You may not be able to smell success, but you can definitely scent-sationalize your potential !
Joining us on Episode 76 is internationally renowned Testosterone expert, Lucas Aoun.
In this episode, we discover how boost your biology with Testosterone
The first thing coming to your mind is probably male libido / male sexuality. Testosterone is a hormone that also promotes motivation, memory, and even bone mineral density in both men and women! Lucas Aoun – a naturopath, entrepreneur, leader in the optimal health space and founder of Ergogenic Health – is here to educate us and debunk rumors about testosterone.
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Fun Fact of the Episode:
Human smell has evolved to perceive members of their family having worse body odor than strangers to prevent incest !
About Today's Guest
Lucas’ early fascination with human performances was uprooted by playing professional soccer. He began to investigate the ways to enhance his decision making, ability to read the play and endurance on the field. From here, Aoun began to experiment with the practical application of supplements from his father’s pharmacy. Out of this, he entered into the biohacking, self-optimization space with a fascination for nootropics.
“Everything trickles down from testosterone, so if testosterone is not optimal, there is no possible way a man can feel good”
– Lucas Aoun (05:47)
Lucas was constantly discovering new and novel pathways in the world of hormonal research that he could no longer keep to himself. His mission is to empower you with the tools and information you need to achieve optimal health.
Lucas has discovered testosterone to be a top priority for men’s health in order to be able to cope with the stress of having a family, job, energy levels, and finding a mate.
“‘The real mandemic’ makes it impossible for a man with low testosterone levels to feel great and accomplish all of these things.”
– Dr. Bryan (54:39)
More to come about Dr. Bryan’s upcoming book, “The Secret of Nitric Oxide”, where he shares his personal story of discovery, science, and applying 20+ years of knowledge to your life.
Testosterone is a sex-steroid hormone produced in both men and women that aids in cellular growth and repair. It helps to regulate sex drive, muscle and bone strength. In males, testosterone aids in the development of facial hair, voice pitch, and muscle mass. In females, testosterone helps to regulate the Female Biorhythm, as well as libido.
Naturally maintain high levels of testosterone through nutrition, lifestyle, sleep, vitamins, minerals, herbs, supplements, and amino acids.
Testosterone is produced in the testes, located in the scrotum. The ballsack is descended in between the legs to stay cooler than the core body temperature which promotes testosterone production.
The hypothalamus in the brain releases gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and triggers the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the anterior pituitary gland 15.
LH stimulates Leydig cells 17 in the testes to produce testosterone to be released & circulated in the bloodstream.
A definition of “free” testosterone and what it does.
The body produces a total amount of testosterone 12 that is circulated in the blood. There is a binding hormone called (SHBG) that binds testosterone together with other hormones like DHT and estrogen. Free testosterone 16 is what we call testosterone that is not bound to proteins in the body. It is the most readily available form of testosterone that the body uses for all of the glorious functions mentioned above.
Correlations between testosterone, dopamine production, and motivation.
For something to be a nootropic, it means that it improves baseline cognition without any major side effects. Testosterone increases dopamine activity by upregulating dopamine (D2 and D5) receptors 7,8,9,10. These same receptors are upregulated post-exercise which helps to reinforce and promote behavioral change. This same physiological principle is how higher levels of testosterone helps you strive to fulfill your mission and purpose.
Testosterone also promotes:
- your ability to take risks
- your trustworthiness
- your integrity
- your honesty
Testosterone is equally as important for women not only for motivation and drive, but also for sexual functioning and libido. Tongkat Ali has profound effects on sex drive in females which is mediated by that testosterone pathway.
“All men should have their testosterone levels checked”
-Lucas Aoun (21:09)
Pheromones, body odor, and sexual attractiveness.
Pheromones are chemicals released through sweat, saliva, and other bodily fluids 😉 which have both taste and smell that aids in attracting mates 19 and deterring predators. They are an important part of communication between members of the same species and can be used to facilitate social interactions.
When Lucas began to take Fadogia Agrestis, he noticed that his sweat smells differently. He knew it was a good thing because he also started matching some of the other symptoms associated with taking fadogia (ex. Increased energy, libido, outgoing).
You may not be able to smell success, but you can definitely scent-sationalize your sexual attractiveness !
Which foods are beneficial for improving testosterone
- Animal meats
- Organs
- Beef
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Seafood
- Oysters
- Carbohydrates
- Fruits
- Honey
Herbs and Enzymes to Promote Testosterone
The following herbs are known to work on enzymes that convert cholesterol 18 into several hormones including, pregnenolone, progesterone, DHEA, and testosterone. This chain of conversions is essential for hormonal production and regulation. The end result of the conversion is testosterone which aids in sex drive and fertility.
- Tongkat Ali is native to Southeast Asia that has been used for centuries as an antioxidant, to improve testosterone levels, boost libido and enhance overall physical health in both males and females 4.
- Fadogia Agrestis is native to West Africa that has been used in traditional African medicine as an antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent to increase testosterone levels, improve physical performance and overall health 5.
- Shilajit is native to the Himalayan mountains that contains many minerals, like fulvic acid to improve testosterone levels and health in males 6.
The voice-deepening and other benefits of icing, deer antler, shilajit, and more.
Testosterone is responsible for deepening your voice. Sound is produced in the throat, by your larynx, or voice box. During puberty and so on, testosterone increases the size of your airway as your vocal cords lengthen and thicken 😉 – this produces faster vibrations and a lower-pitched sound.
How it feels when your testosterone is optimized
Lucas took Tongkat Ali before a double date and found himself feeling more witty, confident, and outgoing than his usual baseline.
Other subjective feelings:
- Feeling like life of the party
- Increased feelings of Reassurance
- Cocky
It’s important to be self-aware and modulate your confidence levels so that people who may not know you, do not misinterpret your personality.
Exercise to optimize your testosterone.
The WORST exercise to increase your testosterone is Ultra-Endurance exercise. Long duration / Low intensity training can cause a decrease in testosterone due to an increase in resting cortisol levels. Cortisol is another hormone released in response to stress. When your body becomes chronically stressed, cortisol is released in higher amounts and can decrease your efficiency at producing testosterone. Lovely
A decrease in testosterone level can have a negative effect on your physical performance, sexual functioning and overall health 14.
Short duration / high intensity training is the BEST exercise to increase testosterone through the anaerobic glycolysis pathway 13.
The Creatine Phosphate and Anaerobic Glycolysis pathway stress the body acutely. Your body responds by producing more growth hormone and more testosterone which helps improve your strength, muscle mass, stamina, reduce fatigue, and enhance recovery after exercise.
Supplementation advice: focus on how it makes you feel.
When you begin taking a supplement, ask yourself do I feel a boost in motivation? Am I feeling more energetic?
Try not to get fixated on whether it is actually boosting testosterone, rather focus on how it makes you feel. Don’t scratch a supplement too soon. If it has a good safety profile and you enjoy the way it makes you feel, then keep supplementing !
How much supplementation is too much.
“If your bloodwork (LFTs, CBC, BMP) is within a healthy range AND you are subjectively feeling pretty good…there is a pretty good chance your body is coping absolutely fine with your supplements.”
-Dr. Bryan (52:34)
Actionable Steps to Improve Nitric Oxide
Supporting Evidence
- Savic, I., Frisen, L., Manzouri, A., Nordenstrom, A., & Lindén Hirschberg, A. (2017). Role of testosterone and Y chromosome genes for the masculinization of the human brain. Human brain mapping, 38(4), 1801–1814.
- Carré, J. M., & Archer, J. (2018). Testosterone and human behavior: the role of individual and contextual variables. Current opinion in psychology, 19, 149–153.
- Kraemer, W. J., Ratamess, N. A., Hymer, W. C., Nindl, B. C., & Fragala, M. S. (2020). Growth Hormone(s), Testosterone, Insulin-Like Growth Factors, and Cortisol: Roles and Integration for Cellular Development and Growth With Exercise. Frontiers in endocrinology, 11, 33.
- Leisegang, K., Finelli, R., Sikka, S. C., & Panner Selvam, M. K. (2022). Eurycoma longifolia (Jack) Improves Serum Total Testosterone in Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania), 58(8), 1047.
- Osman, A. G., Ali, Z., Fantoukh, O., Raman, V., Kamdem, R. S. T., & Khan, I. (2020). Glycosides of ursane-type triterpenoid, benzophenone, and iridoid from Vangueria agrestis (Fadogia agrestis) and their anti-infective activities. Natural product research, 34(5), 683–691.
- Pandit, S., Biswas, S., Jana, U., De, R. K., Mukhopadhyay, S. C., & Biswas, T. K. (2016). Clinical evaluation of purified Shilajit on testosterone levels in healthy volunteers. Andrologia, 48(5), 570–575.
- Dalley, J. W., & Everitt, B. J. (2009). Dopamine receptors in the learning, memory and drug reward circuitry. Seminars in cell & developmental biology, 20(4), 403–410.
- Li, S., & Pelletier, G. (1992). Role of dopamine in the regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the male rat brain as studied by in situ hybridization. Endocrinology, 131(1), 395–399.
- Siris, S. G., Siris, E. S., van Kammen, D. P., Docherty, J. P., Alexander, P. E., & Bunney, W. E., Jr (1980). Effects of dopamine blockade on gonadotropins and testosterone in men. The American journal of psychiatry, 137(2), 211–214.
- Pilz, S., Frisch, S., Koertke, H., Kuhn, J., Dreier, J., Obermayer-Pietsch, B., Wehr, E., & Zittermann, A. (2011). Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Hormone and metabolic research = Hormon- und Stoffwechselforschung = Hormones et metabolisme, 43(3), 223–225.
- Caronia, L. M., Dwyer, A. A., Hayden, D., Amati, F., Pitteloud, N., & Hayes, F. J. (2013). Abrupt decrease in serum testosterone levels after an oral glucose load in men: implications for screening for hypogonadism. Clinical endocrinology, 78(2), 291–296. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2265.2012.04486.x
- Keevil, B. G., & Adaway, J. (2019). Assessment of free testosterone concentration. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology, 190, 207–211.
- Hayes, L. D., Herbert, P., Sculthorpe, N. F., & Grace, F. M. (2017). Exercise training improves free testosterone in lifelong sedentary aging men. Endocrine connections, 6(5), 306–310.
- Harman, S. M., Metter, E. J., Tobin, J. D., Pearson, J., Blackman, M. R., & Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (2001). Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels in healthy men. Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism, 86(2), 724–731.
- Anawalt, B. D., & Matsumoto, A. M. (2022). Aging and androgens: Physiology and clinical implications. Reviews in endocrine & metabolic disorders, 23(6), 1123–1137.
- Keevil, B. G., & Adaway, J. (2019). Assessment of free testosterone concentration. The Journal of steroid biochemistry and molecular biology, 190, 207–211.
- Zirkin, B. R., & Papadopoulos, V. (2018). Leydig cells: formation, function, and regulation. Biology of reproduction, 99(1), 101–111.
- Ge, R. S., Li, X., & Wang, Y. (2021). Leydig Cell and Spermatogenesis. Advances in experimental medicine and biology, 1288, 111–129.
- Wisman, A., & Shrira, I. (2020). Sexual Chemosignals: Evidence that Men Process Olfactory Signals of Women’s Sexual Arousal. Archives of sexual behavior, 49(5), 1505–1516.
