How Testosterone Helps Boost Your Biceps And Your Brain
Four-time Super Bowl winner Jim McMahon and combat veterans are among those who have turned to TRT therapy.
Presented by APG
Testosterone gets you up in the morning and keeps your engine running all day. It builds your muscles, bones and the neurons in your brain. But low levels can cloud your thinking and slow you down to a crawl.
Just ask former NFL quarterback Jim McMahon. When the two-time Super Bowl champ felt his usual high-octane energy levels suddenly drop, he knew something was wrong. “I was having problems with motivation,” said McMahon, known for his bravado and brash style on and off the field. “I just didn’t want to do anything and that’s not like me.”
Always in a league of his own, the legendary Chicago Bears player had retired from football but not from an active life. Inertia was completely out of character for this flamboyant QB who won fame, fortune and a stack of trophies for his epic athletic performances.
But 15 seasons of touchdowns also brought McMahon a bevy of injuries including concussions. Then he hit a slump with the constant fatigue and malaise that accompany chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain condition triggered by repetitive head injuries. “I felt totally lethargic,” McMahon explained. “I lost all my momentum and couldn’t think straight.”
Studies show that many NFL football players with CTE develop Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), a condition marked by memory loss, confusion, vision changes, migraines, mood swings, depression and even Parkinson’s symptoms. Additional research indicates that over 80 percent of men with head injuries develop severe testosterone (T) deficiencies that lead to extensive neurodegeneration.
Testosterone, TBI & PTSD
What does testosterone have to do with TBI or PTSD? Everything, according to the late Dr. Gino Tutera, a medical pioneer who developed the SottoPelle Method using bioidentical hormone pellets along with a multi-patented dosing site over 35 years ago.
After examining countless studies, Dr. Tutera discovered the intricate link between sex hormones and the brain, which contains thousands of T receptors regulating cognitive and behavioral functions. Further research confirmed that the pituitary fails to produce normal T levels in over half of TBI cases.
Dr. Tutera realized that his innovative method of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), which he had used for years to help men with andropause, also reduced the neuroinflammation from sports, military wounds and other head injuries that disrupt the brain’s normal T levels. Testosterone could penetrate the blood-brain barrier to relieve TBI symptoms including stress, anxiety and depression.
SottoPelle To The Rescue
Dr. Tutera began treating patients with CTE, TBI and Parkinson’s in 2013 with positive results. He discovered that using natural bioidentical hormone pellets offered relief for NFL players and even military veterans with PTSD.
Meanwhile, McMahon made his own discovery. “I was talking to some ex-ballplayer friends who mentioned how their symptoms were improving with the SottoPelle Method,” he said. “I knew I had to do something.”
McMahon turned to SottoPelle co-founders Dr. Tutera and his wife CarolAnn in 2014 for help in treating his TBI.
A simple blood test showed that McMahon and other former NFL players had low T. After starting TRT therapy, they reported improvements in their mood, memory, mobility, muscle mass, motivation and well-being.
“It was a game-changer,” McMahon said. “SottoPelle helped improve my overall health and mental outlook. It gave me more energy and drive. It’s had such a positive impact on me. I feel like myself again.”
The Low-Down On Low T
But McMahon, his NFL colleagues and even military vets aren’t alone. The stress of modern life can take its toll on men, triggering low T levels that impact their health and life expectancy.
Current medical data shows T levels dropping at younger ages. A 2021 report found that the average T level in men ages 15-39 has plummeted by 25 percent. The American Urological Association guidelines and additional studies have concluded that:
- After age 30, male T levels drop nearly two percent per year;
- Over three million men in the US have low T; and
- 40 percent of men over age 45 experience low T symptoms.
According to Dr. Tutera, “Hormones are the control panel for every organ and function of the body and brain. By age 50, most men have lost over half of their testosterone, disrupting their physiological and neurological processes.”
If left untreated, low T can lead to cognitive decline, weight gain, high cholesterol, fatigue, irritability, heart disease, prostate issues, diabetes, depression and the loss of muscle, bone, stamina and libido.
A June 2024 report highlighting 11 studies on 24,000 men attributes low T to the spike in strokes and a 60 percent higher risk of cardiovascular mortality than men with normal T levels. This echoes dozens of studies showing the correlation between low T, heart disease and lower longevity.
But how do you know if you’re low? A simple blood test is all you need. SottoPelle has helped thousands of worldwide providers trained in the same effective method McMahon uses to get back on track and stay there.
Rev It Up: Natural Vs. Synthetic T
Boosting your T will rev up your motor and help you get your mojo back. But it does so much more than just build biceps. Patients report a reduction in cholesterol, insulin resistance, visceral fat and plaque in the coronary arteries. How does it work? Think of it like TNT for your body and brain. But not all forms of T are alike.
Synthetic or pharmaceutical hormones in pills, patches, gels, creams and troches are poorly absorbed and deliver T in fluctuating surges. Since they’re foreign to your body, side effects can occur.
Bioidentical hormones, similar in molecular structure to your natural T, can penetrate the cells regulating your physical and mental functions without adverse reactions. Numerous reports attest to the safety of these natural, plant-based hormones.
According to Dr. Tutera, using synthetic testosterone is like pouring high-grade oil on a cracked engine. “The car still won’t run,” he said. “When prescribed, dosed and administered correctly, bioidentical testosterone can rebuild that cracked engine so it will start up again.”
The Power Of The Pellet: Full-Throttle Fuel For Your Body & Brain
While hormone pellets have been used for over 85 years and are backed by scientific studies, Dr. Tutera pioneered a unique dosing method, restoring the body’s normal physiology without synthetic chemicals.
“Everyone doesn’t wear the same shoe size, so why would they wear the same hormone dose?” he said. “Think of hormones like the shocks in a car. If they’re worn out, you can plan on a bumpy ride.”
The SottoPelle Method uses individually dosed bioidentical hormone pellets about the size of a grain of rice, gently slipped under the skin for a sustained 24-7 release of hormone exactly when needed for optimal vitality.
Most men receive hormone treatments twice a year. So after a routine blood test and pellet insertion, you’re all set. Current research affirms that pellets provide the safest and most effective approach.
Dr. Gino and CarolAnn Tutera paved the way for hormone pellet practices across America in 1993. They dedicated their lives to helping patients enjoy the benefits voiced by NFL legends like Jim McMahon.
“The SottoPelle Method did amazing things for my health,” McMahon said. “I’m able to stay in decent shape. Pellets really work. They give you a general feeling of well-being.”
Brain Booster
Testosterone fuels the brain, influencing the neurotransmitters regulating your memory, mood, motor control, behavior and cognitive functions. Research indicates it has been used to treat osteoporosis, metabolic syndrome and cholesterol. T therapy may help prevent Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases.
As SottoPelle’s CEO, CarolAnn Tutera is the original female industry leader, continuing what she and Dr. Tutera started in the 1990s. “We’re working with ex-NFL players and veterans and excited about the progress they’re making,” she said. “We support everyone on their journey and have so many success stories.”
McMahon notes, “This therapy helps keep me in the game. I feel more alert mentally and much better now than before I started the program.”
Advances in TRT therapy show it’s helping men stay sharp, strong and energized. A 2023 Harvard Health study cites the cardiovascular safety of TRT in preventing strokes and heart attacks. A recent meta-analysis of 35 clinical studies found TRT restored normal T levels to enhance men’s strength, brainpower and vitality without cardiovascular risks.
SottoPelle is committed to helping athletes, veterans, and anyone with head injuries or low T to regain their muscle and mojo.
“I tell guys, ‘Don’t hesitate. Get a pellet and it will change your life,’’ said McMahon. “I’ve been on pellets for years now…I’m still going and not stopping. I’d recommend SottoPelle wholeheartedly!”
Always consult your physician before any treatment program.
