83: Understanding Testosterone Production

83: Understanding Testosterone Production

Michael Kummer: Today we're diving deep into testosterone production. A topic that isn't just about feeling strong or building muscle. Testosterone plays a crucial role in everything from your energy levels to your mood, your focus and even your drive to tackle hard things. It's basically the engine of vitality for men but also for women.

But here's the kicker. Testosterone production is a highly complex process and things can go wrong at so many points. Whether it's lifestyle choices, environmental factors or even the foods you eat. Or don't eat the modern world is stacked against optimal testosterone levels. So in this episode, we'll explore how testosterone is made, what can interfere with the process, and most importantly, what he can do to fix it.

We are also going to talk about actionable steps to boost T levels naturally without gimmicks or risky shortcuts. And if this topic gets you fired up, make sure you check out two past episodes of the podcast, episode 32. Titled Testosterone Replacement Therapy, The One Downs That Nobody Talks About, and Episode 65.

Why testosterone affects your drive to do hard things. Both are packed with insights to take this discussion even further. Welcome to the Primal Shift podcast. Let's start by breaking down how testosterone is made. The entire process, and I'm talking about the male reproductive system here for the most part.

So ladies bear with me. Uh, we might talk about the role of testosterone in this, in, in women in another episode, but this is specifically meant and geared towards men. The entire process starts in the brain specifically. the hypothalamus, which acts like the command center, control center of your hormonal system.

And the hypothalamus sends out a signal called gonadotropin releasing hormone, or GNRH, which travels to the pituitary gland, and this gland located at the base of your brain responds by releasing two hormones, the luteinizing hormone, LH, and the follicle stimulating hormone, FSH. LH is the big one when it comes to testosterone, because it tells your testes, let's go to work.

Now, the testes are where the magic happens. They take cholesterol, the raw material of testosterone, and convert it into testosterone through a series of biochemical steps. Cholesterol is the backbone of this entire process, which is why Low fat diets that demonize animal based foods can completely disrupt testosterone production.

This is one reason I always recommend eating whole nutrient dense animal products, especially animal fats. The process of converting cholesterol into testosterone is energy intensive and relies on specific nutrients like zinc, selenium, magnesium, and vitamin D. If your body is missing these critical building blocks, the whole assembly line slows down.

This is where beef organs come into play. Beef liver, for example, is an amazing source of zinc and vitamin A. Both essential for healthy hormone production. So if you're not already including organs in your diet, this is an easy, nutrient dense way to fill the gaps. The second one, since we mentioned vitamin D, is sun exposure.

Without adequate vitamin D levels, your testosterone production is negatively impacted. So get out in the sun, uncovered, without sunscreen, without wearing sunglasses. and stay in the sun for as long as necessary, without burning obviously, to get your body to make vitamin D if you also want to make testosterone.

Now once testosterone is made, most of it enters the bloodstream. It binds to proteins like sex hormone binding globulin or SHBG or albumin to be transported around the body. Only a small fraction, free testosterone, is immediately available to act on tissues like your muscles. bones, or even your brain.

Here is where it gets even more interesting. Testosterone doesn't always stay as testosterone. In certain tissues, it's converted into a more potent hormone called dehydrotestosterone, or DHT, which is responsible for things like libido and hair growth. In other tissues, it's converted into estradiol, a form of estrogen that plays a role in bone health.

So even though testosterone is the main player, it's also the precursor for other hormones critically to your health. Now, the thing is, this whole system is tightly regulated by feedback loops. If your testosterone levels get too high, your brain signals to slow down production. If they are too low, it ramps things up.

But this balance is fragile and easily disrupted by poor sleep, stress, nutrient deficiencies, environmental toxins, or even exogenous Testosterone injections. That's one of the reasons why I'm not a fan of injecting testosterone, even if you have super low levels and have tried everything else, because it negatively impacts your feedback loop, potentially forever, if you do it for too long, I'd like to thank Peluba for sponsoring this week's episode.

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Now that we've covered how testosterone is made, let's talk about where things can go wrong, because there are several key areas where issues tend to pop up. Number one. Brain signaling, meaning the hypothalamus and pituitary.

Chronic stress is here a big one. Elevated cortisol levels suppress GnRH and LH, effectively shutting down testosterone production at the very start of the process. So if you're under chronic stress, you can be almost certain to have lower than optimal testosterone levels. Poor sleep is another killer.

Deep sleep is when your body reproduces the most testosterone. If you're skimping on quality sleep, Your T levels will likely take a nosedive as well. Number two is in the testes, the testosterone factory. Your testes need cholesterol and nutrients to function. If you're on a low fat diet or not eating enough nutrient dense foods, you're starving the factory.

As easy as that, or as simple as that. Organ meats like liver and heart are some of the most potent sources of the nutrients your testes need, which is why I keep coming back to them. Number two of this is Heat exposure, which could be another problem, testes are outside the body for a reason. They need to stay cool.

They need to be tightly regulated in as far as temperature is concerned. So tight clothing, prolonged hot baths and heated car seats, not so great. Now, I don't mean that you shouldn't use the sauna. You know, intentional heat exposure is great, but being too hot for extended periods, like if you have super tight clothing that's, you know, press your testes up against, you know, your body all the time and don't let them breathe, so to say.

Not a good thing. Number three is peripheral conversion. Excess body fat is a testosterone thief. Fat tissue produces an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen, which not only lowers your T levels. But also suppresses further production. So try to get rid of excess body fat that you don't need by exercising, by eating right, by, you know, sleeping well.

Doing all the things that are, you know, important for testosterone production in the first place to help reduce your body fat so you can produce more testosterone and less estrogen. Number two in that subcategory is Cenoestrogens. Synthetic compounds found in plastics. Tap water and personal care product.

We talked about all that before that mimic estrogen in your body. And they mess with your homo, but hormonal balance and sabotage testosterone levels. So if you're using plastic containers or drinking unfiltered tap water. It's time to make a change. So, how do you know if your testosterone is low? Well, here are some signs to look for.

Persistent fatigue, even if you're getting enough sleep. Decreased muscle strength. Inability to build muscle despite regular exercise. Low libido or lack of motivation to tackle challenges. Brain fog or difficulty concentrating. If any of these sound familiar, you might want to get a blood test to check your total and free testosterone levels.

But even without a test, if you're feeling off, it's worth looking at your lifestyle for potential culprits. Sometimes the symptoms are the best indicator that something needs to change. Now let's talk solutions. What you can do to naturally optimize testosterone production. Number one. Sleep. Prioritize seven to nine hours of high quality sleep.

Deep sleep in particular is where the magic happens for testosterone. If you're struggling, try blue light blocking glasses, blackout curtains, magnesium before bed, or any of the other things that I've talked about on the podcast before, especially in the sleep episode early in season one. Number two, eat nutrient dense foods.

Focus on animal based sources of fat and nutrients. Cholesterol rich foods like eggs and grass fed beef are essential. Try to incorporate organ meats into your diet, and if fresh isn't your cup of tea because of taste, texture, whatever issues, freeze dried beef organ supplements can be an excellent choice here as well.

One of the reasons why my wife and I founded MK Supplements. Number three is strength training. Lift heavy weights with compound movements like squats and deadlifts and cleans and jerks and all of the things that Um, made that help you put weight on your, on your structure, on your skeleton, keep the workouts intense, but short, but cause overtraining can spike cortisol and backfire.

So more is not always better, despite of what you might have been told. Number four is cool exposure. Keep your testes cool, avoid tight clothing, uh, try loose clothing, you know, with plenty of space. Um. Avoid, you know, using the seat warmer all the time, sitting in hot baths for extended periods. Uh, take ice bath instead, you know, that's a great way to keep them cool for sure.

It also enhances recovery and possibly support hormonal balance. Try pre cooling before exercise. That's one of the most effective way to boost testosterone production. To get into an ice bath. Before working out, before exercising, and it doesn't have to be a crossfit or high intensity type of workout.

Something as simple as taking a brisk walk, doing some body movements like push ups, air squats, etc. Can help boost your testosterone levels significantly. Whereas if you post cool, if you go into the ice bath after a workout, that has actually been shown to lower testosterone levels. Pre cooling gear is the important.

Number five, reduce environmental toxins. You know, we've talked about this before and on other episodes and on my blog, ditch plastics for glass and stainless steel, filter your tap water to remove xenoestrogens, switch to natural personal care products without synthetic fragrances or parabens and all of the other.

Cenoestrogens found in personal care products. Use clothing with natural fibers, not plastic, not polyester, you know. Merino wool is really my favorite. This is merino wool, you know. This is cotton, you know. It doesn't have to be expensive. You can get Fairly inexpensive, high quality fabrics that don't contain any of that crap you don't wanna have on your skin.

Number six, and this is a big one, manage stress. Incorporate mindfulness meditation, or simply take a walk in nature. You know, chronic stress is one of the fastest ways to tank your tea levels and doing whatever you can to better manage this or to avoid stress in the beginning. We cannot com. Well, we cannot completely avoid it, but we can reduce it.

and manage the ones that type of stress we cannot escape by doing all the things I mentioned already. The bottom line here is that testosterone production is incredibly complex but understanding how it works and where things can go wrong gives you the power to take control. The beauty of this is that small consistent changes can lead to huge improvements like pre cooling before exercise, managing your stress, sleeping better, etc.

Focus on sleep. Nutri Dense Foods, Strength Training, Reducing Toxins, and you'll be setting yourself up for success. If you want to dive deeper into testosterone, check out episode 32 and 65 of the podcast. They'll complement everything we talked about today. And if you're looking for a way to fill nutrient gaps, check out MK Supplements Free Stripe Beef Organs.

They're an absolute powerhouse for your health. Thanks for tuning in to the Primer Shift Podcast. If this episode resonated with you, leave a review, share it with a friend and let me know your thoughts. Until next time, keep striving for a better Next on the Primal Shift podcast. What if the one thing holding you back from peak performance, mental clarity, and better sleep was something you thought was harmless?

We're diving into the power of quitting alcohol, cold, plunging, and breath work, real world insights, science backed benefits, and how to make it work for you. Stay tuned.