There was a time when men were men.  A time when Testosterone flowed through America as the Ganges River flows through India.  I am speaking of course about the 1970’s. 

Where does the bear end and the Burt Reynolds begin?

It’s not just fashion.  Brazilian wax has nothing to do with the fact that men just aren’t this hairy anymore.  It is a well documented fact that testosterone levels in American males have been on steady decline over the past 40 years. (1)  Gail and Laughlin demonstrated in a 2008 prospective, population-based study of 794 men that  Testosterone insufficiency in older men is associated with increased mortality independent of risk factors and co-existing conditions. (2)

As a tribute to our fury brethren of the 70’s, and to baseball players of the 90’s (and perhaps as a way to compensate for the fact that I was the last guy in my middle school to grow a mustache), I devoted last month to naturally raising my testosterone levels with over the counter nutraceuticals provided by my friend and colleague, Dr. Christopher Merlino.

The Plan:
I- Establish my baseline free Testosterone levels with a blood draw.  (After which draw he warned me that this experiment was likely going to fail.)

II-  Take whatever supplementation Chris threw at me over a 40 day span to move those numbers.

III-  Re-test the T numbers after 40 days.

Merlino went with a concoction of following:

• DHEA at a 3x physiologic dose
• American Ginseng
• D-Ribose
• Co- Q10

His goal was to enhance pathways and provide the body with pre-coursers that result in testosterone production. As is illustrated in the Testosterone Pathway chart below, it is reasonable to expect increased exogenous DHEA to drive a deficient testosterone pathway.

Results:
After 40 days of supplementation we re-checked my numbers:  My free Testosterone  levels came in at a whopping 779. 

According to a study by Vermeulen et al published in journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, normal total testosterone in healthy men are:  Age 25-34 , average 616.

 This would have been enough to send the mustacheless masses of the Seattle area knocking down Dr. Merlino’s door had my baseline number not also been 779. 
Before 779/After 779= Net Change of 0.
As it was, my little experiment likely drove higher estrogen levels in my system as the testosterone wasn’t able to go any higher.  Let this experience be a warning to you:

Disclaimer- Always track the results of new supplementation under medical supervision or risk inadvertently and ironically raising your estrogen levels.

Conclusion: 
 It would appear that my diet and lifestyle (lifting heavy things and eating meat) spike my T levels just about as high as they are able to go.  Either that or my high T levels compel me to lift heavy things and eat meat. . .