2. Testosterone Increases Muscle Mass - As the most essential muscle building (i.e. anabolic) hormone, testosterone improves muscle protein synthesis and therefore leads to more muscle growth. The testosterone molecule is the foundation of muscle, strength, and the source of what makes men powerful. What does that mean? It means that if you exercise with progressively heavier weights while using testosterone, you'll increase your overall strength and build a more muscular physique. Remember: Muscle mass is the single greatest deterrent to the diseases of aging. The more muscle you possess, the more metabolically active you are and the more calories you burn at rest (i.e. sitting at your desk). All of this leads to a body you’ll be proud of when you look at yourself in the mirror, whether naked or clothed. Building muscle is also of critical importance to combat sarcopenia (age related muscle loss) due to its protective effects on your joints, tendons, ligaments and bones.

3. Testosterone Improves Heart Health - New research indicates increased levels of testosterone can help prevent cardiovascular disease. Previously, researchers had claimed that high levels of testosterone were linked to heart disease, while more recent studies have found that low testosterone levels are responsible for an increased risk of heart ailments. Ultimately, there is now an overwhelming amount of recently published data which shows that maintaining optimal testosterone levels can help prevent cardiovascular disease. Unsurprisingly, the foundational study that prompted this witch hunt for CVD risk came from a clinical trial called “Testosterone in Older Men” (TOM) which investigated the use of topical testosterone in men over 65 with limited mobility. Put another way, this was a study done on men who could barely walk or move on their own. Even with all of that, the preponderance of evidence clearly indicates an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death in men with low or low-normal testosterone blood levels. Therapeutic testosterone, when dosed and maintained to optimal levels, offers no increased risk of CVD and in recent studies offers clear protection from CVD.

4. Testosterone and the Brain - estosterone modulates the response of the amygdala (a key brain structure for generating and processing emotions) and the prefrontal cortex (a region of the brain involved in regulating emotional responses and reactions). Studies indicate that higher testosterone levels are associated with higher risk-taking, potentially leading to greater reward in both business and life. Testosterone and Dopamine Testosterone's most noticeable effect on the brain is its ability to boost dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter (chemical messenger) that is responsible for transmitting signals between the nerve cells (neurons) of the brain. Dopamine is normally released when something good or exciting happens. According to this specific study, ‘testosterone can enhance dopamine release in the mesolimbic system, which may protect against depression and the associated decrease in dopamine activity in reward-related brain pathways’. The brain is heavily dependent on testosterone to boost dopamine, as it’s one of the keys for a robust sex life. Many men feel the effects of increased dopamine (ridding of depression, more positive outlook, more energetic, etc.) immediately after beginning a TOT regimen.

5. Testosterone and Depression - One of global societies’ biggest health problems is depression. This afflicts hundreds of millions of men worldwide every year. Many scientists are stuck trying to figure out a biological riddle akin to the “chicken vs. the egg”: does low testosterone cause depression, or does depression cause low testosterone? Sadly, the standard treatment (even to this day) is to prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) medications in lieu of submitting for a blood testosterone test. Despite this confusion, research now demonstrates that men undergoing TOT for suboptimal levels of testosterone report improvements in mood and other issues related to depression. In fact, there are many studies showing that it dramatically improves depression and mood. Another study found that TOT may have an antidepressant effect in depressed patients, especially those with hypogonadism. What is remarkable is that this study was willing to go on record and state that "the route by which TT [testosterone] is administered may play a role in treatment response." In other words, they actually admitted that testosterone can have a place in proper treatment of depression (in men with low testosterone levels).

6. Testosterone and Memory - Many studies have shown that testosterone improves working memory in men. Working memory is the basis for nearly everything needed for proper brain function. Almost all processed information goes through working memory before it is analyzed, stored or synthesized by other parts of the brain. Further studies have shown that visual and verbal memory improve in men who are given testosterone. Even your ability to think is profoundly affected by testosterone! If that’s not enough, additional studies have shown that testosterone increases spatial processing power in both young and older men. In fact, the brain fog exhibited by men suffering from testosterone deficiency (also known by the clinical diagnosis acronym TD, which stands for Testosterone Deficiency) is often eliminated when men start TOT. The fastest and most noticeable positive effects of TOT are clearer thinking and an improved mood. As you can see, TOT’s ability to improve memory and increase cognition is quite possibly its most pronounced effect.

7. Testosterone Combats Alzheimer's Disease and Improves Cognition - Studies show that many older men with mild cognitive issues suffer from low blood levels of testosterone. Many of these men eventually develop Alzheimer’s. At the University of Southern California, researchers noted that increasing testosterone levels in older men stalled the development of Alzheimer’s. This has led scientists to speculate that maintaining healthy testosterone levels may actually prevent Alzheimer’s. There is also clear and substantial evidence to demonstrate TOT’s ability to improve memory (both long-term and short-term) in men as they age. Long story short: If you are an aging man and are interested in preserving your memory well into your golden years, make sure that your testosterone levels are optimized. It is one of the best preventative measures you will ever take for your mental and physical health.

8. Testosterone Prevents Osteoporosis and Frailty - In multiple studies involving aging men, low testosterone levels are associated with lower skeletal muscle mass, muscle strength, physical function, bone mineral density and higher risk of fractures and death. Low testosterone levels clearly cause bone disease in men, as testosterone is indisputably linked to bone health. Optimized blood testosterone levels increase bone density and impede the normal bone resorption issues that come with age (i.e. breakdown and destruction of bone tissue). Men who suffer from bone disease usually have suboptimal levels of testosterone, and this leads to frailty in old age. The last thing any man wants is to end up with a deteriorated hip or spine that completely limits their range of motion later in life. No man wants to be a shadow of his former glory, stuck in a rocking chair and unable to move. If you want ideal bone health into your later years, you owe it to yourself to optimize your testosterone levels.

9. Testosterone Fights Inflammation - Cellular inflammation is the core component of many aging-related diseases. It is the chief culprit of vascular disease, erectile dysfunction, autoimmune disease, and cancer. Low levels of testosterone have been associated with a number of chronic inflammatory diseases, including an increase in cardiovascular disease markers, mortality, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and an increased risk for bone fracture (i.e. the bone breaking). One of the primary ways testosterone improves biological systems is by decreasing inflammation. Excessive inflammation affects Leydig cell (located in the testicles) function and suppresses testosterone production. There is evidence from experimental studies that IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta (the primary cytokines and major inflammatory markers) inhibit testosterone production by their suppressive influence on the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Testes-Axis (HPTA)62. In plain English, IL-6, TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta control the levels of inflammation in the human body. Studies have conclusively shown that suboptimal levels of testosterone lead to increased inflammation throughout the body.