About this video

• Video Title: Can We Recreate the Effects of Steroids Naturally?
• Channel: Ben Winney
• Speakers: Ben Winney
• Duration: 00:28:03

Overview

This video explores natural methods to potentially mimic the effects of anabolic steroids, focusing on optimizing the body's own androgen production and function. The speaker discusses various lifestyle factors, including sleep, light exposure, nutrition, exercise, stress management, and avoiding endocrine disruptors, explaining how each can influence hormone levels and overall health.

Key takeaways

• Androgen Basics: Androgens are steroid hormones that bind to the Androgen receptor, influencing muscle building, masculinization, aggression, competitiveness, glucose metabolism, and body composition, ultimately improving sports performance.
• Natural Androgen Optimization: To increase natural androgens, one should aim for high total and free androgens, high Androgen receptor expression and sensitivity, and low anti-androgens, while acknowledging the body's tendency towards homeostasis.
• Sleep is Crucial: Testosterone production is significantly tied to the circadian rhythm and occurs mostly during sleep. Poor sleep can lower testosterone, increase cortisol, and lead to metabolic issues like insulin resistance.
• Light Environment: Aligning your internal clock with the natural daylight cycle by getting morning sunrise and evening sunset exposure, and minimizing blue light exposure at night, is vital for hormonal health.
• Nutrition and Gut Health: Maintaining a healthy body fat percentage, consuming adequate healthy fats, ensuring sufficient micronutrients (especially zinc, magnesium, vitamin D, boron, and selenium), and optimizing gut health are critical for testosterone production.
• Exercise and Stress Management: Regular, non-excessive exercise, particularly weightlifting, can boost testosterone. Managing stress and lowering cortisol through mindfulness, relaxation techniques, and social connection is also key.
• Avoiding Toxins: Minimizing exposure to endocrine disruptors found in plastics, tap water, fragrances, and certain pesticides is important for fertility and sex hormone balance.

The micronutrients that appear to be most important for testosterone production are:

• Zinc: Found in oysters, beef, lamb, spinach, pumpkin seeds, and cashews.
• Magnesium: Found in spinach, almonds, black beans, avocado, and dark chocolate.
• Vitamin D: Can be obtained from sunlight exposure (midday sun) and fatty fish.
• Boron: Found in raisins, prunes, bananas, and beans.
• Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, fish, eggs, and sunflower seeds.

It's recommended to consume a variety of these nutrient-rich foods, with animal-based sources often having higher bioavailability.

Other common sources of endocrine disruptors include:

• Tap water: Can contain various chemicals that disrupt hormones.
• Fragrances: Often found in perfumes, cleaning products, and personal care items.
• Hygiene products: Many conventional soaps, lotions, and cosmetics contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
• Pesticides: Residues on food or environmental exposure.
• Certain natural products high in phytoestrogens: Such as tea tree oil.