#106 How To Increase Your Testosterone Levels Naturally | Derek from MPMD

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Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D.

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4.8 • 5.5K Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2025

⏱️ 197 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

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When testosterone runs low, libido isn’t the only casualty—muscle mass drops, fat accumulates, insulin resistance rises, and motivation declines. In this episode, Derek from More Plates More Dates highlights common pitfalls that suppress testosterone and evaluates popular testosterone-boosting supplements like Tongkat Ali, boron, and ashwagandha, clarifying what's evidence-based versus overhyped. He also details practical strategies for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), covering optimal delivery methods, benefits, risks, fertility implications, and key biomarkers to monitor.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introduction
(04:50) Why is testosterone essential for men?
(07:11) The role of testosterone in women’s health
(08:53) Does higher testosterone shorten lifespan?
(12:12) What the castrati reveal about testosterone and longevity
(15:07) Free vs. total testosterone—what’s the difference?
(18:42) Best practices for measuring and interpreting testosterone levels
(21:29) Reference ranges or symptoms—which matters more?
(24:50) When is high testosterone a red flag?
(26:32) What LH and FSH reveal about testosterone production
(31:11) Could high SHBG levels be limiting your testosterone?
(35:02) Why SHBG increases with age—and how diet and lifestyle accelerate it
(39:45) Key symptoms of low testosterone in men
(42:46) Is alcohol sabotaging your testosterone levels?
(45:39) Why low-fat and low-carb diets might lower testosterone
(46:18) Common micronutrient mistakes hurting hormone levels
(48:12) How excess body fat impacts testosterone
(51:39) When endurance training goes too far
(56:02) Are endocrine disruptors truly harming male hormones?
(58:42) Debunking myths about declining testosterone in men
(1:01:32) Why dietary fat is essential for hormone health
(1:03:55) Is a ketogenic diet bad for testosterone?
(1:05:10) Which type of exercise boosts testosterone most?
(1:07:16) Do vitamin D, zinc, and magnesium actually help?
(1:11:36) Does boron significantly raise free testosterone?
(1:12:45) Ashwagandha’s true potential for testosterone enhancement
(1:17:00) Is Tongkat Ali the best herbal testosterone booster?
(1:20:51) Tongkat Ali or boron—which is superior?
(1:22:20) Shilajit, Tribulus, Fenugreek—do they actually work?
(1:23:33) The four best supplements to raise testosterone levels
(1:25:17) Dutch test vs. blood test—which is better for cortisol?
(1:26:32) When should you consider testosterone replacement therapy (TRT)?
(1:34:23) What realistic benefits can TRT provide?
(1:37:34) Does TRT raise heart disease and erythrocytosis risk?
(1:47:23) Creams vs. injections
(1:48:47) Does TRT increase prostate cancer risk?
(1:51:01) Hair loss, acne, sleep apnea—what are TRT’s real side effects?
(1:53:41) The rollercoaster effect of testosterone injections
(1:56:15) Could low testosterone be riskier than TRT?
(1:59:38) Choosing the right TRT delivery method
(2:06:16) Do smaller, more frequent injections reduce risks?
(2:08:12) Can you maintain fertility while on TRT?
(2:16:12) Why TRT quickly shrinks testicles
(2:17:40) Key biomarkers you must track on TRT
(2:26:57) Testosterone therapy for women—symptoms, ranges, and risks
(2:36:49) Can DHEA supplements safely raise testosterone in women?
(2:39:47) What actually causes hair loss?
(2:46:00) Does your maternal grandfather determine your hairline?
(2:46:48) Why stopping hair loss means accepting risks
(2:55:54) How effective are ketoconazole, minoxidil, and microneedling?
(2:58:55) Topical vs. oral minoxidil—how do side effects compare?
(3:02:00) Is microneedling effective without minoxidil?
(3:04:51) Do finasteride and dutasteride alter brain chemistry?
(3:06:03) Finasteride and the nocebo effect—are side effects imagined?
(3:07:37) Does minoxidil delay baldness or just mask it?
(3:09:06) Can dutasteride extend your lifespan?

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0:00.0	Welcome back to the podcast. Today we're exploring one of the most influential hormones in human
0:04.9	health and performance, testosterone. Joining me for this comprehensive conversation is Derek,
0:10.3	founder of the popular YouTube channel, More Plates, More Dates, and co-founder of Merrick Health,
0:15.3	a company focused on personalized preventative health care. Derek and I recently spent an
0:20.0	intensive eight-hour session together in
0:22.2	Vancouver recording back-to-back podcasts where I joined him as a guest and he joined me. Today,
0:27.7	you'll hear a deep dive into testosterone addressing critical topics like testosterone's fundamental
0:33.1	roles in men, including muscle mass, bone density, mood regulation, libido, cognitive function,
0:38.7	and aging. How testosterone is accurately measured, interpreted, and optimized, including distinctions
0:44.2	between total and free testosterone and why these nuances matter, identifying symptoms and underlying
0:50.6	causes of low testosterone, and understanding why two individuals with similar hormone
0:55.6	levels may experience vastly different health outcomes. Lifestyle factors that significantly lower
1:01.4	testosterone from chronic stress and poor sleep to environmental endocrine disruptors. Practical
1:07.5	evidence-based strategies to naturally boost testosterone levels, emphasizing diet, exercise
1:12.9	protocols, sleep optimization, and stress management. We also discuss an evidence-driven evaluation
1:18.7	of popular testosterone boosting supplements, vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, aschwaganda, fenugreek, Tonga
1:26.0	Ali, and more. We highlight what truly works and what's hype.
1:30.2	We also discuss the intricacies of testosterone replacement therapy. Who should consider it? The expected
1:35.5	benefits, potential risks, safe dosing practices, and responsible monitoring protocols.
1:40.9	We also discussed testosterone's increasingly recognized importance for women's health,
1:45.4	including impacts on libido, body composition, cognitive function, and athletic performance,
1:50.6	alongside crucial considerations for therapeutic use and risk management. And finally, we have a
	...

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