Excess weight and potency: how belly fat affects male strength

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2022-02-05

Abdominal obesity (fat on the stomach) increases the risks of insulin resistance and diabetes because it is metabolically active fat. So tell me, men, what is scarier for us – diabetes or... it's even scary to say it, erectile dysfunction? The fact is that belly fat also increases the risk of this very issue.

I can already anticipate comments like, "I've been living with a belly for 30 years, and my 'ebonite rod' is still as hard as it was at 18." Sure, I believe that. But abdominal fat does not decrease potency in 100% of cases; it increases the risk of weakening it through its effect on testosterone (which all methods to increase it were shown here). You might not yet be in the risk category, or perhaps you are already there but are searching for the cause of your diminished manliness.

In short, let's sort this out.

How exactly does subcutaneous fat on the abdomen reduce potency

The fact is, enzymes – aromatases – are activated in the waist area. They are responsible for converting testosterone (the male sex hormone) into estradiol (the female sex hormone). The more fat there is, the more of these enzymes there are, and the more they convert testosterone into estradiol. This is against a background where your testicles do not produce more testosterone than the norm, and over time, it even decreases on its own.

By the way, the activity of aromatases affects not only sexual life but also appearance: the body gradually transforms from masculine to feminine. Muscle mass decreases, fat increases even more, the appearance of the breasts changes, etc. In short, feminization.

What to do to improve potency

Simply raising your testosterone levels is not effective! Using various supplements, eating a bunch of fruits and vegetables rich in zinc and magnesium, consuming products with a high cholesterol content – all of this, in the presence of belly fat, is ineffective because aromatases continue to operate in your body. And in great volumes. Even if you manage to raise your "testo" with various supplements, the excess will be successfully converted into estradiol.

Therefore, you need to fight not the symptom but the cause – abdominal subcutaneous (or visceral) fat. But!

Testosterone in the body is responsible not only for sexual functions but also for energy metabolism, that is, how much energy you have and how active you are. Obviously, low testosterone – low activity (you come home from work and want nothing but to throw your legs on the couch). And against the backdrop of a lack of energy, you don't feel like training after work (you can't rely on willpower forever; sooner or later, you'll give in).

Therefore, starting to train to get rid of belly fat is not the first point, but the second!

The first point will be normalizing your diet. Let me explain why diet is primary and workouts are secondary. It usually happens that even though people train, they then consume more or even more than what they burned in the gym. Naturally, the belly will not go away in such a scenario.

But if you adjust your diet first and then go to the gym, you can be sure that this will yield results in eliminating belly fat and restoring normal sexual system function.

How to organize your training process for the fastest results – consult here (free, no registration or SMS required).

And only after all these activities can you start increasing testosterone with supplements, products, and even specific exercises (video below).

In summary:

1. Normalize your diet to eliminate belly fat and stop testosterone from converting into estrogens.

2. Start training at least minimally (although it will be difficult against the backdrop of low energy, but it's doable).

3. Use additional methods to increase testosterone (supplements, products, etc.).

By the way, when visiting an endocrinologist, the doctor may prescribe a medication to increase serotonin and norepinephrine. These hormones are also responsible for vital energy, thanks to which you can feel a surge of strength and the desire to train.