You often discuss the importance of addressing estrogen dominance. However, is it possible to lower estrogen too much?
Yes estrogen can be lowered too much and will result in some serious side effects such as: nonexistent libido, poor mood, joint pain, decreased HDL, and a decline in brain health. You want to keep estradiol in the 20-30pg/ml range.
Keep in mind that most men don’t have the problem of estrogen being too low unless they are taking aromatase inhibitors such as Arimidex or even too high a dose of natural estrogen blockers such as EC and Myomin.
My testosterone booster ASTB also has moderate estrogen control properties. Thus, sometimes taking ASTB with too much EC will drive estrogen down too much. This is easily remedied by modifying the dose or taking the products separately. For example, I use ASTB for eight weeks on its own and then EC for four weeks in between cycles.
While lowering estrogen too much can be a problem, it’s hardly an epidemic among men. Most men in the developed world are shamefully overweight and look more and more like overweight women! They store excess fat in the lower body and pecs which are clear signs of estrogen dominance. Excess fat in the stomach is also problematic as it comes with high levels of aromatase. Aromatase is an enzyme that rapidly converts testosterone into estrogen.
Overweight men need to lose fat in order to lower estrogen but also need to lower estrogen in order to lose fat (stubborn fat in particular). This is achieved with a clean diet loading up on vegetables (cruciferous veggies help with estrogen metabolism) and for added benefit taking advantage of natural estrogen control products. Several cups of green tea per day is also very beneficial for assisting with estrogen control.
For more info on EC, go to: http://mikemahler.com/nutrition-supplements/ec-powerful-estrogen-control-for-men-and-women
What are your recommendations for general fitness?
I despise such generic phrases as general fitness. You’re not going to achieve anything impressive by having vague goals. Goals need to be very precise and a specific timeline on achieving goals should be applied as well. Otherwise, you end up like 90% of gym goers who just show up with no plan whatsoever and aimlessly go through boring workouts. Then such misguided trainees wonder why they don’t look or feel any different after years of such erroneous behavior.
My co-host on the LLA show Sincere Hogan said it best when he emphasized the importance of training rather than just working out. Training involves using a tailored program to achieve a targeted outcome. For example, I want to deadlift 550lbs before the end of 2015. As a result, I go into each training session with a clear purpose and know exactly what I am going to do at each workout. No guess work and no just showing up and hoping for the best. Having well-defined goals allows me to be completely present at each training session. I know why I am there and where I am working on going.
In addition to clear-cut goals being essential, they make training much more exciting. When you know where you are heading, the process is more enjoyable. Every step towards achieving your goal is extremely motivating and helps you stay on course.
People that train for vague goals such as general fitness fall of course easily due to lack of motivation. Why would you be motivated when you have no clue what you’re trying to achieve? Moreover, how do you measure progress with something as vague as general fitness? You need to be able to measure progress to stay motivated.
Whether it is a training goal, a business development goal, or a personal life goal, you need a clear focus in order to derive an impressive outcome. Otherwise, you’re spinning your wheels aimlessly and hoping for the best.
Make sure to check out my book, Live Life Aggressively! What Self-help Gurus Should Be Telling you for more kick ass motivation: http://mikemahler.com/books-e-books/live-life-aggressively
What are your recommendations for essential fatty acids?
While many fitness experts recommend high dose fish oil, I am not convinced it is the best approach. High dose fish oil lowers inflammation by suppressing the immune system. This can be beneficial if you have an auto-immune disorder. However, it is not the ideal method to address excess inflammation. Systemic enzymes, turmeric, ginger, and eliminating food sensitivities are superior for mitigating excess inflammation.
Back to fish oil. Fish oil contains concentrated amounts of the long chain fatty acids DHA and EPA. DHA is important for brain and eye health. However, you can get both DHA and EPA by consuming large amounts of the short chain fatty acid ALA.
According to EFA expert Udo Erasmus, ALA converts to DHA/EPA at a 3-5% rate (tends to be higher with women). 3-5% doesn’t sound like much until you realize that a serving of a flaxseed oil contains around eight grams of ALA! Chia seeds are also very high in ALA. ALA in itself has many benefits and has also been shown to reduce c-reactive protein a market of inflammation.
A good strategy to cover all of the bases is:
Udo’s Oil: 1-2 tablespoons per day
Chia Seed Power: 1-2 tablespoons per day
You can get all of the above at www.vitacost.com
It is also a good idea to have a 2:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 as you don’t want to lower inflammation too much. One study showed that prostate cancer can go up if too much omega-3 is consumed and not enough omega-6 so don’t overdo omega-3 consumption.
For the purpose of addressing inflammation, eliminating food sensitivities and taking systemic enzymes, ginger and turmeric is the way to go.
Make sure to check out the LLA Podcast episode with Dr. William Wong on the benefits of systemic Enzymes at: http://mikemahler.com/podcast/episode-79-dr-william-wong-on-the-benefits-of-systemic-enzymes-and-why-andro-was-really-banned
Also check out Dr Wong’s comprehensive website on systemic enzymes: http://systemicenzymes.net
Finally, make sure to check out Brian Peskin’s information on the negatives of high dose fish oil at: http://www.brianpeskin.com
