Welcome to Ben Greenfield's Weekly Roundup!
In this weekly post, I share with you my most interesting discoveries of the week, including the latest news on the fronts of fitness, nutrition, health, wellness, biohacking, and anti-aging research. I also recap my upcoming events and special announcements so you can keep up with opportunities to learn, giveaways, discounts, and more!
New Discoveries
Want Higher Testosterone? Start HERE Before Buying A “Booster” 💪
Low testosterone has become one of the hottest topics in men's health. If social media is any indication, you'd think the solution is always another supplement, herb, or prescription.
But before you spend hundreds of dollars on the next “miracle” formula, it's worth taking a step back and asking a more important question: what actually drives your testosterone levels in the first place?
For many men, the answer has less to do with finding the perfect “testosterone booster” and more to do with getting the fundamentals right.
Based on the latest studies, men, particularly middle-aged and older men with functional low testosterone, often see improvements through weight loss, better metabolic health, and addressing underlying lifestyle factors.
The reason excess body fat can lower testosterone is fairly straightforward: adipose tissue contains an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. The more excess body fat you carry, the greater this conversion can become.
But there's an important caveat: leaner isn't always better.
In my experience, and supported by the broader literature on energy availability and hormone health, men who push below roughly 10% body fat and women who dip below 20% often begin to experience hormonal trade-offs of their own. Rather than striving to get shredded at all costs, it's usually better to find the sweet spot where you're lean, healthy, energetic, and hormonally resilient.
So what about the countless “testosterone boosters” lining supplement shelves?
The most comprehensive reviews on the topic suggest that most over-the-counter testosterone boosters fail to increase total testosterone under placebo-controlled conditions meaningfully.
There are a few notable exceptions. Ashwagandha (I recommend Thorne's) and tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia) have shown promise in certain populations, while HMB (beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate) and betaine (also known as trimethylglycine or TMG) appear to provide modest benefits for male athletes.
But the overarching message from the research is clear: no supplement will outwork poor sleep, excess body fat, chronic stress, inactivity, or a nutrient-deficient diet.
My take: before spending hundreds of dollars chasing the next miracle testosterone formula, focus on the fundamentals first. Optimize your body composition, lift heavy things regularly, prioritize sleep, manage stress, and make sure you're eating enough nutrient-dense food to support hormone production. Then, if appropriate, consider evidence-based supplements as the icing on the cake, not the cake itself.
Want to dive deeper into testosterone optimization, hormone health, and the strategies that actually move the needle? You can check out the resources below.
- Biohacking Your Manhood: The Proven Habits, Foods, Exercises, Workouts, Nutrients & Tools That Boost Testosterone & Drive.
- The Coolest, Craziest Oral Peptides (& Where To Get Them), Boosting Testosterone Without Drugs & More With LIFE Network Expert Kyal Van Der Leest.
- The *Best Of* Protocols to Reset Your Brain, Boost Energy & Break Mental Limits: Best Of Optimized Living.
- Hair, Hormones, Icing Your Balls & 6 Other Little-Known Strategies To Boost Testosterone, Balance Your Hormones & Reclaim Your Rightful Man & Womanhood.
- Testosterone Replacement Therapy, Hormone Testing 101, Spot-Reducing Fat Loss Cream, The Benjamin Button Longevity Cocktail & Much More With Adam Lamb of RenewLifeRX.
Your Invite to the Afterparty: LA, NYC & Austin Boundless Film—Let’s Celebrate Together
Tickets to the Boundless Live tour are on sale now (if you didn’t get your tickets yet, just keep reading!).
But after you see the film, after I've laid bare everything I've learned about chasing optimization at the cost of what actually matters, I'm not leaving.
Neither is my family.
Instead, after the film and live Q&A, you'll hang with us at the VIP afterparty.
For LA, the VIP afterparty (after the film at the Belasco) is at the Downtown LA Proper Hotel in Cabrillo—hosted by James Beard Award-winning chefs, with curated wines, craft cocktails, and seasonal small plates (100% seed oil-free and everything else you’d expect me to prioritize!).
In Austin, the VIP afterparty (after the film at Emo's) is at Devil May Care—an intimate underground lounge with Mediterranean-inspired small plates, also crafted without seed oils or refined sugars.
Other tour stops and VIP afterparties are coming, with tickets for NYC and Moscow, ID, on sale now.
*If you want to join the afterparty, just look for ADD EVENT EXTRAS during checkout.*
The VIP upgrade will fill up fast, so grab your tickets soon.
This Week in Health & Performance: What the Latest Research Says
💪🧬 Not All Essential Amino Acids Are Created Equal: If you're shopping for an EAA supplement, don't assume every formula delivers the same benefits. From leucine content and amino acid ratios to ingredient quality and sweeteners, several factors determine whether a product will actually support muscle protein synthesis and recovery. Here's my guide to the seven things I always look for before buying an EAA supplement.
🧃🏃 Men And Women May Respond Very Differently To Beetroot Supplements: New research suggests sodium nitrate (found in beetroot extract and many pre-workouts) can enhance endurance training adaptations in men—but actually impair them in women. It's another reminder that sex differences exist, and that supplements shown to work in one population don't always produce the same results in another (read the study).
😴⏰ Too Much Sleep May Be Just As Concerning As Too Little: Unless you're a hard-charging athlete or recovering from sleep deprivation, sleeping more than about 8 hours per night was associated with an increased risk of mortality in a massive new study. As always, correlation doesn't prove causation, but the findings reinforce that more sleep isn't always better (full study here).
👨👧🧬 Your Health Before Conception May Shape Your Children's Future: Emerging research suggests a father's metabolic health before conception may influence his children's long-term risk of obesity and chronic disease. In other words, your “dad bod” may affect more than your own health; it could influence the next generation through epigenetic changes passed on before pregnancy even begins (read more).
Key Takeaway: Personalized health continues to outperform one-size-fits-all advice. Whether it's recognizing that men and women can respond differently to supplements, aiming for the right amount of sleep instead of simply more, choosing higher-quality amino acid formulas, or understanding how your health today may influence your future children, the details make a difference, and so do the fundamentals.
Product Of The Week
::: The Mounting Science Behind C15:0 (& How to Save 15% Off) 🧬 :::
Most people think about healthy aging in terms of wrinkles, aches, or lifespan.
But the real story begins much deeper, inside your cells. Every second of every day, your cells are repairing, adapting, and responding to the world around you. Supporting that process may be one of the smartest longevity strategies there is.
That's why one nutrient has been getting a tremendous amount of attention lately: C15:0, the first essential fatty acid discovered in more than 90 years.
The science behind C15:0 continues to grow. Two large prospective meta-analyses found that even small increases in circulating C15:0 levels were associated with better long-term cardiovascular and metabolic health. Clinical trials have also shown that supplementing with C15:0 raises blood levels of this unique fatty acid, with higher levels linked to healthier red blood cells, liver function, cholesterol metabolism, gut microbiome balance, and blood vessel health.
Developed by physicians and originally funded by the U.S. Navy, fatty15 is a patented, award-winning C15:0 supplement designed to support healthy aging at the cellular level.
Research suggests it supports more than 36 cellular pathways, and in a survey of 6,243 fatty15 customers, 70% reported noticeable improvements within 16 weeks, including better sleep, mood, and energy.
Fatty15 has become a regular part of my healthy aging stack because I believe the strongest longevity strategies begin at the cellular level.
If you'd like to give it a try, you can use code BEN here to save 15% at checkout.
Podcasts I Recorded This Week:
The Latest Content I Was Featured On This Week:
My Article Feed:
My full article feed and all archives of my articles are here.
Upcoming Events:
Boundless Live Tour Presented by FormulaIQ | Summer 2026
Join the world premiere of Boundless: The Man Who Became Human, a new feature documentary that follows 20 years of body optimization colliding with life's immeasurable moments—marriage, family, and faith. Experience a live podcast recording and intimate Q&A with my family and me in Los Angeles, New York, Austin, and Moscow, ID, one night in a room full of people chasing the same thing. Purchase tickets here.
Health Optimisation Summit | September 11–13, 2026
I'm speaking at the Health Optimisation Summit in London (September 11–13, 2026) at the Business Design Centre. This isn't your average health conference. HOS unites the best minds in biohacking, longevity, nutrition, fitness, and medicine, with one goal: to actually make people healthier. With 35+ world-class speakers, 120+ cutting-edge brands, and 4,000 like-minded people all under one roof, it's two days that could genuinely change how you approach your health. Get your ticket here and use code BEN to save 10% off registration!
Eudēmonia | November 5–8, 2026
I'm speaking at Eudēmonia (November 5–8, 2026, in West Palm Beach, FL), a prevention-focused, science-based health, well-being, and longevity summit designed to add years to your life and life to your years. Across 3 days and 15 venues, you'll experience 200+ talks from 120+ experts, 300 treatments, and 160+ brands covering everything from biohacking, longevity, and hormonal health to gut health, brain health, peptides, mobility, and more. I'll be leading a talk and a movement session alongside some of the brightest minds in health today. Use code BGREENFIELD-EUD-100 for $100 off when you register here!
The Boundless Couples Retreat | November 10–14, 2026
Ready to reconnect and recharge with your partner in paradise? Join the Greenfields at the stunning Prana Maya resort in Belize for the Boundless Couples Retreat, November 10–14, 2026. It's a five-day, all-inclusive escape designed to deepen your relationship, restore your vitality, and create memories that last a lifetime. From relaxation and adventure to intimate relationship coaching with Jessa and me, every detail is crafted to send you home with a stronger bond and a reinvigorated spirit. Spots are limited, so discover more and secure yours here today!
The Manzo x Ben Greenfield Table Private Dinner | Throughout 2026
If you want to taste one of the world's rarest cuts of beef and experience my North Idaho biohacking compound firsthand, my family and I are hosting The Manzo x Ben Greenfield Table, an intimate, chef-catered VIP dinner on a few limited 2026 dates. The evening includes biodynamic wine, a live cooking demo, a multi-course Piedmontese feast finer than Wagyu, and a night of deep sleep in an EMF-free, fully grounded, circadian-optimized guest room. Anyone who reserves a half or whole Piedmontese bull from Manzo qualifies for a spot, so reserve your allocation and dinner here.
Stay tuned for future updates—and you can always keep up with my LIVE appearances by checking out bengreenfieldlife.com/calendar!
This Week's Most Popular Instagram Post:
This Week's Most Popular Tweet:
This Week's Most Popular Facebook Post:
Cheers,
Ben
One Response
Thanks for sharing the latest research and practical takeaways!