When it comes to men's health, it's crucial to keep an eye on body fat percentage. Now, if we're talking about a body fat percentage slightly above 15%, it's not necessarily a cause for alarm. However, as this percentage starts to climb, it can start to interfere with some important aspects of your health, particularly when it comes to hormones like testosterone and SHBG.

Let's talk about testosterone first. This hormone is a big deal for us guys - it's involved in everything from muscle development to bone density to our sex drive. Now, the thing about body fat is that it contains an enzyme called aromatase, which transforms testosterone into estrogen. The more body fat you have, the more aromatase you have, and potentially, the more of your testosterone gets converted. This can lead to a drop in overall testosterone levels, which can have a range of effects, from loss of muscle mass to mood swings.

Now, onto SHBG, or sex hormone-binding globulin. This protein, produced by the liver, binds to sex hormones including testosterone. When body fat goes up, SHBG levels tend to go down. This means there's more free testosterone floating around that can be converted into estrogen by those fat cells, which can further decrease testosterone levels.

On top of this, carrying extra body fat can lead to increased inflammation in the body. This inflammation can affect the liver, which might then struggle to produce SHBG effectively, leading to even more hormonal imbalance.

So, while a body fat percentage just above 15% isn't necessarily a red flag, it's important to keep an eye on it. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, and regular health check-ups are all part of maintaining a healthy body fat percentage and keeping those hormones in check.

свернуть