I wrote my first book The “T” Factor in 2000. In it, I described testosterone as the king of hormones, and showed how not having enough can be deadly, but having more of it can help you live longer and better.
It’s only taken conventional medicine 12 years, but they’re finally starting to realize what I’ve been saying all this time. I just read a new study where researchers show that not having enough testosterone can be deadly for your heart.
They looked at almost 4,000 thousand people and followed them for over five years. Those who had the least free testosterone were 71% more likely to die from heart disease than those who had the most.1
In fact, in a brand-new review of other studies by the prestigious journal Nature, researchers showed that people with heart disease have significantly lower testosterone than healthy people.2
That doesn’t mean low testosterone causes heart disease. But what it does show is that letting your testosterone levels drop as you age can be a disaster for your heart.
I’ve helped thousands of patients avoid this situation by using a few simple, natural methods to bring their testosterone back to where it should be. Today I’m going to show you how I do it.
But first, let me answer the obvious question. Now that we know low testosterone is associated with heart disease, does raising testosterone make the risk go away?
They did a double blind, placebo-controlled study – the gold standard of research – to answer that question. Researchers looked at five groups of animals. In four of them, they stopped the animals’ ability to make testosterone. One group was left with normal testosterone.
They then tried to give the animals heart disease by feeding them the same diet that gives humans heart disease. In the four groups, two got testosterone, one got a nutrient that raises testosterone naturally, and the other got a placebo.
Researchers were shocked at the results. The animals that got a placebo developed heart disease. The other groups were protected.3
In a study that looked at other studies about raising testosterone, the authors write that all the evidence supports the benefits of raising low testosterone.4
Testosterone has a positive effect on your cardiovascular system by working its magic in a few different ways. It helps prevent internal blood clotting,5 increases blood flow to the heart6 and gives you better endothelial function,7 helping blood pressure.
But it’s not just your heart that benefits from normal testosterone. With normal levels, you’ll enjoy:
- increased muscle strength
- decreased body fat
- better insulin sensitivity (lower blood sugar)
- more power
- better mobility
- a greater sense of well-being
- denser bones
- increased potency
- better mood
- more energy
- better mental function
- clearer speech
- higher HDL cholesterol8
So how do I help my patients raise their testosterone? There are a few ways to do it. There are testosterone gels, injections, and precursor supplements.
I don’t like to start with testosterone gels or injections. These options are usually not necessary. There are safer and more effective options for most men. In fact the most effective, safe and legal way to support healthy testosterone levels is with the herb Tribulus terrestris.
This little-known herb has long been used by Oriental and Ayervedic healers as a treatment for intimacy problems and to build muscle by boosting testosterone production.
By gently boosting testosterone levels, Tribulus terrestris can help increase red blood cell counts, helping the body to transport oxygen, particularly in older men.
Tribulus terrestris has been used in India for years to help treat impotence and fatigue. In one study, 50 patients complaining of lethargy and fatigue for periods of two to six months were observed to show an overall improvement of 45% in all symptoms after taking Tribulus terrestris.9
One study analyzed the effect of tribulus on healthy men. The men experienced an average 30% increase in testosterone levels10 after just 5 days of oral supplementation. This is about the average rise in testosterone that I have experienced in my clinic.
You can buy the bulk powder form of tribulus at online sellers like:
- floridaherbhouse.com – Herbs stored in special climate-controlled, low-humidity rooms which keeps the potency and purity
- herbstoreusa.com – Thousands of herbs fresh and in stock
- purebulk.com – Facts, plant descriptions and a volumetric converter for each
If you want to take an extract as a supplement, look for one with at least 40% saponins (the active ingredient in tribulus). I have seen sellers that claim to have extracts with as much as 90% saponins, but 40% is standard.
How much do you need to take? Scientific studies use different amounts of tribulus for their trials. Some use 450mg, 750mg, and even as much as 1350mg a day of tribulus. At my clinic, I use a starting dose of 500mg (40% saponins) once a day, and increase to 750mg a day if necessary. It doesn’t usually take more than that to raise testosterone to normal levels.
1 Hyde, Z. et. al. "Low Free Testosterone Predicts Mortality…" The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. October 19, 2011 jc.2011-1617.
2 "Low testosterone levels are associated with CVD risk." Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2011 Oct 21;7(11):632.
3 Alexandersen, P. , Haarbo, J., Byrjalsen, I., Lawaetz, H., Christiansen, C. "Natural Androgens Inhibit Male Atherosclerosis." Circulation Research. 1999; 84: 813-819.
4 Cunningham, G., Toma, S. "Why Is Androgen Replacement in Males Controversial?." The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism January 1, 2011 vol. 96 no. 1, 38-52.
5 Ajayi AA. “Testosterone increases platelet thromboxane A2 receptor density.” Circulation. 1995. 91:2740-2747.
6 Webb CM, McNeill JG, Hayward CS, Zeegler D, Collins P. “Effect of testosterone on coronary vasomotor regulation in men with coronary heart disease.” Circulation. 1999. 100:1690-1693.
7 Ong PSL, Patrizi G, Chong WCF, Webb CM, Haywar’d CS, Collins P. "Testosterone enhances flow mediated brachial artery reactivity in men with coronary artery disease." Am J Cardiol. 2000. 85:14–17.
8 Vermeulen, A. "Androgen Replacement Therapy in the Aging Male — A Critical Evaluation." The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism June 1, 2001 vol. 86 no. 6 2380-2390.
9 Jayaram, S et al. (1993) Indian Drugs. 30 (10) 498-500.
10 Muscle and Fitness, 1996 Sept; 140: 224.