By Brad Pilon, MS
In men, testosterone plays a key role in health and well-being as well as in the prevention of osteoporosis. It is largely responsible for determining how much muscle mass a man possesses and also has positive affects on a man’s libido.
Testosterone levels decline as men age and this decline plays a significant role in the aging process.
Athletes often use testosterone in the form of anabolic steroids as a way to improve performance, build muscle and decrease body fat. It is considered to be a form of doping in most sports. (The International Olympic Committee has banned Testosterone doping).
There are several different ways a person can take testosterone, including intramuscular injections, transdermal gels and patches, and implantable pellets.
Testosterone doping is prevalent in bodybuilding and fitness competitions, and is largely responsible for the massive, yet unrealistic proportions of professionals in these sports.
Outside of doping, Testosterone levels can also be affected by workouts, nutrition and even mood states.
While it is well documented that high protein diets and high fiber diets tend to decrease testosterone levels and diets with lower protein but higher saturated fat tend to increase testosterone levels, short term fasting can also have an effect.
Brief fasts do not seem to impact normal Testosterone levels. Testosterone levels are actually highest during the Morning after an overnight fast. These levels will be 20-30% higher than Testosterone levels found during the evening.
More prolonged fasts seem to be associated with slight decreases in Testosterone levels. A 58-hour fast has been noted to cause reduced morning serum Testosterone measurements by the third straight morning of fasting [Röjdmark S. 1987], however these measurements were still well within the normal range for healthy adults [Merck Manual 1992].
With Eat Stop Eat, you only fast for 24-hour periods, ensuring that serum testosterone levels never drop below normal. Also, Eat Stop Eat requires that you follow a resistance-training program, and resistance training can actually increase serum testosterone levels [Ahtiainen JP 2004].
The bottom line is that following Eat Stop Eat is an effective way to reduce body fat levels that will not lower your testosterone levels, and will still allow you to build muscle mass.
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Brad Pilon is a nutrition professional with over eight years experience working in the nutritional supplement industry specializing in clinical research management and new product development. Brad has completed graduate studies in nutritional sciences specializing in the use of short term fasting for weight loss.
His trademarked book Eat Stop Eat has been featured on national television and helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat without sacrificing the foods they love. For more information on Eat Stop Eat, visit www.eatstopeat.com
