Evidence suggests that male androgen levels drop somewhere around 1.2 % per year for free testosterone between the ages of 39 to 70. Further, albumin bound testosterone drops 1 % per year and total testosterone drops 0.4 % per year. Testosterone replacement has been shown to reverse some of the ageing effects of lowering testosterone levels such as improved sex drive and increased muscle mass. It is not clear why testosterone levels decline with age, but it is thought to relate to oxidative stress taking its toll on the cell’s structure. One solution to this may be to take supplements of L-carnitine and acetyl L-carnitine, both of which may act as antioxidants in tissues. In one study researchers administered propionyl-L-carnitine 2 g/day plus acetyl-L-carnitine 2 g/day to subjects with an average 66 years of age. The carnitine was effective at improving heart efficiency, increasing nighttime penile tumescence and reducing depression scores. L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine may therefore be useful adjuncts to a healthy diet in aging men because they can reverse some of the negative effects of aging.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
