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The 22% Testosterone Decline No One Is Talking About
Men's testosterone has declined 22% since the late 1980s, independent of age. Here's why executives are hit hardest, and the training, nutrition, and lifestyle framework to reverse it.
Aug 30, 2024
Your grandfather likely had higher testosterone at 60 than you do at 40.
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study tracked this across two decades: a 22% population-level decline between 1987 and 2004, independent of age, obesity, or smoking. Something changed. And it is still changing.
For executives, the problem compounds. The lifestyle that drives professional success is also a testosterone suppression protocol.
Why Executives Are Hit Hardest
Testosterone production is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This system responds directly to stress, sleep, activity levels, and nutrition. Executive lifestyles disrupt all four.
Chronic Stress and Cortisol
Cortisol directly inhibits the HPG axis. When cortisol stays elevated, the brain downregulates testosterone production.
The competition goes deeper than signaling. Cortisol and testosterone share the same precursor: pregnenolone, synthesized from cholesterol. Under chronic stress, the body prioritizes cortisol production and diverts pregnenolone away from testosterone synthesis. You cannot outrun this tradeoff with supplements or training. The raw material is finite.
A Harvard study on male executives measured this relationship directly. High testosterone predicted leadership effectiveness, but only among men with low cortisol. High testosterone paired with high cortisol provided no advantage. The stress negated the hormone.
Sustained professional pressure, back-to-back meetings, constant decision fatigue. These keep cortisol elevated and testosterone suppressed.
Sleep Deprivation
Testosterone production peaks during slow-wave deep sleep. The pituitary releases LH in pulses throughout the night, signaling the testes to produce testosterone. Cut sleep short, and you cut production at the source.
One week of sleeping 5 hours per night reduces testosterone by 10 to 15%. That is the hormonal equivalent of aging 10 to 15 years in 7 days.
For executives who travel frequently, the damage compounds. Late dinners with clients push meals to 9 or 10 PM. Alcohol becomes a social obligation. You return to the hotel wired, digestive system working overtime, and set an alarm for a 6 AM meeting.
The sleep you get is not the sleep your endocrine system needs. You log 6 hours but you’re lucky to get an hour of the deep sleep that actually produces testosterone.
Sedentary Cognitive Work
Extended sitting signals the body that testosterone is not needed. Blood flow to the testes decreases. Adipose tissue accumulates. Muscle mass signaling drops.
The metabolic consequences cascade from there. Prolonged sitting reduces insulin sensitivity, sometimes within a single day of inactivity. Elevated insulin promotes fat storage, particularly visceral fat, which contains aromatase enzymes that convert testosterone to estrogen. The more you sit, the more you shift the testosterone-to-estrogen ratio in the wrong direction.
Circulation suffers system-wide. Reduced blood flow means less nutrient delivery, slower waste clearance, and diminished oxygenation to every organ, including the brain. The afternoon cognitive fog and energy crashes executives attribute to "needing more coffee" are often symptoms of metabolic stagnation from 6 hours of uninterrupted sitting.
The body adapts to what you ask of it. Hours of sitting asks for nothing.
Dietary Factors
Seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower, corn) are in nearly every restaurant meal and packaged food. These polyunsaturated fats lower testosterone-producing enzymes, reduce cholesterol availability in the testes, and cause testicular oxidative damage.
The inflammation pathway compounds the problem. Seed oils are dense in omega-6 fatty acids. Chronic excess drives systemic inflammation that impairs Leydig cell function and disrupts HPG axis signaling. The modern diet delivers omega-6 to omega-3 ratios of 15:1 or higher. We evolved on ratios closer to 2:1.
Fat quality matters as much as quantity. Testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol. Seed oils interfere with cholesterol transport to Leydig cells. Whole food sources like beef, eggs, butter, and olive oil support it.
Chronic caloric restriction also suppresses production. The body prioritizes survival over reproduction when energy is scarce. Executives running on coffee until 2 PM are signaling scarcity to their endocrine system.
Alcohol and Travel
Alcohol impairs Leydig cell function, reduces NAD+ needed for testosterone synthesis, and elevates aromatase activity, accelerating conversion to estrogen. Two to three drinks several nights per week measurably lowers testosterone. The effects are dose-dependent and cumulative.
For executives, alcohol is woven into the professional fabric. Client dinners, closing drinks, conference receptions. Business travel concentrates these exposures alongside disrupted sleep, irregular meals, and elevated stress. A four-day conference can undo weeks of protocol adherence.
Each factor compounds. Chronic stress plus poor sleep plus sedentary work plus seed oils plus alcohol equals accelerated testosterone decline. This is the default executive lifestyle.
The Natural Optimization Protocol
Every suppression factor is addressable. Here is the framework we use to reverse testosterone decline without pharmaceuticals.
TRAINING
Resistance training is the most potent natural testosterone stimulus. The body releases testosterone in response to one signal: the need to adapt. Training that stays comfortable produces no hormonal response. Training that forces adaptation does.
The goal is maximizing work on muscle tissue while staying under the stress threshold where cortisol dominates. Cross that line and you suppress the hormones you are trying to elevate.
Intensity and rep range. 3 to 8 reps per set. This range generates the strongest testosterone and growth hormone response. Higher reps shift toward endurance adaptations. Lower reps increase injury risk when fatigue accumulates.
Exercise selection. Compound movements recruiting large muscle groups. Squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, pull-ups. Upper body movements are particularly effective because androgen receptor density is highest in the shoulders, chest, and back.
Structure. We use Reverse Pyramid Training. Heaviest set first at 4 reps when you are freshest. Drop weight 10 to 15% for 6 reps. Drop again for 8. This front-loads intensity and maximizes hormonal output.
Duration. 35 to 55 minutes. Beyond 60 minutes, cortisol rises and the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio inverts.
Frequency. 2 to 3 sessions per week. Recovery is where adaptation occurs. More volume with insufficient recovery is a testosterone suppression protocol.
Progression. 4-week blocks. Moderate intensity, increased load, peak intensity, deload. This prevents the chronic overtraining that tanks hormones.
NUTRITION
Testosterone synthesis requires specific raw materials. Deficiency in any of them bottlenecks production.
Protein and cholesterol: Cholesterol is the precursor to testosterone. We prioritize whole-food animal protein at every meal. Grass-fed beef and bison, pastured eggs, wild-caught salmon.
Carbohydrates: Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates support testosterone production. They fuel gonadotropin release, support testicular androgen production, and reduce cortisol. Prolonged low-carb diets consistently show lower testosterone levels compared to a balanced intake. We include potatoes, oats, berries, and raw honey.
Healthy fats: Grass-fed butter, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil. These replace seed oils and support hormone transport.
Micronutrient-dense foods: Oysters (zinc), dark chocolate (magnesium), leafy greens like spinach and swiss chard (magnesium and nitrates for circulation), blue cheese and Greek yogurt (probiotics).
What to eliminate: Seed oils are non-negotiable. Swap for olive oil, grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or beef tallow. Restaurant meals and packaged foods almost universally contain seed oils. Becoming mindful of sources and quantities is crucial.
Meal timing: 2-3 meals per day. Constant eating keeps insulin elevated. Prolonged fasting suppresses testosterone. Adequate calories are essential in appropriate feeding windows.
LIFESTYLE
Sleep: Testosterone production peaks during deep sleep. Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking. Reduced artificial light after sunset. Cool environment (65-68°F). Consistent sleep-wake times. Target 7-8 hours.
Sunlight and Vitamin D: Vitamin D receptors exist in Leydig cells where testosterone is produced. Optimal vitamin D correlates with higher testosterone. Daily sunlight supports both vitamin D synthesis and circadian function.
Stress management: Chronic cortisol suppresses testosterone. Practical tools: structured breathwork (box breathing, physiological sighs), contrast therapy (sauna plus cold exposure), regular time in nature. These are hormonal interventions.
Body composition: Excess body fat increases aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. Leaner men have higher testosterone. But aggressive dieting suppresses production. The solution is moderate, sustained fat loss with strategic diet breaks. Moving from 20% to 13% body fat dramatically shifts the testosterone/estrogen balance.
Mapping the Androgen Landscape
Optimizing testosterone requires more than chasing a single number. We assess the full hormonal environment to identify where dysfunction originates and what contextual factors are influencing production.
Total testosterone. The headline number. Optimal for men 30 to 50 is typically 500 to 900 ng/dL. Below 300 is clinically low. But this number alone tells an incomplete story.
Free testosterone. The fraction unbound and available for use. Often more predictive of symptoms than total. Two men with identical total testosterone can have vastly different free levels.
SHBG. Sex hormone-binding globulin. This protein binds testosterone and removes it from circulation. High SHBG means less usable testosterone even when totals look normal.
Estradiol. Testosterone converts to estrogen via the aromatase enzyme. Elevated estradiol suppresses further production and drives its own set of symptoms. The testosterone-to-estrogen ratio matters as much as either number alone.
LH and FSH. Pituitary signals that tell the testes to produce. These markers reveal whether dysfunction originates in the brain (secondary) or the testes (primary), which fundamentally changes the protocol.
Client Results: From 230 to 550 ng/dL in Six Months
Protocols are only as good as the outcomes they produce. Here is what systematic optimization looks like in practice.
An executive in his late 30s came to us stretched thin on time, energy, and recovery. Baseline total testosterone: 230 ng/dL. HRV in the 30s. Body composition at 19%.
We rebuilt three areas. Training shifted from sporadic cardio to structured resistance work, three sessions per week using RPT. Nutrition eliminated seed oils, prioritized whole food protein and adequate calories, and stopped the coffee-until-2 PM pattern. Lifestyle focused on protecting sleep during travel and incorporating brief movement between meetings.
Six months later:
Total testosterone: 550 ng/dL (139% increase)
HRV: 70s (more than doubled)
Body composition: 13%
Strength: +28% across major lifts
No TRT. No pharmaceuticals. The same levers covered in this article, applied consistently.
Next Steps
Reduced energy. Declining strength. Stubborn body fat. Recovery that takes longer than it should. These patterns are signals that something upstream needs attention.
The path forward starts with measurement. Without data, optimization is guesswork.
We deliver comprehensive hormone analysis, personalized training protocols, and nutrition optimization for executives. Everything is built around your schedule, travel demands, and performance goals.
Schedule an executive health audit to get started.
Your grandfather likely had higher testosterone at 60 than you do at 40.
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study tracked this across two decades: a 22% population-level decline between 1987 and 2004, independent of age, obesity, or smoking. Something changed. And it is still changing.
For executives, the problem compounds. The lifestyle that drives professional success is also a testosterone suppression protocol.
Why Executives Are Hit Hardest
Testosterone production is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This system responds directly to stress, sleep, activity levels, and nutrition. Executive lifestyles disrupt all four.
Chronic Stress and Cortisol
Cortisol directly inhibits the HPG axis. When cortisol stays elevated, the brain downregulates testosterone production.
The competition goes deeper than signaling. Cortisol and testosterone share the same precursor: pregnenolone, synthesized from cholesterol. Under chronic stress, the body prioritizes cortisol production and diverts pregnenolone away from testosterone synthesis. You cannot outrun this tradeoff with supplements or training. The raw material is finite.
A Harvard study on male executives measured this relationship directly. High testosterone predicted leadership effectiveness, but only among men with low cortisol. High testosterone paired with high cortisol provided no advantage. The stress negated the hormone.
Sustained professional pressure, back-to-back meetings, constant decision fatigue. These keep cortisol elevated and testosterone suppressed.
Sleep Deprivation
Testosterone production peaks during slow-wave deep sleep. The pituitary releases LH in pulses throughout the night, signaling the testes to produce testosterone. Cut sleep short, and you cut production at the source.
One week of sleeping 5 hours per night reduces testosterone by 10 to 15%. That is the hormonal equivalent of aging 10 to 15 years in 7 days.
For executives who travel frequently, the damage compounds. Late dinners with clients push meals to 9 or 10 PM. Alcohol becomes a social obligation. You return to the hotel wired, digestive system working overtime, and set an alarm for a 6 AM meeting.
The sleep you get is not the sleep your endocrine system needs. You log 6 hours but you’re lucky to get an hour of the deep sleep that actually produces testosterone.
Sedentary Cognitive Work
Extended sitting signals the body that testosterone is not needed. Blood flow to the testes decreases. Adipose tissue accumulates. Muscle mass signaling drops.
The metabolic consequences cascade from there. Prolonged sitting reduces insulin sensitivity, sometimes within a single day of inactivity. Elevated insulin promotes fat storage, particularly visceral fat, which contains aromatase enzymes that convert testosterone to estrogen. The more you sit, the more you shift the testosterone-to-estrogen ratio in the wrong direction.
Circulation suffers system-wide. Reduced blood flow means less nutrient delivery, slower waste clearance, and diminished oxygenation to every organ, including the brain. The afternoon cognitive fog and energy crashes executives attribute to "needing more coffee" are often symptoms of metabolic stagnation from 6 hours of uninterrupted sitting.
The body adapts to what you ask of it. Hours of sitting asks for nothing.
Dietary Factors
Seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower, corn) are in nearly every restaurant meal and packaged food. These polyunsaturated fats lower testosterone-producing enzymes, reduce cholesterol availability in the testes, and cause testicular oxidative damage.
The inflammation pathway compounds the problem. Seed oils are dense in omega-6 fatty acids. Chronic excess drives systemic inflammation that impairs Leydig cell function and disrupts HPG axis signaling. The modern diet delivers omega-6 to omega-3 ratios of 15:1 or higher. We evolved on ratios closer to 2:1.
Fat quality matters as much as quantity. Testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol. Seed oils interfere with cholesterol transport to Leydig cells. Whole food sources like beef, eggs, butter, and olive oil support it.
Chronic caloric restriction also suppresses production. The body prioritizes survival over reproduction when energy is scarce. Executives running on coffee until 2 PM are signaling scarcity to their endocrine system.
Alcohol and Travel
Alcohol impairs Leydig cell function, reduces NAD+ needed for testosterone synthesis, and elevates aromatase activity, accelerating conversion to estrogen. Two to three drinks several nights per week measurably lowers testosterone. The effects are dose-dependent and cumulative.
For executives, alcohol is woven into the professional fabric. Client dinners, closing drinks, conference receptions. Business travel concentrates these exposures alongside disrupted sleep, irregular meals, and elevated stress. A four-day conference can undo weeks of protocol adherence.
Each factor compounds. Chronic stress plus poor sleep plus sedentary work plus seed oils plus alcohol equals accelerated testosterone decline. This is the default executive lifestyle.
The Natural Optimization Protocol
Every suppression factor is addressable. Here is the framework we use to reverse testosterone decline without pharmaceuticals.
TRAINING
Resistance training is the most potent natural testosterone stimulus. The body releases testosterone in response to one signal: the need to adapt. Training that stays comfortable produces no hormonal response. Training that forces adaptation does.
The goal is maximizing work on muscle tissue while staying under the stress threshold where cortisol dominates. Cross that line and you suppress the hormones you are trying to elevate.
Intensity and rep range. 3 to 8 reps per set. This range generates the strongest testosterone and growth hormone response. Higher reps shift toward endurance adaptations. Lower reps increase injury risk when fatigue accumulates.
Exercise selection. Compound movements recruiting large muscle groups. Squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, pull-ups. Upper body movements are particularly effective because androgen receptor density is highest in the shoulders, chest, and back.
Structure. We use Reverse Pyramid Training. Heaviest set first at 4 reps when you are freshest. Drop weight 10 to 15% for 6 reps. Drop again for 8. This front-loads intensity and maximizes hormonal output.
Duration. 35 to 55 minutes. Beyond 60 minutes, cortisol rises and the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio inverts.
Frequency. 2 to 3 sessions per week. Recovery is where adaptation occurs. More volume with insufficient recovery is a testosterone suppression protocol.
Progression. 4-week blocks. Moderate intensity, increased load, peak intensity, deload. This prevents the chronic overtraining that tanks hormones.
NUTRITION
Testosterone synthesis requires specific raw materials. Deficiency in any of them bottlenecks production.
Protein and cholesterol: Cholesterol is the precursor to testosterone. We prioritize whole-food animal protein at every meal. Grass-fed beef and bison, pastured eggs, wild-caught salmon.
Carbohydrates: Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates support testosterone production. They fuel gonadotropin release, support testicular androgen production, and reduce cortisol. Prolonged low-carb diets consistently show lower testosterone levels compared to a balanced intake. We include potatoes, oats, berries, and raw honey.
Healthy fats: Grass-fed butter, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil. These replace seed oils and support hormone transport.
Micronutrient-dense foods: Oysters (zinc), dark chocolate (magnesium), leafy greens like spinach and swiss chard (magnesium and nitrates for circulation), blue cheese and Greek yogurt (probiotics).
What to eliminate: Seed oils are non-negotiable. Swap for olive oil, grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or beef tallow. Restaurant meals and packaged foods almost universally contain seed oils. Becoming mindful of sources and quantities is crucial.
Meal timing: 2-3 meals per day. Constant eating keeps insulin elevated. Prolonged fasting suppresses testosterone. Adequate calories are essential in appropriate feeding windows.
LIFESTYLE
Sleep: Testosterone production peaks during deep sleep. Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking. Reduced artificial light after sunset. Cool environment (65-68°F). Consistent sleep-wake times. Target 7-8 hours.
Sunlight and Vitamin D: Vitamin D receptors exist in Leydig cells where testosterone is produced. Optimal vitamin D correlates with higher testosterone. Daily sunlight supports both vitamin D synthesis and circadian function.
Stress management: Chronic cortisol suppresses testosterone. Practical tools: structured breathwork (box breathing, physiological sighs), contrast therapy (sauna plus cold exposure), regular time in nature. These are hormonal interventions.
Body composition: Excess body fat increases aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. Leaner men have higher testosterone. But aggressive dieting suppresses production. The solution is moderate, sustained fat loss with strategic diet breaks. Moving from 20% to 13% body fat dramatically shifts the testosterone/estrogen balance.
Mapping the Androgen Landscape
Optimizing testosterone requires more than chasing a single number. We assess the full hormonal environment to identify where dysfunction originates and what contextual factors are influencing production.
Total testosterone. The headline number. Optimal for men 30 to 50 is typically 500 to 900 ng/dL. Below 300 is clinically low. But this number alone tells an incomplete story.
Free testosterone. The fraction unbound and available for use. Often more predictive of symptoms than total. Two men with identical total testosterone can have vastly different free levels.
SHBG. Sex hormone-binding globulin. This protein binds testosterone and removes it from circulation. High SHBG means less usable testosterone even when totals look normal.
Estradiol. Testosterone converts to estrogen via the aromatase enzyme. Elevated estradiol suppresses further production and drives its own set of symptoms. The testosterone-to-estrogen ratio matters as much as either number alone.
LH and FSH. Pituitary signals that tell the testes to produce. These markers reveal whether dysfunction originates in the brain (secondary) or the testes (primary), which fundamentally changes the protocol.
Client Results: From 230 to 550 ng/dL in Six Months
Protocols are only as good as the outcomes they produce. Here is what systematic optimization looks like in practice.
An executive in his late 30s came to us stretched thin on time, energy, and recovery. Baseline total testosterone: 230 ng/dL. HRV in the 30s. Body composition at 19%.
We rebuilt three areas. Training shifted from sporadic cardio to structured resistance work, three sessions per week using RPT. Nutrition eliminated seed oils, prioritized whole food protein and adequate calories, and stopped the coffee-until-2 PM pattern. Lifestyle focused on protecting sleep during travel and incorporating brief movement between meetings.
Six months later:
Total testosterone: 550 ng/dL (139% increase)
HRV: 70s (more than doubled)
Body composition: 13%
Strength: +28% across major lifts
No TRT. No pharmaceuticals. The same levers covered in this article, applied consistently.
Next Steps
Reduced energy. Declining strength. Stubborn body fat. Recovery that takes longer than it should. These patterns are signals that something upstream needs attention.
The path forward starts with measurement. Without data, optimization is guesswork.
We deliver comprehensive hormone analysis, personalized training protocols, and nutrition optimization for executives. Everything is built around your schedule, travel demands, and performance goals.
Schedule an executive health audit to get started.
Your grandfather likely had higher testosterone at 60 than you do at 40.
The Massachusetts Male Aging Study tracked this across two decades: a 22% population-level decline between 1987 and 2004, independent of age, obesity, or smoking. Something changed. And it is still changing.
For executives, the problem compounds. The lifestyle that drives professional success is also a testosterone suppression protocol.
Why Executives Are Hit Hardest
Testosterone production is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. This system responds directly to stress, sleep, activity levels, and nutrition. Executive lifestyles disrupt all four.
Chronic Stress and Cortisol
Cortisol directly inhibits the HPG axis. When cortisol stays elevated, the brain downregulates testosterone production.
The competition goes deeper than signaling. Cortisol and testosterone share the same precursor: pregnenolone, synthesized from cholesterol. Under chronic stress, the body prioritizes cortisol production and diverts pregnenolone away from testosterone synthesis. You cannot outrun this tradeoff with supplements or training. The raw material is finite.
A Harvard study on male executives measured this relationship directly. High testosterone predicted leadership effectiveness, but only among men with low cortisol. High testosterone paired with high cortisol provided no advantage. The stress negated the hormone.
Sustained professional pressure, back-to-back meetings, constant decision fatigue. These keep cortisol elevated and testosterone suppressed.
Sleep Deprivation
Testosterone production peaks during slow-wave deep sleep. The pituitary releases LH in pulses throughout the night, signaling the testes to produce testosterone. Cut sleep short, and you cut production at the source.
One week of sleeping 5 hours per night reduces testosterone by 10 to 15%. That is the hormonal equivalent of aging 10 to 15 years in 7 days.
For executives who travel frequently, the damage compounds. Late dinners with clients push meals to 9 or 10 PM. Alcohol becomes a social obligation. You return to the hotel wired, digestive system working overtime, and set an alarm for a 6 AM meeting.
The sleep you get is not the sleep your endocrine system needs. You log 6 hours but you’re lucky to get an hour of the deep sleep that actually produces testosterone.
Sedentary Cognitive Work
Extended sitting signals the body that testosterone is not needed. Blood flow to the testes decreases. Adipose tissue accumulates. Muscle mass signaling drops.
The metabolic consequences cascade from there. Prolonged sitting reduces insulin sensitivity, sometimes within a single day of inactivity. Elevated insulin promotes fat storage, particularly visceral fat, which contains aromatase enzymes that convert testosterone to estrogen. The more you sit, the more you shift the testosterone-to-estrogen ratio in the wrong direction.
Circulation suffers system-wide. Reduced blood flow means less nutrient delivery, slower waste clearance, and diminished oxygenation to every organ, including the brain. The afternoon cognitive fog and energy crashes executives attribute to "needing more coffee" are often symptoms of metabolic stagnation from 6 hours of uninterrupted sitting.
The body adapts to what you ask of it. Hours of sitting asks for nothing.
Dietary Factors
Seed oils (canola, soybean, sunflower, corn) are in nearly every restaurant meal and packaged food. These polyunsaturated fats lower testosterone-producing enzymes, reduce cholesterol availability in the testes, and cause testicular oxidative damage.
The inflammation pathway compounds the problem. Seed oils are dense in omega-6 fatty acids. Chronic excess drives systemic inflammation that impairs Leydig cell function and disrupts HPG axis signaling. The modern diet delivers omega-6 to omega-3 ratios of 15:1 or higher. We evolved on ratios closer to 2:1.
Fat quality matters as much as quantity. Testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol. Seed oils interfere with cholesterol transport to Leydig cells. Whole food sources like beef, eggs, butter, and olive oil support it.
Chronic caloric restriction also suppresses production. The body prioritizes survival over reproduction when energy is scarce. Executives running on coffee until 2 PM are signaling scarcity to their endocrine system.
Alcohol and Travel
Alcohol impairs Leydig cell function, reduces NAD+ needed for testosterone synthesis, and elevates aromatase activity, accelerating conversion to estrogen. Two to three drinks several nights per week measurably lowers testosterone. The effects are dose-dependent and cumulative.
For executives, alcohol is woven into the professional fabric. Client dinners, closing drinks, conference receptions. Business travel concentrates these exposures alongside disrupted sleep, irregular meals, and elevated stress. A four-day conference can undo weeks of protocol adherence.
Each factor compounds. Chronic stress plus poor sleep plus sedentary work plus seed oils plus alcohol equals accelerated testosterone decline. This is the default executive lifestyle.
The Natural Optimization Protocol
Every suppression factor is addressable. Here is the framework we use to reverse testosterone decline without pharmaceuticals.
TRAINING
Resistance training is the most potent natural testosterone stimulus. The body releases testosterone in response to one signal: the need to adapt. Training that stays comfortable produces no hormonal response. Training that forces adaptation does.
The goal is maximizing work on muscle tissue while staying under the stress threshold where cortisol dominates. Cross that line and you suppress the hormones you are trying to elevate.
Intensity and rep range. 3 to 8 reps per set. This range generates the strongest testosterone and growth hormone response. Higher reps shift toward endurance adaptations. Lower reps increase injury risk when fatigue accumulates.
Exercise selection. Compound movements recruiting large muscle groups. Squats, deadlifts, presses, rows, pull-ups. Upper body movements are particularly effective because androgen receptor density is highest in the shoulders, chest, and back.
Structure. We use Reverse Pyramid Training. Heaviest set first at 4 reps when you are freshest. Drop weight 10 to 15% for 6 reps. Drop again for 8. This front-loads intensity and maximizes hormonal output.
Duration. 35 to 55 minutes. Beyond 60 minutes, cortisol rises and the testosterone-to-cortisol ratio inverts.
Frequency. 2 to 3 sessions per week. Recovery is where adaptation occurs. More volume with insufficient recovery is a testosterone suppression protocol.
Progression. 4-week blocks. Moderate intensity, increased load, peak intensity, deload. This prevents the chronic overtraining that tanks hormones.
NUTRITION
Testosterone synthesis requires specific raw materials. Deficiency in any of them bottlenecks production.
Protein and cholesterol: Cholesterol is the precursor to testosterone. We prioritize whole-food animal protein at every meal. Grass-fed beef and bison, pastured eggs, wild-caught salmon.
Carbohydrates: Contrary to popular belief, carbohydrates support testosterone production. They fuel gonadotropin release, support testicular androgen production, and reduce cortisol. Prolonged low-carb diets consistently show lower testosterone levels compared to a balanced intake. We include potatoes, oats, berries, and raw honey.
Healthy fats: Grass-fed butter, avocados, coconut oil, olive oil. These replace seed oils and support hormone transport.
Micronutrient-dense foods: Oysters (zinc), dark chocolate (magnesium), leafy greens like spinach and swiss chard (magnesium and nitrates for circulation), blue cheese and Greek yogurt (probiotics).
What to eliminate: Seed oils are non-negotiable. Swap for olive oil, grass-fed butter, coconut oil, or beef tallow. Restaurant meals and packaged foods almost universally contain seed oils. Becoming mindful of sources and quantities is crucial.
Meal timing: 2-3 meals per day. Constant eating keeps insulin elevated. Prolonged fasting suppresses testosterone. Adequate calories are essential in appropriate feeding windows.
LIFESTYLE
Sleep: Testosterone production peaks during deep sleep. Morning sunlight within 30 minutes of waking. Reduced artificial light after sunset. Cool environment (65-68°F). Consistent sleep-wake times. Target 7-8 hours.
Sunlight and Vitamin D: Vitamin D receptors exist in Leydig cells where testosterone is produced. Optimal vitamin D correlates with higher testosterone. Daily sunlight supports both vitamin D synthesis and circadian function.
Stress management: Chronic cortisol suppresses testosterone. Practical tools: structured breathwork (box breathing, physiological sighs), contrast therapy (sauna plus cold exposure), regular time in nature. These are hormonal interventions.
Body composition: Excess body fat increases aromatase, the enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen. Leaner men have higher testosterone. But aggressive dieting suppresses production. The solution is moderate, sustained fat loss with strategic diet breaks. Moving from 20% to 13% body fat dramatically shifts the testosterone/estrogen balance.
Mapping the Androgen Landscape
Optimizing testosterone requires more than chasing a single number. We assess the full hormonal environment to identify where dysfunction originates and what contextual factors are influencing production.
Total testosterone. The headline number. Optimal for men 30 to 50 is typically 500 to 900 ng/dL. Below 300 is clinically low. But this number alone tells an incomplete story.
Free testosterone. The fraction unbound and available for use. Often more predictive of symptoms than total. Two men with identical total testosterone can have vastly different free levels.
SHBG. Sex hormone-binding globulin. This protein binds testosterone and removes it from circulation. High SHBG means less usable testosterone even when totals look normal.
Estradiol. Testosterone converts to estrogen via the aromatase enzyme. Elevated estradiol suppresses further production and drives its own set of symptoms. The testosterone-to-estrogen ratio matters as much as either number alone.
LH and FSH. Pituitary signals that tell the testes to produce. These markers reveal whether dysfunction originates in the brain (secondary) or the testes (primary), which fundamentally changes the protocol.
Client Results: From 230 to 550 ng/dL in Six Months
Protocols are only as good as the outcomes they produce. Here is what systematic optimization looks like in practice.
An executive in his late 30s came to us stretched thin on time, energy, and recovery. Baseline total testosterone: 230 ng/dL. HRV in the 30s. Body composition at 19%.
We rebuilt three areas. Training shifted from sporadic cardio to structured resistance work, three sessions per week using RPT. Nutrition eliminated seed oils, prioritized whole food protein and adequate calories, and stopped the coffee-until-2 PM pattern. Lifestyle focused on protecting sleep during travel and incorporating brief movement between meetings.
Six months later:
Total testosterone: 550 ng/dL (139% increase)
HRV: 70s (more than doubled)
Body composition: 13%
Strength: +28% across major lifts
No TRT. No pharmaceuticals. The same levers covered in this article, applied consistently.
Next Steps
Reduced energy. Declining strength. Stubborn body fat. Recovery that takes longer than it should. These patterns are signals that something upstream needs attention.
The path forward starts with measurement. Without data, optimization is guesswork.
We deliver comprehensive hormone analysis, personalized training protocols, and nutrition optimization for executives. Everything is built around your schedule, travel demands, and performance goals.
Schedule an executive health audit to get started.
Evans Performance Research Team
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