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Thursday, June 25, 2015

High Testosterone and Low PSA..... Is it the Chicken or the Egg?

My lifestyle is kind of an experiment in physiology..... stretching the physical limits of normal and accepted for a soon to be 53 year old.

Don't get me wrong.... I realize there are way badder and better 53 year olds out there..... I just haven't seen that many of them.... and apparently, based on the comments I get and conversations I have.... neither have a lot of other people.

Do I think I'm all that?  Definitely not..... I'm pretty hard on myself but I do accept credit where credit is due.

I do some sort of strenuous exercise daily.... I mix it up with cycling, Rowing, Yoga / Pilates, Boot Camp style Circuit Training, Heavy and Varied Weight Training.

I have a relatively disciplined diet.... mainly stick to a Paleo regimen... and I do keep loose track of protein intake.

Between what I eat and Protein supplements, I try to take in at least 150 - 200g of protein / day which meets the "active recommendation" of 1g of protein / # of bodyweight with me hanging around 172 lbs bodyweight.

I drink a Creatine Mix while I'm working out and  post workout.  There's no question in my mind this stuff helps you lift stronger, longer and recover faster.

In addition to the Protein Supplement, I take 3 amino acids - L-Arginine, L-Glutamine, L-Lysine.

I also take a high potency Multi Mineral / Vitamin Supplement, Fish Oil and Glucosamine / Chondroitin / MSM.

I probably take in at least 800 - 1000 mg of caffeine a day via several cups of strong coffee.

I have a Physical done every year and get a comprehensive blood workup.

But for whatever reason, earlier this year, when my physical was done, they didn't do a Testosterone or PSA (indicator for prostate cancer) test.

Now, let me reveal something to you.

For the first time in my life, I've actually entertained the idea of....

Cheating!

No.....Not that kind of cheating....let me explain.

With my torn left Achilles tendon and my chronically arthritic and painful left knee, I actually considered doing....

Hormone Replacement Therapy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy aka HRT aka (for men) boosting your Testosterone Level with a Testosterone supplement.

I talked to the guy who did the PRP injection for my Achilles tendon (which btw has worked) about getting a Testosterone supplement.  So he sent a requisition to the local Santa Fe Lab (TriCore Labs) and I went by and had blood drawn for the test.

So I talked to the good Dr. Mavrick Lobe (which is a pretty kick ass name for a pretty kick ass but very nice guy) today about my test results.  My PSA count was very low which is good.

Dr. Lobe then tells me I have one of the highest Testosterone levels he has seen for a guy my age.  In fact, my Testosterone level was higher than most 35 year olds.

Which I think, surprised him and definitely surprised me.

But, after thinking about it for a while, maybe I shouldn't have been surprised.

I have been subjecting my 52 year old body to a gauntlet of intense and strenuous workouts and strict diet and nutritional supplementation for almost 18 months now.

I've trimmed off 25 lbs of fat, getting to a place at 166 lbs where I looked  like a skinned rabbit, with veins and muscle striations showing on every limb and muscle group.

I've run sprints, lunged around a city block, squatted till I collapsed, rowed across the Atlantic (seems that way), climbed ropes, did 1000s of wide grip chins, did heavy calf raises till I ruptured my Achilles tendon, did Yoga stretches till my name was Gumby and Zumba'd my way to Dancing with the Stars.

I have slammed, thrashed and run my body to the point where the only thing it can do.....

Is ADAPT and....

FIGHT FOR SURVIVAL!

How does a man's body adapt to this kind of physical stress?

It  makes more and denser muscle.

How does it make more muscle?

It makes more Testosterone.

Cause and Effect.

The Human Body is an Incredible and Adaptable Creation.

What's the point to all this?

It's just another data point in my own little personal lab of.....

Discovery.

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