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Winning Boosts Testosterone Without 'Roids, Losing Reduces Testosterone. So Don't Lose! |
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Written by Superhuman
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Thursday, 17 January 2008 |
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Testosterone is the male hormone that promotes aggression, dominance and sex drive. Psychological factors can increase or decrease testosterone levels. Winning athletic contests, for example, increases testosterone levels, while losing decreases them.
Emotional stress suppresses testosterone. Researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that testosterone levels decreased in stressed rats, which reduced muscle mass and increased fat. Testosterone decreased most in submissive animals. Testosterone supplements improved blood sugar regulation in submissive animals, but did not influence body composition, while the animals remained in the stressful environment. The supplemented animals lost fat and gained muscles faster after they were removed from the stressful environment. Emotional stress can depress testosterone levels, but testosterone supplements can modify the destructive health effects. (Endocrinology, in press; published online September 20, 2007)
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