By Dr. Andreas Boettcher, D.C., Functional Medicine, B.S. Health/Exercise Science

3x Ironman Triathlete, Master's Men's Physique Competitor & Medication FREE at 55

www.ItsOnlyHalftime.com

Most men think low testosterone is a “testicle problem.”
But here’s the truth:

If your thyroid isn’t optimized, your testosterone will never be optimized.

The thyroid is one of the most overlooked drivers of male hormone health. This tiny gland influences your metabolism, energy, body composition, motivation, mood, and yes — the amount of testosterone your body can actually produce, activate, and use.

When the thyroid is sluggish (even slightly), testosterone follows.
When the thyroid is optimized, everything from libido to fat loss to motivation improves.

Let’s break down why this happens and what you can do about it — naturally.

SECTION 1: Why the Thyroid Is a Testosterone Powerhouse

The thyroid controls:

• How much energy your cells can produce

• How efficiently you burn fat

• How well you convert cholesterol into testosterone

• How sensitive your hormones are

• How strong your mitochondria perform

• How much inflammation exists in your body

• How balanced your testosterone-to-estrogen ratio remains

In other words…

If the thyroid is “off,” your testosterone is working uphill — every single day.

SECTION 2: The Most Common Thyroid Patterns We See in Men — And Why They Crush Testosterone

These seven thyroid problems show up AGAIN and AGAIN in men who believe they have “low testosterone,” when in truth, their thyroid (and metabolism) have been quietly slowing down for years.

Let’s expand each one so it’s simple to understand.

1. Low Free T3 — The Real Reason You Feel Tired, Flat, and Slow

Free T3 is the active thyroid hormone.
It’s the hormone that actually enters your cells and turns energy on.

Most men with low testosterone symptoms actually have normal TSH but low Free T3— a classic under conversion issue.

When Free T3 is low, you can experience:

• Fatigue no matter how much you sleep

• Slow recovery

• Low motivation

• Brain fog

• Low libido

• Cold hands/feet

• Lack of morning energy

• Weight gain, especially around the midsection

And yes —poor testosterone performance.

Your body simply does not have the cellular energy to produce strong hormone output.

👉 This is why we often use targeted nutrients, gut repair, inflammation reduction, and — when needed — a natural desiccated thyroid support to increase Free T3 availability and boost cellular function.

2. High Reverse T3 — Your Body’s “Emergency Brake”

Reverse T3 (rT3) is a molecule your body makes when it’s stressed or inflamed.
It literally blocks T3 receptors — meaning even if you have enough T3, your cells can’t use it.

What raises Reverse T3?

• Chronic stress

• Poor sleep

• Overtraining

• Under eating

• Chronic dieting

• Gut inflammation

• Illness or infection

• Environmental toxins

• Insulin resistance

When Reverse T3 goes up, men experience:

• Sluggish metabolism

• Crashing energy

• Low libido

• Fatigue in the gym

• Slow muscle recovery

• Symptoms that imitate “low T”

If we see high rT3, we focus heavily on stress modulation, gut repair, sleep optimization, and inflammation reduction before even considering testosterone support.

This is also a point where desiccated thyroid blends can help rebalance T3 availability naturally.

3. Elevated SHBG — The Hormone Handcuffs

SHBG (Sex Hormone–Binding Globulin) attaches to your testosterone and makes it unusable.

Think of it as putting handcuffs on your hormones.

Hypothyroidism, low T3, high estrogen, and insulin resistance all raise SHBG.

So even if your total testosterone looks good on labs, your free testosterone— the kind your body actually uses — may be extremely low.

Symptoms of high SHBG include:

• Low libido

• Poor morning erections

• Low drive

• Reduced muscle mass

• Less confidence / mental sharpness

Before assuming TRT is needed, we correct the thyroid, reduce inflammation, and optimize insulin sensitivity. This alone often lowers SHBG and raises free testosterone.

👉 This is where your Ultimate Natural Testosterone Support Stack shines — especially ingredients like boron, zinc, vitamin D, adaptogens, and targeted nutrients that support free testosterone and lower SHBG naturally.

4. Subclinical Hypothyroidism — “Normal” Labs, Sluggish Body

Many men have TSH values that fall within “normal” lab ranges, yet their symptoms clearly show thyroid underperformance.

Conventional medicine aims for “not sick.”
We aim for optimal.

Functional ranges tell us:

• TSH > 2.5

• Low-normal Free T4

• Low-normal Free T3

• Cold intolerance

• Weight gain

• Fatigue

These are all signs the thyroid is slowing — and pulling testosterone down with it.

Subclinical hypothyroidism often responds incredibly well to:

• Anti-inflammatory nutrition

• Insulin optimization

• Stress modulation

• Micronutrient repletion

• Gut healing

• Desiccated thyroid support when appropriate

5. Thyroid Conversion Problems — The Gut/Liver Bottleneck

Most T4 (inactive thyroid hormone) must be converted into T3 inside:

• The liver

• The gut

• Peripheral tissues

If either of those systems is inflamed or compromised, T3 crashes.

What blocks conversion?

• Gut dysbiosis

• Leaky gut

• Fatty liver

• Excess alcohol

• High toxin exposure

• Chronic inflammation

• High cortisol

This is often why men feel flat, foggy, and hormonally imbalanced even with “normal labs.”

👉 This is also where the IOH GUT PROTOCOL (Read my blog here), paired with gut repair and targeted metabolic support, can significantly improve T3 activation and testosterone output at the same time.

6. Micronutrient Deficiencies — Low Iodine, Selenium, Zinc

These three minerals are essential for thyroid hormone production, activation, and protection.

• Iodine→ builds thyroid hormones

• Selenium→ converts T4 into active T3

• Zinc→ assists hormone production, immune balance, testosterone synthesis

Deficiencies are extremely common because of:

• Soil depletion

• Poor digestion

• Chronic inflammation

• Diets low in seafood, organ meats, and minerals

• High stress

Correcting these deficiencies alone can dramatically improve thyroid output and testosterone performance.

A natural desiccated thyroid supplement can also provide supportive cofactors to encourage proper thyroid metabolism.

7. Autoimmune Thyroiditis (Hashimoto’s) — The Silent Disruptor

Hashimoto’s is an autoimmune attack against the thyroid gland.
It creates unpredictable cycles:

• high TSH

• low T3

• inflammation

• weight fluctuations

• emotional instability

• inconsistent hormone levels

Most men with Hashimoto’s don’t know they have it.

And inflammation from Hashimoto’s drastically affects testosterone by increasing:

• Aromatase → converting testosterone into estrogen

• Cortisol → suppressing LH signaling

• SHBG → lowering free testosterone

• Mitochondrial dysfunction

The solution?
Low-inflammation nutrition, gut healing, stress modulation, toxin reduction, and supporting thyroid stability nutritionally.

Once inflammation drops, testosterone often rises.

Where Insulin Resistance & Chronic Inflammation Fit In (The Missing Puzzle Pieces)

Two metabolic issues quietly sabotage thyroid and testosterone in almost every man:

A. Insulin Resistance

When you become insulin resistant:

• Thyroid conversion slows

• SHBG rises

• Estrogen rises

• Testosterone drops

• Energy production drops

• Fat loss stalls

Men with central belly fat almost always have insulin resistance, which means they almost always have some level of thyroid and testosterone suppression.

That’s why the IOH nutrition approach (carnivore-based, ketogenic-inspired, low glycemic) is so effective — it restores sensitivity FAST.

B. Chronic Low-Grade Inflammation

Inflammation blocks:

• Thyroid conversion

• Testosterone production

• LH signaling

• Mitochondrial efficiency

• Gut integrity

• Insulin sensitivity

Inflammation is the biochemical “glue” that sticks all these problems together.

This is why any truly effective natural testosterone improvement protocol must target:

• Gut health

• Mitochondrial function

• Nutrient density

• Detoxification

• Thyroid optimization

And this is exactly why your Ultimate Natural Testosterone Support Stack pairs so well with your Thyroid Support Formula— they target the two systems that control 80% of testosterone performance: metabolism and thyroid function.

The Big Picture: Fix the Thyroid → Fix the Testosterone

When men come to IOH believing they “need TRT,” here’s what we often find:

• Their thyroid is underperforming

• Their gut is inflamed

• Their SHBG is high

• Their T3 is low

• Their insulin is elevated

• Their Reverse T3 is high

• Their estrogen ratio is off

Once we correct these systems — naturally, strategically, and predictably — their testosterone often rises on its own, even if they’ve been told “you’ll need TRT for life.”

Natural Strategies to Restore Thyroid & Testosterone (Often Allowing Men to Step Down From TRT)

1. Heal the Gut (Check out my Gut Protocol Here)

Reduces inflammation, improves conversion, supports hormone balance.

2. Improve Insulin Sensitivity

Through nutrition, strength training, and VO2 max intervals.

3. Reduce Stress & Support Adrenals

Low cortisol → poor thyroid and testosterone.

4. Replete Micronutrients

Iodine, zinc, selenium, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin D.

5. Support Thyroid Hormone Production & Conversion

Including natural desiccated thyroid support when clinically appropriate.

6. Support Testosterone Production & Utilization

With your targeted IOH testosterone support stack (boron, zinc, vitamin D, adaptogens, mitochondrial cofactors).

7. Lower Aromatase & Improve Estrogen Detoxification

Reduce excess conversion of testosterone into estrogen. Supplements like DIM+ work exceptionally well.

8. Improve Liver Function

Supports T4 → T3 conversion and hormone clearance.

Conclusion: Most Men Don’t Have a “Testosterone Problem” — They Have a Thyroid & Metabolic Problem

Once those systems are optimized:

• Testosterone rises

• Free testosterone rises

• SHBG stabilizes

• Estrogen normalizes

• Energy increases

• Libido returns

• Body fat drops

• Confidence rises

• Motivation comes back

This is what happens when men lead their biology instead of fighting it.

It’s Only Halftime — and your strongest hormonal years can still be ahead of you.

⚡️ Ready To Fix the Terrain With the Most Comprehensive Natural Approach to Mens Health?

If you’d like to go deeper — to uncover the root causes behind your energy, hormones, metabolism, and performance — I invite you to book a complimentary consultation.

Together, we’ll review your health history and goals and determine if our Peak Performance Protocol based on your lab analysis, genetics, and lifestyle data is right for you!

👉Click here to schedule your complimentary consultation.

To learn more about our approach and success stories, visit www.ItsOnlyHalftime.com where we help men like you turn your second half into your best half naturally!

Finish Strong,

Dr. Andreas

Still Kickin' A** Medication Free at 55 Despite What the "Narrative" Would Like You To Believe!

Medical Disclaimer:

The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. It should not replace professional consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your health regimen or lifestyle.

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