Testosterone production

Jake LeMotta

Just a quick question please.

I'm just looking into certain performance enhancers for athletic training.
Specifically muscle hetero-trophy.

I read of one American athlete who actually used testosterone from the testicles of a bull - and his physique and performance bore the results (he won a lot).

What I'm wondering is - what are the best ways to promote one's own testosterone production - for increased energy levels and aggression, is basically what I'm looking for.

...and just to make sure I'm on the right track; increased testosterone levels do promote both of the latter there right?
That is, increased energy - enthusiasm basically, and aggression?

GLaDOS

Jake LeMotta wrote: »

...and just to make sure I'm on the right track; increased testosterone levels do promote both of the latter there right?
That is, increased energy - enthusiasm basically, and aggression?

Not really increased energy, but increased aggression and competitiveness yeah

Capt'n Midnight

Don't forget the placebo effect too.


Also there was a survey on gyms in American prisons and they painted the walls of the gyms different colours . When the walls were red people could lift more than when the walls were pink !
In practical terms this means that some cyclists wear red tinted glasses to get a bit more aggression. Perhaps something to do with having a similar effect to bloodshot eyes and a clue to the body therein ?


I'd be curious to know the different contributions of these things, and to how far you can go without having to take substances.

concussion

Increased testosterone levels can also result in gynecomastia (fat deposits around the breast), shrunken testicles, pattern baldness, increased aggression, acne and softer muscles.

Khannie

concussion wrote: »

Increased testosterone levels can also result in gynecomastia (fat deposits around the breast), shrunken testicles, pattern baldness, increased aggression, acne and softer muscles.

....As well as improved recovery time from intense exercise, larger muscle mass, lower body fat levels, a higher salary (true!) and a shorter life span (also true!).

Any serious athlete will try to maintain high natural testosterone levels because it is the bodys natural anabolic steroid.

Things that will help maintain (or improve) testosterone levels:
Sleep
A balanced diet
Regular exercise
Heavy compound lifts (e.g. squatting)
Regular sex

Things that harm test levels:
Stress
Dieting
Very low fat diet
Lack of sleep
Low levels of certain minerals (e.g. zinc)

Eebs

I thought the lower life span idea was to do with the associated effect of high blood pressure and testosterone. So it's not strictly right to say it's the hormone itself that has the ability to 'lower your life span'. Especially if the person were to say have low blood pressure. Not trying to be nit picky, just interested, please correct me if I'm wrong.


Remember that too much testosterone just gets converted back into estrodiol anyways.

Khannie

Eebs wrote: »

Not trying to be nit picky, just interested, please correct me if I'm wrong.

Also interested, not taken as a nit pick, not knowledgeable enough to correct you.

The shorter life span thing I got on a documentary a while back. I'm delighted to hear that it's related to blood pressure though because I have high test levels but normal blood pressure.

mloc

concussion wrote: »

Increased testosterone levels can also result in gynecomastia (fat deposits around the breast), shrunken testicles, pattern baldness, increased aggression, acne and softer muscles.

Not really true. Endogenous (e.g. produced in the body) testosterone production isn't really going to shrink your testicles. Your statement is, however, correct in the case of people taking exogenous testosterone (e.g. anabolic steroids) and also assuming you have a high rate of aromatisation (conversation of testosterone to estrogen).

concussion

Well, I have no idea how much he is planning on increasing his levels

Incidentally, I read an interesting article today which indicates that supranormal doses of testosterone can increase the damage sustained by the heart during ischaemia when compared to a control. The study comprised of four groups of rats - trained control, sedentary control, trained testosterone and sedentary testosterone. Will post the details tomorrow.

Prof.Badass

Jake LeMotta wrote: »

What I'm wondering is - what are the best ways to promote one's own testosterone production - for increased energy levels and aggression, is basically what I'm looking for.

...and just to make sure I'm on the right track; increased testosterone levels do promote both of the latter there right?
That is, increased energy - enthusiasm basically, and aggression?

Testosterone is only a sex hormone, while it may have benifits in terms of physical recovery and muscular development, it won't have the mood-altering effects you seek. In fact it really shouldn't have any noticeable mood altering effects unless you go to extreme levels.

The chemical you seem to be describing is dopamine.

By far the most effective way to naturally increase dopamine levels is excercise. Listening to some hard-hitting music with a fast tempo is good too. Obvious things like eating and sleeping well will also have an effect but aside from this there's not much you can do.

I'm not going to encourage you artifically increase your dopamine levels, but if you're wondering how, it would involve taking speed/cocaine/some sort of simmilar drug.

concussion

Sorry about the delay, it took me a while to find the article again.

The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Volume 99, Issues 4-5, June 2006, Pages 223-230

Nandrolone decanoate impairs exercise-induced cardioprotection: Role of antioxidant enzymes.

Link for those with access to Science Direct
http://0-www.sciencedirect.com.mislibsrv.lit.ie/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8X-4JRVB4T-3&_user=885412&_coverDate=06%2F30%2F2006&_alid=1401230971&_rdoc=4&_fmt=high&_orig=search&_cdi=5098&_docanchor=&view=c&_ct=111&_acct=C000047354&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=885412&md5=25ad72c644412f1ff60d8018e1f3ecd3