Hormonal theory

What is testosterone, and why do I need it?

Testosterone, the primary male hormone, surges in response to conquering a challenging but achievable environment. It doesn't kick in when no struggle for a desired outcome or competition is necessary for victory. Conversely, when the challenge is impossible, with no hope for victory, the body optimizes resources for survival rather than exerting effort in vain.
However, when the battle is tough yet winnable, the brain signals a need for competition. This is the moment we recognize an opportunity to enhance our lives, understanding that we can navigate challenges. If the task is too easy, there's no struggle, no necessity; if it's too complicated, the battle becomes futile.

As we achieve a higher quality of life, testosterone rewards us, regulating mood and well-being, signaling our proficiency in handling and overcoming adversity.

By engaging in the fight, stimulating testosterone production, and securing victory, we maintain this zest and mood, losing it only if we fall into extreme comfort or overwhelming difficulty. Testosterone also influences social behavior and the extent to which an individual will assert dominance, prove themselves, and seize potential opportunities. It doesn't inherently promote aggression but prepares us to defend our beliefs and not yield easily.

Serving as the leading male antidepressant, testosterone is crucial for mood regulation. A man cannot feel upbeat with low testosterone levels; it's fundamental. It fosters self-assurance, confidence, optimism, and a zest for life, essential for mental equilibrium.

Physically, testosterone shapes body composition, strengthens bones, muscles, and ligaments, and maintains proper blood pressure, nerve contraction strength, focus, posture, roughness and depth of voice, hairiness, etc. At optimal levels, it manifests as serene self-assurance, commanding respect, defining the male physical and facial structure, and fostering self-reliance and territoriality.

A high testosterone level drives the pursuit of personal growth, dismissing idle talk and distant dreams as irrelevant. It encourages a constructive self-view, motivating self-improvement and excitement for future endeavors.

Conversely, low testosterone is linked to a lack of confidence, shyness, pessimism, and a general sluggishness in body, mind, and spirit, leading to puffiness, swelling, and a reluctance to act. Testosterone inversely correlates with cortisol and prolactin, rises with dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, falls with adrenaline spikes, and decreases with oxytocin peaks.

Physical efforts and testosterone

Lifting weight in the gym can increase testosterone levels due to several physiological mechanisms triggered by the stress and strain of resistance training. 

Engaging in heavy resistance training causes your body to undergo a neuroendocrine adaptation. It involves the central nervous and endocrine systems, where the body increases its production of various hormones, including testosterone, in response to the physical stress of lifting weights. It is a natural response promoting muscle repair, growth, and increased strength.

Lifting weight causes microscopic damage to muscle fibers, known as muscle hypertrophy. In response to this damage, the body initiates a repair process involving synthesizing new muscle proteins. Testosterone plays a crucial role in this process by enhancing protein synthesis, leading to muscle growth and increased muscle strength. The increased demand for muscle repair triggers the body to produce more testosterone to facilitate the process.

Exercises that involve large muscle groups (such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses) and compound movements that require significant effort and stabilization from the body have been shown to produce the most significant increases in testosterone levels. The considerable stress placed on the body by these exercises stimulates a better hormonal response than exercises targeting smaller muscle groups.

Heavy lifting increases the body's metabolic demands, requiring more energy for the activity and the recovery process. This increased metabolic rate can stimulate more testosterone production, as the hormone plays a vital role in metabolic processes, including the breakdown of fat for energy.

Physical stress from heavy lifting triggers the release of various hormones, including testosterone, as part of the body's adaptive response to cope with the stress. It relates to the body's fight or flight response, which we discussed above, with testosterone being a crucial part of the mechanism that prepares the body for challenges.

It is important to note that while resistance training can increase testosterone levels, the extent of the increase can vary widely between individuals due to factors such as age, fitness level, nutritional status, sensitivity of receptors, and overall health. Consistency in training, adequate recovery, and proper nutrition are key factors that can influence the effectiveness of resistance training on testosterone levels and comprehensive health benefits.

In addition, lack of sleep, obesity, zinc, and vitamin D deficiency also affect the body's ability to generate this critical hormone.

It would help if you also prioritized a basic level of leg movement. This is because blood and lymphatic circulation, essential for delivering hormones and neurotransmitters to their receptors, depends on said physical activity. Aim for a 6-10km walk and 50-100 squats without weights, escalating to a 10-20km run and 400-600 squats for those looking for significant changes to their nervous and hormonal systems.