Gut Health Is The Center of Men’s Health

A man’s testosterone levels and sperm quality are direct reflections of their gut health and microbiome. Inflammation in the gut leads to using up more zinc, which is a mineral that is critical for healthy testosterone levels. What leads to poor gut health in men?

• Chronic stress (mental and physical)
• Large food particles from poor digestion
• Low stomach acid/digestive enzymes
• Pathogens/dysbiosis or overgrown bacteria
• Heavily processed foods that are difficult to digest
• Lack of beneficial fibers from diet
• Medications in excess (antibiotics, NSAIDs, steroids, antacids, PPIs)
• Hormone imbalances (these often impact digestion, bile production, etc.)
• Poor dental hygiene
• Excessive alcohol intake

Gut Microbiome, Androgens, & Male Fertility

Our gut microbiome can impact how we convert and use androgens (male hormones) in the body. This can shift the amount of active testosterone and DHT men have available for use in the body. Our gut bacteria can also impact testicular function, which can impact production of testosterone. If we don’t have a good balance of gut bacteria, it can lead to insulin resistance and impact leptin levels, which will then impact LH and FSH in men. These hormones disrupt the signaling from the brain to the testes, which means that it could lead to lower testosterone production. We need adequate testosterone for healthy sperm to be created.

3 Simple & Effective Ways To Support Your Gut Microbiome

1. Support your digestion.
   • Our bodies need to be in a relaxed state in order to carry out digestion properly. The best thing you can do to support healthy digestion is to relax during your meals. Eating while scrolling on your phone or working is a recipe for poor digestion. If we can aim to eat in an environment that relaxes us or at least has minimal distractions, that can be helpful. If you have a hard time not being on devices or multitasking while eating, a great way to easily relax is to eat your meal outside.
   • Chew your food! I often get an eye roll for this one, but most people are not chewing their food thoroughly.
   • Apple cider vinegar: Start with 1-2 tsp in a small amount of water and drink before main meals. Can go up to 1 full tbsp at each meal.
   • If you can’t do apple cider vinegar, you can consider digestive bitters. Follow the serving size on your digestive bitters (usually ½-1 tsp) and consume 10-15 minutes before your meal (you can consume right before, during, or even after if you forget and still get benefits).
     • ​Digestive Juice from Organic Olivia
     • Any of the bitters from Urban Moonshine
       • They also make an alcohol-free version that uses ACV
         
2. Support your circadian rhythm.
   1. One way we support our circadian rhythm is through light exposure.
      • Before sunrise: Block blue light prior to sunrise.
      • At sunrise: Get a minimum of 2-3 minutes with your naked eyes in the light. Ground your feet on the earth if you can (you can ground on concrete). It doesn’t matter if it is gray, raining, or foggy. Our eyes will pull in that light no matter what.
      • UVA-rise: If you can get outside during UVA morning light, then that is ideal–10-20 minutes would be very supportive for those with thyroid/sleep issues (will vary based on where you live–use the Circadian app to know when this is for where you live–you can set up alerts).
      • Mid Day Light Breaks: Taking even 30 seconds to get your eyes in the sun and sync up the clock in your brain with the light is incredibly helpful and doesn’t take long. This could be an open window, quick break outside, or eating a meal outside.
      • At sunset: Getting outside for a few minutes is great, if you can’t, don’t stress. The morning light is the most important for hormones and signaling.
      • After sunset: Block blue light.
   2. Another way we can support our circadian rhythm is eating breakfast and avoiding eating a lot of food late at night.
      
3. Minimize gut irritators.
   1. Alcohol, heavily processed foods, inflammatory oils (canola oil and soybean oil primarily), and chronic stress do a number on our gut health, especially when you combine them. Minimizing these as much as you can will help avoid further inflammation of the gut lining and disruption in beneficial bacteria. 

If you missed Part 1 and Part 2 of this series make sure to go check them out!

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