Testosterone Tumbling in American Males 597
An anonymous reader writes "Yahoo is running a story about a study that concludes that testosterone levels are falling across all age groups among American men. It says 'The testosterone-fueled American male may be losing his punch'" I leave it to you all to draw your conclusions about this, but I still wonder what my hours of laptop-fu does to me.
because... (Score:5, Funny)
Another real reason (Score:3, Informative)
The other possibility is the males' levels of testosterone are dropping because they are biologically less able to produce it than they were in the 1980s. The Testosterone level in a male goes in parallel to his level of zinc intake. If you are a male who is zinc deficient, you are going to lack testosterone too. A decline of zinc in the American food supply or a changing American diet wh
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You have some 185 pound "jock" picking on someone and ruining their life for months. The school does *nothing* about it. In some cases other jock's join in.
I saw it. I lived it a bit, but even tho I wasn't aggressive- I was 6'5" and when I snapped (as I did 6 times from kindergarten bullying to 10th grade bullying in high school) I kicked the crap out of them so badly (choking one unconcious basically-- I was neve
Any link to... (Score:2)
Diabetes (Score:3, Informative)
There's your link [wikipedia.org].
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Re:Diabetes (Score:4, Interesting)
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..or increased longevity? (Score:3, Insightful)
So maybe the average lower testerone just results from diabetes patients and others l
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I don't understand why people go on and on so much about diseases like Aids in Africa when there is a disease killing millions here in America also, the only difference being it is caused by lack of self-control rather than a virus. Yet so many people treat obesity like it's no big deal unlike other diseases. I can understand Walmart
Re:Any link to... (Score:5, Informative)
However, keep in mind humans are the only animal species that actually get overall, most of their testosterone from DHEA rather than free testosterone in the blood. In addition to stimulating androgen receptors directly, DHEA is also metabolized by local tissues into testosterone (and estrogen) as needed. So free testosterone is one part of the picture. Androgen receptor sensitivity and density also matter, but I'm uncertain as to what factors dynamically affect those in adults.
Re:Any link to... (Score:4, Funny)
I for one.... (Score:5, Funny)
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used to increase milk production in cattle)?
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Natural selection? (Score:2)
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At this point (Score:5, Funny)
At this point, I think it's really more of a "forceful slap" than anything.
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closer to home.... (Score:2)
I prefer to just flip them off!... (Score:2)
Obvious Reson (Score:2, Interesting)
What whith the ubiquity of pr0n, avaliable readily for free and without embarrassment on the Intarweb Tubes, the testosterone no longer has a chance to build up in the male body.
Can I have a PhD please?
Re:Obvious Reson (Score:4, Informative)
Makes sense.
Re:Obvious Reson (Score:4, Informative)
Interesting? You don't ejaculate testosterone, you know. I'm no specialist, but I don't see why there would be a "build up".
lack of excercise and obesity (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:lack of excercise and obesity AND PLASTICS (Score:2, Informative)
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Here's the obligatory link [scienceagogo.com] to more info on the estrogen-plastic issue.
In light of this revelation, it is important to note that according to research, the amount of estrogen one would ingest from plastic doesn't compare to the rate of testosterone aromatization in a young healthy male (let alone a steroid laden jock). The bottom line is that a body needs both estrogen and testosterone (though amounts do differ between M&F).
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Indeed, polycarbonate - which is in pretty much everything - is made from a chemical originally used as a synthetic estrogen, bisphenol A [wikipedia.org]. Bisphenol A will leech from polycarbonate food or drink containers, especially ones cleaned with very hot water, or with bleach. (Some plastics are safer: #1 PETE, #2 HDPE are fairly safe from leaching and are easy to recycle, #4 LDPE and #5 PP are also said to be safe for food storage.)
Re:lack of excercise and obesity AND PLASTICS (Score:4, Funny)
[1] this logic might not work on male Mac users.
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In case you wanna know more http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459250 [t-nation.com]
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"This analysis deals with men who were born between 1915 and 1945,"
The "obesity epidemic" doesn't exactly apply to men in that age range.
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The only good news here... (Score:3, Funny)
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No, the good news here... (Score:5, Funny)
No need to thank me. The chance to service my country is all the thanks I need.
Re:No, the good news here... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:No, the good news here... (Score:5, Funny)
Testicular cancer (Score:5, Informative)
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Don't worry (Score:5, Insightful)
Remember when everyone got that bird flu? (I was coughing up feathers for weeks.)
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Cure ... (Score:4, Informative)
Quote: Enhanced Endocrine and Immune System
One study found that tai chi was associated with increased blood levels of a number of hormones, including thyroid hormone, testosterone, and estradiol. Another study found that tai chi was associated with an increased number of T cells (cells involved in the immune response).
CC.
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Not all sciences are subjected to the same amount of subjectivity. The more subjective data is, the more salt you need.
And what's this business of belief-systems? Sure, people who have "faith" that gods/demons/faeries/ghosts influence our lives can't really test to see if that is the case. But a scientist doesn't bother
Important implications for the military (Score:2)
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Blame MTV! (Score:3, Funny)
Simple evolution (Score:4, Interesting)
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I think that's exactly what's happening. I think that over the last 1000 years Western Society has moved away from the model of "women as property of the most violent male" and "rape to procreate", and that these extremes are best left behind.
I don't think that's what you meant.
The selection criteria of today are clearly different than they were in the recent past. Women have some basic right-of-refusal and thus the selectivity criteri
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I think that's exactly what's happening. I think that over the last 1000 years Western Society has moved away from the model of "women as property of the most violent male" and "rape to procreate", and that these extremes are best left behind.
What the fuck, man?
You're reading too many "women's studies" books or something. Western society was never based on these principles. You are seriously fucking twisted.
Pussification of the Western Male (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Pussification of the Western Male (Score:5, Insightful)
For a man's man, Kim sure feels the need to censor himself quite a ####### lot. What the #### is up with that? Either find an eloquent way to say what you're trying to say, or just fucking say it, but having all these ####'s in place of fucks and shits makes him look like an uneducated pussy.
Pardon my ####'s, but what the fuck is this: I am supposed to believe that the women voters in this country are to blame for our heavy handed, civil rights trampling, fear mongering, war-hawking government? That all the men voted to live dangerously and with uncertainty, and the women were all like, "No, we need a large, over powered, fascist government to protect us".
Well that and this:
Is he seriously trying to rationalize rape and alcohol abuse by saying those actions are simply unavoidable, natural expressions of the human male? What about self-control, integrity, and discipline?
Oh, and: Umm...what? I'm sorry but the argument that being assertive and aggressive is an appropriate replacement for being intelligent and diplomatic does not hold water with me. You can't use Rumsfeld as an example of what people should be like until you can prove that Rumsfeld isn't a complete idiot. People fear Rumsfeld because he is irrational and has the world's most powerful military at his disposal. So many people have died unnecessarily as the direct result of this man's actions and we're supposed to be more like him?
Phasing out of the macho Western male (Score:3, Informative)
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Re:Phasing out of the macho Western male (Score:4, Insightful)
I was a door mat for quite a while, then somehow managed to edge into "nice guy" territory. Tired of not getting laid, I started acting like a prick, and started getting some action. Pig? You betcha. Then I realized I was being a pig, and started manning up, and I've not had any problems since. Granted, I've not been such a whore either.
We DO need more Real Men. (Score:4, Insightful)
But "real" isn't the swaggering jock: He is exactly like his counterpart the flamboyant "metrosexual" (how I detest that word -- but it communicates): He is affecting a style of behavior that is not truly his own. I have no respect for him.
Do not be like Napolean, who fought wars to make up for his small stature. It takes the bigger man to show restraint. Master yourself before you seek to master others. Violence is weakness.
Du Toit is correct that the TV-sitcom "man" is weak, hen-pecked, and impotant -- as are too many real life men. But this is not because they do not drink enough beer, and it is not because they do not watch enough football. It is because, chained by guaranteed sex to relationships they do not want, they do not have the strength to hold their principles above their libidos. Restraint is strength.
Take a punch. Stand tall. Do not strike back, but speak clearly: "You will leave now."
Meet a girl. She is drunk, and on top of you. Quietly say, "no." Put her to bed. Close the door behind you.
Whence disappeared "to be a man?" Strength. Respect. Honor. Real men are not pigs. Real men are good men.
But not in the White House! (Score:2)
Ahhh (Score:2)
Drugging boys to death? (Score:2)
Add in hormones in foods, obesity, no exercise. call me fucking shocked that testosterone is on the slide.
Look to Africa for solutions (Score:2)
On a recent trip to East Africa, the food I ate over there tasted different and better! The bananas and all other fruits had a good aroma to them. Contrast that with the fruit section of most of our supermarkets and you'll hardly smell any presence of fruits nearby!
In the part of East Africa I visited, monkeys smell these frui
Red Meat (Score:3, Funny)
What happened to the days when a guy could fix his car in his garage, build something in the basement, then eat a nice big juicy steak with a potato for dinner, then go watch the news about a war?
This war on terror isn't a real war, there's no good healthy warmongering in it...it's all about "protect the children" rather than my bombs are bigger and faster than yours.
We need to stop stomping out countries on the verge of becoming competitive world powers. We need another cold war, where men can be paranoid until they're real men.
We also need a new generation of muscle cars, and more lumber yards cropping up, these "home centers" make me want to puke.
In the infamous words of George Carlin, later repeated by Denis Leary and others (which I will poorly misquote)... A man needs to sit home eating red meat and watching the war on TV!
Real men drink Pabst blue Ribbon beer, and punch holes in the wall to prod their ego.... and thats what a real man is... Flesh, Blood, Muscle and ego!
Now I'm off to play with my dollies.
nuisance (Score:3, Insightful)
Having a high testosterone level is a hormonal nuisance, sort of like when women get cramps during their period, or hot flashes during menopause. I'm 40 now, but I still remember what it was like being 15-25. Thank God that's over with! It's no fun when the presence of a nubile female gives you an erection that hurts, and lasts as long as she's nearby. I have my own personal list of embarrassing things I did under the influence of testosterone, and I'm sure every other male past puberty has a similar list.
As an individual, this whole thing is also a nonissue, because natural differences in hormone levels bewteen one man and the next are probably huge -- much bigger than the effect being claimed.
What's really scary about this is not the effect it's having on adult males (and the rest of society), which may be positive. What's scary is:
First I was worried, but (Score:3, Funny)
I may not excercise much beyond walking the mutt around the block, but playing
games that up the adrenalin levels and has even forced a girlfriend or two to
leave the room, saying "Too much testosterone for me".
So deathmatch may not be a full contact sport, but the chemical effects are similar.
Guys being guys; talking smack, killing their friends virtually and having a blast being
assholes. Good times.
Quote:I leave it to you all to draw your conclusions about this, but I still wonder what my hours of laptop-fu does to me.
I'd ask two questions:
When was the last time you did something that made you say "Hell, yeah" or do/say something non-PC or trash talk.
When was the last time you used a chainsaw (doom 1/2/3 sorta counts, electric chainsaws don't) or any power tool?
If it's been more than a month or so, LAN party and make some noise, buy a fucking overpowered tool for your needs, go to a gun range, paintball war, BB gun and shoot *SOMETHING*, FFS.
Or, hell, if that's too much, too soon and you're worried your missing your favorite cooking
show or some shit, at least go out an BBQ something. Men don't cook unless there is fire or danger involved, eh? Plates, knives and forks and eat.
If you are worried about place settings or matching whateverthefuck... it's hopeless, so just take one of those Sony batteries that needs a recall, short the contacts and place down your trousers where your balls might be located and wait. It'll all be over soon.
estrogen (Score:3, Funny)
No, not the natural estrogens that women produce, but the man-made estrogens present in pretty much every product you can purchase today: soda bottles, laundry detergent, hand soap, gasoline - pretty much anything that is derived from petrolium in some way. These estrogens (IIRC) block the production of testosterone as well as the natural production of estrogen. In women, it contirbutes to fuglyness (hairy lips, etc.) and things like ovarian cancer; in men it contributes to femininity and general lack of testosterone.
And let me be the first to say: this is why there are so many liberals.
Corn Syrup and Soy (Score:3, Insightful)
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Spoken like a true /. milquetoast.
George Carlin: scientist (Score:5, Funny)
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there, fixed!
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You're thinking of beer.
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Re:Logical conclusion (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Logical conclusion (Score:4, Funny)
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Re:Logical conclusion (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Logical conclusion (Score:5, Funny)
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Interestingly, spermatozoids carrying the "Y" swim faster, and can be told apart from the "Y" ones that way.
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You left off #7 - "Hall sex" - where you pass each other in the hallway and go "F*ck you". "Yeah? Well f*ck you too!"
Re:Logical conclusion (Score:4, Informative)
Way to "revise" history. The usage of the word gender to describe someone's personality as opposed to their biological sex was invented in the middle of the 20th century. It is technical jargon used by social scientists and psychologists. I'm really tired of seeing people "corrected" when they use gender as a synonym for sex. When the the Merriam-Webster Dictionary [m-w.com] lists "sex" as a definition, it's good enough for me. Stop trying to impose what you were told in your Humanities electives on the rest of us.
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lack of female companion will do it too (Score:2)
Women no longer need to live with men. We invented no-fault divorce, child support, heavy equipment, locks and police, and so many other things to eliminate the need for men. Men have become useless, so women kick us smelly slobs out of the house. We are obsolete.
I suppose that could be a particular type of stress.
Re:Science or Society (Score:5, Insightful)
Saying please or thank you most certainly does make you a man. Not saying them, makes you a pig. Take for example your Army's much vaulted hero, John Wayne. As an archetype he is most decidedly rich in testosterone, most certainly a man's man, and most certainly a gentleman too. Can you imagine him not saying please or thank you, because I can't.
If you are serious, and I'm not convinced you are, I think perhaps you have a little too much testosterone, and too little education (maybe you think book learnin is for girls too huh?). Being masculine and tough doesn't mean you need to behave like an animal, nor does it mean you need to go a-guntoting and a-killin and a-whuppin some good ol boys. You can be not only tough, strong and manly but also kind and compassionate at the same time.
And I think your concept of economics may be flawed too. Just a guess, but you may find your employees work a little better when you treat them with courtesy, you may also find that if you continue to treat them rudely that one day they may just turn and sabotage your operation. Just a thought...
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We (the US) will probably have another significant evolution event in 2 mo
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If you think that treating others rudely is what makes a man a man, that's a damn shame.
Some feminists are quick to claim the many of the world's problems are due to men being in charge. Really though, the problem is that there are few actual men, and a hell of a lot of boys in adult bodies, running things.