Friday, October 17, 2008

Testosterone Deficiency and Obesity

I. Introduction
Testosterone and testosterone deficiency
Testosterone is a male hormone. Besides promoting libido it has other important functions such as maintaining muscle mass and forming bone, regulating heart muscle and cholesterol. It also helps to improve the oxygen levels throughout the body as well as controlling blood glucose and strengthening the immune system. Starting at age 40, levels of testosterone start to diminish, the levels of the by-product prolactin of testosterone of men increases, stimulating the production of the enzyme 5-alpha reductase that causes the conversion of testosterone to gihydro-testosterones DHT thus triggering low levels of testosterone(source from testosterone deficiency and heart diseases).

Obesity
Obese men have high levels of both estrogen and estradiol, because of male hormones are being converted to estrogen when fat cells synthesize the aromatase enzyme. Study shows that fat tissues have been shown to aromatize testosterone resulting in increasing of estrogen.

II. Obesity caused by Testosterone Deficiency
Testosterone deficiency is caused by the production of aromataze enzyme in fat cells as well as in the intake of saturated fat.

1. Aging

Aging people have great difficulty in losing weight because starting at the age of 40 the levels of prolactin increases, stimulating the conversion of dihydro-testosterone resulting in increased levels of estrogen causing enlarged prostate and abdominal fat in some men.

2. Insulin resistance
Low levels of testosterone cause excess insulin in the bloodstream resulting in depletion of glucose and creating a cognition of reactive hypoglycemia that generates a constant craving for sugar. Too much insulin prevents the release of fat, in other words causing fat build up resulting in fat build up and obesity.

3. DHEA deficiency
DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) is a substance made by the adrenal gland. It is the precursor of the sex steroids estrogen and testosterone. DHEA has some male hormone effects and deficiency of DHEA contributes to fatigue, poor concentration and diminished overall body functions and fat build up.

4. Aromatase
Aromatase is an enzyme of the cytochrome P450 superfamily, whose function is to aromatize androgen and produce estrogen. As men age they produce greater amounts of aromatase enzymes that cause the conversion of testosterone into estrogen resulting in male hormone deficiency and obesity.

5. Vitamins and minerals deficiency
Vitamins and minerals are natural aromatase enzyme inhibitors helping to block the conversion of testosterone into excess estrogen. Vitamins and minerals deficiency levels block the pituitary gland from releasing lutein and follicle stimulation of hormone which stimulates the production of testosterone resulting in low levels of testosterone and insulin resistance as well as fat build up.

III. Symptoms of Obesity caused by Testosterone Deficiency
The obese men caused by testosterone deficiency have the: same symptom of the aging men as we mentioned in other articles, such as
1. Decreased sexual function
2. Loss of bone density
3. Graving for sugars
4. Loss of muscle mass
5. Overweight and abdominal fat
6. Memory loss
7. Poor concentration, etc.

IV. Prevention and treatment
Natural remedies used include foods, nutritional supplements, herbs and Chinese herbs that help to increase the levels of free testosterone and to lose weight.
1.Egg
Egg contains zinc, iron, vitamin A, antioxidants, protein and testosterone. The antioxidants and testosterone present in egg have an effect in testosterone-boosting ratio of saturated fat to polyunsaturated . The high amounts of vitamins B5 and B6 in egg also helps to balance the hormone levels in our body and fight stress. Overloading with eggs may increase levels of cholesterol but eating one egg a day is ideal for vitalizing and regenerative effects resulting in more production of testosterone.
2.
Cold water fish
Besides plenty of omega 3 and 6, cold water fish is an excellent source of vitamin A and zinc that helps the binding of sex hormones, specifically testosterone and estradiol.
3.
Yohimbe
Yohimbe contains the compound yohimbine that has been used as a major ingredient in several prescription drugs for impotence. Yohimbine helps impotence caused by poor circulation and emotional problems resulting in raising your testosterone levels and your libido
and reducing appetite.
4. Saw palmetto
Saw palmetto
helps to promote prostate health and increase sexual stimulation. It also helps estrogen and estrogen receptor activity resulting in a healthy hormone balance, thus increasing sexual desire in men.
5.Tongkat ali
Tongkat ali has been shown to raise testosterone by stimulating the leydig cells of the testicles to produce more testosterone. Tangkat ali also helps in supporting erectile function and ejaculatory function resulting in increased size of male penis and sexual desire.
6.Reishi
Reishi is a supreme protector that helps to strengthen the immune system, anti-forgoing stress, improves blood, and qi circulation and memory. Reishi also helps to protect the liver from toxins and protect the lungs from pollutants as a resulting of eliminating the surplus of estrogen and sex hormone binding globulin and helping the release of human growth hormone (HGH).
7. Horny Goat Weed
Horny goat weed contains a variety of flavonoids such as icariin that helps to relax the blood vessels leading to the penis, which allows them to expand resulting in stronger and harder erection. It also helps to treat low levels of testosterone and increased sexual desire at the same time.

8. Garlic
Garlic is one of nature's superfoods that helps lower levels of cholesterol, normalizes blood pressure and increases circulation of oxygen levels in bloodstream. Garlic is also a stimulant that helps to increase men's libido by promoting the production of sex hormone in the pituitary gland. Please consult with your doctor if you have any bleeding problems before taking garlic supplements.

9. Zinc and iron
Deficiency of zinc and iron causes the depletion of oxygen levels and poor circulation of the bloodstream as indirectly resulting in erectile dysfunction. Since zinc also promotes healthy prostate glands that increases the release of prostate fluids that helps to stimulate the sexual desire by increasing the production of levels of free testosterone.

10. Choromium picolinate
Choromium not only helps to stabilize blood glucose levels and stop the craving for sweets, it also helps to increase lean body as well as reducing insulin resistance.
11. DHEA
DHEA allows our body to create other hormones such as testosterone. The deficiency of DHEA causes the deficiency of other sex hormones resulting in loss of bone density, increasing of body mass, hardening of blood vessels, low sex drive.
It also help to boost the insulin growth factor resulting in weight loss.
12. L- carnitin
L-caritin helps to take the fatty acid inside the cells and burn them up.
13. Excersise
Walking 50 minutes a week will help to improve the circulation of oxygen levels in the bloodstream and increase the human growth hormone as well as helping to regulate the testosterone levels in the body.
14. Cut down intake of saturated fat and trans fat
Our brain needs fat to function better, but unhealthy diet that is high in saturated fat and trans fat causes not only the build up of the abdominal area but also increases the risk of hormone imbalance by stimulating the binding of sex hormone binding globulin which clogs up testosterone receptor sites resulting in low levels of free testosterone, sexual desire and overweight.

Finally
15. Stop smoking and reduce intake of acohol
Cigarette is a stimulant that not only increases heart beat but also causes the depletion of oxygen levels in the blood stream. It also increases binding of SHBG resulting in lowered levels of free testosterone and Excessive drinking impairs the function of liver resulting in hormone imbalance as well as increasing the levels of estrogen.
Click Here to Read More
I hope this information will help. If you need more information of the above subject, please visit my home page at:
http://medicaladvisorjournals.blogspot.com
http://testosteronexii.blogspot.com/