{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"hol+ with Dr. Taz MD | The Future of Medicine is Holistic","title":"The Testosterone Problem in Men: Dr. Brandon Smith on Low T, Sleep Apnea, TRT & What Men Need to Know","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2592,"description":"What happens when men’s health gets reduced to one testosterone number? In this episode of hol+, Dr. Taz sits down with Dr. Brandon Smith, MD, a conventionally trained physician practicing at hol+, for a practical and eye-opening conversation about men’s health, low testosterone, sleep apnea, TRT, GLP-1s, muscle, stress, hormones, and why so many men are waiting too long to get proactive about their health.Together, they explore why men’s health needs a reframe, especially in a medical culture where many men are taught to only go to the doctor when something is clearly broken. Dr. Smith shares what he sees in the exam room, from younger men asking about testosterone before starting a family, to men in their 40s, 50s, and 60s realizing they have spent years pushing through fatigue, stress, brain fog, weight changes, low libido, poor sleep, or changes in performance without knowing where to start.Dr. Taz and Dr. Smith also unpack why low testosterone is not always a simple testosterone problem. Dr. Smith explains the difference between total testosterone and free testosterone, why one lab number is only a snapshot, why testosterone can fluctuate throughout the day, and why morning testing matters. They also discuss why symptoms, context, body composition, sleep, stress, inflammation, chronic illness, and lifestyle all need to be part of the conversation before jumping straight to testosterone therapy.This conversation takes a closer look at one of the most overlooked drivers of low testosterone: sleep apnea. Dr. Smith explains why disrupted sleep can create a stress signal in the body, why men may not realize they are waking up throughout the night, and why the body may lower reproductive hormones when it does not feel safe, rested, or recovered. They also discuss how fasting, chronic stress, high cortisol, poor recovery, and underlying medical conditions can affect hormone levels.If you’re listening to this and thinking, “I know something is off in my body, but I...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/dk3-2MWMfnX775_3EJvEAYePX2gPGqNcU4lUBYgbkNg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS81OTFk/YjRmODQxYmQxMDdk/ZGY4NmNhYmQ3YWRi/ZmFmMi5qcGc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}