Alexander Redl
As they say in Game of Thrones, winter is coming. Too fucking bad they won’t be saying that shit for another year or more, because winter is already here and they’re going to take their sweet ass time to film things. ANYWAYS, rant over. Back to the good stuff like testosterone.
Winter usually brings with it bitter cold and the sad reality that football season is coming to an end, along with ice zombies hell bent on taking over the world. It’s a rough situation for one’s vitality. Both of these depressing facts make life seem a bit more dull compared to the spring flowers and pumpkin beers of fall.
Each and every winter, whether we know it or not we’re usually a bit more irritable, quicker to snap at loved ones, and generally more frustrated in general. This could be due to the bitter cold and that barista who screwed up your coffee order. Or, it could be due to seasonal fluctuations in testosterone.
Yep, you read that right. Women aren’t the only people who have to deal with hormonal cycling. And much like women, men’s hormonal cycling can impact quite a bit.
It turns out the seasons have a surprising impact on testosterone levels, and this in turn has an impact on our sex drive, ability to burn fat, build muscle, and in general feel like a man.
To understand why, we need to know a bit about testosterone.
Testosterone is a sex hormone produced primarily in the testicles. It’s what makes a man a man. Testosterone is the hormone associated with aggression, sexual desire, and the ability to build more muscle.
When it comes to being a man, testosterone is pretty damn important. Arguably more important than any other individual hormone your body produces.
Most of us believe that our testosterone level is more or less set, and steadily declines, as we get older. For the most part, this is true. We do stay within a range, and that range does start heading south as we age.
But within that range we can see some pretty major fluctuations, fluctuations that take place within a day, a week, or throughout the year.
Yearly testosterone fluctuation is commonly referred to as seasonal testosterone variation. In essence, testosterone levels cycle throughout the year. Peaking in the late fall and early winter, and hitting a low point in June.
Scientists aren’t entirely sure yet why this is the case, and there’s much to be said about whether or not this is a big deal at all.
I asked Spencer Nadolsky, D.O. for his thoughts on seasonal testosterone changes. Here’s what he had to say:
“With these seasonal changes in testosterone we don’t know if it truly clinically significant especially if someone falls in the mid normal range. It could have clinical implications if someone is on the lower end and then falls lower during winter months”
We may not know the significance of seasonal testosterone changes, but we do know that roughly 9 months after the testosterone peak more babies are born. When there is more testosterone, there’s bound to be more babies.
Not only will more babies be made but more gains can be made in the gym.
This is where seasonal testosterone levels come full circle. How can you take advantage of these changes to get stronger, drop more fat, and look better naked?
As we’ve discussed testosterone is an important hormone when it comes to building muscle. It’s one of the main reasons why men typically have more muscle mass than women. If you’re looking to build more muscle, taking advantage of these seasonal highs can be extremely important.
In order to capitalize on the seasonal testosterone high here are a few things you should be doing this winter:
– Don’t drop your fat intake too much. Fat is a necessary macronutrient for health and vitality, especially if you’re looking to keep testosterone levels high.
– Lift heavy, hard, and often. This isn’t a license to go try and set a new max every single day. Instead, if you’ve been eyeing a particular bulking program, this is the perfect time to go for it.
– Get plenty of vitamin D. Vitamin D levels and testosterone are linked in a number of studies. If you’re not spending at least 20-30 minutes outside each day, try supplementing with vitamin D. Ideally look for a dose around 3,000 IU’s – as this study found that when men supplement with around this much for a year they wind up with 25% more testosterone.
The beautiful thing about these suggestions is they can work just as well when testosterone levels are lowest in the summer, and you’re looking to bring them back up a bit. Good nutrition and plenty of exercise are key to proper testosterone levels. If you get all three in check, there’s a good chance you’ll wind up building more muscle, dropping more fat, and looking better making babies of your own. And be on the lookout over the coming weeks as I drop a few more knowledge bomb posts about testosterone.
(@MGortat) 
