About this video

• Video Title: Derek from MPMD: How To Fix Low Testosterone Naturally (At Any Age)
• Channel: FoundMyFitness
• Speakers: Dr. Layne Norton, Derek (More Plates More Dates)
• Duration: 03:12:34

Overview

In this comprehensive discussion, Dr. Layne Norton and Derek from More Plates More Dates explore the multifaceted topic of testosterone, its role in male and female health, how it's measured, factors affecting it, and the implications of hormone replacement therapy (TRT). They also touch upon hair loss and its connection to androgens, and the potential effects of various medications and lifestyle choices on hormone levels.

Key takeaways

• Testosterone's Essential Roles: Testosterone is crucial for men's health, impacting muscle and bone integrity, neurological function, and sexual differentiation. It also plays a role in women's health, though at a much lower concentration.
• Measuring Testosterone: Total and free testosterone levels are important, but interpretation should consider symptoms, timing of tests (ideally morning), and potential confounding factors. Repeat testing is recommended before making treatment decisions.
• Factors Affecting Testosterone: Lifestyle factors such as obesity, poor diet (low fat, low carb), lack of sleep, alcohol consumption, and excessive endurance training can negatively impact testosterone levels.
• Supplements and Their Effectiveness: While Vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium are generally beneficial, particularly if deficient, other supplements like Tongkat Ali and Ashwagandha show promise through different mechanisms, though research varies.
• TRT Considerations: TRT can be beneficial for individuals with clinically low testosterone and symptoms, but careful monitoring of biomarkers and understanding of administration methods is crucial to manage potential risks like increased red blood cell count and changes in lipid profiles.
• Hair Loss and Androgens: DHT is a primary driver of androgenic alopecia in genetically susceptible individuals. While minoxidil can stimulate hair growth, inhibiting DHT is key to preventing miniaturization, with finasteride and dutasteride being common pharmaceutical interventions, each with its own risk-reward profile.
• Women's Hormone Health: Similar principles of diet, lifestyle, and micronutrient intake apply to women's hormone health. However, hormone replacement therapy in women requires careful consideration due to the lack of FDA-approved testosterone treatments in the US and the potential for irreversible side effects like voice deepening.

Here are 20 claims made in the video:

1. Testosterone is critically supportive of an array of physiological functions in men.
2. Testosterone plays a functional role in women's health, although at a significantly lower concentration than in men.
3. There's a potential trade-off between higher testosterone levels and longevity, with androgens potentially being neurotoxic at supra-physiological levels and causing negative cardiac remodeling.
4. Castrati, individuals castrated before puberty, suffered from osteoporotic outcomes due to a lack of sufficient aromatization into estrogen.
5. Total testosterone reflects total production, including testosterone bound to proteins, while free testosterone is biologically active and readily available for tissues.
6. The optimal time to measure testosterone levels is in the morning, as testosterone secretion follows a diurnal rhythm with a peak in the early morning.
7. Reference ranges for testosterone should be considered alongside symptoms, as individual responses to hormones can vary due to receptor sensitivity and genetic factors.
8. Primary hypogonadism, where testes do not respond adequately to signals, may present with high gonadotropins, while secondary hypogonadism can involve inadequate signaling from the pituitary or hypothalamus.
9. High Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) levels can reduce free testosterone and free DHT, potentially impacting androgenic activity.
10. Age, liver health, medications (especially oral contraceptives), and insulin signaling can influence SHBG levels, with ketogenic diets potentially increasing SHBG and lowering free testosterone.
11. Symptoms of low testosterone in men can include decreased libido, poor erection quality, difficulty maintaining muscle mass, irritability, and mood dysregulation.
12. Lifestyle factors that can accelerate testosterone decline include alcohol consumption, smoking, poor sleep, and being obese.
13. A diet deficient in fat or carbohydrates can negatively impact hormone production and free hormone levels.
14. Micronutrients like Vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium are crucial for hormone health, and deficiencies can impact testosterone production and utilization.
15. Excessive endurance training, especially in a calorie deficit, can lead to a state of hypogonadism due to the body's stress response and malnourishment.
16. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in plastics and pollution are believed to affect hormone levels, although their impact magnitude may be less significant than lifestyle factors for most individuals.
17. Resistance training is considered the most impactful form of exercise for boosting testosterone, with adherence to a consistent exercise regimen being key.
18. Boron may help lower SHBG levels, potentially increasing free testosterone, while Ashwagandha can help manage cortisol and stress, indirectly benefiting testosterone.
19. Tongkat Ali may increase testosterone by suppressing SHBG and upregulating steroidogenesis locally in the testes.
20. TRT can help alleviate hypogonadal symptoms, but the choice of administration method (injection, cream, oral) impacts stability, risk profile, and adherence, with more frequent or stable delivery methods generally being preferred for minimizing side effects.

Here are some topics and tags based on the video content:

Here's a summary of everything discussed about zinc in the video:

• Key Micronutrient: Zinc is identified as one of the top three micronutrients (along with magnesium and vitamin D) that can significantly impact testosterone levels, especially if one is deficient.
• Dietary Source: While zinc can be obtained through diet, the video suggests that many people may not get sufficient amounts naturally.
• Supplementation: Zinc is commonly found in multivitamins, but the quantity included might not always be adequate. The video implies that supplementing with zinc can be beneficial for hormone optimization.
• Impact on Testosterone: Adequate zinc levels are considered important for testosterone production and/or the body's response to testosterone.
• ZMA Mention: Zinc is noted as a component of ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium, Aspartic Acid), one of the first combination supplements recognized for potentially boosting testosterone.

Here are the chapters from the video, with corresponding numbers:

1. Introduction (00:00:00)
2. Why is testosterone essential for men? (00:01:58)
3. The role of testosterone in women’s health (00:04:19)
4. Does higher testosterone shorten lifespan? (00:06:00)
5. What the castrati reveal about testosterone and longevity (00:09:19)
6. Free vs. total testosterone—what’s the difference? (00:12:15)
7. Best practices for measuring and interpreting testosterone levels (00:15:49)
8. Reference ranges or symptoms—which matters more? (00:18:36)
9. When is high testosterone a red flag? (00:21:58)
10. What LH and FSH reveal about testosterone production (00:23:40)
11. Could high SHBG levels be limiting your testosterone? (00:28:19)
12. Why SHBG increases with age—and how diet and lifestyle accelerate it (00:32:10)
13. Key symptoms of low testosterone in men (00:36:52)
14. Is alcohol sabotaging your testosterone levels? (00:39:54)
15. Why low-fat and low-carb diets might lower testosterone (00:42:46)
16. Common micronutrient mistakes hurting hormone levels (00:43:25)
17. How excess body fat impacts testosterone (00:45:19)
18. When endurance training goes too far (00:48:46)
19. Are endocrine disruptors truly harming male hormones? (00:53:09)
20. Debunking myths about declining testosterone in men (00:55:50)
21. Why dietary fat is essential for hormone health (00:58:39)
22. Is a ketogenic diet bad for testosterone? (01:01:02)
23. Which type of exercise boosts testosterone most? (01:02:17)
24. Do vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium actually help? (01:04:49)
25. Does boron significantly raise free testosterone? (01:09:09)
26. Ashwagandha’s true potential for testosterone enhancement (01:10:18)
27. Is Tongkat Ali the best herbal testosterone booster? (01:14:32)
28. Tongkat Ali or boron—which is superior? (01:18:24)
29. Shilajit, Tribulus, Fenugreek—do they actually work? (01:19:52)
30. The four best supplements to raise testosterone levels (01:21:06)
31. Dutch test vs. blood test—which is better for cortisol? (01:22:50)
32. When should you consider testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)? (01:24:05)
33. What realistic benefits can TRT provide? (01:31:55)
34. Does TRT raise heart disease and erythrocytosis risk? (01:35:07)
35. Creams vs. injections (01:44:56)
36. Does TRT increase prostate cancer risk? (01:46:20)
37. Hair loss, acne, sleep apnea—what are TRT’s real side effects? (01:48:34)
38. The rollercoaster effect of testosterone injections (01:51:14)
39. Could low testosterone be riskier than TRT? (01:53:48)
40. Choosing the right TRT delivery method (01:57:11)
41. Do smaller, more frequent injections reduce risks? (02:03:49)
42. Can you maintain fertility while on TRT? (02:05:45)
43. Why TRT quickly shrinks testicles (02:13:45)
44. Key biomarkers you must track on TRT (02:15:12)
45. Testosterone therapy for women—symptoms, ranges, and risks (02:24:30)
46. Can DHEA supplements safely raise testosterone in women? (02:34:22)
47. What actually causes hair loss? (02:37:20)
48. Does your maternal grandfather determine your hairline? (02:43:33)
49. Why stopping hair loss means accepting risks (02:44:21)
50. How effective are ketoconazole, minoxidil, and microneedling? (02:53:27)
51. Topical vs. oral minoxidil—how do side effects compare? (02:56:28)
52. Is microneedling effective without minoxidil? (02:59:33)
53. Do finasteride and dutasteride alter brain chemistry? (03:02:24)
54. Finasteride and the nocebo effect—are side effects imagined? (03:03:36)
55. Does minoxidil delay baldness or just mask it? (03:05:10)
56. Can dutasteride extend your lifespan? (03:06:39)

The video suggests that excessive endurance training can negatively affect testosterone levels. The proposed mechanism is that when training exceeds an individual's capacity to recover, especially if they are in a calorie deficit or not fueling themselves adequately, the body enters a state of malnourishment and stress. This can lead to a shutdown of non-essential systems, including hormone production, as the body prioritizes survival. The video uses the analogy of female athletes experiencing amenorrhea due to excessive training and calorie restriction, indicating a similar hormonal suppression response.