Everything below is copied and pasted from The MANual Part 1: Repair & Prepare - Alignment

You can get a copy by clicking on the image below.

The need for powerful, driven, confident men who want the most out of their lives is essential to the world. Essential, but lacking right now. The feminisation of man is almost complete, especially when considering the amount of people who are voluntarily turning into women these days.

Personally, I hit rock bottom a number of years ago and while I found my reason in my family to pick myself up, it was by asking questions with no fear of the answers that led me to gain the insight that man is under attack. Not just man by the way, there's a silent war that affects both genders, but that's not my focus here.

All the information I disseminate is geared towards reversing the damage that has been done and then dodging the potholes in the path forward through the provision of knowledge and insight. This is what I did, so I’m just offering the benefit of my experience to you, to guide you and help speed up that process for you. The sooner you turn your life around, the better. Enough time has been stolen from us already, don’t lose more through your inability to act.

If I was to offer you one shortcut; one aspect of your life to concentrate on, solely, for the next 6 months of your life, it would be to hormonally optimise yourself. By raising your testosterone level to the highest optimal range you can achieve, you’ll not only fight back, you’ll ensure your life is enhanced in almost every capacity imaginable.

As I said, this is what I did and it has enhanced my life so considerably, it is like night and day. A few years back, research led me to order a blood test online and after a simple finger prick at home, found out that my testosterone levels were low, but not abnormal. That’s according to the guidance levels of the governmental health department where I live. The thing was, I was only just inside the base line of normal. But of course, the medical professions idea of normal is ridiculously low. Nowehere near my optimal functioning level.

Years later I moved my care to an endocrinologist who, in the middle of going over my history for the first time, exclaimed ‘Wow!’ when I told her the result of this test. Her opinion was 'Of course you're on meds for levels like that!' But in stark contradiction to that, I was actually kicked out of my GP’s for pursuing this result and asking for more blood tests. That forced me to seek private care in another EU country. It’s nuts.

There were numerous things I noticed that led me to checking out my testosterone levels:

Working out since 16, I noticed no matter what effort I put in, I was gaining fat and losing muscle

Assuming I was even bothered to workout! Motivation went through the floor

Even though I was interested in sex still, I noticed a decline in my appetite

Depression

Suicidal thoughts

No more career drive

Total lack of identity due to the ‘old me’ being no more

So, when people ask why they should consider having their testosterone measured, the only answer worthy of the question is “to understand if you’re functioning optimally as a man.” In my case, I wasn’t. Low testosterone is often allowed to fester in men for a number of reasons:

Men are embarrassed due to being told that these symptoms are just a result of ‘old age’

Men present with nonspecific symptoms such as lack of motivation, depression etc.

There is a distinct lack of physician awareness of the condition.

But what else I realised was that it's a slow creep. For me at least, my testosterone didn't just stop working. It tapered off over a number of years. It's so easy to put it down to aging, and it is. But it's also the stress, the alcohol, environmental toxins, the rat race and a thousand other paper cuts that just take their toll over time. Like a footballer who's picked up 3 or 4 injuries over his career, they add up until the edge has been dulled and time takes it's toll.

There are men seemingly everywhere who dress, walk, and talk effeminately. It is now commonplace to see men who are riddled with estrogenic fat deposition. To say it is an underdiagnosed problem would be an understatement. There are plenty of theories as to why this is happening but I’ll let you find them on your own. Some I subscribe to, some not. In the end what difference does it make as to how it is happening or who is pulling the strings, the focus should be on the realisation that it IS happening, and what we can do to counteract it.

For now, I’ll impart onto you the information that could prevent you from going down the same path, or to stop and reverse if you’ve noticed symptoms already. Hell even if none of the above apply, every man should optimise his testosterone making ability. It’s the essence of your health. And that was one of the biggest take away's for me, hormonal health is the base level from which all vitality springs from. If this system is not cared for, the body quickly runs downhill in all manner of ways. For me, caring for this system and all that that entails, is paramount to your health.

If you need proof, this is me at 44. You can decide for yourself whether my methods are working or not. And that's the only reason this picture is here. Proof. It's a grainy picture; taken on my iPhone in my bedroom with the background removed so you don't see the mess. I have never been comfortable sharing, I am intensely private in many ways and I don't need external approval. Any images you find are simply to ensure you know you're listening to someone who has walked the walk and been the guinea pig who has tried and tested.

TL:DR

If you want to trust me and are a ’Just give me the broad strokes’ kinda guy, then here’s the following pages summarised in bullet points.

Optimised testosterone provides

Decreased body fat

Increased muscle mass

Improved heart health

Increased bone density

Combats mental decline

Improves confidence

Improves sex drive

Symptoms of low testosterone

Reduced sex drive.

Erectile dysfunction.

Shrinking testicles.

Low or zero sperm count (azoospermia), which causes male infertility. 

Depressed mood.

Difficulties with concentration and memory.

Increased body fat.

Enlarged male breast tissue (gynecomastia).

Decrease in muscle strength and mass.

Decrease in endurance.

Causes of low testosterone

Food

Beverages

Lack of sleep

Less sex

Exercise

Alcohol

Stress

Poor sleep

Plastics (BPA)

That’s the short and curly of it (Sorry!) but as the saying goes, the devil is in the detail. Keep reading to truly understand the what, how and why of your ultimate life hack.

The Testosterone Benefits - Why Bother With This?

Decreased Body Fat

Testosterone is essential to the regulation of insulin, glucose, and fat storage. If your testosterone levels drop, so too does your body’s ability to process the insulin, glucose, and fat. Simply put, a drop in testosterone levels equals an  increase in fat storage. To make matters worse, an increase in fat also lowers testosterone levels so the fatter you become the lower your testosterone. It becomes a vicious cycle. Men who are overweight have increased aromatase activity, which irreversibly converts testosterone to estradiol, resulting in decreased testosterone and elevated estrogen levels. This cycle must be broken so you don’t spend an eternity in a perpetual cycle of harm. 

Increased Muscle Mass

Testosterone is an essential muscle-building hormone, is the basis of muscle, of strength, and the source of what makes men powerful. Why else would bodybuilders be injecting massive amount of this hormone in order to grow huge muscles?

Testosterone builds muscle by increasing muscle protein synthesis. What does that mean? It means if you exercise with weights, you’ll increase testosterone production, thereby building larger muscles and increasing your overall strength. It is important to understand that a relatively clean diet and a sound resistance training program are necessary to maximize the potential benefits of testosterone. This is why I recommend working out at least 3 times a week with progressive overload training, while ensuring you get enough protein in your diet to support muscle growth and maintenance.

Improves Heart Health

A ten-year study involving over 800 men from Germany and Qatar, who had testosterone deficiency and a family history of blood pressure, cholesterol levels, diabetes or weight put them at high risk of heart attack or stroke.

Only men with testosterone levels below normal, who also displayed symptoms of low testosterone, such as low mood, decreased appetite, depression, erectile dysfunction, loss of libido or weight gain, were included in the research. Just over half of the men opted to increase their testosterone levels, enabling the researchers to compare this group to those whose condition was left untreated. All the men were encouraged to make lifestyle changes, in terms of diet, alcohol, smoking and exercise, to improve their cardiovascular health.

Of 412 men who worked to increase their testosterone levels, 16 died and none suffered a heart attack or stroke. Of the 393 men who chose not to take testosterone supplements, 74 died, 70 had a heart attack and 59 suffered a stroke. Even when discrepancy in age was taken into account - the group increasing their testosterone was on average five years younger than the other group - these differences remained clear cut. For the men under 55, the risk of heart attack and stroke was reduced by 25 percent; for men over 60, the risk was reduced by 15 percent.

The health of the men increasing their testosterone also improved by other measures. They lost weight, had more lean muscle mass, their cholesterol level and liver function improved, their diabetes was better controlled and their blood pressure dropped. From this one trial alone, and there are many others, it’s clear to see that testosterone health equals better health in general.

Increases Bone Density

As men age, they experience decreases in serum testosterone concentration. They also experience decreases in areal bone mineral density, volumetric bone mineral density, estimated strength and an increase in fractures.  When men of any age develop severely low testosterone due to known disease, their bone mineral density decreases and fractures increase. In men who are frankly hypogonadal, testosterone treatment improves bone mineral density, trabecular architecture, and mechanical properties.

Prior studies of the effect of testosterone treatment on bone in older men predicted a significantly greater effect of testosterone treatment on spine bone mineral density. Another study demonstrated a significant increase in spine and hip bone mineral density in testosterone-treated men, but supraphysiologic doses of testosterone were used. 

The results of the bone trial, a group of 7 coordinated trials of the effects of testosterone treatment of older men with low testosterone concentrations, determined whether testosterone treatment would improve volumetric bone mineral density and estimated bone strength.

Again, trials have confirmed that ‘testosterone treatment for 1 year of older men with low testosterone significantly increased volumetric bone mineral density and estimated bone strength, more in trabecular than peripheral bone and more in the spine than hip. A larger, longer trial could determine whether this treatment also reduces fracture risk.

Combats Mental Decline

The first thing to understand about the relationship between testosterone and your mental health is the fact that the cells in your brain are equipped with testosterone receptors. When you have lower-than-normal testosterone levels, these receptors are, quite literally, left high and dry, which can lead to:

Irritability

Mood swings

Stress

Anxiety

Depression

In fact, many of these symptoms fall under what’s called “andropause,” which is the male equivalent of menopause in women. While women experience a precipitous drop in their female hormones as they pass through menopause, the decline in testosterone among men is typically far more gradual. If you have low testosterone, however, the effect may be more acute, and it can happen at any age.

The result when it comes to your mental health can be as life-altering as the physical effects of low testosterone. For example, if you’re experiencing depression that resists medications, the problem may lie in low testosterone levels. As well, if you’re unaccountably irritable or stressed with no obvious reason for the mood changes, it’s worth exploring to see if low test may be to blame. 

While the effects of low testosterone can have a direct effect on your brain, your mental and emotional health can also be indirectly influenced by waning hormones. For example, if low T is wreaking havoc on your sexual health, causing a loss of sexual desire or erectile dysfunction, this can lead to anxiety and stress. As well, low test can affect how you sleep, which can then create further problems with moodiness out of sheer fatigue. In order to get to the bottom of your altered mental health, I would encourage you to test your testosterone levels to see if they play a role.

Improves Confidence

Improving your testosterone level can increase your ability to approach suitors and build quick rapport. From an evolutionary biology standpoint, women sense and are attracted to higher testosterone in men and enjoy communication with males who give  off an aura of high testosterone. There is even research indicating women smell higher testosterone and seek it out during various points of their menstrual cycle. Knowing this, if you struggle with approaching women or dating, why would you not want to investigate maximizing your testosterone?

A Higher Sex Drive

A placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial examined the effect of testosterone therapy on sexual function in a group of 470 men. The men were enrolled in the study through 12 academic medical centres. The participants were at least 65 years old and had low testosterone levels, based on the average results of multiple tests. All of the men had a heterosexual partner.

During the year-long study, the men were assigned to receive either testosterone gel or a placebo applied to the skin. The participants answered questionnaires about sexual function at the outset and every three months during the 12-month study. The men treated with testosterone therapy displayed consistent improvement in libido and in 10 of the 12 sexual activity measurements, including frequency of intercourse, masturbation and night-time erections. In comparison, men who received the placebo did not change their questionnaire responses significantly over the course of the year-long study. "For symptomatic older men with low testosterone levels, testosterone therapy led to consistent improvement in most types of sexual activity.”

Once again it becomes clear that testosterone is everything when it comes to being able to perform as a man including erections, sexual appetite and libido.

Improves Your Mindset

You may dismiss the thought that you’re depressed because you don’t feel sad or blue at all. In fact, your mood seems to be just the opposite of depression: You’re angry, or you strike out at others. Nothing seems fair or right in the way that the world works anymore. A negative mood — even crankiness or anger — is a sign of depression. If you or your loved ones have noticed that you’re excessively irritable or enraged, you may have depression.  

Signs that you’re depressed include:

Irritable mood

Anger

Sadness

Low libido

Indifference

Lack of joy in life

Erectile dysfunction (ED)

Fatigue

Lack of energy

Weight gain or loss

Brain fog

Depression can be treated but some of the reasons can go beyond merely stress or life challenges, just like it was for me. These include underlying diseases or conditions and lower than normal levels of testosterone.

Even if blood tests indicate that your levels are in the “normal” range, they might not be normal for you. This is exactly what happened to me. My levels were just inside the normal range and thus I was dismissed as being ok. If you have other symptoms of low testosterone in addition to depression, you will benefit from testosterone enhancing lifestyle changes. 

Become Alpha

When you have higher levels of testosterone your ability to be ultra-confident in your decisions and take decisive action is exponentially increased. You are assertive and purposeful in all that you do and say. Your decisions empower you to behave in ways others find attractive.

Generating more testosterone will help a beta-male become more assertive, giving  him more alpha like characteristics. It will make an alpha male more focused, determined and a leader among his peers.

There are many people who espouse theories on raising testosterone naturally. Tweaking your diet and nutritional supplement protocol to optimize your testosterone can offer great help.

In the next section, we’re going to talk about how testosterone is made, in order to help us hack our bodies to produce more.

Conclusion

The imperative for powerful, driven, and confident men seeking the utmost fulfillment in their lives is undeniable. The personal journey from rock bottom to self-discovery is a testament to the transformative power of asking difficult questions and confronting the challenges faced by men in today's world. Recognizing that masculinity is under attack brings forth a crucial realization—one that demands action.

Elevating testosterone levels emerges as a powerful strategy not just to counter these challenges but to proactively enhance every facet of life. By fearlessly pursuing the highest optimal range of testosterone, men can reclaim agency over their physical, mental, and emotional well-being. This proactive stance not only serves as a means of resistance but also as a pathway to resilience, vitality, and a life that transcends limitations.

As men embark on this journey of self-improvement and hormonal balance, they not only fortify themselves against external pressures but also contribute to the collective strength of a society in need of empowered individuals. It is through this commitment to personal growth and well-being that men can lead fulfilling lives and, in turn, positively influence the world around them. In the pursuit of optimal testosterone levels, the journey becomes more than a personal quest—it becomes a transformative force that ripples through personal relationships, professional endeavors, and the broader tapestry of life, ensuring that each man can realize his fullest potential.