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🥩 Why men's testosterone levels are dropping:
This past week I started getting into the weeds for the final part of the "Macronutrient Manual" — fats. I'll be working on this section the rest of the year, so look forward to more about fat here :)
The research is pretty clear: low fat diets decrease testosterone levels in men (they also negatively impact women, but this researched focused on men).
It appears that ~30% fat intake is the minimum level to optimize testosterone.
Diets with less than 30% fat appear to impair testosterone production and diets with over 30% see the correlation fall away (i.e. more fat doesn't equal more testosterone beyond 30%).
What's interesting is that we know testosterone levels in men have been steadily decreasing since the mid 20th century; however, fat consumption hasn't dropped. What has changed is the kinds of fat we eat and the ratio of saturated fats to polyunsaturated fats.
We have substituted animals fats for vegetable fats.
Not surprisingly there is a positive correlation between saturated fat intake and testosterone levels. Plus, a correlation between testosterone levels and reduced chronic disease and mortality risks.
While the declining testosterone levels in men are likely multifactorial (i.e. higher body fat levels, impaired sleep, xenoestrogens in food/environment, inadequate sun exposure, etc.), I do think the quantity and the kinds of fat we are eating play a large role in testosterone and overall health. It's all connected. More on this soon.
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♥ How to keep the heart pumping:
If you want a strong heart get strong hands by grabbing a steak.
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📆 Are you riskier on Monday than Thursday:
What do stock market returns, suicide rates, and attendance at medical appointments have in common? They are all influenced by what day of the week it is, explained (in part) by people being riskier on Monday than Thursday.
Across a range of studies, we have found that response to risk changes systematically through the week. Specifically, willingness to take risks decreases from Monday to Thursday and rebounds on Friday.
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🎓 Who is building my vision:
I had a vision how online education would change the world. How by opening access to education, the opportunity gap would close.
With online education the cost of entry approaches zero. Gatekeepers are removed. The distance between knowledge acquisition and opportunity butt up against each other as businesses need people who can keep up with the rapid pace of change (skills and knowledge).
So I built a platform that aggregated the latest online courses. Here people could learn and earn up-to-date eCredentials that would be matched to companies needing those skills. It was like Match.com but for connecting people with work opportunities based on online learning certifications. No Harvard degree or massive student loan debt required. While this startup project didn't work out (long story), I saw that another company is building this vision.
Fiverr just acquired CreativeLive.
Fiverr is a marketplace for hiring digital service freelancers.
CreativeLive is a education platform teaching online skills at the intersection of creativity and the future of work.
"We believe that this virtuous cycle – pursuing passions, learning new skills, and leveraging those skills for economic upside – is the future of work"
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🧠 What quote I've been thinking about:
"A writer — and, I believe, generally all persons — must think that whatever happens to him or her is a resource. All things have been given to us for a purpose...All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our
embarrassments, all is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art."
– Jorge Luis Borges
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💲 What bitcoin phase are we in:
Psychology of market "bubbles" are fascinating. I always keep this chart in mind. If I had to guess, I'd say bitcoin is out of the 1st sell off "bear trap" and entering "media attention" soon. I'm buckling up for Q4 fireworks.
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⚠ How to respond when your IP is being used without your consent:
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As always, it's an absolute pleasure and an honor getting to spend some time with you, hope you have a great weekend!
Kevin
A Saturday morning roundup on health and wealth, art and science, creativity and innovation, laughs and life by Kevin Stock.
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