Not so long ago, the conventional wisdom among doctors was that if their male patients took a multivitamin every day, they didn’t need to worry about supplementing this with other vitamins before the age of about 55. However, Toronto-based author, broadcaster, politician, and physician Shafiq Qaadri rejects this assumption.

In a phone interview with the Georgia Straight, Qaadri suggested that men in their 30s should probably take supplements if they want to avoid future health problems. He cited diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure and cholesterol levels as common occurrences as people grow older.

“We’ve for no particular reason focused in on the age of 40 because I think that’s kind of the magic age in terms of medicine when people start manifesting all of the diseases that they’ve kind of been preparing to have for some time,” he said.

“But I think that number is floating [for the time someone should begin taking supplements]. I would say probably by the age of 35, for sure, maybe even a little earlier if the person is under a high-stress situation on an ongoing basis—which, by the way, is everybody I know.”

In his book The Testosterone Factor: A Practical Guide to Improving Vitality and Virility, Naturally (Doubleday Canada, 2006), Qaadri cites numerous medical consequences that flow from deficiencies in vitamins and minerals and a lack of regular exercise and sleep.

In his book and in public appearances, he focuses a great deal of attention on the dangers of abdominal fat, which he describes as “evil”.

“It leads to all those nasty things: heart disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, and so on,” said Qaadri, who is a Liberal member in the Ontario legislature.

However, he said, it’s still a mystery why abdominal fat causes all of these problems. In his book, he points to a loss of testosterone in men as they age as one of the keys. And this testosterone loss results in part from the presence of an enzyme in abdominal fat called aromatase. One solution, in Qaadri’s opinion, is to take supplements to offset the effects of this enzyme.

He noted that with estrogen-related hormones being given to livestock and swine to increase their fertility, nanoscopic quantities are probably ending up in the abdominal fat of human beings.

He suggested that these hidden estrogens in the environment, including those that may be in consumer products, are one reason why girls are going through puberty at younger ages. Another likely consequence, he said, is lower sperm counts in men, which have been well documented in recent years.

Qaadri explained that part of the reason for all of this is that aromatase is a “chemical thief” when it resides in abdominal fat. “It actually takes circulating testosterone from the man’s blood circulation and turns it into estrogen,” he said. “Very strangely, it’s a nonreversible chemical reaction.”

The loss of testosterone in men gradually leads to a loss of calcium in the bones, he said. This, in turn, leads to fractures later in life. That’s because testosterone helps absorb calcium in the diet and distribute it throughout the body, which builds up skeletal strength.

He suggested that another consequence of high aromatase levels is the development of femalelike breasts in men. Men who drink are at a much greater risk. That’s because too much alcohol speeds up the aromatase enzyme, accelerating this process. “It’s unfortunate how common it is,” he said.

Qaadri advises men to take zinc supplements to optimize testosterone production and release. This is particularly important for those who are obese, drink alcohol regularly, or have fertility problems.

He commented that zinc lowers aromatase levels. It also helps stimulate the production of more testosterone by keeping signals going from what he calls the “master hormone controller”, the pituitary gland, to the testes. “Zinc is tied to spermatogenesis, or sperm production,” Qaadri said.

In addition, he recommends that many of his male patients take calcium supplements to offset the effects of testosterone theft by aromatase. Qaadri noted that between 20 and 25 percent of severe osteoporosis cases occur in men.

The condition can be prevented by starting to take calcium at a younger age. He said that doctors should educate themselves in this area, because so many of their patients are already using supplements.

“In dollar terms, people spend 10 times as much money on nutritional supplements as they do even on prescription medications,” Qaadri maintained.

The Testosterone Factor also assesses the effects of minerals like iron and selenium as well as fish oils, vitamins, and other products. The book points out how vitamin D works to help the bloodstream absorb calcium, which leads to solid bone structure. In addition, he reports, vitamin D weakens the estrogen that can be harmful to men.

When asked how he developed such a strong interest in the effects of testosterone and supplements, Qaadri said he owes it all to his mother, who is a gynecologist. “I learned from a very young age all about hormones, brain control, fertility, and all this kind of stuff,” he said.

He added that it was only natural that after entering medical school, he would take an interest in testosterone.