Hey, It's just low-T

Yes, LEOs are at an increased risk for Low-T. By the nature of police work, officers are frequently under both physical and mental stress. Stressful environments affect hormonal responses; specifically changes in testosterone (decreased) to cortisol (increased) ratios. Studies have found free testosterone values were significantly lower in policemen than in control groups.

Officer.com

What does this mean?

Mood changes can be a sign of low testosterone (Low T). Many people with Low T experience depression, irritability and anxiety.

link

How is it treated? Testosterone Replacement Therapy of course.

If you have low T, boosting your testosterone levels with TRT can help bring your energy levels back to normal. It can also restore your sex drive.

Web MD

Fiddling with testosterone levels can create problems in itself such as mood swings, aggression spikes and even psychosis though rare.

So when they arent all jacked up on roids (Police steroid abuse common Police Chief Magazine) they're freaking out about their shrinking testes, flaccid units and TRT complications.

They don't ac the way they do because they want to. It's because their hormones made them do it.

I for one love that men can now explain unexplainable behavior on hormones!

originally posted by: Xcouncil=wisdom
I for one love that men can now explain unexplainable behavior on hormones!

Too bad it's not just crying or shouting or eating ice cream though. Men have the precedent to blame beatings, murder, slitting the throats of dogs, etc... on hormones.

This doesn't make very much sense to me personally. Isn't testosterone usually associated with aggression? If that's the case, then if they suffer from low testosterone shouldn't they be more docile? If anything these guys are too aggressive and need to be a little MORE beta.

a reply to: Xaphan

It's an incorrect assumption many have. Testosterone levels correlate with aggression in non-human primates. It doesn't work that way for human beings. We have complex psyches that have an override to high testosterone leading to aggression.

It basically comes down to a combination of low serotonin and sufficiently high testosterone, when you find direct aggression in our species. When you simply have low serotonin and not high enough testosterone, it's all indirect, and not directly confrontational in person. Easy example would be the many nerdy trolls online. They have low enough T, and low serotonin.

Interestingly, we're rewarded with both bumps of serotonin and testosterone when we perceive to gain social status. I think the issue is for people with naturally high testosterone, who are losers. They may drop a bit of T, but still be high enough, and yet with perhaps severely low serotonin, so they become antisocial, and physically lash out.

So narcissists tend towards low serotonin and lowish t. Psychopaths would tend towards higher t, and low serotonin. Make sense?

Makes sense now, yes. Thank you for the clarification

originally posted by: pl3bscheese
Interestingly, we're rewarded with both bumps of serotonin and testosterone when we perceive to gain social status. I think the issue is for people with naturally high testosterone, who are losers. They may drop a bit of T, but still be high enough, and yet with perhaps severely low serotonin, so they become antisocial, and physically lash out.

Would this also explain the loser introverts like James Holmes (and many others) who went on a killing spree?

a reply to: Xaphan

What I said was generally true, but I'm not going to apply this to individuals. There is high complexity to what makes extreme variants tick. I'm still trying to wrap my head around a decent individual turning crackhead whore. We had the same environment, but this individual went far off the deep end. Sometimes you just gotta leave it at, "they are bizarre".

If the cops didn't drink so much coffee, their cortisol levels wouldn't be so high. They can cancel that out by just drinking beer every night though, the bromelain used to clarify beer increases testosterone.

So why not raise testosterone levels the natural way...drink beer.

a reply to: pl3bscheese

Raising testosterone levels effect every male. Not always in the same way though. Tyramines increase octapine reserves in the body, this would effect aggression more likely. But....the combination of the two octapines and testosterone can make a person kind of violent. Proper upbringing can cancel out some of the negative effects though.

Tell the police to drink grapefruit juice, it will raise testosterone levels and actually some chemistry of grapefruit may help to moderate octapine release.

Sounds a little too technical, I'm sorry guys but this is one thing I cannot put into laymans terms.

a reply to: pl3bscheese

Any reputable sources to back up these claims?

This does not set a good precedent, especially for young males to be prescribed testosterone, aka steroids. There was a thread awhile back about how the police in Oregon have found a loophole to blame positive elevated testosterone on 'tainted' supplemental fitness products.

a reply to: jrod

A fair percentage of fitness supplements are speculated to be tainted with various hormones, and/or prohormones. It's an equation. What are the chances of being caught, sued, and by what amount, vs how much is to be gained. For many, the benefit outweighs the risk. That's why I keep it to a simple, super cheap whey+creatine powder. It's far too cheap to be tainted with hormones, is my hope. I don't understand why healthy males would take steroids. You can make gains with an in tune diet, and fitness program. I'm bigger than 80% of males, and all natural, from just 6 months of training. Steroids are lame, unless you really are lame. Then go the legal route.

I'm not sure which part of my post you're wanting a reference to. This shows the link between testosterone, serotonin, and direct aggression.

Notice that testosterone shows a link to social dominance, but that doesn't mean antisocial behavior. Think of the big-chested politicians and lawyers out there, who are also pretty sociable and funny to be around. High T, and healthy serotonin.

Link

a reply to: pl3bscheese

The link to elevated testosterone(T) and aggression is established and so widely accepted among medical professionals and others experts in human behavior that I do not even need to bother researching and linking it to this thread.

If a police officer truly suffers from lower T, then while on T supplements he needs to have his blood monitored like an Olympic athlete has their blood monitored to make sure their T levels are within an acceptable range.

a reply to: jrod

Yes, you most obviously do, however your admission that you're not willing to, is noted for the members to view and keep in mind for your future posts on this site.

For the curious (I posted this in the other thread as well) :

Testosterone does not induce aggression, study shows

a reply to: pl3bscheese

One study versus thousands that say otherwise.

The link is quite clear. The FACT that testosterone generally causes aggression in mammals is well documented. Roid Rage is real.

I do not have the time to break down that study and point out flaws.

a reply to: jrod

You make claims without evidence. I provide evidence.

You have lost, and are admitting to it, indirectly.

Good to know.

a reply to: pl3bscheese

Way to try to bait me. It will take some time to research, write and post valid links.

The strawman wins for now!!!!

originally posted by: rickymouse
If the cops didn't drink so much coffee, their cortisol levels wouldn't be so high. They can cancel that out by just drinking beer every night though, the bromelain used to clarify beer increases testosterone.

So why not raise testosterone levels the natural way...drink beer.

Ah, that explains my high T at my age!

a reply to: wtbengineer

I can find ways to justify all our bad habits if I want, studying the whole chemistry of the foods. We self medicate using some of the strangest things in our diet, things they want us to avoid so we need their medications.

Coffee is good for us in moderation, drinking excessive amounts or strong coffee can cause problems. I don't like real strong coffee. It doesn't taste right to me. I'd rather drink three cups of coffee made with half the coffee most people make it with. When it is strong, it will make my stomach feel bad after two cups.

a reply to: rickymouse

I like my coffee a little on the strong side, but I don't drink that much, maybe 2 cups. Now beer, that's another story. I justify it in all kinds of different ways though. Like you know, I have really good cholesterol, and I look really young for my age (55). My dad was the same. He always looked young and was overall healthy except for his cigarette smoking problems. And he drank a lot of beer his whole life. I guess it's the German roots.