XY Files Blog | Veedma's evidence-based men's health articles

What do elliptical trainers do for your physique and longevity?

Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 07, 2025 · 13 min read

Elliptical trainers provide low-impact, weight-bearing cardio that can improve aerobic fitness and help maintain or reduce body fat when programmed at sufficient intensity. Here is what they actually do to your muscles, joints, heart, and hormones, and how men can use them for real results. “When guys ask me what do elliptical trainers do, they ...

The worst foods for gut health and how they disrupt your entire system

Susan Carter, MD: Endocrinologist & Longevity Expert

Dec 06, 2025 · 10 min read

Ultra-processed foods high in added sugar, artificial sweeteners/additives, and unhealthy fats can measurably change microbiome composition within 24 hours. Over time, those patterns may weaken the protective mucosal barrier and increase intestinal permeability, allowing bacterial components (like endotoxin) to enter the bloodstream and contribute to systemic inflammation. Here’s the clinical evidence for which foods do ...

Weight lifting and calories burned: How many calories does lifting weights burn for men?

Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 06, 2025 · 13 min read

Most men burn roughly 200 to 600 calories in a 45 minute lifting session depending on body weight, the MET level of the workout (traditional lifting around 3.5 METs vs vigorous circuits around 8 METs), and how dense the session is (rest times and transitions). Compared with a steady cardio session of the same length, ...

Can low testosterone cause joint pain?

Susan Carter, MD: Endocrinologist & Longevity Expert

Dec 06, 2025 · 15 min read

Low testosterone can contribute to joint pain by increasing chronic inflammation and weakening the muscle, bone, and cartilage support that stabilizes joints. A 2025 longitudinal cohort study in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders reported that men with low testosterone had about double the risk of developing osteoarthritis. [4] If aching knees or stiff shoulders come with fatigue, ...

How long honey packs stay in your system: What research says

Alexander Grant, MD, PhD: Urologist & Men's Health Advocate

Dec 06, 2025 · 17 min read

Honey pack: How long it actually stays in your system for men (risks) In most healthy adult men, a honey pack that contains sildenafil is mostly cleared from the bloodstream in about 20 hours, while tadalafil can linger for about 3 to 4 days.[8,9] “Honey pack” sexual-enhancement sachets are supplement products that often contain undeclared ...

Healthy suppositories for men: What works, what is safe, and what to avoid

Alexander Grant, MD, PhD: Urologist & Men's Health Advocate

Dec 05, 2025 · 12 min read

Healthy suppositories for men are clinician recommended rectal or urethral inserts that treat a specific diagnosis with a known medication, dose, and safety profile. This guide breaks down which suppositories are evidence based, what “natural” options really mean, and how to use them safely without missing more serious problems. “A suppository is just a delivery ...

Why do i get so hot when i sleep: The science of night sweats and overheating

Jonathan Pierce, PhD: Clinical Psychologist & Neuroscience Specialist

Dec 05, 2025 · 15 min read

You get hot in your sleep when the normal nighttime drop in core body temperature of about 0.5 to 1.0 °C (1 to 2 °F) is disrupted, prompting the hypothalamus to open skin blood vessels and activate sweating to dump heat. The good news is that the trigger is often changeable, such as room setup, alcohol, stress, ...

Does stress cause low testosterone in men? What science really shows

Alexander Grant, MD, PhD: Urologist & Men's Health Advocate

Dec 05, 2025 · 14 min read

Chronic psychological stress is linked to lower morning testosterone in men, largely because sustained HPA axis cortisol output can suppress hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (GnRH/LH) signaling and reduce testicular testosterone production. Here is how to recognize the stress-low T feedback loop and what actually helps break it. “Stress and testosterone talk to each other all day long. Short ...

Semen retention meaning and the science behind the hype

Alexander Grant, MD, PhD: Urologist & Men's Health Advocate

Dec 05, 2025 · 13 min read

Semen retention is deliberately avoiding ejaculation for a period of time. Research suggests it does not produce a sustained testosterone boost. A 2001 study in World Journal of Urology found a modest rise around day 7 of abstinence that drifted back toward baseline despite continued retention. Here’s what the evidence says about how “holding semen” ...

Does testosterone cause hair loss? Separating hormonal fact from fiction

Alexander Grant, MD, PhD: Urologist & Men's Health Advocate

Dec 04, 2025 · 11 min read

Testosterone itself isn’t the direct cause of male pattern hair loss; the issue arises when 5‑alpha reductase converts it into DHT, which miniaturizes genetically androgen‑sensitive scalp follicles even when total testosterone is normal. With androgenetic alopecia affecting roughly 30% to 50% of men by age 50, the real question is whether your follicles are “wired” ...

Lifting in Converse: The biomechanics, benefits, and risks of flat sole training

Bruno Rodriguez, DPT, CSCS: Strength, Recovery, and Physical Therapy Expert

Dec 04, 2025 · 11 min read

Converse-style zero-drop, incompressible flat soles can improve center-of-pressure stability and reduce energy loss from sole compression in deadlifts, but for squats they remove the 0.75 to 1 inch heel lift that helps ankle dorsiflexion. If mobility is restricted, that can increase knee and lumbar torque. Here is how to know when flat shoes are the ...

Which essential biomarkers runners should track? The lab numbers that predict fatigue and low testosterone

Susan Carter, MD: Endocrinologist & Longevity Expert

Dec 04, 2025 · 15 min read

The essential biomarkers runners should track include vitamin D, iron and ferritin, magnesium and potassium, C reactive protein, testosterone, cortisol, blood glucose, and performance markers like VO2 max, lactate threshold, and resting heart rate. When those numbers drift, your training can feel harder, recovery slows, and injury risk rises even if your mileage looks “perfect.” ...