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Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

theguardian.com

51–60 of 87 posts

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#51

I'm old, but I get this subjective read: of my friends and even family who had sons, they seemed smaller and less bold than we were 50 years ago.

This study is measuring adult men’s testosterone levels, not children’s. Boys don’t even produce that much testosterone until puberty.

This study has more to say in comparing adult men today to their grandfathers.

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#52
Lift weights. Nobody lifts weights or does labor like they used to.

Endocrine function can still be normal despite obesity. There are plenty of fat guys with solid testosterone levels because they work with their hands all day.

I'm not saying that's all there is to health, far from it, but what kind of bubble does one have to live in to not see this counterexample? Do we just casually ignore them because they fit undesirable stereotypes of "toxic masculinity" or what? You don't have to become that guy just to lift weights.

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#53

Before the reactions to the headline get too out of hand, the article says the study couldn’t rule out that obesity and diabetes might drive this change. Occam’s Razor leads me to lean on this more than any other exotic explanation. Of course, PFAS and microplastics aren’t great for sperm health, but neither were leaded gasoline and DDT before they were curtailed.

Which means, given GLP-1s, we should see a reversal in the next few years.

Random aside: is there a correlation between GLP-1 and vaccine acceptance? As in, given enough time, would one expect to see an obese, diseased, low-T population concentrating in on itself?

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#55

Before the reactions to the headline get too out of hand, the article says the study couldn’t rule out that obesity and diabetes might drive this change. Occam’s Razor leads me to lean on this more than any other exotic explanation. Of course, PFAS and microplastics aren’t great for sperm health, but neither were leaded gasoline and DDT before they were curtailed.

Also, it's highly person dependent.

I'm an obese american (lost 10% of my body weight in the last 7 months, so almost not obese anymore) who is 30+, but my testosterone has measured between 850 and 1400 in the last 7 months.

That probably helped with my weight loss, but I have a full head of hair still and am somewhat likely to keep it.

We'll likely spend longer measuring what the hormonal effects of PFAs and microplastics are than we'll have pfas and microplastics to deal with.

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#56
I really wonder, what is “normal”?

One class of doctors thinks roughly 250 is enough for a middle aged guy - anything over shouldn’t be medically treated. Of course, the “men’s clinics” don’t rest until it’s over 1000...

With the standard range so wide (even after age adjustment), why isn’t it measured annually, like the CBC and others?

Sure, it’s easy to point at obesity, but statistical ranges completely fail the individual.

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#57
soy, cortisol, plastics, birth control remnants in the water and food supply, adipose tissue accelerating conversion of testosterone into estradiol, and compounds acting to keep free testosterone levels low and bound testosterone levels high. combine that with sedentary lifestyle, the demonization of red meat healthy fats and cholesterols (cholesterol is extremely close to testosterone and converts easily) and the systematic promotion of a plant based heavily processed diet can easily lead to this. the traditional diets of slaves and serfs was low meat & high grain to keep them weaker dumber and shorter in general. the lowered testosterone and will to fight and resist oppression was also a "feature, not a bug" as my llm likes to say every chance it gets.

the industrial revolution has been a disaster for the human race.

Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#58
post #14

Sperm counts, too, have dropped precipitously.

Seems like a minor issue, since most men only utilize their sperm two or three times in their entire lives, if at all. Maybe men should be freezing sperm while they're young and virile.

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Re: Men's average testosterone levels have halved in last 50 years

#59

America found the solution, put everyone on enhanced TRT and cash a shit load of bucks in the process :) Others are trying to regulate pesticide, junk food (obesity, diabete). For instance nutriscore in Europe, also the recent change on pesticide allowed. I'm not sure it will be enough, but at least they are attacking to the root cause. You're not just adding even more problem, like the increased cardiovascular event…

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