Men's Health: Take the Driver's Seat

A recent U.S. national survey performed by the Cleveland Clinic found that 72 percent of men would rather do household chores than go to the doctor. Yes, men are reputedly slower to act on their health compared to women, not taking it seriously until a persistent or severe symptom forces them to see a physician. What was one of the most common reasons for avoiding the experience?

The answer is, an unwillingness to change diet or lifestyle. Admittedly it can take time to develop new, healthier eating habits. Yet while it’s not a replacement for medical treatment, daily nutritional supplementation can be a valuable prevention tool when it comes to the chronic diseases and coronary events that men with hectic lifestyles are more prone to. So whether you’re a doctor-dodger or not, consider supplementation as one of the easy-to-use tools in your tool box for health maintenance.

Before highlighting key supplementation it’s important to understand how testosterone, stress and nutrition intersect to influence men’s health. Testosterone is a male hormone that influences your libido, sexual function, muscle mass, strength and mood. It’s a large part of why some men under the age of 40 have a strong interest in virility, or “sowing their seeds” and looking “ripped” with good muscle definition.

Testosterone peaks at about 25 years of age, and begins to decline 1 to 2 percent per year by the time you’re 40. So, by the age of 50, your free testosterone may have dropped by 20 percent. You can expect it to drop further about 50 percent of your twenty-something level by the time you’re 75. Remember, by that time no one is expecting you to feel and function like you did when you were 25. This gradual decrease makes it much more challenging to ‘start your engine’, preserve muscle mass, have a good sleep, maintain the size of the prostate gland, avoid cancer, heart disease and stroke, maintain energy, and preserve cognitive function. That’s why nutritional supplementation is best started sooner than later, to ensure the nutrients needed for vitality are always available for the body to use.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral that supports healthy testosterone, a hormone that influences your libido, sexual function, muscle mass and strength.

Not only is magnesium necessary for proper insulin function and glucose delivery to your brain and muscles, magnesium also relaxes the muscles—including the heart muscle, skeletal muscle and vascular muscles. This is especially important to consider if you’re overweight, or you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure or diabetes.

Yet most men aren’t getting enough magnesium from their diets for a number of reasons: over-reliance on processed foods is one factor, but also consider your magnesium requirements are higher than those for women because of higher body mass, more muscle mass and higher metabolic rate. All this means you use up magnesium at a faster rate. Plus, if you’re diabetic or you’re in your senior years, you’ll need more magnesium because of increased urinary losses. Using a highly bioavailable form of magnesium like Pure Lab’s Magnesium Glycinate is preferable to citrate or oxide forms since magnesium glycinate is more bowel-friendly.

Zinc

The highest concentration of zinc in the male body is consistently found in the prostate gland, where it is needed for proper secretion of the seminal fluid used in ejaculation of sperm. Past age 40, the gland begins to ‘grow’ and contribute to urinary difficulties in some men. Why? It’s because of increased levels of di-hydro-testosterone (DHT). DHT is five times stronger than testosterone. But it can and will work against you as you get older if it’s allowed to dominate. Getting enough zinc also helps lower the production DHT, so maintaining zinc levels is important throughout your years.

While zinc is plentiful in oysters and organ meats, the zinc in wheat germ, nuts and seeds is more challenging to absorb. If you’re concerned about your fertility, your testosterone balance or your prostate, consider using a daily supplement of highly bioavailable zinc such as Pure Lab’s Zinc Glycinate to help get enough of this prostate-powering mineral.

Selenium

Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the leading causes of death in Canadian men. The good news is that higher selenium levels are associated with decreased risk of incidence and death from prostate cancer and cardiovascular disease. This may be because it supports glutathione levels in the body. Glutathione is an antioxidant made by the body using the mineral selenium in effort to protect us from various threats to our physical health, like microbes and irregular cells. Although selenium is present in foods like Brazil nuts and garlic, the concentration depends on the soil where these foods were grown. Taking a selenium supplement in the biologically active form, like Pure Lab’s Selenomethionine supports the production of glutathione, and ultimately, good health.

Stress

Besides aging, the other thing that puts the brakes on your testosterone production is stress. When the body is under stress, the priority is survival---not reproduction. Stress elevates cortisol, which aids the protective ‘fight or flight’ response, but it’s strongly associated with decreased testosterone levels in men. That’s because during stress, cortisol gets produced at the expense of testosterone. Down the road, this can result in abdominal weight gain and breast enlargement because there isn’t enough testosterone to balance out the higher levels of estrogens made possible by your increasing number of fat cells. That’s just one reason why maintaining a healthy weight is important.

Stress-Supporting Botanicals

As life takes its toll on your testosterone levels, it can chip away at your physical health and cognitive function. Studies show the herb ashwagandha increases testosterone levels and sperm count in male adults, lowers cortisol and enhances memory, focus and cognition. Ashwagandha is an East Indian botanical traditionally used for resilience and stamina in males and females. Rhodiola is another herb that has traditionally been used by South American mountain-dwelling societies to help them maintain stamina under the duress of living in the cold, lower-oxygen environment of high altitudes. Pure Lab’s AdaptaPure is an adaptogenic botanical formula containing the standardized extracts of ashwagandha and rhodiola to provide consistent therapeutic benefits. The formula also contains l-theanine. This is an amino acid first discovered in green tea that supports focus and relaxation, without sedation or stimulation. AdaptaPure is a great complement to your basic foundational nutrients like the B complex and magnesium in the quest for resilience and stamina against stress.

You’re In the Driver’s Seat

Admittedly, it takes time to create—and sustain—new habits, but men, you’re in the driver’s seat here. Along with regular exercise and engaging in healthy outlets for stress, supplementing a varied diet with essential nutrients and an adaptogenic formula is one component of being pro-active in your health.

References

Cinar V, Polat Y, Baltaci AK, Mogulkoc R. Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011;140(1):18-23.

Cleveland Clinic Newsroom. “Cleveland Clinic Survey: Men will do Almost Anything to Avoid Going to the Doctor.” September 4, 2019. Retrieved online May 7, 2019.

Collomp K, Baillot A, Forget H, Coquerel A, Rieth N, Vibarel-Rebot N. Altered diurnal pattern of steroid hormones in relation to various behaviors, external factors and pathologies: A review. Physiol Behav. 2016;164(Pt A):68-85.

Feldman HA, Longcope C, Derby CA, et al. Age trends in the level of serum testosterone and other hormones in middle-aged men: longitudinal results from the Massachusetts male aging study. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2002;87(2):589-598.

Government of Canada. Health Fact Sheets: Overweight and obese adults, 2018. Release date: June 25, 2019.

Harvard Health. Testosterone: What it is and how it affects your health. June 22, 2023.

Kazanjian A, Morettin D, Cho R. Health Care Utilization by Canadian Women. BMC Womens Health. 2004;4 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S33. Published 2004 Aug 25.

Kuria A, Tian H, Li M, et al. Selenium status in the body and cardiovascular disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis [published correction appears in Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2020 Sep 4;:1-2]. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2021;61(21):3616-3625.

Lopresti AL, Drummond PD, Smith SJ. A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Crossover Study Examining the Hormonal and Vitality Effects of Ashwagandha ( Withania somnifera) in Aging, Overweight Males. Am J Mens Health. 2019;13(2):1557988319835985.

Maggio M, De Vita F, Lauretani F, et al. The Interplay between Magnesium and Testosterone in Modulating Physical Function in Men. Int J Endocrinol. 2014;2014:525249.

National HRT Clinic. Testosterone Levels in Men by Age. October 16, 2015. Retrieved online May 7, 2024.

Sayehmiri K, Azami M, Mohammadi Y, Soleymani A, Tardeh Z. The association between Selenium and Prostate Cancer: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2018;19(6):1431-1437. Published 2018 Jun 25.

Stanworth RD, Jones TH. Testosterone for the aging male; current evidence and recommended practice. Clin Interv Aging. 2008;3(1):25-44.

Yeap BB, Almeida OP, Hyde Z, et al. In men older than 70 years, total testosterone remains stable while free testosterone declines with age. The Health in Men Study. Eur J Endocrinol. 2007;156(5):585-594.

Hasn't changed for 20 Years

Safety and Efficacy of Magnesium Stearate