Is it possible that something as simple as a daily morning jog could offset the effects of aging?
Could stopping by the gym a few times a week enhance sexual performance and increase libido?
Could hiking, biking, swimming, or just lifting weights in the garage be the “cure” most midlife men are looking for?
According to a recent study by the New England Research Institutes, the answer is a resounding “yes”.
The study, which followed 1,667 men ages 40 through 70 for 16 years, indicated that as men age the importance of weight control through regular exercise becomes vital. The reason? Because even moderate increases in weight led to major decreases in the production of testosterone, the primary male hormone.
As weight and BMI go up, testosterone production goes down
Most people are aware that there is a normal age-related decline in testosterone production, but in reality the amount of age-related decrease is surprisingly small. In normal healthy men testosterone production generally decreases about one percent per year after the age of 40. But the New England research revealed that as the Body Mass Index or BMI rose into the level of obesity, the production of testosterone dropped off dramatically. In fact, moving from a non-obese to an obese BMI category was linked to a reduction in testosterone equivalent to 10 years of aging.
Low testosterone linked to a host of mental, physical, and sexual problems
Low testosterone levels undoubtedly play a role in many of the symptoms and syndromes associated with male aging, male “menopause”, and the classic male mid-life crisis. Low levels of this crucial hormone are believed to contribute to a host health conditions, including diabetes, osteoporosis and impaired sexual function.
Both mental ability and sexual function are markedly effected by major drops in testosterone levels. A French study by the Saint-Etienne University Hospitals found that lower levels of testosterone are definitely linked to measurably poorer results in cognitive tests.
Other studies have demonstrated that low testosterone is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, but it is still unclear whether the drop in testosterone levels lead to the disease or are a result of the disease process.
Good nutrition + regular exercise = fitness over 50
While changes in diet and lifestyle play an important role in maintaining a healthy weight (and therefore a healthy production of testosterone) in middle aged men, research is reaffirming that at midlife exercise is absolutely crucial. In addition to promoting weight loss, fitness over 50 has been repeatedly proven to dramatically lower most major health risks and to increase energy, alertness, and libido.
