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Save your testosterone levels by eliminating these items from your life.
By Neeramitra Reddy — Written on May 02, 2023
Since 1999, testosterone levels have been plummeting.
T-levels used to range from 600 to 1500 ng/dl. Today, 300 ng/dl is considered “normal” — the equivalent of an arthritic geriatric with his walking stick.
Low testosterone can lead to:
- Rock-bottom sex drive.
- Erectile dysfunction.
- Patchy facial hair.
- Low motivation.
- Depression.
- Fatigue.
While obesity fueled by sugary junk & alcohol can be blamed, the real culprit is stealthier.
It’s the gazillion toxic chemicals packed by billion-dollar companies into daily household items.
Primary among these are Estrogenics — toxins that specifically attack testosterone. I want to share 7 major types of daily items rich in Test-killing Estrogenics.
I’ll also share the lifestyle changes and replacements to reclaim your T-levels.
Here are 7 things you should eliminate from your life to save your testosterone levels:
1. Literally any and all kinds of plastics
Plastics are rich in xenoestrogens, endocrine inhibitors, Bisphenol-A (BPA), and 140+ other harmful chemicals.
Even “BPA-free” plastics release estrogenic chemicals — one toxin is replaced by another. That’s it.
BPA-filled Bisleris. Plastic water bottles. Polythene covers. Polypropylene-packed food. Hard plastic containers. Polyester “athleisure” clothes. Plastic-canned foods.
Avoid. Them. All.
For the love of God, DON’T heat any food or beverage in plastic — not even in the so-called heat-resistant #5 plastic (polypropylene).
- Use cloth/paper bags.
- Swap out plastic for metal utensils/containers/water bottles — you can also use copper bottles.
- Prefer Tetrapaks over canned plastic — Tetrapaks are 75%+ paper and have minimal plastic.
- Avoid non-stick Teflon. Use cast iron skillets instead.
2. Flush your toiletries down the toilet
Your “Kills 99% germs” handwash, “Cleansing charcoal” face wash, “Shining white” toothpaste, and “Perfume-like” body wash?
Rich in Paraben, Triclosan, Phthalates, Fluoride, and a bunch of other T-killing toxins.
While Butylparaben’s been linked to abnormally small sperm with decreased motility, Triclosan disrupts your Follicle Stimulating (FSH) and Luteinizing hormones (LH).
Even the “Paraben & Sulfate-free” products still have a long list of chemical ingredients.
Is flushing all your toiletries down the drain the solution? No, instead:
- Replace your body wash with a natural soap — made of essential oils, plant butter, and organic herbs. I use Sri Sri Tattva’s soaps.
- Ditch the face wash. Stick to the same natural soap.
- Replace your shampoo with Aloe Vera or coconut oil conditioners — or at least switch to “Paraben & Sulfate-free” options.
- Switch to natural toothpaste — I use Patanjali Dant Kanti.
3. The stinky truth of pleasant aromatics
Air fresheners, perfumes, scented candles, and other “smell-good feel-good” stuff is chockful of Phthalates.
Phthalates are endocrine disrupters — that feminize male genital tracts by interfering with the enzyme required to synthesize testosterone.
Unlike surface-level personal care products, aromatics have a more pronounced effect — since you inhale them into your lungs.
- Ditch perfumes and deodorants — switch to natural deo-cream instead.
- Use essential oils and cedarwood/sandalwood instead of scented candles.
- Natural incense sticks put air fresheners to shame.
4. Artificial sweeteners can be worse than sugar
Aspartame, High Fructose Corn syrup (HFCS), and sucralose are all worse than actual sugar.
While Aspartame is an excitotoxin that overstimulates your nerves, diets rich in HFCS lead to fatty liver, high triglycerides, insulin resistance, and high blood sugar.
Eating too much HFCS can actually turn off the gene that controls sex steroids.
Another study found HFCS diets to reduce T-concentration and sperm quality in teens.
- Taper off HFCS-rich foods like candy, soda, juice drinks, sauces, pop tarts, fruit preserves, and pancake syrup.
- Replace them with melons, sugarcane juice, jaggery, honey, and natural ice cream.
5. Well, what about soy derivatives?
Soy products are rich in isoflavones — plant-based imitators of estrogen called phytoestrogens.
Do phytoestrogens negatively impact T levels as actual estrogen does?
While one study found little to no effect, another found a notable drop — yet another found a whopping 19–22% drop (but on a small sample).
Yes, inconclusive. But why take the chance?
Unless you’re vegan and absolutely need Soy to meet your protein goals, choose other sources:
- Replace Tofu with paneer or cottage cheese.
- Regular milk or almond milk is better than soy milk.
- Soy sauce has a ton of substitutes.
6. These 3 kinds of cooking oils
Vegetable oils, sunflower oils, and seed oils.
Rich in taste — but rich in trans-fats and estrogenics as well. GMO and (partially) hydrogenated as well.
Did I mention the host of other industry-made ingredients they’re comprised of?
Swap these out for better alternatives:
- Grass-fed butter or Ghee (Indian clarified butter).
- Extra virgin Olive oil or Avocado oil is the best (but expensive). Walnut oil is an option as well.
- Coconut oil is affordable and healthy (but greasy and smoky).
- Go old-school with animal fats — lard, fish oils, milk fat, and tallow.
7. Even tap water isn’t safe
More than 70% of Americans drink tap water — and over 88% are confident about bottled (plastic) water.
Now, that’s a concerning statistic — when tap water has dissolved Estradiol, and bottled water is BPA-rich.
The former is all thanks to 2.5 billion+ women flushing contraceptives down into the water supply.
A host of other pharma waste infects tap water — antidepressants, antibiotics, beta-blockers, carbamazepine, fibrates, painkillers, and tranquilizers.
You drink 3L of water every day — ensure it’s safe:
- Get a charcoal tap water filter or a UV water purifier.
- Ditch plastic bottles — use a steel/copper water bottle.
- Try not to buy single-use plastic water bottles — go for aluminum-canned ones instead.
It took me only 2 hours of research to unearth all this.
Estrogenics is an entire rabbit hole — testosterone-killing chemicals have seeped into every facet of life.
Libido-killing beer. Statin in daily medicines. Inky printed receipts. Plastic credit cards. Polyester/Nylon/Rayon clothing. Polypropylene toilet seats. Plastic-canned foods.
Pesticide-sprayed vegetables and fruits — heck! Drinking water itself isn't spared.
Estrogenics are everywhere but don't freak out. Here's what do to.
Luckily, these chemicals need high concentrations and decades of time to wreak severe damage.
Guess what doesn’t need time to destroy your T-levels?
An unhealthy lifestyle. To optimize your T-levels, dial in the fundamentals first:
- Sleep for at least 8 hours every night.
- Catch 15–20 mins of AM sunlight.
- Get to a low body fat percentage.
- Lift weights regularly.
- Drink 3L+ of water.
- Eat healthy food.
Only once you’ve optimized the basics, worry about the chemicals. Here’s what to do in decreasing order of importance:
- Water. Add a tap water filter. Don’t buy BPA-filled Bisleris. Use a steel/copper water bottle.
- Avoid HFCS products like candy, soda, juice drinks, sauces, breakfast cereal, fruit jams, and pancake syrup. Prefer sweet fruits, jaggery, honey, and natural ice cream.
- Oils — no seed/vegetable/sunflower oils. Use ghee, butter, or extra virgin olive oil.
- Cut out all soy derivatives — soy milk, Miso, tofu, soya sauce, tempeh, and whole soybeans.
- Cutlery and crockery. Ditch plastic containers, tiffin boxes, cutlery, and utensils. Switch to steel/glass/ceramic. Avoid non-stick Teflon like the plague.
- Personal care products. No body wash. Only mild natural soap. Fluoride-free natural toothpaste. Avoid sanitizers — use alcohol-based wipes instead.
- Aromatics. Avoid scented candles and air fresheners. Use natural incense instead. Swap your army of aftershave/deodorants/perfumes for natural deo-cream.
Start with the top few. Implement them. Get used to the changes. Then, move on to the next batch. Rinse and repeat.
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Neeramitra Reddy is a writer and editor of In Fitness And In Health, Wholistique, and MANXIMIZE.
This article was originally published at Medium. Reprinted with permission from the author.