Why our "Normal range" isn't normal

[NateDEEzy]

I would like to start off by stating that it is ever obvious that the medical community, although getting better, seems to lack a good understanding of testosterone. And unfortunately because of this, many men have to suffer- I can't tell you how many posts I have read that detail an experience of going to their doctor with blood work indicating low-normal T (and I'm talking within 50ng/dl) and the doctor refusing treatment, despite having many symptoms suggesting low T. And right now I am going to demonstrate why the "normal" range of testosterone is in fact not normal at all.

It seems almost obvious that men are not what they once were. We are a far cry from what our great grandfathers were, whether we want to believe it or not. But why is this? Why are men less hairy than 40 years ago, have a much higher prevalence of gynecomastia etc? Well, it is because testosterone levels are dropping with each generation and there are countless amounts of environmental estrogens that we're exposed to daily to blame for this. Whether it's the estrogen-pumped chickens to produce increased breast growth so those raising them are more profitable, or the water we drink which is contaminated with all the birth control women take, or the produce we eat which is sprayed with pesticides, or the plastics we use every day- we can't escape it. Now, by simply observing men today one can see a comparative difference between men from the 20's, 30's, 40's, but it seems this difference exists in others places- their testosterone levels. There's actually a long-spanning study that shows how testosterone levels in American men has dropped approx 20 % in 20 years. The study ranged from approx 1980 -2000. Now, testosterone levels drop naturally with age, but this is not what is meant. What is meant by a 20% decrease, and what the study shows is, a 60 yo man in 2000 has, on average, 20% less testosterone than a 60 yo man from 1980. Incredible! And who's to say how long this has been going on? birth control was introduced in 1950, so has this decrease been going on for this long?

So, why is this important? Well, here's the main reason. To determine normal ranges of a certain hormone, or anything really, levels are determined from a group of individuals and we calculate where 95 % of the population falls, because it is assumed that 95% of the population is healthy. This is exactly how the normal ranges of testosterone were determined. However, as the study mentioned above indicates, testosterone levels have been declining for some reason over the years, in fact, it is unknown how long this has been going on. And this is where it is important. If the normal ranges were determined using a group of men who have already experienced this nationwide testosterone decline due to environmental factors, then 100% of the results would be skewed and our normal ranges would be determined by numbers that are in actuality, lower than what normal actually is.

If this is so, that would mean our "normal" range for testosterone is actually WAY off. Maybe our testosterone levels should actually be much higher. Based on the study that indicates a 20% decline over 20 years, who's to say the average man 100 years ago, before all the environmental estrogen exposure, didn't have 40 % higher testosterone than the average man today? But just because the average man today has this lowered level, doesn't mean it's actually normal. If we take the average of 95% or so of the population to determine the normal level, but 100 % of the population's testosterone has been decreasing since the introduction of environmental estrogens, that 95% considered normal, is actually lower than what it would be, say 100 years ago. So our "normal" levels are actually based on skewed results.

 

[300winmag]

I think parts of it has to deal with the substance has long history of being abused. I mean look at half of this site alone is bascially people cycling or abusing the stuff. Not judging or saying I wouldnt do it, but doing a cycle is in a sense abusing the stuff. It would be like of cocaine was found to cure cancer, you bet the medical community would be slow to move on that on.

I also think its a tough one in general. As how much of it is low T vs diet and exercise. Second off I think its hard to judge what is low testosterone and just getting old? At 50 your not going to be 25 and there are well certain side effects of being old. But with modern medicing thats not to say some of this can not be fixed or made better either. What truely worried me is the lack of long term steroid use over say 30-40 years and I dont think that data is out there.

 

[O]

There is a good documentary about this issue called "The Disappearing Male" that is worth watching. Talks about all the chemicals we are being exposed to in our society today and how they are messing with male hormones.

The Disappearing Male is about one of the most important, and least publicized, issues facing the human species: the toxic threat to the male reproductive system.

The last few decades have seen steady and dramatic increases in the incidence of boys and young men suffering from genital deformities, low sperm count, sperm abnormalities and testicular cancer.

At the same time, boys are now far more at risk of suffering from ADHD, autism, Tourette’s syndrome, cerebral palsy, and dyslexia.

The Disappearing Male takes a close and disturbing look at what many doctors and researchers now suspect are responsible for many of these problems: a class of common chemicals that are ubiquitous in our world.

Found in everything from shampoo, sunglasses, meat and dairy products, carpet, cosmetics and baby bottles, they are called “hormone mimicking” or “endocrine disrupting” chemicals and they may be starting to damage the most basic building blocks of human development.

 

[300winmag]

There is a good documentary about this issue called "The Disappearing Male" that is worth watching. Talks about all the chemicals we are being exposed to in our society today and how they are messing with male hormones.

I think this has something to do with all the young girls having such big tits at young age. Not thats a bad thing, lol. But there has to be something triggering this

 

[O]

I think this has something to do with all the young girls having such big tits at young age. Not thats a bad thing, lol. But there has to be something triggering this

Yeah haha I agree about it being fine for women but it sucks for us guys. Its actually kind of scary how damaging stuff like BPA is and the fact that we are exposed to it everywhere. Luckily I don't think most of us have to worry seeing as we are getting plenty of test.

Men, Bisphenol A, known commonly as BPA, is sapping your manliness each and every day. The chemical causes obesity, increased estrogen levels, disrupts the normal operation of the thyroid gland, and causes cancer. This pervasive toxin is found nearly everywhere. Soda cans, shopping receipts, plastic water pipes, bowls, and hundreds of other products contain minute but measurable levels of BPA.

BPA is used in the plastics manufacturing process as a binding agent, mostly in the production of PVC and Polycarbonate. Other types of plastics may also contain this chemical. The layman may be assured that a product contains BPA if the resin identification code, or "recycle number" is three or seven. Items with a resin ID code of one do not contain BPA.

Of particular interest to men is the method by which BPA increases estrogen in the body. Per this article by Robert Rister, BPA causes testosterone levels to INCREASE, causing weight gain. The excess fat converts testosterone into estrogen, triggering breast growth, penis shrinkage, memory loss, and attention span problems. If these were the only ill effects of a single dose of the chemical, then the effects would be short lived and totally reversible. Alas, it is not the case.

BPA disrupts normal thyroid function, making weight loss difficult. The continued exposure to the chemical prolongs thyroid malfunction, penis shrinkage, and the rest of the above effects, gelding men through chemical means. The literate man may read more about the harm BPA does to the thyroid gland in this document from Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine.

The long term effects of measurable levels of BPA in the human body include several types of cancers, including prostate cancer as stated in this scholarly article by Julian Josephson. This is in addition to the long term effects of obesity.

The man of today is hard pressed to avoid BPA. It is everywhere. Going to the grocery, a man encounters it in the packaging of his food, the microwavable plastic bowl in his frozen dinner, and even the receipt the cashier hands him. If he stops to buy a soda, the almost imperceptible plastic liner in the soda can is leeching BPA, fouling his already unhealthy beverage.

Generally, any hard plastic or polycarbonate contains BPA. This may include baby bottles, but the more reputable manufacturers are offering BPA free products. When in doubt, the involved father is advised to check the product's label. Manufacturers are aware of the growing concern regarding BPA and will mark a BPA free product accordingly.

Though it is everywhere, the attentive man can reduce his exposure. By using glass or ceramic microwave dishes, abstaining from canned beverages and soups, and buying food with little or no packaging, a man can stop and reverse the cycle of weight gan, penis shrinkage, prostate enlargement, and thyroid malfunction. BPA is a poison! The reader is advised to avoid it as he would arsenic.