consider is L-arginine, an amino acid. According to research, 6 to 12 grams per day increases circulation to the penile vascular bed in men, bringing about erection, and in women, through a similar mechanism, L- arginine increases sexual sensitivity in the gynecological area.

        L-arginine does this by increasing nitric oxide production, which relaxes blood vessels and improves circulation in the pelvic area and other areas of the body, which increases genital sensitivity that is involved in sexual arousal and enhancement.

        Incidentally, L-arginine would be excellent for people with high blood pressure. Try 6 to 12 grams per day to see if this lowers the blood pressure naturally, without prescription drugs and side effects, not to mention the higher cost. L-arginine would also allow more nutrients to reach the cells, due to the relaxed blood vessels allowing nutrients to get to the sexual tissues and other tissues throughout the body.

        L-arginine also, by being converted by the macrophages into nitric oxide, serves as an intracellular messenger that stimulates the cells' phagocytic activity. L-arginine is the substrate that normal macrophages use to engulf foreign materials and destroy them.

        L-arginine also can stimulate peristaltic contractions of the smooth muscles of the intestines, and it increases blood flow to the heart. High doses of L-arginine can cause loose stool.

        This information is generally not known. L-arginine, which yields nitric oxide, is used in our non-specific cellular defense system against foreign invaders, and to increase sexual sensitivity in women in the vaginal area, and erection (sexual sensitivity) in men. This should be combined with testosterone to activate the sex drive in both men and women.

        Testosterone in both men and women binds to cell-receptor sites in the brain to bring about a series of biochemical events that cascade into performance, sensation and an interpretation of fulfillment.

         Incidentally, recent studies in healthy men have shown that insulin sensitivity is improved using testosterone. This suggests an aid in preventing Type II diabetes. As stated earlier, testosterone helps guard against depression. Low testosterone is a major cause of brittle bones in older men, and we might add, women too.

        Testosterone helps prevent osteoclasts (cells responsible for bone breakdown) from outrunning osteoblasts (bone building cells).

        Low testosterone is one of the factors contributing to abdominal obesity. Abdominal fat causes more aromatase, which lowers even more testosterone and brings about more abdominal obesity.

        One study found that obese men not only had very low testosterone levels, but also their estradiol levels were higher than the levels of women after menopause. Men with low levels of testosterone are more apt to experience depression than men who had normal levels. Men who receive testosterone injections for their mood swings had less mood variability and their attitudes improved significantly.

        A typical question that is often asked in regard to all the above by women interested in taking testosterone is, "Will I develop a moustache?" Surprisingly, a large number of physicians, especially women, believe it is unavoidable.

        Generally, the moustache comes from the masculinizing effects generated by an androgen-producing tumor, producing continual excess amounts of masculinizing androgens; or, the synthetic testosterone taken by female body builders, because its half life in the body is prolonged far more than that of natural testosterone. And they take it in excess doses.

        The natural testosterone contained in Doctor's Testosterone Gel is similar to that produced by the human body, which has a short half life (minutes) compared to the synthetic form (hours), so a woman should have no problem with masculinizing effects such as enlarged clitoris and excess body hair. The main things a woman should get is not hirsutism, but increased muscle and bone mass, better healing of tissues because of increased protein synthesis of tissues as needed, and a general sense of well-being.

        This increased bone mass even extends to the bone of the jaw, where many older adults have lost bone mass in the jaw and tooth sockets.

        Post-menopausal women can follow the above recommendations as men do, but pre-menopausal women want to maintain their levels of estrogen, but they need some testosterone. Pre-menopausal women should follow a 3-days-on, 4-days-off program, or some intermittent variable, and monitor their menses, as well as having the Free Testosterone, CBC and Estradiol Tests run. Post-menopausal and peri-menopausal women should use Natural Progesterone cream daily

        Other benefits of testosterone therapy are better sleep patterns and a more cheerful outlook.

    Diet
    Considerations

        One thing you want to be aware of is that when you follow a low fat diet, especially one that is high in starches, you are in reality following a high saturated fat diet. Your body takes those excess starches and converts them into body fat (triglycerides), a saturated fat, for storage and use, and in membranes of tissues.

        You will feel much better and be able to train better if you begin eating whole eggs rather than egg whites, and some chicken with skin left on it (not fried). Egg yolks contain the fats you need, as well as true Vitamin A. Chicken fat contains palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid which is a natural antibiotic.

        People who get saturated fats in their diet, and eat a diet with around 35% to 40% of their calories as fat, tend to eat less because they are not hungry all the time. The so-called new pyramid diet, prompting Americans to eat more starches and less proteins and fats has been accused of being a major contributor to the current epidemic of diabetes and obesity.

        Also eat some red meat with a little of its fat, as the protein is a source of many important nutrients, such as L-carnitine, not found elsewhere in the diet. Also eat as snacks: walnuts, almonds and pecans, soaked in brine overnight, drained and lightly toasted at 325 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes in the oven. They go really well with fruit wedges and slices of hard cheese.

        Add these things to the diet you are already following and try to avoid processed foods in general. In this way, you will avoid many chemicals, such as trans fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are typically found in processed foods. For your fats, you should eat coconut oil and real butter, with some olive oil. A very good, healthy fat is also found in avocados. Get "so-called" essential oils in grains, cereals, and nuts.

        We further suggest you eat less starches and more grown above-the-ground vegetables, such as leafy green vegetables, and less peas, corn and potatoes.

        You will find that you feel better and have more energy for your work outs.


    References:

    • Dictionary of Toxicology
    • Biochemistry And Molecular Biology, Elliott & Elliott.
    • Cell And Molecular Biology, Karp
    • Textbook of Medical Physiology, 9th Ed., Guyton & Hall.
    • Toxicology of The Liver, Target Organ Series, 2nd Ed.
    • Know Your Fats, Mary Enig, Ph.D.
    • Laboratory Test Handbook, Lexicomp's Clinical Reference Library, 5th Ed.
    • Life Extension Foundation websites: www.lef.org; www.lifeExtension.com
    • Testosterone Syndrome: The Critical Factor For Energy, Health, And Sexaulity--Reversing the Male Menopause Shippen & Fryer.
    • AARP Bulletin, July-August, 2003, "Shazaam!" Page 20.


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