XY Files Blog

Medically reviewed articles on testosterone, hormones, fitness, and longevity, so you can make informed decisions about your health.

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

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

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

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

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

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

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

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

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. According to a 2001 study in World Journal of Urology, there was a modest rise around day 7 of abstinence that drifted back toward baseline despite continued retention. Here’s what the evidence says about ...

Does testosterone cause hair loss? Separating hormonal fact from fiction

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

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

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

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 ...

What are the essential biomarkers runners should track? The numbers that flag fatigue, overtraining, and low testosterone

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Dec 04, 2025 · 15 min read

For male runners, the essential biomarker list starts with ferritin and iron studies, vitamin D, glucose, and a hormone panel that includes total testosterone, free testosterone, LH, and FSH, because a testosterone value below 350 ng/dL total or 100 pg/mL free only matters when symptoms persist and the pituitary signals are checked too. Magnesium and ...

How to get rid of food noise. What actually works for men

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Dec 03, 2025 · 17 min read

You get rid of food noise by lowering the biologic drivers that keep appetite turned up. Meals built around 25 to 30 g of protein, fewer ultra processed cues, and 7 to 9 hours of sleep can all help quiet constant food thoughts. For eligible men, obesity medicines are linked to about 14.9% to 20.9% ...

Do runners live longer? The science behind mileage and mortality

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Dec 03, 2025 · 16 min read

Yes. Recreational runners generally live longer than non-runners, and even 5 to 10 minutes a day at an easy pace is associated with lower mortality and longer lifespan. The sweet spot for longevity appears to be moderate weekly volume (around 2 to 3 hours), not marathon-level mileage. Here is how it works and how to ...

Testosterone killing foods: What actually lowers T in men and what to eat instead

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Dec 03, 2025 · 17 min read

“Testosterone killing foods” are foods that, when eaten often as part of an ultra processed Western style diet, are linked to lower testosterone in men through inflammation, insulin disruption, and weight gain. The good news is that you do not need a perfect diet. You need a few high impact swaps and the right lab ...

On Cloud X 3 review: The biomechanics of a true hybrid training shoe

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Dec 02, 2025 · 11 min read

The On Cloud X 3 works as a true hybrid only for moderate lifting and short runs of about 1 to 4 miles, not as a replacement for dedicated lifting shoes or daily trainers. This On Cloud X3 review explains where its firmer CloudTec pods and Speedboard make sense, where they do not, and how ...

Volume eating: The simplest way for men to cut calories without feeling hungry

Veedma's editorial team: Evidence-based men's health

Dec 02, 2025 · 13 min read

Volume eating is a nutrition strategy that emphasizes high volume, low calorie foods so you feel full while naturally eating fewer calories. Done right, it can make fat loss feel less like willpower and more like smart meal design. “Volume eating works best when you treat it as a way to add smart volume, not ...