A declining sex drive, lack of energy, weak erections, poor sleep, grumpiness, depression, decreasing strength, endurance, and deteriorating work and sports performance are some of the negative side effects we men can naturally expect as we age. According to the medical profession the main cause of these negative effects can be directly attributed to a decline in testosterone levels.
Studies have shown, however, that regular exercisers have a higher sex drive and less diminish in the other affected areas than do non exercisers or weekend warriors. Doctors say that it is related to the surges of testosterone that occur immediately after resistance training, and right after endurance training like cycling, swimming or running.
But using the old Soloflex and resistance training isn't the cure all end all. Testosterone levels can vary for many reasons. The hormone fluctuates in all of us throughout the day, depending on what are known as circadian rhythms. In men, studies reveal that levels are highest in the morning and that concentrations are minimal in the evening. Increased levels in men and women that can be detected immediately following a workout. Although overall levels seem to decreased with excessive endurance training routines. Excessive endurance training causes the body to produce high levels of cortisone - a catabolic hormone. Even food intake may play a role in lowering testosterone levels. If a person drinks a protein-carb shake before and after a workout, the levels can go down. It is believed that aging men, who have lower levels of testosterone get a lower boost from a tough weight-lifting session than do younger men.
Research indicates that it is not only levels of the actual hormone that may affect you, but the amount of receptors present on cells that can interact with the testosterone. Testosterone helps stimulate muscle growth, but different types of muscle fibers are more (or less) receptive to the hormone. This means that the effects of testosterone may also depend upon the proportion of muscle fibers you have (which is mostly genetically determined), and what kind of exercise you do to train the muscles.
Like everything else going on in the body, especially with hormones, the response of testosterone is highly complex. At certain times it is difficult to determine what positive effect are the result of higher testosterone levels and what effect can be attributed to other chemicals like adrenalin, which energizes, or even opioids like endorphins, which can produce a "feel-good" effect.
Another consideration may be that the psychological self-confidence that you get from being physically fit, accomplishing fitness goals like exercising on a regular basis or simply losing weight can stave off the negatives mentioned at the beginning of this post.
In summery, the best way to beat psychological decline is to keep using the machines like the Soloflex Hybrid. They are your best bet at keeping testosterone levels high and your body in good working order.
