The Philippines: A low testosterone country?

Word came out online that 80% of men purportedly have given up on dating. This comes amidst reports that marriages went down in 2023. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), “There were 414,213 registered marriages in 2023, a decrease of 7.8% from the total registered marriages of 449,428 in 2022.”

Further the PSA: “Of the 86.33 million persons aged 10 years and over in 2020, 34.26 million persons (39.7%) were never married, while 33.87 million persons (39.2%) were married. The rest of the population was categorized as follows: in common-law/live-in marital arrangement with 14.7%, widowed with 4.5%, and divorced/separated/annulled with 1.9%.”

Finally, reiterated here are data showing that 20% of marriages in the Philippines will be broken, with 82% of such broken marriages involving children. That a World Health Organization (WHO) study finds there are 15 million solo parents in the Philippines, 95% (or more than 14 million) of whom are women. That 58.1% or 844,909 of newborn Filipino babies are illegitimate. That the Philippine fertility rate is continuously declining: 2019 registered 2.87 births per woman, compared to 3.21 in 2009. In 2020, the fertility rate fell to 2.53, fell again in 2021 by 1.03% to 2.504, then another 1% decline to 2.479 in 2022.

The question of fertility is usually ascribed to women but the country’s declining fertility rate do not seem to be due to women’s fertility capabilities but rather the decision of many women not to have children. On the other hand, one measure of the fertility capabilities of men is to determine their testosterone levels. And in this regard, Filipinos seem to be on the low end of the spectrum: Of the 86 countries rated by testosteronedecline.com (in its March 2022 report), the Philippines ranked 62nd, with a rating of 413 nanograms per deciliter of testosterone (ng/dL).

Compare that with the countries that have the five highest testosterone levels: Uzbekistan 773 ng/dl; Cameroon 731 ng/dl; Azerbaijan 694 ng/dl; Mongolia 693 ng/dl; and Ethiopia 671 ng/dl. The five countries with the lowest testosterone levels, on the other hand, are: Belarus 356 ng/dl; Kazakhstan 356 ng/dl; Bahrain 346 ng/dl; Latvia 342 ng/dl; and Czechia 315 ng/dl.

Low testosterone is a national concern because of its obvious health and population implications. “Low testosterone levels can affect your libido and cause physical changes, sleep issues, and trouble with emotional regulation.” While found in both males and females, testosterone has higher levels in and is more important for men. Testosterone helps maintain a number of important bodily functions in men, including: sex drive, sperm production, muscle mass/strength, fat distribution, bone density, and red blood cell production. Because “testosterone affects so many functions, its decrease can bring about significant physical and emotional changes.” (see “Low Testosterone in Men,” Healthline, March 2023).

Excuses can be made, of course, but even then most are off the mark. Some myths regarding low testosterone are:

Myth No. 1: Low testosterone is a normal part of aging

Fact: Low testosterone can develop at any age for a number of reasons. In fact — this is important — testosterone levels have been dropping since the 1980s and the drop has nothing to do with age levels (see “Men’s testosterone levels declined in last 20 years”; Reuters, August 2007).

Myth No. 2: Low testosterone only affects a man’s sex drive

Fact: While one of the signs of low testosterone is loss of sex drive, such may also cause mood swings, fatigue, low energy, and a sheer lack of drive. Low testosterone can also be caused by other health conditions.

Myth No. 3: It’s safe to order testosterone supplementation online

Fact: Testosterone medications are controlled substances that can only be prescribed by a physician. Men who use testosterone without a physician’s supervision run several risks. (see “Top 3 Myths vs Facts When It Comes to Low Testosterone,” Urology Care Foundation, March 2021).

What are the possible causes for a national decline in testosterone? One is ingestion of agricultural chemicals, either through food or the water supply. Plastics and chemicals (food packaging, detergents, clothes, furniture, and synthetic underwear) are other possible causes. Eating seed oils is another. And, of course, inactivity and obesity. (see testosteronedecline.com).

There are ways to counteract this: get more sleep; avoid personal care products, such as moisturizer or body wash, that contain “xenoestrogens” which are unnatural chemicals that act like estrogen and lower testosterone levels; and avoid microplastics (particularly in clothing and underwear).

What is key, however, is to have a leaner population. Contrary to the progressive notion regarding body positivity, a fat or obese population simply is unhealthy on so many levels. Seed oils, carbohydrates, and junk food are to be discouraged, while an unprocessed beef or oily fish protein-based diet should be welcomed. Physical exercise, particularly through team sports, must be made mandatory in our youth’s education. Individual sports simply do not provide the same benefits.

Finally, we should really bring back the ROTC and impose mandatory military service for our young adults.

The views expressed here are his own and not necessarily those of the institutions to which he belongs.

Jemy Gatdula is the dean of the Institute of Law of the University of Asia and the Pacific and is a Philippine Judicial Academy lecturer for constitutional philosophy and jurisprudence.