An interesting survey for some expats in Thailand. Are you overweight has your libido dropped to rock bottom? There is still hope, because if overweight people in their fifties start living healthier lives, the concentration of testosterone in their blood rises. Health scientists at Tsukuba University in Japan discovered this.
In an experiment in which 44 overweight and inactive men went jogging and went on a diet, it turned out that lifestyle improvement is an alternative to hormone therapy.
Testosterone: the male hormone
Testosterone is an important hormone for men. It determines, among other things, your desire for sex. A rising beer belly that seems impossible to exercise against? Probably because you have a low level of testosterone. The production of the hormone testosterone decreases after the age of 25. As you approach 50, your muscle mass and muscle strength will decrease, partly due to the decrease in your testosterone level. Your libido and the thickness of your abdomen are also determined by the level of your testosterone. Testosterone also affects your memory, osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases.
Become older
As men age, their testosterone levels drop. Fifteen years ago, scientists attributed this decline to the aging process, but epidemiological studies have shown that there is more to it. As men get older, they generally become increasingly unhealthy. They gain weight, their insulin sensitivity decreases, they develop cardiovascular disease and struggle with stress. According to epidemiological studies, it is not only aging, but also that declining health that causes the drop in testosterone levels.
Can you also reverse the negative effect of an unhealthy lifestyle on testosterone levels? Will men's testosterone levels rise if they start watching their diet, exercising and reducing their stores of excess body fat? That's the question the researchers wanted to answer.
Study
The researchers got their test subjects – men in their fifties, with an average BMI of 29 – to exercise for an hour three times a week for twelve weeks under the supervision of a trainer. That movement consisted of walking at a brisk pace and jogging. As time passed, the men gradually increased the intensity with which they moved. At the same time, the men went on a diet. They aimed for a caloric intake of 1680 kilocalories per day, and tried to derive their energy for one quarter from protein, one quarter from fat and half from carbohydrates.
Results
The men lost nearly 12 kilograms. The concentration of the 'bad cholesterol' LDL in their blood dropped, as did the concentration of triglycerides and insulin. The men became fitter, and their blood pressure decreased.
Testosterone levels rise with a little jogging and a non-strict diet
In particular, systolic blood pressure – the blood pressure during the heartbeat – decreased. The effect of the lifestyle change on the testosterone level was remarkable, which increased from 12.3 to 13.2 nanomoles per litre. There was a connection between the drop in blood pressure and the rise in testosterone levels, the Japanese discovered. The greater the decrease in systolic blood pressure, the greater the increase in testosterone levels.
Source: Endocrine Journal 2015, 62(5), 423-430 (Ergogenics).
Interesting information!
And now just wait for a hospital or a clinic to organize such an experiment in (for me) Pattaya.
I will be the first to sign up, because only in groups there is a chance of success, in my opinion.
Or consider a personal trainer Gringo. That can do wonders to motivate you and you get a tailor-made training… Once you have a routine and have been training 3 times a week for a month or two, you usually want to keep it that way and maintain and continue the results you feel… good luck !
Gringo, one of the best excuses not to do something is what you write here. If you are serious, you kick yourself in the ass and start moving more. And that's not walking around the pool table.
Dear Gringo, why do you doubt your perseverance? Where there is a will there is a way. And the reward lies not only in a slightly higher testosterone level, but also in an increased sense of well-being. And it doesn't have to take a lot of time. You could do sprint training: run 50 or 100 meters a few times (not jogging of course). And that, for example, three times a week. That will take you a few minutes at a time. Supplement with some fitness exercises. And it doesn't have to take much time either. Start very carefully (especially if you haven't sprinted for decades) and listen carefully to your body. And of course don't smoke and don't eat and drink too much.
I myself will probably participate in March in the open athletics championships for masters in the age class 65-69 on the number 100 meter run. With my fifteen minutes of running a week, I can't hope for a podium place, but I will end up somewhere in the middle. I hope to meet other readers of this blog in Sakon Nakhon. For more information see http://www.thaivaa.com/en/photo/123.html
Dear Gringo,
Find a nice gym in your area (there are 3!) Start with cardio (treadmill). After a few times you will enjoy it, supplemented with fitness training. Over time, you will enjoy it and feel it
fitter. The systolic (=above blood pressure) can drop to 125/130. Moreover, you will get nice motivated
contacts to continue. There even comes a time when you no longer need your cigar!(555)
Lots of healthy fun.
Sincerely,
Lodewijk
…and don't drink beer! This is because the hops your beer is made from are packed with estrogen (the female hormone).
More tips here:
http://nl.wikihow.com/Meer-testosteron-krijgen
That's why guys are so effeminate here in Pattaya. Exercising 3 or 4 times a week will give you a boost and not eating too much fat will also contribute to a healthier body. Furthermore, don't drink too much alcohol. Also restrict smoking and you can handle the whole world, I stick to 3 of the 4 most important things, but I still smoke 1 pack of sig a day. But I feel good, but with a great feeling of guilt.
Often come to Tony's Gym Soi Buakow where I talk to other elderly people who train there almost daily with the argument that they want to enjoy the beautiful life in Pattaya for as long as possible. Have started moving more, stopped smoking and alcohol because even then you can have a nice life, just think of the increased libido mentioned, not unimportant in Pattaya. 😉
This does not mean a 100% guarantee of a longer healthy life, but the chance is much greater.
I thought it was an interesting experiment and the only thing I said to it was that I would like to do something like this in a group.
Nobody has to worry about me, I exercise enough, eat healthy and little and I haven't had a drop of alcohol this month (!) ha ha!
Thanks anyway for all the advice from these healthy guys (all in their fifties?)
Otherwise, groups have spontaneously emerged that train on them, which might be nice to join.
I am 80 years old, eat a lot of ginger and garlic, basil and marun, vitamin b2 twice a day. 12 glasses of wishky every evening. 2 years ago I came to Thailand, weighed 10 kilos, now 80 kilos. Drink 98 liters of water every day, no rainwater, luckily I have a clear mind and still take a dip once a month.
An hour of sleep every afternoon. Go to bed at 10 o'clock in the morning and get up at 6 o'clock in the morning. I advise everyone to take cetam piracetam 400 mg, then you stay clear of mind. And don't forget parsley for crushing kidney stones, are now gone from me.
Greetings Leen.Egberts.
I am 73 years old, live alone, have no wife, no sex, do not drink and do not smoke.
I move by keeping my terrain 5 rai clean and sound.
I do use a lot of herbs in my food, namely Nigellaseed, Fenugreek and hop extract.
And I eat whatever I like.
Recently took a test with a doctor in Chanthaburi and everything was fine, blood sugar, glorysterol and estrogen levels were good and I also feel fine.
We'll look again next year.