TestoFuel Blog : Make Gains & Pack on the Muscle
How do you know if your testosterone levels are ticking over at the level a man in his prime should expect? Or whether you’re running the risk of the dreaded low T?
You check. That’s how.
Checking your testosterone levels is important for all men. Even if you feel full of energy and you’re six pack abs are still glistening in the afternoon sun for all to see, things can change almost overnight.
And if you’re not feeling yourself and low on energy, motivation and strength, you should make a health check your priority.
With symptoms of low T ranging from higher risk of metabolic illness and belly fat, to muscle loss and disappearing libido, it’s important that you catch a change in hormones early.
In this article we tell you how you can check testosterone levels and optimize both your health and your performance.
Testosterone (T) is referred to as the primary male hormone for a few reasons.
Produced in the Leydig cells of your testes, it works as a natural steroid hormone. What’s referred to as an ‘androgenic anabolic’.
It plays a number of roles in a man’s body, which include:
As soon as you hit puberty, your testosterone levels spike dramatically.
You’re looking at a huge 300-1000 ng.dL flowing through your blood from the age of late teens right through to your early thirties.
During that time you enjoy all of the benefits. You’re strong, confident and lean. You enjoy loads of sex too as you’re attractive to potential mates and can perform well multiple times per day.
And then it hits…
Unless you’ve followed a lifestyle of pure health and physical performance, your testosterone levels will begin to dribble away as soon as you reach 30 years of age.
It’s just part of the natural ageing process.
On average you can expect to experience a fall in hormone levels by around 1-2% per year.
And unless you put the brakes on, you’re looking at clinically low hormone levels by the time you hit the tender age of 45.
If you allow your T levels to slide away, you’ll soon begin to experience a number of unwanted side effects.
As you dip under the lower threshold of 300 ng.dL, you run the risk of the following:
The bottom line is that if you check your testosterone levels you can put steps in place to correct it. If you aren’t testing you’re guessing – so its important that you know whats happening to your hormones, especially if you find yourself on the wrong side of 30.
Key Point: Testosterone is the primary male hormone responsible for regulating and maintaining both health and physical performance.
If you suspect that your hormone levels aren’t where they should be, you can order some blood tests from your health practitioner. It’s a simple procedure that’ll give you a good idea of where your testosterone is and the risk factors that come with lower-than-optimal concentrations.
What does it involve?
That’s it.
Simple.
The blood is whisked away and then analyzed in a lab. Within a few days you’ll have a detailed report on not just testosterone, but other important health-based blood markers too.
Check out our more detailed breakdown of testosterone blood tests here.
For whatever reason you either don’t want to or can’t get to your health practitioner. To be fair who can blame you?
Many men don’t like going to see their doctor.
Does this mean you’re left alone, in the dark, wondering what the state of your hormones is?
No.
Because you can also check testosterone levels at home too.
There are various companies that offer an ‘at home’ blood test kit. And while they can be expensive and take time to get your results, they do provide an option for those that’d rather avoid the more clinical setting of a doctor’s surgery or hospital.
Testosterone levels can fluctuate massively throughout day so chances are, your home testing kit will have specific instructions on when and how to do the test.
Some even provide the option of saliva testosterone testing for those that hate needles. And while this is a great idea at face value, you need to be aware that it isn’t as reliable as a blood check.
If you’re experiencing a significant drop in libido or sexual performance, it could be down to deceased testosterone. Remember, as your primary male hormone, it’s responsible for making sure you can stand to attention without issue.
Higher testosterone levels are associated with more frequent, stronger erections and stamina of a porn star in the bedroom.
If you’re watching what you eat and still exercising but find yourself staring down at an ever-growing belly, your testosterone levels are probably low. Same if you’re experiencing an unexplained loss of muscle mass and strength.
Testosterone helps regulate muscle cells by elevating protein synthesis.
And because fat cells store the enzymes responsible for converting testosterone into estrogen, an increase in body fat will result in much lower anabolic hormone levels. Which of course means more fat.
It’s a perpetual cycle you really need to avoid.
The old you that was bursting full of vigor and motivation has slowly been replaced by a guy that would rather just crash on the sofa and have an early night.
A lack of energy can be a telltale sign of low T.
That’s because your hormones help to convert the food you eat into usable energy. And when they aren’t working properly you struggle to find that vitality and zest that you’re well-known for.
Lastly, a big warning sign (that kind of falls in line with a lack of energy) is a sudden change in your mood. If you’re feeling depressed or anxious or any other negative emotions, you should check testosterone levels.
Low testosterone can affect both your health and well-being. That’s without mentioning the significant effects it can have on physical and cognitive performance.
Simple blood tests from your doctor can help you check testosterone levels. And with the popularity of ‘at home’ testing kits on the increase, you can even do it in the comfort of your own front room. Be aware though, these can be expensive, uncomfortable and you’ll probably need to wait a while for your results though.
Once you’ve identified any issues (low testosterone is when your levels fall to and below 300 ng.dL) the next stage is to repair them with a healthy lifestyle, some exercise and testosterone boosting foods and supplements.
