Man 2.0 Engineering the Alpha

applied to an ever-changing understanding of the human body—the truth is that it’s not. Unfortunately, people would rather be comfortable with familiar ideas that they believe to be true than be challenged with new ideas that actually force them to think. The comfort in these beliefs creates a dogmatic view that paralyzes your ability to move forward.
    As men, we hit a wall because the information we received, the advice we accepted, and the fitness and diet programs we welcomed into our life limited what we could achieve and who we could become.
    We’re tired of it all. You deserve more.
    That’s why I’ve spent several years working to create a blueprint—combining science with real life results—to prove how the truth was really being kept from you.
    Is this a fuck-you to the fitness industry? Nah. But it is a stand that’s long overdue. This is the first time anyone in the mainstream is taking a more open and honest approach, tackling the topics no one discusses, debunking the myths that are ruining your body, and opening your eyes to a world where sensational cover lines can be actual goals, not a marketing sell.
    We are here to change the game, but not with the same old rigmarole; the only thing I can guarantee about this new world is that it won’t be one filled with half-truths and empty promises.

    LOOK (AND FEEL . . . AND FUCK) LIKE A REAL MAN
    While we understand that much of the excitement you have for this book is probably tied to the workouts and diet plans, it’s important to understand why we’ve written this book and exactly what’s at stake. A bad hormonal environment is a Molotov cocktail waging war on your body. When your body isn’t functioning optimally, you only experience the symptoms. Rarely do you understand the cause. That’s why we will connect the dots so you understand how your daily behaviors set off an easily prevented domino effect of problems you desperately want to avoid.
    We’ve listed nine problems that can be easily avoided if you fix your hormones. Some might be impacting you now, whether you know it or not. Others inevitably wait in the future. And all of them can be removed from your reality. If you didn’t need your eyes to read, we’d tell you to close them now. Because this shit is about to get scary.
    1. Reduced Intelligence
    You might think most of the benefits of hormone optimization relate to how you look and feel. And you’d be right—fix your hormones and you will look awesome. But hormonal imbalance also impacts your brain. More specifically: not targeting your hormones through diet and training means less intelligence and a limited capacity for achievement.
    The key is a hormone called BDNF—one of the biggest scientific advances that no one is talking about. What it stands for (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) isn’t as important as what it means because if you don’t produce more BDNF, it could stand for “brain does not function.”
    The concept is best understood this way: Have you ever seen the movie Limitless with Bradley Cooper? In it, Cooper’s character takes a pill that maximizes brain functioning. He becomes brilliant—not because he suddenly has more knowledge but because his brain is firing and operating at a more efficient pace. This is BDNF.
    When you’re not cranking out enough BDNF, your brain is functioning on an average level like everyone else’s, and your ability to become smarter is limited by the number of synapses you create. Fewer synapses mean less brain activity. But when BDNF is activated? It’s like “Miracle-Gro for the brain,” says Dr. John Ratey, associate professor of clinical psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Become better looking and smarter? It’s true, but we’re just starting to scratch the surface.
    2. Stunted Sex Drive
    Having sex once a week isn’t normal.
    Here’s the sad truth: there’s a nation of guys out there with beautiful girlfriends (or boyfriends) or wives. Girlfriends and wives who want sex every night. This isn’t the sad part, obviously. The sad part is that these guys, who should be counting their blessings—and having more sex than is advisable or safe—are falling asleep in front of the TV. Or lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for their partner to doze off.
    These men love their girlfriends, love their wives, and on some level love sex. They just don’t want it. Their sex drive, once a proud engine that influenced every decision, now has the power of