Today’s Big Story

Testosterone Pills Are Here

The fall and slow rebirth of T pills (but do men really need them)?

Testosterone therapy seems to be incredibly popular right now. Maybe you’ve seen videos on social media or overheard guys talking about “T” at the gym. And it’s understandable. Low testosterone—or male hypogonadism—is linked to depleted energy, low sex drive and decreased mood. With around 40% of men over 45 affected, it's a problem to keep an eye on.

But do you need to supplement your testosterone? And if you do, are we talking about injections, natural alternatives or the new range of pills on offer? According to GQ, there are some simple lifestyle changes that can help sustain and even boost T levels. Studies have that shown that weight training or even bodyweight circuit sessions can cause a short-term increase in testosterone. If you mostly focus on cardio, it might be time to mix things up.

That’s certainly a cheaper and safer start than jumping right to testosterone replacement therapy. Scientific American points out that men are spending lots of money to boost their mood and manliness, but “they may see trouble instead of benefits.” It’s never been more publicized or popular. Podcaster Joe Rogan is on TRT. On Reddit and on highway billboards and in TV commercials, you’ll see testimonials in praise of TRT with promises of mood boosts, better sex, extra energy and quite possibly an abdominal six-pack. The global market has been estimated at $1.9 billion.

For the right men, usually those with seriously low levels of the hormone, TRT can help. But many men getting supplements may not have low testosterone to begin with, and for them, boosting levels of the hormone even higher could cause harm. And TRT carries risks. Supplemental testosterone can increase the chances of infertility and shrink testicles. It can lead to an abnormal blood condition called erythrocytosis. It is also associated with heightened rates of acne and painful swelling of male breast tissue. Well, nothing macho about that.

The first oral testosterone formula, methyltestosterone, was invented in the 1930s. This medication caused liver disease, so it never took off. In the decades that followed, testosterone injections and topicals became the standard, widely accepted by doctors and covered by insurance companies. Now, a new generation of T pills—Jatenzo, Tlando, and Kyzatrex—don’t hurt your liver like the old testosterone medications. They’re made with testosterone undecanoate instead of methyltestosterone and metabolized by the lymphatic system instead of the liver. Men’s Health says the upside to these pills are you can feel more of the benefits of testosterone, such as building muscle and increasing libido. But many insurance plans still don’t cover it, so be sure to ask your doctor and your insurance company, if you’re interested in trying …

Trump Wants ‘Mandatory’ Social Media Reviews for Travelers

The change would impact travelers from 42 countries, from Australia and France to Japan and others

The Trump administration could soon require tourists from dozens of nations to hand over their social media handles before entering the country. Under a proposal from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the agency would make social media history from the past five years a “mandatory” part of the screening process, reports the New York Times.

Residents of the United Kingdom and Germany are among the countries from which visitors do not require visas to visit the U.S., which, according to the notice, could add an extra hurdle for travelers. British citizens and people of other waived countries currently can complete “Electronic System for Travel Authorizations” in lieu of obtaining visas. Providing social media histories would now be a part of the requirements to complete the ESTA, according to the proposal.

A Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman said the proposal is not final, and it is not clear how applicants would be required to provide their social media. A spokesperson for CBP told NBC News Wednesday that the proposal “is simply the first step in starting a discussion to have new policy options to keep the American people safe.” The U.S. public has 60 days to comment on the proposal.

Fed Cuts Rates Again

But officials are divided over their next move

The Federal Reserve on Wednesday cut its influential interest rate for the third time this year, pointing to a job market that Chairman Jerome Powell said may be weaker than it appears. The central bank lowered the target for its key lending rate by 0.25 percentage points, putting it in a range of 3.50% to 3.75%—its lowest level in three years.

The cut of a quarter point could make it cheaper for average Americans who hold a mortgage, have credit card debt or need to take out or refinance a personal loan. It would also help businesses borrow at lower rates. But it comes at the risk of stoking inflation that has yet to fall to the Fed’s preferred levels. At a news conference following the Fed’s announcement, Powell said that tariffs were helping to keep inflation higher than it might be otherwise. Policymakers disagree about how the Fed should balance competing priorities: a weakening job market on the one hand, and rising prices on the other.

Shortly after Powell concluded his news conference, President Donald Trump expressed dismay that the Fed did not announce a deeper cut to interest rates. He reprised his attacks on Powell as he decried the fact that the central bank had only cut rates by a “rather small number that could have been doubled, at least doubled.” He said America can have “tremendous growth without inflation.” The president also confirmed he met with Kevin Warsh as a potential next Fed chair. “Our rates should be the lowest rates in the world,” he said.

Monogamy Ranking of Animals

Humans rank between meerkats and beavers in monogamy “league table”

Is monogamy merely a concept? We can table that debate for now and focus on this interesting fact: We humans are far more monogamous than our primate cousins in the wild, but less so than beavers, a new study suggests. The findings were just published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences, and ranked human beings against other mammals in a “premier league of monogamy”—a reference to England’s top soccer teams.

The study used preexisting data from 103 human societies and 34 nonhuman mammal species to produce a “monogamy league table” comparing the percentage of siblings that were born to the same parents. Researchers assessed monogamy by comparing the number of full- and half-siblings in a population. In an exclusively monogamous group, you would only ever see full siblings, while in a more promiscuous one, full siblings would be rarer. Makes sense.

On top was the California deermouse—a tiny creature that forms lifelong pair bonds — which had a 100% rate of full siblings. That was followed by the African wild dog (85%) and the Damaraland mole rat (79.5%). Humans ranked seventh among those analyzed with 66 percent full siblings, making us slightly less monogamous than the Eurasian beaver but more so than the meerkat and red fox.

Increase Your Flexibility

An important (but overlooked) component of your fitness

Be kind to yourself.