The Virility Paradox: The Vast Influence of Testosterone on Our Bodies, Minds, and the World We Live In

ytain

Jedi
I found this book and wanted to read it.

The Virility Paradox: The Vast Influence of Testosterone on Our Bodies, Minds, and the World We Live In by Charles Ryan
Testosterone makes us stronger, happier, and smarter. It also makes us meaner, more violent and more selfish. A scientific look into the vast and unexpected influence testosterone has on our behavior, our society, and our bodies.

The brain of every man—and every woman—is shaped by this tiny molecule from before birth: it propels our drive for exploration and risk, for competition and creation, and even our survival. The effects of testosterone permeate the traditions, philosophy, and literature of every known culture—without it, the world would be a drastically different place.

Testosterone also has a role in humanity’s darker side, contributing to violence, hubris, poverty, crime, and selfishness. Recent revelations of the science of testosterone show that high levels will deplete compassion and generosity, and even reduce the affection we show our children.

In The Virility Paradox, internationally renowned oncologist and prostate cancer researcher Charles Ryan explores this complex chemical system responsible for a diverse spectrum of human behaviors and health in both men and women. Ryan taps his vast experience treating prostate cancer with testosterone-lowering therapy, observing that this often leads to profound changes in the patients’ perspectives on their lives and relationships. Often, for the better.

Ryan uses the journeys of these patients and others to illustrate the vast and sometimes unexpected influence testosterone has on human lives. Through the stories of real men and women, he also explores the connections between testosterone and conditions like dementia, autism, and cancer, as well as the biological underpinnings of sexual assault and the effects it has on everything from crime to investing to everyday choices we make.

Integrating the molecular and the medical, sociology and storytelling, The Virility Paradox;offers a fascinating look at how one hormone has shaped history, and the connections between our biology, our behavior, and our best selves.

In the book it says also that the amount of testosterone during pregnancy can affect the fetus and the formation of brain circuits (some of the forensic scientists are using this information to analyze the brains of the mass shooters, but that's just a rumor).

So we have to keep the amount of testosterone we consume in moderation and so on. The book explains it better. Also the author does know about the high dosage of testosterone being used for treatment of prostate cancer.

Ytain
 
In the book it says also that the amount of testosterone during pregnancy can affect the fetus and the formation of brain circuits (some of the forensic scientists are using this information to analyze the brains of the mass shooters, but that's just a rumor).

Testosterone is brought up in Adrian Raine's book Psychopathy as a contributing factor to criminality. The thing is, testosterone levels have been in decline in the public for over thirty years.

Men's testosterone levels declined in last 20 years
https://uk.reuters.com/article/health-testosterone-levels-dc-idUKKIM16976320061101
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new study has found a “substantial” drop in U.S. men’s testosterone levels since the 1980s, but the reasons for the decline remain unclear. This trend also does not appear to be related to age.

The average levels of the male hormone dropped by 1 percent a year, Dr. Thomas Travison and colleagues from the New England Research Institutes in Watertown, Massachusetts, found. This means that, for example, a 65-year-old man in 2002 would have testosterone levels 15 percent lower than those of a 65-year-old in 1987. This also means that a greater proportion of men in 2002 would have had below-normal testosterone levels than in 1987.

“The entire population is shifting somewhat downward we think,” Travison told Reuters Health. “We’re counting on other studies to confirm this.” Travison and his team analyzed data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study, a long-term investigation of aging in about 1,700 Boston-area men. Data from the men were collected for three time intervals: 1987-1989, 1995-1997, and 2002-2004.

They hypothesized that the rising prevalence of obesity as well as the sharp decline in cigarette smoking might help explain their findings, given that testosterone levels are lower among overweight people and smoking increases testosterone levels. But these factors accounted for only a small percentage of the observed difference.

So we have to keep the amount of testosterone we consume in moderation and so on. The book explains it better. Also the author does know about the high dosage of testosterone being used for treatment of prostate cancer.

I don't understand. We have to keep the testosterone we consume in moderation? Most of our testosterone is produced by our body's own endocrine glands from cholesterol. :huh:

I found this related article on SOTT recently:
5 Proven Ways To Boost Testosterone Naturally -- Sott.net

List of things found to decrease testosterone production:
1. Statin Drugs: No category of drug is so thoroughly confirmed in the biomedical literature to suppress testosterone production and/or libido in men. Not only are these drugs misrepresented as 'live saving' for cardiovascular disease, but they may contribute to over 200 different adverse health effects. Any man concerned with preserving his production of testosterone should consider avoiding this drug class in favor of natural lipid lowering alternatives. [View supporting citations]

2. Bisphenol A: This ubiquitous endocrine disrupter found mostly in plastics, canned foods, and thermal printer receipts, has been know found to block testosterone production in the testicles and to have potentially "feminizing" estrogenic effects. Also, don't be fooled by so-called "Bisphenol A free" products, because it turns out that many contain other bisphenols which have at least the same toxicity profile. [View supporting citations]

3. Phthlates: Mainly used in plastics to make them flexible (i.e. a plasticizer), but also found in pharmaceuticals as an excipient and in cosmetic products, it has been found to suppress testosterone production. [View supporting citations]

4. Parabens: Another ubiquitous petrochemical found as a preservative in a wide range of products, but especially cosmetics and body care productions, it has been found to disrupt testosterone levels. [View supporting citations]

5. Glyphosate (GMO food): This testosterone-disrupting chemical is now found virtually everywhere in regions where GM agriculture predominates. Most GMO foods are designed to survive be sprayed with glyphosate, and therefore are contaminated with significant residues. But even explicitly non-GMO foods like oats are sprayed with the stuff as a pre-harvest desicant. Therefore the best way to avoid exposure is to eat 100% organically certified foods. [View supporting citations]

Things found to increase testosterone production:
1) Zinc: It is well known that zinc deficiency can lead to testicular suppression, including suppression of testosterone levels.[1][2] The male prostate happens to have one of the highest concentrations of zinc of any organ within the body, indicating how important it is to the male reproductive system. Also, physical activity in both normally sedentary men and elite athletes can lead to both testosterone and thyroid hormone suppression, which can be mitigated by zinc supplementation.[3][4] Zinc has also been found to protect against heavy metal (cadmium) associated DNA damage to the testicles, preserving their ability to produce testosterone.[5] Animal research also indicates that it can improve erectile function along with optimizing levels of prolactin and testosterone.[6] Keep in mind that minerals are connected in a matrix of interdependence. Excess zinc can lead to copper deficiency and vice versa. This speaks to the importance of working with a licensed health professional versed in this area of expertise to help clinically ascertain your deficiencies and rectify them without causing unintended adverse effects. When in doubt, locate food sources of the minerals you are trying to replenish your body with from food, as minerals have a far lower risk of causing imbalances when found in food form. You can always use this USDA-based database to find the top nutrient-containing foods of your choice.

2) Vitamin C: One of the most important ways to optimize testosterone levels is to preserve its activity and regenerate it when it naturally converts to a transient hormone metabolite. Preliminary research indicates that vitamin C, a well-known electron donor, may be able to both regenerate testosterone and reduce levels of its toxic hormone metabolite.[7] Read "Sunshine Vitamin Regenerates and Detoxifies Your Hormones" to learn more.

3) Magnesium: Magnesium levels are strongly and independently associated with the anabolic hormones testosterone and IGF-1 in the elderly. This observation indicates that this mineral, which is involved in over 300 enzyme pathways, can help to positively modulate the anabolic/catabolic equilibrium which is often disrupted in elderly people.[8] One proposed mechanism for magnesium's testosterone boosting role is that it inhibits the binding of testosterone (TT) to sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) leading to an enhancement of bioavailable TT.[9]

4) Saw Palmetto/Astaxanthin: One of the best ways to increase testosterone naturally is to block it from converting to dihydrotestosterone and estrogen (estradiol). This can be accomplished through natural aromatase enzyme inhibitors and 5-alpha reductase inhibitors. 5-alpha reductase is an enzyme that converts testosterone into dihydrotestosterone and aromatase enzyme converts testosterone into estradiol. A promising study from 2009 found that in healthy males between 37-70 years of age a combination of these two substances resulted in exactly such an improved ratio: increased testosterone, decreased estrogen and dihydrotestosterone.[10]

5) Phosphatidyl serine: This critically important cell membrane component, mainly found in meat, fish and dairy products, but also found in soy and sunflower lecithin, has been found to decrease cortisol levels and increase testosterone levels following moderate physical activity in athletes.[11]

You can find additional research on natural ways to boost testosterone on our Testosterone database. Also, if you are interested in learning more about the related topic of increasing libido naturally you can read: 13 Alternatives to Viagra That Won't Fall Flat. Finally, if you are looking for natural ways to detoxify testosterone-blocking chemicals in your body, check out this article: 8 Surprisingly Simple Ways to Detoxify Your Body.

It just seems kind of odd to me that the book would warn of the dangers of too much testosterone given the current environment. And it's not like genetics doesn't play a factor in testosterone levels as well. Maybe some high-testosterone phenotypes at above-average risk of criminality are held in check by being turned into "Soy Boys" from the BPA, parabens, etc., but that seems like a socially suboptimal solution. :lol: But let me know if I understood you correctly.
 
I agree with whitecoast. It is well established that testosterone levels are declining, which potentially contributes to the vast array of "feminisation" of males that can be seen today. Rather than looking to reduce testosterone, I would bet that most males would benefit from increasing testosterone via dietary and lifestyle changes. Many factors in the environment are estrogenic, which produces a significant estrogenic burden on both males and females, ultimately reducing testosterone in man, while potentially increasing it in many women. There have been a couple of Health and Wellness shows about this topic in the past.

That said, I have not read the book and so I cannot comment on the research presented. I will check it out though, so thanks ytain.
 
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