Fitness Friday: Is your low testosterone level affecting your driving distance? | Golf News and Tour Information [Video]

If you’re not hitting the ball as far as you used to, you can blame your ball, clubs or swing–or all three. But Dr. Ara Suppiah says the reason could be more primal: “As we get older, our testosterone levels drop, and this is the hormone you need for power. Even worse, in many cases men accelerate the drop with unhealthy living habits.” The natural reduction for men is about 1 percent each year past age 30, the Mayo Clinic reports. But if you’re not eating right, sleeping well and exercising, the loss can be more rapid. Suppiah, a sports-medicine specialist who is a consultant for several players on the PGA Tour, says a healthy male 45 to 55 should have a testosterone count of about 500 or higher. Women also produce testosterone but in significantly lower quantities (the normal range is 18 to 70). If your blood tests indicate …