Protecting your assets Now, I know not all middle-aged men fall into that lazy, TV-watching, overweight stereotype most sitcoms use as their lead character. But I also know my fair share of men who do. And it's these same guys who worry about whether or not they're going to need Viagra in a couple of years. Well, if you fall into this category, I've got good news and bad news for you. The bad news is, yes, at the rate you're going, you will wind up with sexual dysfunction, not to mention other health problems like diabetes and osteoporosis. But the good news is that you can slow these things way down by making sure your testosterone levels aren't falling too far too fast. I'm not even talking about testosterone replacement therapy here (although that can also be a very valuable tool for many men). This approach is even easier. All it involves is keeping what you already have. And a new study shows that the best way to do that is to make a few simple lifestyle changes -- namely drinking less and moving more. I know it doesn't sound like the most fun advice, but researchers found that even a fairly small increase in body mass index can cause testosterone levels to drop as much as they normally would in 10 years. And that brings on all the problems associated with low testosterone levels -- including sexual dysfunction -- much sooner. So the question is: what are you going to do about it? There's no need to go to extremes. Plenty of studies have proven that moderate beer and wine intake can have lots of health benefits, especially for the cardiovascular system (one of the main systems involved in sexual performance). And I'm not suggestion you become the next Ironman either. But some effort is better than none, and if having one beer after work instead of two and taking a walk after dinner every night means avoiding a rapid testosterone decline, I think even the most stereotypical couch potato would agree it's worth it. What is...andropause? Andropause is also commonly known as male menopause and involves the decrease in male-specific hormones that occur as a natural part of the aging process. Nutrition & Healing Source: "Aging: Lifestyle may influence testosterone level," The New York Times, 12/19/06 | 
