ideal test level

[Pegasus]

I notice the normal range of testosterone is very wide . It is plain to me that the lower end of normal can cause a number of problems . What shocked me was that the lower 5% of the population is in this range having a average test level in the 300's .
Then I thought about modern living , diet etc and came to the view that given the number of people who eat poorly don't exercise and use a plethora of drugs it is not surprising.
At the same time the top 5% maintain test level in the 900's into middle age . So one thinks most of these would have better diet and exercise patterns . So one assumes the better health has more to do with high test than visa verca but sttttiiilll hmmm. Getting away from pua style alpha male bunkum these guys do have better health . Thee downside of high test levels seems to be risk taking behaviour .
So this begs the question what is the ideal range ? I have long thought it is over 500 and my doc said 500 to 700 but certainly some tout the benefits of levels in excess of 700 . Actual science on the benefits of levels over 700 seems hard to come by . Lots of chest beating roid heads and pua out there but little rational science.

[Pegasus]

In order to lower estrogen, you don't need to take any supplements such as aromatase inhibitors. You can get them from food and sunlight.
Just eat white button mushrooms, citrus fruits, broccoli, brussels sprouts, spice up your food with turmeric and black pepper, drink a glass of red wine per day and get a healthy dose of sunlight to increase your vitamin D levels.
Also, the amount of fat you have is directly connected with how much estrogen you produce since fat cells contain the aromatase enzyme. Losing weight and lowering fat percentage will help lower aromatase enzyme, while detox, estrogen blockers and aromatase inhibitors will help with weight loss.

[Pegasus]

Quote cotto007

Regardless of your age, low T symptoms can include:

• erectile dysfunction, or problems developing or maintaining an erection.
• other changes in your erections, such as fewer spontaneous erections.
• decreased libido or sexual activity.
• infertility.
• rapid hair loss.
• reduced muscle mass.
• increased body fat.
• enlarged breasts.

The male libido is largely influenced by testosterone. The more testosterone you have, the thinking goes, the more likely you are to get sprung at the slightest sexual thought or nuance, the briefest glimpse of thigh or contour of a breast, or hell, even a chalk doodle on the sidewalk that vaguely resembles the curves of a female body.However, according to a study presented at a meeting of urologists in Boston, it appears that total testosterone has little to do with male libido. Instead, it's free testosterone and, surprisingly, the ratio between testosterone and estradiol (a type of estrogen) that determines your randiness.

The scientists had 200 patients of a cardiology practice fill out a series of erectile dysfunction questionnaires, including the IIEF-15, which collectively spell out a pretty decent picture of a man's libido.Of note is that none of the men had been diagnosed with hypogonadism (low testosterone) in the past, and none were on medications that could have affected testosterone levels.The researchers then measured the patients' total testosterone, estradiol, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and free testosterone and compared them with their reported libidos.It turned out they found no correlation between total testosterone and how often (or how infrequently) the men wanted to do it. Nor did estradiol levels correlate independently with sex drive, even when levels were lower than 5 ng/dL. This last fact is significant because it was thought that men are more likely to have healthy libidos if their estradiol is in the "sweet spot" between 2.0 and 5.5 ng/dL.What did correlate with libido, though, was the ratio of testosterone to estradiol, along with free testosterone, i.e., that percentage of testosterone that isn't chemically bound to SHBG. The higher the free T, presumably the greater the sex drive.
Oftentimes, men with low libidos or poor sexual functioning go on testosterone replacement therapy or pro-testosterone supplements. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, but when it doesn't, it's generally because of one of two things, as this study clearly supports:

1. Too much SHBG (resulting in low levels of free testosterone)
2. High estrogen levels (throwing off the testosterone/estrogen ratio)

What the study didn't tell us is the perfect level of free testosterone or the precise T:E ratio we'd want for "optimum" sex drive, which would be difficult as hell to define, anyhow. Still, it gives us some clues as to what we should do.For instance, if you have symptoms of low testosterone (depression, weight gain, inability to put on muscle, diminished sexual desire or performance) or symptoms of high estrogen (increased abdominal fat, fatty tissue around the nipples, erectile dysfunction, or loss of libido), you might consider finding a progressive physician and getting your SHBG and estrogen levels tested (along with free T, of course), the latter with what's known as the "sensitive" assay.If you don't ask for a "sensitive assay," they're going to measure your estradiol the same as if you were a ballerina from the Bolshoi ballet suffering from menstruation problems. In other words, the results will be pretty much useless.Your other choice would be to experiment with using dietary practices and supplements to manipulate levels of SHBG and estradiol.

1. Take magnesium daily to raise free testosterone.
2. Take zinc daily to lower SHBG.
3. Take vitamin D3 daily to lower SHBG.
4. Don't short-change yourself on carbs. A diet low in carbs increases SHBG while lowering testosterone.
5. Watch the booze so that testosterone levels don't drop.

How to Lower Estradiol Levels

1. Lose fat. Fat contains an enzyme that converts testosterone into estrogen.
2. Eat lots of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. They contain a chemical that "fights" estrogen.
3. Take curcumin. It reduces the effects of an enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen.
4. Take resveratrol to decrease the activity of that estrogen-converting enzyme.
5. Don't get old. The older you are, the more estrogen-ey you are. (Okay, if you insist on aging, then at least put the above tips into action.)

[Pegasus]

https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/art...-testosterone/