The Decline of the Manly Man
Men’s testosterone levels have dropped 20% in one generation.
Since the late 1980s, testosterone levels in men have been plummeting at a rate of 1% per year. Sperm count too, has dropped 50–60% in the past 40 years. Not only do today’s men produce less sperm, but the sperm they produce is of lower quality. Grip strength (an obvious indicator of muscle strength, but also a measure of health), has declined by 20% over 30 years.
Testosterone is the dominant male sex hormone. It directs the male body to put on lean muscle, to grow a beard, to deepen the voice, and to boost libido and sexual function.
Women have testosterone too, but in comparatively small quantities. Notwithstanding the fact that modern society openly welcomes various gender and sexual orientations, within the world of endocrinology and “male hormones”, testosterone is king.
Hormones act as our internal keys, turning on and off various biological processes, including our metabolism, how we grow and look, how we behave, and also what we desire. Our endocrine system is extraordinarily complex. Any hormonal imbalance can throw our body out of whack, not unlike a large symphony orchestra, in which an out of tune instrument can ruin the performance.
What happens when a man’s testosterone declines?
Age-related testosterone decline is typical and expected. But when nosediving levels of testosterone become widespread and are independent of aging, we are headed for uncharted waters.
Typical side effects of low testosterone:
- Lower sex drive, poorer erections, and poor sexual performance
- Depressed mood, lack of energy, and fatigue
- Moodiness
- Loss of muscle mass, bone mass, and strength
- Obesity and possible breast development
- Lower sperm count and decreased fertility
Men with lower testosterone also suffer from higher comorbidities, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and Type 2 diabetes.
Even young adult men are now suffering from lower than normal testosterone levels. Low energy, like wanting to lay on the couch and watch a screen all day, may look like depression, but it is also synonymous with low testosterone. Indeed, testosterone helps motivate us, give us energy, drive, cognitive clarity, and innovation.
As one can imagine, testosterone decline on a grand scale is a significant problem, not only for individuals, but for society.
Why are we seeing a significant drop in testosterone now?
- Obesity. Body Mass Index (BMI) — a metric for obesity — began to skyrocket in the 1980s. Today, nearly half of Americans are obese or overweight. This is a nasty spiral, as obesity can lead to reduced testosterone, but also lower testosterone can lead to obesity. We are eating more, exercising less, and getting much fatter than previous generations. Indeed, a Harvard University publication argued that waist circumference is a greater predictor of low testosterone than age. Along with waist circumference come many of the low testosterone symptoms listed above. However, a recent Israeli study showed that obesity may not be the primary driver of general testosterone decline. Other studies have confirmed this finding — suggesting that obesity alone is not a sufficient cause for population declines in testosterone.
- Environmental. Increased pesticide use and exposure to products that have estrogenic effects, like BPA in plastic bottles — which disrupts the hormone activity of the body — can have a profound effect on testosterone levels. The Environmental Working Group (one of the most trusted sources of information on environmental toxins), lists the “dirty dozen” endocrine disruptors. Exposure to these compounds, or ingestion of them, can result in increased estrogen levels and lower testosterone levels. One example is the herbicide atrazine, widely used on corn crops in the US and routinely found in tap water. When frogs are exposed to atrazine, they “feminize”, and not only that — male frogs can turn into female frogs! Another study points to increased radio frequency effects from cellphones, laptops, and wireless devices, as contributing to hormonal imbalances.
- Lifestyle and Stress. We know that exercise, and especially resistance training involving large muscle groups, like one’s legs, increases testosterone. Less manual labour and office jobs that involve more sitting and less movement can, in theory, result in lower testosterone. With today’s modern life and constant stimuli, many men (and women, of course) are suffering from chronically high levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol and testosterone are both produced from the prohormone pregnenolone. If we have high levels of circulating cortisol because of stress, we have less pregnenolone to convert to testosterone.
- Society. A more controversial observation is the lack of reward that masculinity enjoys within modern society. The slogan “toxic masculinity” is tossed about in pop culture, yet we now know that the mind-body connection is very real. What we think and believe about ourselves can impact our physiology. When we win at a competition (even non-physical games), feel good about our social status, or feel a sense of personal empowerment, we get a testosterone boost. A most fascinating study considered how traditional male and female gender stereotypes — in which males were rewarded for power and dominance — may have actually stimulated testosterone production in men. Are there changes in today’s world that are now reducing this effect?
Do we need normal testosterone levels in men?
It’s a valid question, yet one that has a fairly easy answer: “yes”. First, low testosterone is linked to a variety of health ailments and disease processes. Second, testosterone is an essential evolutionary attribute that motivates our species to improve, compete, and procreate. Both men and women have it.
Hormones, and namely testosterone, help make the world go round with respect to our survival. According to the American Psychological Association, women find masculine men more desirable during female ovulation (even if the masculine males are not their partners), and men with high testosterone tend to seek out more feminine looking women. These hardwired ancient evolutionary mechanisms seem to be working behind the scenes without our knowledge or control. Regardless of how we may feel about the theme, the manly-man enjoys high evolutionary breeding value in a fertile female’s brain.
What to do about low testosterone.
If you suspect you have low testosterone, consult your physician. Of course, there are lifestyle factors that can improve testosterone, like diet, exercise, proper sleep, drinking less alcohol, and stress-management; these measures are good for all of us. However, a medical doctor is required to supervise any endocrine interventions and must act as the “conductor” for your hormone “orchestra”. Tuning one of the “instruments” (hormones) in the body can alter others, so hormone levels must be measured and monitored. There are several medical interventions for low testosterone, including topical gels and creams, injections, and pellets, which are small rice-sized implants that are put under the skin every few months. Your physician may prescribe prohormones or estrogen blockers, or any combination thereof.
If current trends continue, we are in for interesting times, not only for individual health, but also public health. It appears that testosterone is declining as our modern world accelerates. We need to become more informed and more aware of our biology and the various mind-body and environmental connections that make us who we are. Our very survival may well depend on it.
