Category Archives: Hormones

Diet & Nutrition, Gym Stuff, Hormones, Muscle Science, Reviews, Supplements and Products

Top 10 Supplements For Bodybuilders (2016)

August 25, 2016 Tristan

Ask any bodybuilder out there what supplements they are currently cycling through and you’re bound to get a different answer. What works for Joe doesn’t work for Harry. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of supplements on the market targeting the bodybuilding and weight lifting circuit. It’s easy to get lost as you try to figure out what’s legit vs. just a bunch of hype.

If you choose wisely, certain bodybuilding supplements will easily be worth more than their cost by helping you achieve hardcore results. A bodybuilder’s biggest mistake is to ignore the nutritional supplement aspect of the sport.

Here at Ripped Science, we pulled a team together and spent months researching hundreds of supplements and came down to this ultimate Top 10 list.

Are you ready for it? The countdown begins…

NUMBER TEN: GREEN TEA

WHICH TO BUY: If you’re looking for the best green tea extract, liquid is better than capsules. Our top pick for you is nothing other than Pure Inventions Green Tea Antioxidant Extract.

WHY USE IT: Simply stated, green tea is your tool to shred fat. Green tea elevates norepinephrine levels which prolongs thermogenesis. Translation? You will be turned into a fat-burning machine.

NUMBER NINE: MULTI-MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS

WHICH TO BUY: We zeroed in on a product called Solaray Mega Multi Mineral which contains several times the amount of amino acid content than ordinary products. This product is also “reacted” with whole rice concentrate opposed to soy or yeast.

WHY USE IT: If you’re training hard, which you should be, then consuming a multi-mineral supplement is a good idea to reduce the effects of excessive ROS and inflammation produced from the intense training. You don’t want to risk being deficient in anything, do you?

NUMBER EIGHT: FIBER SUPPLEMENTS

WHICH TO BUY: We’re big fans of Garden of Life products and they just so happen to have a product called Raw Fiber – Beyond Organic Fiber. It contains 15 Raw Organic Superfoods and is sure to keep you in tip-top shape…especially in the bathroom.

WHY USE IT: With all the caveman portions of protein you’re eating, it’s important to get in some good fiber to help you get rid of toxins and also to keep your digestion in line.

NUMBER SEVEN: ESTROGEN BLOCKERS

WHICH TO BUY: Our research pointed us in the right direction when we discovered Equalize by ACN. This product uses ground-breaking ingredients to enhance testosterone and stop testosterone from converting into estrogen. Two other products we recommend are AntlerX IGF-1 and Alphatropin for the ultimate stack.

WHY USE IT: I don’t know one bodybuilder that wants an above normal amount of estrogen. Yes, believe it or not, men do produce estrogen and it can wreak havoc on your gains. An estrogen blocker is imperative to keep your hormone levels balanced and minimize muscle loss.

NUMBER SIX: GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN

WHICH TO BUY: It wasn’t rocket science for us to figure out which supplement nails it when it comes to joint health. If you haven’t added Synotrex to your daily routine yet, better go grab it. NOW.

WHY USE IT: Every bodybuilder knows the importance of joint health. If you don’t support your joints, you might as well sit on the bench. Over time, if you skip joint health, it will be a huge (and I mean HUGE) regret!

NUMBER FIVE: POST-WORKOUT RECOVERY

WHICH TO BUY: The post-recovery workout powder we salute is BSN’s Amino X. This BCAA formula supports endurance during your workout and aids in muscle recover post-training. BOOM! You need this! Blue Raz is our favorite taste of the bunch.

WHY USE IT: All you hear about these days is pre-workout and how many scoops you took that day. But, equally important (if not more), is post-workout because if you don’t recover, how will you hit it harder and make gains? You follow me?

NUMBER FOUR: ANTIOXIDANTS

WHICH TO BUY: We searched high and low and finally found the supplement to win this category: Swanson Premium’s High Potency Antioxidants delivers a comprehensive collection of powerful antioxidants – including, vitamins C, E, selenium, SOD and more.

WHY USE IT: If your immune system is suffering, so are your workouts. You need antioxidants not only improve your immune system response, but to reduce oxidative stress. It’s time to challenge free radicals and stop them in their nasty tracks!

NUMBER THREE: OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

WHICH TO BUY: We love fish oil, but we don’t like fish oil supplements that are not tested for heavy metals or impurities. We also don’t like fish that aren’t wild-caught. Thankfully, there is a wonderful product by AMRAP Nutrition that is the Fish Oil of champions.

WHY USE IT: Fish oil is crucial to improve athletic recovery and is also an anti-inflammatory. Despite what you saw on a gym meme, you can definitely gain without the pain. Everyone knows that lubing up is always better! Your joints will thank you.

NUMBER TWO: CASEIN-WHEY PROTEIN

WHICH TO BUY: You need to care about the whey you use. If you don’t use whey from grass-fed cows…you’re going to screw up your hormone levels. Thankfully, on the 8th day God created Xwerks Grow – the cleanest, nutrient rich protein you can drink!

WHY USE IT: I’m not sure this one needs an explanation. If you don’t know that this helps up your daily protein intake, and is a staple for bodybuilders worldwide, then you must be a newbie. Hit the weights, kid!

NUMBER ONE: CREATINE

WHICH TO BUY: There are so many to choose from, but after a ton (and I mean a TON) of research, we decided that Optimum Nutrition’s Micronized Creatine Powder wins the gold medal prize. It’s packed with 99.9% pure creatine with no fillers or additives.

WHY USE IT: Adding this to your supplement regime is a no-brainer for bodybuilders. I’m not sure you can call yourself one if you don’t use it. In short, if you’re ready to have insane strength and power, this stuff is for you!

Gym Stuff, Hormones, Muscle Science, Supplements and Products

Bodybuilding 101: How Effective Are Steroids?

April 12, 2016 Tristan

One question that often plagues bodybuilders is whether or not to use steroids. They want to know how effective steroids actually are compared to staying natural. Also, they are concerned by the risks. By reading this, you’re taking an important step to educating yourself prior to answering this question for yourself.

HOW EFFECTIVE ARE STEROIDS?

Simply said, a “steroid” is an “anabolic steroid” which is a man-made substance that has similar effects to the body as testosterone, including increased muscle growth, strength, leanness and recovery.

While testosterone itself is the best known steroid, there are many others that are quite popular among athletes and bodybuilders, including:

Nandrolone
Stanozolol
Trenbolone
Oxandrolone
Deca Durabolin
Dianabol
Methandrostenolone
Boldenone
Oxymetholone
Drostanolone

Each of these have unique profiles in terms of potency, toxicity, side effects and synergism. They are combined in various ways to create different types of steroid “cycles” for different purposes and goals.

As I heard one popular bodybuilder say, “It takes a lot of hard work to build a top-tier physique, but it also takes a lot of drugs.”

The fact is that you can only build so much muscle and get so lean naturally.

One scientific study performed at Maastricht University found that during a period of 10 weeks, individuals who practiced resistance training while on anabolic steroids gained 4 to 11 pounds of lean muscle mass. Individuals who did weight training while using anabolic steroids gained 16 pounds of lean muscle mass in just 6 weeks.

There have been numerous studies on steroid use. The below graphic shows the results from a study at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.

43 men were divided into 4 groups
Group 1: Placebo with no exercise
Group 2: Testosterone with no exercise
Group 3: Exercise only
Group 4: Testosterone with exercise

All of the men were given a standardized diet to follow and the exercising subjects squatted and bench pressed three times per week for a total of twelve sets of six reps, with varying amounts of weights lifted in each workout. Muscle size was measured by MRI and strength was determined by actual one-rep maxes.

After 10 weeks, here’s what happened:

As you can see, the men who took testosterone and exercised gained 3x the amount of muscle mass compared to the men who exercised only.

As a sidenote: the men used 600 mg of testosterone per week, which is a moderate dosage by today’s standards.

RISKS OF STEROID USE

Steroids may not be as dangerous as some people think, yet anyone who uses steroids and thinks they are safe and harmless is “whistling past the graveyard.”

Some side effects of steroid use are reversible and some are not. Permanent damage is definitely possibly.

For example, reversible changes include testicular atrophy (shrinking), acne, cysts, oily hair and skin, elevated blood pressure and “bad” cholesterol levels, increased aggression and lowered sperm count.

Irreversible damage includes male pattern baldness, heart dysfunction, liver disease and gynecomastia (breast development aka “man boobs”).

Another downside of steroid use is the risk of biological and psychological addiction. 30% of steroid users develop a dependence syndrome. This occurs due to the “invincible” feeling while on a steroid cycle, opposed to the “low” they get on an off-cycle.

Some people argue that you can mitigate or even eliminate the risks of steroid use if you properly manage your drug cycles and health, but that is wishful thinking.

Every time you inject or swallow steroids, you put a lot of stress on your body and there’s a chance something can go very wrong.

In the end, the choice is yours.

Hormones, Muscle Science, Supplements and Products

Have a Testosterone Boosting Three Way: Part 2

January 30, 2015 Tristan

In our prior post, Have a Testosterone Boosting Three Way: Part 1, we covered the first step in naturally increasing testosterone levels – DIET.

I promised a post that shows a 3-step plan to help boost testosterone naturally. This formula has been successful for many guys, including myself, over the years. For some, it doubled their T levels within a 90-day period. We will cover this topic in a series of three posts so you get all the info without getting a migraine afterwards.

Testosterone levels are taking a nose dive. Studies have shown that the average male’s testosterone in today’s society is nearly 25% lower than in the 1980’s. Without the big T, men become infertile, impotent, docile, and weak.

The thing is, men’s testosterone levels in 2013 ranged from 270 – 1070 ng/dL. 100 years ago men’s testosterone levels were recorded to be between 800-2000 ng/dL!

This means that the men with “low testosterone” 100 years ago would be considered men with high testosterone now. This is an alarming statistic. And the trend is continuing each and every year! It is estimated that over 14 million men currently suffer with low testosterone levels.

The SECOND STEP to increase T naturally is: SUPPLEMENTS

While there are probably hundreds of different supplements on the market claiming they raise testosterone levels, not all of them actually produce the results you see in their ads and websites.

Another factor is where are these supplements being sourced? Even when you’re taking a regular vitamin, let’s say vitamin C, it’s important that you get this from a reputable company that is providing a natural source. Even when a vitamin is marked “natural”, it only has to include 10% of the actual natural plant-derived ingredients. The other 90% could be synthetic.

This is an important factor since what you put into your body is crucial for your health and longevity. I’m going to take this a step further and quickly discuss six categories of nutrients used in the manufacturing of vitamin supplements.

1. NATURAL SOURCE – These include nutrients from vegetable, animal or mineral sources, but prior to being bottled, they undergo significant processing and refining.

2. NATURE-IDENTICAL SYNTHETIC – This includes nutrients completely manufactured in a lab with the molecular structure identical to the same nutrients occurring in nature. Manufacturers often prefer this process because of the cost and scarcity of natural resources. Most standard vitamin supplements on the market today are this type.

3. STRICTLY SYNTHETIC – These nutrients are manufactured in a lab and are different than the same nutrients found in nature. Synthetic vitamins can have the same chemical constituents, but have different chemical compositions.

4. FOOD CULTURED – These are actually my preferred source and what I generally purchase for myself. This involves the same process behind cultured foods like yogurt, kefir, miso, and sauerkraut. Nutrient supplements are often grown in yeast or algae. Culturing in and of itself creates nutrients and can make them more bio-available.

5. FOOD BASED – One kind of food based supplement is made by enzymatically reacting synthetic and natural vitamins with extracts containing vegetable proteins and then making this into a supplement. This is not food cultured, because the nutrients are not grown into a whole food, as in the yeast/algae suspensions.

6. BACTERIAL FERMENTATION – This includes nutrients produced by genetically altering bacteria. Genetically altered bacteria can produce nutrient by-products.

One thing I’m going to say again, popping a few vitamins isn’t going to magically increase your T levels. This is a 3-part program. If you’re eating garbage and not exercising, no amount of supplements is going to help your testosterone levels reach optimal levels.

VITAMINS & MINERALS THAT NATURALLY BOOST T LEVELS

– Vitamin D3. Vitamin D3 actually isn’t a vitamin, it’s a hormone — a really important hormone that provides a whole host of health benefits. Our bodies can naturally make vitamin D from the sun, but recent studies have shown that many Westerners are vitamin D3 deprived because we’re spending less and less time outdoors. When we do decide to venture outside, we slather our bodies with sunscreen, which prevents the sun reaching our skin to kick-off vitamin D3 production. If you’re not getting enough sun, you may have a vitamin D3 deficiency, which may contribute to low T levels. Studies have shown that men who take this supplement see a boost in their testosterone levels. Because I live in the Pacific Nortwest — and the sun isn’t out most of the year — I take 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 in the morning and could probably take more. Tim Ferris from the 5 hour body recommends 6,000 IU upon waking and 6,000 IU at night. Keep in mind that it may take someone already deficient 6 months to return to baseline levels.

– Omega-3 Fish Oil (EPA and DHA). First and foremost, I’m very picky with my fish oil. I only buy wild caught and make sure it contains low mercury and heavy metals. Fish oil has been shown to lower SHBG and increase production of Luteinizing Hormone (the hormone responsible for triggering the testes to produce T). You want to make sure you have enough of the “good” fats to clear the gunk out of your blood. hey have been shown to reduce triglyceride levels while providing your body with the fat it needs to produce testosterone. Fish oil is also known to help improve mood, which is a nice bonus.

– Zinc. Studies on zincs supplementation suggest that zinc plays an important part in regulating serum testosterone levels in healthy men. Zinc is one of the most common mineral deficiencies in western countries, and even a mild zinc deficiency lowers sex drive, limits muscle gain potential, causes weight gain and hurts energy levels. Zinc is also a powerful aromatase inhibitor that will greatly reduce the conversion of testosterone to estrogen in the body.

– Magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is another widespread problem in our country. While this makes you prone to stress and muscle cramps, it also starves your body’s endocrine system of a vital mineral it needs for testosterone production. We wrote another article on how magnesium alone can send your testosterone levels through the roof. You have to check it out. Aim to get 400 mg daily.

– Vitamin C. Vitamin C reduces cortisol in your body. This is a very good thing. Less cortisol = more ability to produce testosterone and vice versa. So taking your vitamin C, along with de-stressing, will promote a natural anabolic environment in your body. Aim for 1,000 mg daily.

– Vitamin A. Vitamin A has been shown to increase testosterone levels in men by means of the suppression of estrogen levels. When your estrogen levels are high this causes a decrease in testosterone production. Blocking this production with Vitamin A will allow your testosterone to flourish.

– ZMA. Since Magnesium and Zinc both raise your test levels, it makes sense that taking a combination supplement like ZMA will work for you. The collaboration of these two supplements has been proven to increase the deepness of your REM cycles, which will raise your testosterone levels.

– DHEA. One alternative to straight testosterone replacement is to boost the levels of the hormones that stimulate testosterone production instead. DHEA, for example, is a “parent hormone” made in the adrenal gland and testes, which changes into testosterone in men and estrogen in women. One solution to low testosterone is DHEA supplements, which naturally raise the body’s serum androstenedione levels with is a 19-carbon steroid hormone that is an intermediate step in the biochemical pathway that produces the androgen testosterone and the estrogens estrone and estradiol. A DHEA clinical study found that DHEA supplementation significantly increased strength and lean body mass.

– Tribulus Alatus (T-Alatus). Not to be confused with its relative, Tribulus Terrestris, this special herb was proved in a study to significantly increase the level of free serum testosterone. Tribulus Alatus is also great for muscle building and strength enhancement.It also boosts your immune support from its high antioxidant qualities. Tribulus Alatus is said to be slightly more effective than Terrestris because it contains 6 unique steroidal saponins. The dosage is in the range of 350mg to 500mg. Also, make sure is it pure Alatus and not a scaled down extract version.

– Allicin Garlic. In a garlic clinical study found that garlic supplementation increases testicular testosterone and decreases plasma corticosterone. During the study, diets with different protein levels were tested to conclude that garlic boosts testosterone on a high protein diet.

– Vitamin E. One vitamin E clinical study found that after oral vitamin E supplementation, normal male subjects had a significant rise in basal plasma testosterone. The results concluded that vitamin E may play and important role in hormone production in the pituitary-gonadal area in humans.

NATURAL HERBS THAT NATURALLY BOOST T LEVELS

– Tongkat Ali Extract – Tongkat ali extract is both clinicaly proven to increase your testosterone levels through the production of leydig cells, and to increase your free testosterone levels by means of lower SHGB levels. This way, you are available to use all the hard earned testosterone you are producing with the steps above. (See all these studies and more here). It is one of the most easily faked supplements on the web, so make sure you are getting tongkat ali extract and not tongkat ali root powder. They look exactly the same. The extract strength is best at 1:200 and it has to be from Indonesia.

NATURAL SUPPLEMENT THAT NATURALLY BOOSTS T LEVELS

– D-Aspartic Acid. D-aspartic acid is all the rage in bodybuilding right now. It is an amino acid that has a dramatic effect on your testosterone levels. Many users report seeing a rise in testosterone of 33% in as fast as two weeks while using 3,000 mg a day. How it work’s is it helps your body convert cholesterol and its natural resources into testosterone. One supplement I would recommend for this is TestoFuel. With 2300 mg of D-Aspartic Acid, it also contains 5,000 IU of D3, 200 mg of Magnesium, and 10 mg of Zinc.

PROTECT YOUR ORGANS

Lastly, when you’re boosting your T levels, it’s important to take care of two main organs that are helping the testosterone conversion: Liver and Kidneys. There are three main supplements I suggest to aid with your liver and kidney health. You will thank yourself later for taking extra good care of these guys.

– Dandelion. Herbalists use dandelion root to detoxify the liver and gallbladder, and dandelion leaves to support kidney function. Dandelion leaves act as a diuretic and increase the amount of urine produced by the body, supporting kidney function. Dandelion leaves are also used to stimulate the appetite and aid digestion.

– Milk Thistle. Today, milk thistle is still one of the most commonly used medicinal plants in the world and is also the number one recommended natural herb for liver health. In fact,in Europe, milk thistle is a prescribed medication. The milk thistle extract is prescribed to treat mushroom poisoning, alcoholic cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, drug and alcohol-induced liver damage and acute viral hepatitis, just to name a few.

– Tumeric. This yellow root—a cousin of ginger—is a powerful liver protector and even liver cell regenerator. It not only helps stimulate enzymes responsible for flushing out toxins (including known carcinogens) from the body, but UCLA research found that turmeric is capable of combating the effects of carcinogens.

Stay tuned for part 3. Until then, live well and be well.

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”

Diet & Nutrition, Hormones, Relationship Advice

Foods That Kill Your Sex Drive and Lower Your Testosterone

January 15, 2015 Tristan

Have you found yourself going to bed without an urge for some sexual relief more than usual? It might be something you ate. These days, more men suffer from decreased sex drives than ever before and some of the major culprits are as simple as what you’re putting in your mouth.

Foods can negatively impact your libido, especially as your age, so it’s vital to limit or get these ball breakers off your plate. T levels affect sexual desire, so anything that depletes your hormone (“man-mone”) levels can eventually kill your sex drive.

FOODS TO KILL BEFORE THEY KILL YOUR LIBIDO

5. Soy – Don’t worry about getting “man boobs” if you have small, irregular amounts of soy in your diet, but excess amounts of the legume-derived products (soy milk, tofu, edamame) can drastically reduce the levels of testosterone in the blood and decrease your libido, according to a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Researches found that men who consumed 120 mg of soy a day had a decrease in testosterone. If you’re working on becoming a dad, make sure you cut down or delete it entirely from your diet since it can lower sperm count.

4. Graham Crackers – Surprised? I was too. When Dr. Sylvester Graham created Dr. Graham’s Honey Biskets in 1829, he believed the graham meal would suppress carnal desires (i.e. masturbation).

Any refined carbohydrates, such as those loaded into graham crackers, can still wreak havoc on a man’s intimate time between the sheets. Excess refined carbs (bleached white flour) can kill T levels. Sugars from refined carbs will not only make you gain weight, but can raise your estrogen levels and deplete T levels. So, if I were you, I’d lower your intake of S’mores.

3. Alcohol – I’m being serious. I know this is a tough one. A little here and there never hurt anyone’s lust, but surprisingly, overindulging can bring things down by the end of the night.

Sex coaches are really big on this known fact and sex therapist, David Yarian, tells us, “Too much alcohol, too much rich food-too much food in general-is going to make the person sleepy and not that interested.” Another coach and founder of Ignite Your Pleasure, Amy Levine, advises to “work on having two to three drinks max if you want to be ready later.”

1. Meat containing hormones (especially red meat) – Foods that contain added hormones or antibiotics are a huge sex offender by unbalancing a man’s natural hormones when consumed in excess. For some, certain foods can even affect secretions like semen, sweat, urine and breath, according to Amy Levine.

Overall, red meat has its pluses when consumed as grass fed beef with no hormones. You can then embrace the awesome-ness of red meat by gaining muscle and zapping fat if you also opt for leaner cuts.

1. Eating in excess – This is the #1 sex drive killer for any man. The worst food that a man can have for his sex drive is too much of it. Diet accelerates the aging process. Anyone carrying extra weight from ages 35 to 60 is accelerating the aging process. Midsection increase is probably the number one reason
for lost sex drive. A good diet equals good sex.

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”

Gym Stuff, Hormones, Relationship Advice

7 Ways Exercise Helps Your Sex Life

September 5, 2014 Tristan

If you want to turn up the heat in the bedroom (the shower, living room floor, or kitchen counter), it can be as simple as lacing up your running shoes. Staying in shape doesn’t just help you look better, it can make you a Don Juan between the sheets.

“Physical fitness absolutely effects the physical intensity and quality of sex,” says Sara Nasserzadeh, PhD, co-author of The Orgasm Answer Guide. Research shows that exercise boots your testosterone levels, increases blood flow to your manhood, and even improves your orgasms.

Let’s get down and dirty and share 7 ways that your workout could pay off between the sheets.

1. It Boosts Blood Flow

The more you exercise, the healthier your arteries – including the ones that help you pitch a tent. The better your blood flow, the stronger your erection. Plain and simple.

2. It Boosts Testosterone

Pumping iron boosts up your levels of testosterone. A Baylor University study found that men’s T levels were highest during the 48 hours they lifted weights.

In general, staying fit can help your T levels from going down the tubes. Interestingly, a study conducted by the New England Research Institute documented that a guy’s waist size correlates with his testosterone levels. They found that a waist circumference larger than 41 inches was a better predictor of low T levels than overall weight.

3. It Helps You Stand at Attention

Before you hit the Viagra, try hitting the gym instead. Studies show that exercise can cause men to have sex more often, and it can help keep them up and ready for action. In one study of 31,000 men, Harvard School of Public Health researchers found that those who exercised vigorously for 20 to 30 minutes a day were 30% less likely to report having erectile dysfunction.

4. It Improves Your Stamina

To put it bluntly, the better shape you’re in, the longer you’ll last in bed. “In most sex positions, the man needs to push, so he needs to have strong back muscles,” says Nasserzadeh. Plus, when you’re fit, your ejaculation lasts longer, she adds. If you’re wanting to get creative, you need more than strong back muscles…and you definitely want to try out some of those delightful Kama Sutra moves.

5. It Improves Flexibility

While trying out new sex positions might require some imagination, seeing how you can pull a muscle in the process definitely dims the sparks. If you want to get kinky and spice up your sex play, lengthening and strengthening exercises can help you contort your body to have her screaming “YESSSSSSSSSS!” To keep your muscles limber, yoga and Pilates are excellent options. Plus, it’s a great way to meet some potential, “flexible” dates.

6. It Gets You (and Her) Focused

A woman’s mind tends to wander during sex, whether it be on the kids, a grocery checklist, or a big meeting at work. Since emotions play such a large part in your lady getting turned on, drifting thoughts can lower sexual satisfaction. Luckily, exercising can help you get more in tune with your body and emotions in the moment. Your own improved focus allows you to better connect with your partner and keep her engaged.

7. It Makes You Feel Hot

Working out makes you look and feel great and that confidence carries over into the bedroom. If you are feeling unattractive, it inhibits your performance by your lack of confidence. It also doesn’t deliver what she wants. If you feel attractive, you feel confident, and that allows you to not feel inhibited with your gal. You want her to see and touch all of you, instead of wearing your shirt and pulling the blanket up to your waist.

I don’t know many people, actually none, that don’t want a smoking hot sex life. We also want to pleasure our ladies to the point where they are bragging to all of their friends. If you think she is happy with your unfit body and this is a bunch of garbage, you’re highly mistaken. Women tend to love the inside, but the outside still matters. Men aren’t the only humans that have eyes. Women lust almost as much as we do, so give her a body that makes her want to jump you multiple times a day….instead of her fantasizing over Channing Tatum.

Written by: Tristan “Lucky”
www.ripped-science.com

Hormones

What You Probably DON’T Know About Testosterone

July 7, 2014 Tristan

Hormones can be tricky to master, especially when trying to elevate testosterone without having it convert into estrogen.

HOW MUCH “T” YOU GOT THERE, MAN?

Most guys don’t even know where their T-levels are at. I suggest getting a basic blood panel and checking your lab results to see where your testosterone and estrogen levels are at. Surprisingly, more men than you think have no clue they produce estrogen. In fact, they don’t realize that the higher their body fat %, the more estrogen they produce.

According to the Mayo Clinic, testosterone levels are at their highest during adolescence and early adulthood. As men get older, their T levels decline about one percent a year after age 30….ouch!

Male

Age T Level (ng/dL)

0-5 months 75-400

6 mos.-9 yrs. <7-20

10-11 yrs. <7-130

12-13 yrs. <7-800

14 yrs. <7-1,200

15-16 yrs. 100-1,200

17-18 yrs. 300-1,200

19+ yrs. 240-950

Avg. Adult Male 270-1,070 (-1% per year after 30)

ONE OF MAN’S WORST NIGHTMARES: MOOBS

If you are over 40 years of age, there is a good chance that more of your testosterone is converting into estrogen then you would like. This not only causes loss of energy, weight gain, fatigue and difficulty adding lean muscle to your body, but it also leads to what is called ‘estrogen dominance,’ which makes you more susceptible to a whole host of other problems, including cancer.

The obvious signs of too much estrogen, aside from those mentioned above, is added fatty tissue around the chest (man-boobs). *gasp*

WHY NATURAL IS BETTER THAN SYNTHETIC

There is a big push by drug manufacturers for men to have their testosterone checked to see if that’s what causing erectile dysfunction, loss of stamina and libido.

Unfortunately, they are more interested in prescribing synthetic testosterone drugs instead of using the old fashion, inexpensive testosterone that doesn’t have a patent on it. When you take synthetic testosterone drugs as replacements, your body will produce lesson its own, so when you stop taking the drug you feel terrible and compelled to get another prescription.

EVERYONE CONVERTS TESTOSTERONE INTO ESTROGEN

Men are designed to retain most of their testosterone and only have a tenth of it be converted into estrogen. What speeds up the conversion process is the activation of an enzyme called aromatase.

BOOST YOUR TESTOSTERONE NATURALLY

We will cover the “Three Way Testosterone Plan” in our next post. Stay Tuned!

The Science Of Muscle Performance