Testosterone Levels
As human beings we all require testosterone, both men and women and while both sexes require it and it is of vital importance men require quite a bit more. In-fact, while testosterone is naturally produced by all, men typically produce ten times the amount of their female counterparts but it is a very important hormone for both, one of the most important of all. The advent of increased and decreased testosterone levels can have a profound effect on the individual and depending on the direction it goes will determine if the effect is of a positive nature or not.
When testosterone levels are discussed the most common discussion revolves around low testosterone as this is a condition that affects many people, especially men. As we age our testosterone levels naturally decline and in many cases this decline can go beyond a desirable level of comfort. The manner in-which we live our life can have a profound effect on total levels, meaning, the healthier our lifestyle is the better the odds will be that we maintain a healthy state. However, many even with a healthy lifestyle will see their testosterone levels fall and many problems can and often do come along with it. While low testosterone is commonly discussed the advent of high testosterone levels is very commonly ignored; with six-million adults in the U.S. alone supplementing with anabolic steroids this is hardly a topic that doesn't deserve consideration. Let's take a look at both instances, low and high testosterone levels but before we do so we'll need a basic understanding of the hormone itself.
The Primary Androgen for All:
Testosterone is an androgen based hormone, in-fact it is the androgen and the hormone from which all anabolic androgenic steroids owe their life to. Produced naturally in the body by both men and women the production occurs in the testicles of men and primarily the ovaries of women. While the derived location of production is generally understood the origins of production do not begin in the testicles or ovaries but rely strongly on the pituitary gland and its release of both Luteinizing Hormone and Follicle Stimulating Hormones (LH & FSH) with LH being of paramount importance. As testosterone levels fall the pituitary then releases LH signaling the body to produce testosterone; without an adequate release of LH there will not be an adequate production of the testosterone hormone.
Once produced and its presence is made known testosterone plays and takes part in many functions throughout the body which include our muscular structure, our overall and general metabolic rate, sexual function and it even plays a massive role on our general mood and mental capacity. Those who have adequate testosterone levels are able to maintain just that, an adequate response in each and every area; of course other things in life can affect the total outcome but the ability for an adequate response is there should the individual live a life that promotes it. At the same time, individuals who possess high testosterone levels, levels that are beyond adequate or average will see each of these areas of responsibility greatly enhanced; some people, while rare at times will naturally have testosterone levels far beyond the average range but in most cases such levels can only be obtained through exogenous testosterone therapy. Conversely, those who suffer from low testosterone levels will see each area of responsibility severely diminished, they will suffer and often in each and every aspect. In such cases therapy is generally needed and in the strong majority of cases only exogenous testosterone therapy can provide relief.
Low Testosterone Levels:
The most common cause of low testosterone levels is simply age; we grow older and our natural testosterone production goes into decline. For most men this decline will begin to increase rapidly by the age of 40 and by the age of 50 it will really begin to decline. While a sharp decline is common by age 40 many men will begin to suffer in their 30's and while the majority will be fine a strong portion of the population is not. While age is often a leading factor there is one factor that often goes ignored in today's society and that is the lifestyle effect. Poor lifestyle choices have been shown to greatly diminish testosterone levels and in many cases men will suffer from low testosterone sooner or to a greater degree when such choices have been made. The common factors that promote low testosterone by the way of an individual's lifestyle include:
- Lack of Exercise & Physical Activity (Sedentary Lifestyle)
- Poor Diet
- Excess Body-Fat
- Lack of Sleep
- Regular Alcohol Consumption
When you look at this list it's not hard to see why so many suffer so greatly from low testosterone levels and such a condition can really cause some very bothersome problems. Whether or not your levels are low due to lifestyle choices, simply due to age or even a possible malfunctioning pituitary gland, common problems and symptoms that may indeed show include:
- Decreased Libido/Sex Drive
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Increased Body-Fat
- Loss of Muscle Mass
- Loss of Strength
- Decreased Energy Levels
- Decreased Clarity of Thought
- Depression
The good news is none of these symptoms are life-threatening; the bad news is low testosterone levels can lead and often open the door to more serious conditions that can often be life-threatening indeed. (See Andropause & Low Testosterone in Men for a full discussion.) For many men and while this goes without saying it still needs to be said; if they simply took better care of themselves so many low testosterone problems wouldn't exist. Even so, regardless of the cause testosterone therapy can eliminate the problem and if you suffer from low testosterone levels you are highly encouraged to seek remedy.
High Testosterone Levels:
While low testosterone levels can be disastrous high testosterone levels are nothing short of a welcomed trait by most any man who possesses them. High testosterone levels can simply be defined as levels that are above the normal or average range. In most cases such levels can only be obtained through the use of anabolic steroids but there are cases where an individual will naturally possess very high levels far beyond normal natural output. It should be noted, in-fact it's a very important note, defining high levels can be somewhat of a difficult task. The range of testosterone levels that is considered normal in medical practice is quite vast; “normal” levels can often range from as little as 350ng/dl all the way to nearly 700ng/dl and as you can see that's a massive difference. Of course age plays a factor in where the levels will be and most medical professionals will not consider a level to be low until it falls below 300ng/dl but this can at times be a bit problematic. If a man has held to a natural level of let's say 600ng/dl and then his total testosterone drops to only 400ng/dl he is going to notice a big difference and it's not going to be in an enjoyable way. Even so, regardless of this truth we can aptly say any testosterone level above 700ng/dl produced naturally or by synthetic means is a high testosterone level.
High testosterone levels while they can be very enjoyable provide no distinct medical advantage; there is no true medical purpose for such levels and generally speaking the only purpose is for performance enhancement. Men who have high testosterone can expect to see every aspect discussed above regarding low levels to be vastly improved, each and every area of responsibility becomes vastly improved; it truly becomes enhanced. Such enhancement can be translated into greater athletic performance and even an improvement on the visual condition of the physique. The bottom line is simple, high testosterone is the direct antithesis of low testosterone.
Increasing Testosterone:
When an individual increases his total testosterone it is almost always for one of two purposes; to treat a low testosterone condition or for performance enhancement and this should be fairly easy to see. In either case the solutions will be the same, direct testosterone increasing tools must be used and none is more powerful than the primary anabolic androgenic steroid testosterone. This can be achieved by various gels and creams and even transdermal patches to oral testosterone tablets and even subcutaneous implant pellets; however, injectable testosterone will always prove to be the most powerfully efficient and the direction most performance enhancers will need to go to see their testosterone levels dramatically rise.
Regardless of your purpose there is something you need to understand; increasing levels for the purpose of combating low testosterone is legal but increasing testosterone levels for the purpose of performance enhancement in countries such as the U.S. is not. In either case, legality aside the same hormone is used and often in the same form. Before you undertake any increasing plan you do however need to understand the law as it pertains to where you live and then and only then will you be able to begin making an educated decision.
While the mode of application may vary and you can guarantee the doses will be nowhere near the same between the two groups of people, in the end all are doing the exact same thing; supplementing with synthetic testosterone. It should be noted, depending on where you live the legality of what you are doing may vary. Treating low testosterone levels is legal in most all countries if you have a prescription, however, using testosterone for performance enhancing purposes is illegal in some countries and you need to understand how these laws work and read if you are going to undertake this process to ensure absolute safety.