According to experts at the Cleveland Clinic, “When it comes to testosterone levels, odds are you don’t measure up to your father. Studies show that age-specific testosterone levels in men have been in a slow and consistent decline for several decades.”

In other words, the average level of testosterone for a 45, 55 or 65-year-old man is lower than that of a man of the same age in 2010 — which was lower than that of a man of the same age in 2000!

The question is — why are testosterone levels declining so dramatically? And is there anything you can do to support your testosterone levels?

Why men’s testosterone levels have dropped

While T levels decline with age, maintaining hormonal balance is more complex. Problems in one area of your health can sneak up and lead to problems in the endocrine system (headquarters for hormonal health).

Three health problems, in particular, have risen to almost epidemic proportions in the U.S. in the past several years, and they all have one thing in common — they can tank testosterone levels…

#1 – Type 2 diabetes

Testosterone is required to help all of the tissues in your body take up blood sugar in response to insulin. It’s no wonder then that men with low T levels are far more likely to have insulin resistance, meaning their bodies have to churn out more insulin to to keep their blood sugar in the normal range.

According to the American Diabetes Association, “If you have Type 2 diabetes, you are twice as likely to suffer from low testosterone as a man without diabetes.”

#2 – Liver problems

Studies show that men with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD (a condition where there is an excess buildup of triglycerides in the liver), have reduced total testosterone.

Untreated, NAFLD can progress to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and after that, possibly cirrhosis. 75 percent to 90 percent of men with these conditions experience extremely low T.

#3 – Obesity

Obesity is also a driving force behind the low T epidemic. One study showed that 30 percent of overweight men had low T, versus just six percent of those with weight in the normal range

Estrogen dominance can cause abdominal weight gain. That’s because elevated estrogen levels signal the body to reduce testosterone production and store more fat.

Estrogen dominance is a condition that occurs when fake estrogens disrupt hormonal balance and surprisingly can cause health problems for both men and women. In men, low T can impact stamina, muscle tone and prostate health as well as weight gain.

How to fight testosterone theft

While men’s testosterone levels have been under assault for quite a while now, you’re not powerless to do something about it…

First and foremost is to ensure you don’t fall victim to any of the three health conditions that make you a target for low T and declining health.

Many of the steps you can take to improve your health can also improve your testosterone levels, including:

High-intensity interval training and resistance training seem to be especially effective at boosting testosterone.

Eating a high-quality diet of protein, fruits and vegetables and healthy fats is also important (a keto diet has shown real benefits for Low T).

Stress management reduces the stress hormone cortisol which can cause weight gain and lower testosterone.

But you also need to face up to fake estrogens which are almost inescapable in our environment. Luckily, there’s a way to flush them out of your body…

The secret is a compound called Di-Indole Methane, or DIM for short, which is found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage.

DIM can reduce estrogen levels in the body by stimulating the breakdown of estrogen in beneficial metabolites.

But it takes far more of this little compound than what you can get by sitting down to a dinner packed with veggies.

In fact, it would take a minimum of three pounds of broccoli every day to grab all of DIM’s hormone-supporting benefits. Fortunately, the nutrient is available in supplement form.

Sources:

Why Are Testosterone Levels Decreasing? – Cleveland Clinic

Low Testosterone – American Diabetes Association

8 Major Factors That Cause Low Testosterone Levels – Men’s Health

Low Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism) – Cleveland Clinic

Testosterone in men with advanced liver disease: Abnormalities and implications – Wiley Online Library

Low Testosterone in Males May Warrant Liver Health Assessment and Intervention – NIH

Relevance of low testosterone to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – NIH

Low Testosterone and Your Health – WebMD

Responses of sex steroid hormones to different intensities of exercise in endurance athletes – The Physiological Society

Endocrinological Roles for Testosterone in Resistance Exercise Responses and Adaptations – NIH

Testosterone-Associated Dietary Pattern Predicts Low Testosterone Levels and Hypogonadism – MDPI

Manipulation of Dietary Intake on Changes in Circulating Testosterone Concentrations – MDPI

Low-fat diets and testosterone in men: Systematic review and meta-analysis of intervention studies – Science Direct

Stress, cortisol, and other appetite-related hormones: Prospective prediction of 6-month changes in food cravings and weight – Wiley Online Journal