An interview with Dr. Harry Fisch for The Testosterone Project.
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I was driving to NYC recently with a friend of mine. In the car, she shared that she was struggling with her marriage. She had become the dominant one, making all the money and the decisions and she was tired of it. She wanted her husband to step up and although she’d asked and even demanded it, he seemed to be collapsing even more.
It made me think of the research I’d read where a scientist named John Coates tested trader’s serum T levels in the financial district in London. He found a clear correlation between T levels and earning power. On days when traders made an above-average profit, their testosterone levels went up. He also found that morning testosterone levels correlated with how much money the traders would make that day: high levels forecast high earnings.
This made me wonder, was the issue for my friend’s husband psychological or physiological? Did he need more testosterone?
When I began doing research for The Testosterone Project, I knew I needed to find an expert in men’s health in order to get the basics of what testosterone is, how it’s made, what factors support healthy T levels and what factors don’t. I called Dr. Harry Fisch. He is a Park Avenue urologist, the author of Size Matters, The Male Biological Clock, and The New Naked, and is considered one of the leading experts in men’s health.
Dr. Fisch began by giving me the lowdown on what testosterone is and why it matters. “It is the male hormone,” he began, “it’s made in the testicle, it’s made while we sleep, and it’s responsible for the man being a man, for hair, muscle mass, sex drive and when men lack it, they become overweight, they have poor muscle mass, low energy and a low sex drive.”
One of the key clues to low T is the belly, he continued. Research has proven that there is a relationship between being overweight and low testosterone levels. In fact, the bigger the belly, the lower the T because testosterone converts into estrogen in fat cells, specifically in belly fat cells. But there are a lot of other reasons why testosterone levels can be low.
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Dr. Fisch mentioned that more and more men are coming to his office asking about testosterone supplementation but he believes that’s due mostly to the marketing of testosterone products which is raising awareness. But what he explained is that testosterone issues are typically not the source of the problem but rather the symptom of an underlying issue like weight, lack of sleep, and too much stress.
He admitted he was jealous of women’s health because there is so much awareness of their issues. A quick Google search revealed that there are 813,000,000 hits for a “women’s health” search versus 215,000,000 hits for “men’s health”. There is so much more known and so much more information disseminated to women but he is hopeful that this ratio will shift over time. Until then, what men can do is listen to their own bodies because it’s really good at giving us clues to what may be going on inside.
To learn more about other factors that can affect your testosterone levels, check out The Testosterone Project.
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BIO: Dr. Harry Fisch is a board certified urologist at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is one of the nation’s leaders in the diagnosis and treatment of Men’s health issues as well as sexuality and fertility problems in couples. Internationally renowned, he has pioneered microsurgical techniques for disorders associated with male infertility such as vasectomy reversal and varicocele repair. He has been named to the “Best Doctors in America” and “New York Magazine Top Doctor” the past 9 years. He regularly appears on the Dr. Oz show as a medical expert on Men’s Health. www.harryfisch.com
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Photo: Surian Soosay / Flickr / Creative Commons liscense
Wow, I didn’t realize there was so much more research that people are aware of in the female body than in the male body. I see how you mentioned that many men (including yourself) are jealous of how healthy the female body regulates with age. However, If you had said that to me 5 years ago when my hormones were crazy, I would have laughed about that statement, but now that I am a 37 year old woman (and my hormones are balanced) I recognize and appreciate your statement. I feel more healthy now than I ever have, which I… Read more »
“A quick Google search revealed that there are 813,000,000 hits for a “women’s health” search versus 215,000,000 hits for “men’s health”.”
You’re serious?! This is because women’s health is a “specialty.” Men’s health isn’t a specialty, because that would be absurd: men’s health is called medicine. Nothing “special” about it–it’s what we assume by default.
I’m 63, my T-levels exceeded 1200 last Summer and now hover around 900. I take no supplements and I’ve been tested for potential glandular problems with nothing showing up. The only thing I can attribute these high levels to (aside from a healthy lifestyle) is my partner (who is fully post-menopausal) and I enjoy extraordinary emotional and physical intimacy regularly. I should also mention that I am fully impotent due to surgery. So I think that there is a bit of “use it or lose it” here. And that’s a big problem for many mature couples because so many in… Read more »
As Josh recognizes all those little fat cells we fill up, particularly around our bellies, causes the enzyme aromatase to convert testosterone to estrogen. Getting sleep, getting exercise, and putting on muscle can help. Another hidden cause of Low T is alcohol, which can lower T levels in women and men. So guys, another good reason not to drink too much is to keep the T that is your God-given right. Although we all begin to produce less T as we age, it doesn’t become a problem for most men. But for some, even when we keep our weight down… Read more »
I suffered low testosterone levels through my 20s. I was under weight and lethargic. I also suffered depression. I can’t tell you if they are related or even that one caused the other. I did do the following though and they work. – Get sleep 8 hours a night. ZMA can help if you struggle. – Dead lifting – HEAVY – once a week at least. – Sex. At least once a week (not always easy in practice) – Cut down on sugar. Those alone have seen my Testosterone levels jump. I put on 15kg of lean muscle, yet my… Read more »
A quick Google search revealed that there are 813,000,000 hits for a “women’s health” search versus 215,000,000 hits for “men’s health”
And where is the big national campaign improve this? Even with Men being “sicker” and dying much earlier than women on average…..NOTHING.
Yes, women definitely talk more about it, and want to know much more about their opitions and care more about their health. They care more for one another as well.
Men have to start caring about it first. Caring more, and talking about it – more men, most men. Then asking for it, lots of men together. It doesn’t start out of nowhere. You get it by WORKING and then WORKING some more, campaigning, protesting, et cetera, like women did/do.
Do another search. Men’s health care centers vs women’s health care centers. Heck, male breast cancer patients have to go to women’s clinics.