Part 2: Supplements - The Conversation Many Men Avoid

In our last blog, we talked about supplements and the importance of listening to your body. This week, I'd like to talk about something that makes a lot of men uncomfortable: Testosterone.

Mention testosterone at a family gathering, and people immediately picture one of those television commercials where a guy suddenly starts chopping wood, climbing mountains, and acting like he's auditioning for an action movie.

Or maybe they picture that smiling fellow who looks like he could bench press a pickup truck before breakfast.

That's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about getting older. I'm talking about energy, strength, recovery, and vitality.

So why are so many men uncomfortable talking about testosterone? I think there are several reasons.

For starters, many men tie their strength, energy, and vitality to their sense of being a man. When energy starts dropping, workouts become harder, and they don't feel like themselves anymore, it can feel like admitting they've somehow lost a step—or worse, lost part of their identity.

Then there are the symptoms themselves. Fatigue, lack of motivation, declining strength, low sex drive, mood changes, and other related issues aren't exactly the kinds of topics most men bring up at the neighborhood barbecue.

And let's not forget the "tough it out" mentality. Most of us grew up believing that if something hurts, you keep going. If you're tired, work harder. If something's wrong, deal with it yourself. Asking for help wasn't always encouraged.

Finally, many men simply chalk it all up to aging. They tell themselves, "Well, I'm not 25 anymore," and leave it at that. As a result, they spend years accepting low energy, declining strength, slower recovery, and reduced vitality as unavoidable facts of life without ever asking whether something else might be contributing to the problem.

Now, I'm not saying testosterone is the answer for every man. I'm simply saying it may be worth having the conversation. Because there's a difference between getting older and unnecessarily settling for feeling older.

By age 60, a man typically loses about 30% of the testosterone he had in his youth. By age 70, he has lost nearly half the testosterone he had as a youth.

As I've gotten older, I've noticed changes in many of those areas myself. Maybe you have too. I don't recover from workouts the way I used to. I don't bounce out of bed as I did decades ago. And while I still feel young in my mind, my body occasionally reminds me that the calendar has been moving right along.

After doing some research, I decided to try a testosterone "support supplement", not to be confused with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT).

A testosterone support supplement is an over-the-counter product meant to support natural hormone levels, while testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a prescription medical treatment used to fix a diagnosed hormone deficiency. CLICK HERE to read more about the difference.

For me, it helps. I have more energy. I feel stronger during my workouts. I recover better afterward. Most importantly, I feel more like myself.

Could I prove that the supplement is responsible for every improvement? No. I can only tell you what I've experienced. And that's really the point.

Many men will spend years talking about their aching knees, low energy, declining strength, and loss of vitality while avoiding the very conversation that might help them understand what's going on.

At my age, I'm not trying to look like I did at 25. I'm just trying to get off the floor without making sound effects. I'm not recommending that everyone run out and buy what I'm taking. What works for me may not work for you.

But I do think it's a conversation worth having.

• Ask questions.

• Do your homework.

• Talk with your doctor.

• Pay attention to what your body is telling you.

Because your body has been talking to you for years. The challenge usually isn't that it isn't speaking. The challenge is that we're often too busy—or too stubborn—to listen.

Last Best Bite...

Growing older isn't about trying to be 25 again. It's about becoming the healthiest, strongest, and most vibrant version of the age you are today. And sometimes that starts with being willing to have conversations we've avoided for far too long.