But the truth is that for men, hormonal fluctuations are just as inevitable during middle age and beyond as for women. For many guys, none feels more dramatic than the decline in the hormone testosterone. You probably associate testosterone with libido and sex drive, but this sex hormone also monitors1 bone mass, fat distribution, muscle mass, strength, and the production of red blood cells and sperm. Low testosterone can certainly drain sex drive, but a deficiency can also increase body fat, decrease muscle and bone mass, crash your energy levels, leave you feeling depressed, and impair cognitive function; all things you 2don’t2 want2 to experience when you’re aging. As a medical doctor who focuses on gut health, I often see male patients who are overweight, overworked, don’t sleep well, and have gut imbalances—a surefire recipe for low testosterone. These men end up in the vicious cycle of dependence on medications to treat the symptoms, without getting to the root cause. Yet even when some men do everything correctly—eat clean, do intermittent fasting, exercise, sleep, minimize toxin exposure, meditate, and control stress levels—they might still need and feel best with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Some researchers argue we lack studies supporting its long-term safety, and overall studies are varied, but for many men TRT can help restore testosterone6 and regain this hormone’s many benefits. But for most of us, diet and lifestyle go a long way, and they should always be the first steps toward regaining hormone balance. Want to learn more about nutrition and hormones? Take our Functional Nutrition Program with Kelly LeVeque and other top experts.
