Most men don't need to be convinced that having higher testosterone levels is desirable. Healthy levels of testosterone are essential for adequate energy, libido, and overall well-being. For this reason, we're treated to one article after another telling us to cut down on alcohol, swallow fish oil, and eat broccoli until we start turning green. This article talks about something even more important for raising testosterone levels.
By Scott Abbett

What’s the biggest secret for a man to know in order for him to keep his testosterone up to maximum levels? We’ve no-doubt seen dozens of articles recommending laundry lists of foods to consume for this purpose as well as those to eschew. We’ve been told that good habits (like engaging in intense bodybuilding workouts) can increase this vital hormone while bad habits such as excessive alcohol consumption can diminish it. They tell us to eat broccoli and oysters and avoid eating licorice and soy. Well, we were first instructed to eat soy, but now in some corners this advice is being retracted. We were told to cut dietary fat back in the 80s and now it’s recommended we don’t dump too much of it because it’s one of the building blocks of testosterone.

“Make sure to eat cruciferous veggies and down twelve ounces of monounsaturated fat each week and you’ll be a raging bull.” Are you confused? Is this all there is to it? Of course not.

The consistent intake of particular foods and the avoidance of certain others can help put the testosterone equation in our favor, but only if a more important factor is first addressed. In fact, this important determinant is so vital to male hormone health that if you’ve unwittingly neglected it, you could possibly double your testosterone level by simply reversing the situation. What could I be referring to? It’s that ubiquitous signifier of and Achilles’ heel of male middle age. It is abdominal fat; the oversized gut.

Just a few pounds of abdominal fat can cut your testosterone levels in half (1). That’s not good. Considering that a healthy testosterone level is needed for everything from energy and assertiveness to a healthy heart and normal sexual functioning, it seems a lousy tradeoff for one to allow his “mojo” to be soaked up by an expanding waistline. I should know; I’ve allowed it to happen to me in the past. And the return of virility and vitality after shedding my nearly 40-inch mid-section surpasses any fleeting pleasure I’d gotten while inadvertently forgoing my ability to look down and see my feet.

In order to understand how abdominal fat can hinder one’s testosterone production, you must have a basic understanding of the ‘loop feedback’ mechanism by which natural testosterone is regulated in the male body. Testosterone is produced by the leydig cells in the testes, but only after a signal has been sent there by the hypothalamus in the brain. That signal is sent via intermediary hormones called LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle stimulating hormone). The LH and FSH are sent when the hypothalamus gets a reading that testosterone levels are getting too low.

Of course, the hypothalamus reduces its LH and FSH release when testosterone levels reach the upper level limit. This loop feedback system serves the purpose of keeping the body in hormonal homeostasis.
This all seems simple enough until an antagonist is thrown in the mix. That antagonist is the female hormone; estrogen. Yes, men’s bodies are designed to require some estrogen. However, we guys aren’t supposed to have a whole lot of this stuff and it just so happens that we get it from the conversion of some of our own testosterone (2). That’s right – the simple elimination of a molecule here and there from the molecular structure of testosterone and – Surprise… you’ve got the female stuff. It’s okay when the ratio between ‘test’ and ‘estro’ is large. Things go downhill as the ratio shrinks.

So what do we mean by “downhill”? Well, consider this; when the hypothalamus takes its reading to find out whether testosterone is sufficiently high and thus reduce its output of LH and FSH, it can’t always distinguish between estrogen and testosterone in the receptor sites (3). That means I could have a subpar testosterone level yet my hypothalamus might read it as being sufficient or even high due to estrogen that’s occupying the receptor sites in my body. So my libido and overall health could be in dyer need of a testosterone boost, but the signal that would make things happen is being smothered by estrogen. That’s not a pretty sight. (no pun)

And what can cause these high estrogen levels? You guessed it; body fat. A hormone called aromatase is what does the conversion and this stuff increases as body fat levels go up. In addition, testosterone levels tend to be knocked down even further by high insulin levels which are a side-effect of the particular type of fat that accumulates in the abdominal region.(4)
So here’s a typical list of things to do that can increase your natural testosterone production:
—Eat cruciferous vegetables
—Avoid excessive alcohol consumption
—Consume fish oils
—Take a zinc supplement
—Engage in intense exercise (strength training)
—Increase flavenoid intake

Just remember; these steps will probably be extraneous at best if you’ve allowed an “estrogen factory” to begin forming between your ribcage and hips. The biggest key to higher testosterone is to lose the gut. When your waistline is slim, these other steps will have a more powerful and “potent” effect.

References
(1) Longscope, C. et. Al., Diet and Sex Hormone Binding Globulin. J. Clin Endocrinol Metab 2000 85(1): p.293-6 (2) Shippen, Eugene. Fryer, William The Testosterone Syndrome. M. Evans and Company, New York, NY (1998) pg. 47 (3) Shippen, Eugene. Fryer, William The Testosterone Syndrome. M. Evans and Company, New York, NY (1998) pg. 49 (4) Bjorntorp P., Metabolic Difference between visceral and subcutaneous abdominal fat. Diabetes Metab, 2000. 26(3): pg. 10-12
Scott Abbett is the author of HardBody Success: 28 Principles to Create Your Ultimate Body and Shape Your Mind for Incredible Success.

To see his personal transformation, visit hardbodysuccess.com

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Want to know the best exercises for a sexy slim butt? Learn what the top 3 exercises that will firm your glutes and slim down your legs. By Heather Picken

One of the most asked questions from women are what are the best butt exercises to firm my butt? This area seems to be a problem area for most women, and if you do the right exercises, you can see some great results.
Here are the 3 top exercises that every woman needs to know if they want a slim and sexy butt:

1. Squats- This is a great exercise that will help shape your glutes and upper thighs. To perform a squat you would pretend as if you are going to sit down on a chair, with feet shoulder width apart, knees bent, and hold weights at your side. It’Keep your head up and make sure that your back is upright and feet are pointed straight ahead. If your feet are pointed outward it may cause your hips to be tight. The deeper you go, the more you feel your glutes activated. Do anywhere from 8-15 repetitions. Another version of the squat is called a pop squat. This is similar to a squat, using no weight. Simply stay in a squat position with knees bent and jump up and pull your feet together and jump out with feet apart and repeat this movement. Perform 15-30 repetitions. To make this more challenging swing your arms all the way up when you jump up and try jumping up as high as you can off the ground. A few sets of these and you will be seeing your butt looking slim and sexy in no time.

2. Single Leg Deadlift- This exercise requires balance. Start out with a lighter weight until you get the hang of it. Simply stand on one leg and keep your knee bent. The other leg should be off the ground, so that your weight is all on one leg. Bend at your waist and hold a weight on the same side that you are going down on. As you bend at your waist, make sure the weight is in front of your leg. The idea is to touch the weight to the ground or as close as possible, then come back up and repeat. Perform 8-15 repetitions and switch legs. Performing this exercise one leg at a time you are burning more calories and doing twice the work, which means getting you closer to a slim and sexy butt.

3. Lunges-These are great for shaping the whole leg all the way up to your butt. You can perform what is called a walking lunge with weights or without. If you are doing this with weights, you would hold the weights by your side and walk. Make sure as you walk you are bending your knee and lunging forward. Keep you head up and back straight. Also, make sure that your knee doesn’t go over your toe. Count on each leg moving forward about 16-20 steps and back, this is equal to 1 set. There are other ways you can perform a lunge. Another way is to do them in place and alternate between each leg.

These 3 exercises are the best in slimming and sculpting a sexy butt, as well as burning calories. Forget about doing leg lifts, these just don’t produce the results to a firm butt, since they don’t activate the glute muscles as they should. If you stick with these simple exercises you will get results.

Heather Picken, Female Fat Loss Expert, and Co-Founder Of Fat Loss For Women online community. Want workouts that work in getting you results? Sign up for your FREE fat burning updates newsletter and podcast show at: http://www.fatlossforwomen.com/public/department98.cfm
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Reuters reports that Astroglide Personal Lubricant has been found to block the replication of the human immunodeficiency virus in lab tests.

The lubricants killed HIV-infected white blood cells and HIV in seminal fluid, according to researchers from the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.Dr. Samuel Baron and colleagues conducted the study to examine over-the-counter vaginal preparations for their ability to inhibit HIV production.

While the spermicide nonoxynol-9 has been found in lab tests to fight HIV, it doesn't prevent the virus from spreading, probably because it causes genital irritation, the authors note in the July 20th issue of AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses. For this reason, the researchers only looked at non-irritating lubricants.

Astroglide inhibited HIV production by more than 1,000-fold when mixed in test tubes with cells contained in semen. When the preparation was mixed with cell-free semen containing the virus, it cut HIV replication eightfold.

Inactivation of the virus began within 5 minutes after the preparation was added, and the lubricant remained active for more than 8 hours at human body temperature. When layered over cells, the lubricant was still able to kill, indicating that their protective activity can diffuse into seminal fluid. The lubricant was still active when diluted in a one-to-four ratio.

Since submission of their report, the investigators have identified two components that are responsible for the inhibitory effects, Baron told Reuters Health. These components appear to interact with the lipid or fatty membrane that surrounds both the virus and the infected cells, he said.

"These materials we have identified are by the most stringent standards safe, falling in the Food and Drug Administration's No. 1 safety category," Baron noted. "This separates them out completely from nonoxynol-9."

He cautions that condoms remain the recommended method for preventing HIV transmission during sexual activity. However, Baron and his colleagues highly recommend that field trials of these agents be conducted among people at risk.

SOURCE: Reuters Health & AIDS Research and Human Retroviruses 2001;17:997-1002.

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Every day millions of men worldwide suffer from premature ejaculation. Do you? Here's some tips to allow you to control and minimise the problem.
By Steve Armstrong

Every day millions of men worldwide suffer from premature ejaculation. Do you? Here’s some tips to allow you to control and minimise the problem.

1. Wear a Condom .For some men, sex is simply too intense an experience for them to control resulting in them having a quick orgasm. One answer is to wear a condom in order to decrease the intensity of sex. Ask yourself this: Have you used condoms in the past and then stopped using them ? Did your problem only begin only when you stopped using condoms? If yes, then this may be the cause.

2. Learn your sexual responses. The ability to prolong intercourse is a learned response according to Dr. Drogo Montague ( director of the Center for Sexual Function at The Cleveland Clinic) . This dates back to the time when it was necessary for men to impregnate his mate quickly before predators catch them while he can’t defend himself. The way to overcome this conditioned response is to learn ans delvelop awareness of where your sexual response comes in. When you know you are quickly approaching that point of no return during sex, you are in a better position to control sensations and stimuli, such as by slowing down or stopping momentarily. Once you are experienced in this type of control, you can learn what is needed to delay your ejaculation.

3. Overcome anxiety.Many people see sex as a dirty deed and they feel ashamed every time they perform it. Other people may be carrying some baggage from their past experiences which make them feel anxious during sex. These feelings can all be contributing factors to premature ejaculation problems. If you are struggling with feelings like this, they can affect your subconscious and cause it to order your body to get sex over and done with quickly, and your body obeys. The key is to look out for and identify any such feelings of anxiety or distress and look at the roots of the problems.
4. Numb the sensations. By using desensitising anesthetics, you can numb the sensations that occur during sex and prolong the act. However, this can often be messy which is quite inconvenient, and is therefore not highly recommended. But it does work. However, a disadvantage is that if the does is too much, you may not be able to feel much at all.

5. Pop a pill Pills such as Prozac and other SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are prescribed over the counter as a remedy for premature ejaculation. Delaying ejaculation is a well-known side effect of most SSRIs. The bad news is that they can also adversely affect your libido.

6. Masturbation before sex. If you have not had sex for a long time, you may be so hot and bothered that you are likely to ejaculate right away. One solution is to reduce your libido a little by masturbating prior to sex. This helps you cope with the heightened sexual sensations during sex. Be warned though, this solution may not work for everybody, especially for those with severe premature ejaculation problems. In severe cases, some men ejaculate quickly irrespective of how many times they have sex. Additionally there are some who have a long refractory period between orgasms before their penis is ready for action once again. Masturbating may not be a solution for men with a long refractory period because it can prevent him from rising to the occasion when it matters the most.

7. Communicate with your partner. By communicating with his partner a man can go a long way to prolonging his ejaculation. To start with, you can inform your partner that you are reaching the point of no return so that she knows to slow down and give you time to recover. When you reach the brink, you could also let your partner know exactly what you can still handle .

Since anxiety is a well-known cause of premature ejaculation, communication can help in this regard as well because it can help lovers relax and feel comfortable with each other. Communication can also wash away fear and discomfort. It’s a great way to get those contraception issues out of the way, another great cause of anxiety during sex.
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