Testosterone
Boosting Tip #1: Lose Weight and Your Testosterone Levels Will Soar!
Obesity
and excess fat are two of the strongest factors which negatively
influence your body's ability to naturally produce its own
Testosterone. Obesity exacerbates the decline in Testosterone already
associated with aging, making symptoms more likely as well as more
severe.
In a
recent meeting of the Endocrine Society, the conference made a
special point to emphasize the powerful ability of weight loss as a
method to amplify Testosterone Production. The older that you get,
the more that being overweight will impact your body's ability to
produce sufficient Testosterone. Overweight men can experience
clinically low levels of Testosterone at an age as young as 30.
Eat
Less Sugar, Release More Testosterone!
If you've
decided that it's time to shed the weight, one of the most important
things for you is to drastically reduce the level of processed sugar
that you take. Processed sugar wrecks your blood sugar and makes you
more at risk for Diabetes. Fructose (including High Fructose Corn
Syrup) is one of the primary sugars that you should avoid. Simply
cutting sodas and artificial fruit drinks will go a long way to cut
your sugar intake down. Even drinks that sound
healthy like agave nectar and fruit juices are incredibly high in
sugar. It's much healthier to eat fruit and drink water than to drink
even natural fruit juice.
The optimal level of daily fructose consumption is around twenty five
grams. This includes all forms of fructose, not just drinks. It is
especially important to observe this dietary guideline if you have
high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, weight issues, or insulin
resistance.
Limit
Carb Intake for More Testosterone!
It is also
important to recognize that carbohydrates convert quickly into
glucose, which means that you should be very conscientious regarding
your intake of grains, especially processed grains. If you are trying
to drop pounds, its a good idea to significantly limit or avoid milk,
because of its concentration of lactose. There is strong evidence
that excessive consumption of lactose can increase the risk of
diabetes and insulin resistance.
Particular
carbohydrates to avoid are pretzels, waffles, bagels, and breakfast
cereals comprised primarily of processed grains. The grain-sourced
foods that you do include in your diet should be whole wheat and
dense in nutrition.
Optimize
Your Diet for More Testosterone!
Just
taking these steps will likely do a number for your health and your
weight loss goals, but it's also important to make sure you get the
necessary nutrition that your body needs from optimal sources. Make
sure that you choose foods with healthy fats, and avoid transfats.
Also include a variety of different vegetables in your diet, and try
to source your carbohydrates primarily from vegetables.
The human
body responds very well to vegetables that are dense in nutrients and
complex sugars, because the body has to work to break down the
sugars, which helps regulate your blood sugar and burns more calories
via digestion. Finally, you should primarily be choosing lean
proteins, and proteins which are high in Omega-3s, including many
types of fish.
Exercise
and Eat Right for More Testosterone!
Combine
this intelligent dieting with a regular workout routine. We encourage
working out at least four times per week and engaging in both
cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise. Taking control of your weight
is one of the most powerful steps that you can take to enhance your
Testosterone, and eating healthy and engaging in regular physical
activity will help you burn the fat!
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #2: Increase Testosterone with Dietary Zinc and Zinc
Supplements
In order
for your body to produce optimal levels of Testosterone, it is
important for you to provide your body with the vitamins and
nutrients necessary for the body to synthesize the hormone most
effectively. Zinc is one of the most essential nutrients with regard
to Testosterone Balance, and Zinc Supplementation has been shown to
be a highly effective means to enhance Testosterone Levels for men
that are experiencing below-normal Testosterone Production.
Zinc
Highly Correlated with Testosterone
Medical
research has clearly displayed that men that do not get sufficient
zinc in their everyday diet are vastly more likely to experience
Testosterone Deficiency, while patients that fortify their diet with
zinc are able to increase their Testosterone Concentrations. There is
even evidence that zinc sustains the body's Testosterone even during
long distance cardiovascular activity, which has been shown to have a
depressant affect upon Testosterone (Anaerobic Training and High
Intensity Cardio Increase Testosterone, while Endurance Activities
have a tendency to decrease Testosterone.
Zinc
Deficiency More Common with Age
Zinc
deficiency is a major issue for adults that are sixty years and
older. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
approximates that around forty-five percent of people in this age
group do not get sufficient zinc in their diets. Even among
individuals that take dietary supplements, nearly a quarter of men
and women in this age group still did not get adequate levels of
zinc.
Best
Way to Get Zinc is Through Diet
Supplements
are a useful way to ensure that you get the zinc you need, but your
primary method of obtaining zinc should be through your diet. Foods
that contain zinc are foods with a lot of protein, including fish and
meats. Other ways to naturally get zinc are via yogurt, beans, raw
cheese, and raw milk.
Vegetarians
Susceptible to Zinc Deficiency
Because so
many of the best natural methods to get zinc are from meat and dairy
products, vegetarians often have issues with getting the zinc that
they need. Also, industrial agriculture that relies heavily on
pesticides and fertilizers can have a tendency to drain farmland of
nutrients, which can reduce the concentrations of zinc absorbed by
the plant and passed onto your diet.
Avoid
Over-Cooking Foods to Preserve Dietary Zinc
The way
that you prepare your food also affects the amount of Zinc that you
will receive in the finished product. Cooking food too hard has a
tendency to rapidly drain the food of its zinc concentrations,
especially with vegetables, so we recommend cooking veggies al dente
or eating them raw. Microwaving your vegetables is a good option as
well. Microwaving will heat up your vegetables without overheating
them or burning them.
Zinc
Supplement Guidelines
Of course,
if you are worried about not getting enough zinc in your diet,
supplements are always an option. If you do choose to turn to
supplementation, don't take more than 40 mg of zinc per day, because
this is considered the maximum healthy limit. Unlike many vitamins
like Vitamin D and Vitamin C, excess zinc can impact your body's
power to intake other important nutrients such as copper, and also
can induce side effects such as nausea.
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #3: Lift Weights for More Testosterone
If you are
concerned with sustaining optimal Testosterone Levels, one of the
best activities that you can engage in is Anaerobic Exercise. Weight
lifting is healthy for the body in a number of different ways, but to
boost your Testosterone, the optimal word for your personal benefit
is Intensity.
The Body Releases Testosterone in Response to Intensity
The body releases Testosterone most efficiently when you engage in
physical activities that really put pressure on your body. This
doesn't mean that you should overwork your body, because straining
your body can be dangerous, but you can set up a work out plan that
tests your body's limits without breaking them.
The Four Factors of Testosterone-Boosting Exercise
When engaging in weight training with the explicit purpose of raising
natural Testosterone Levels, there are four factors that you need to
think about: The Speed of the Reps, the Number of Reps, the Amount of
Weight, and the Number of Muscles Engaged
Speed
of Reps-The rate at which you
engage in your reps is very important in regard to Testosterone
Production. Your body goes through more effort when you slow down
your repetitions, and your body produces the hormone more readily.
Number
of Reps-The number of repetitions is also incredibly important
for endogenous Testosterone Secretion. Remember, it's more important
to engage in fewer, slower repetitions than more, faster repetitions.
We encourage sets of three, with two sets of eight to ten near your
max weight, and six, slow reps at your maximum weight.
Amount
of Weight-Your body produces
the most Testosterone in response to you pushing your body to its
maximum limit. Do the highest amount of weight that you can safely
perform a full, slow set without putting yourself at risk.
Number
of Muscles Engaged-Your body produces Testosterone in response
to the surface area of muscle that you work out, so if you engage
large groups of muscles all at once, while also following the three
previous steps, you will produce the most possible natural
testosterone.
Why
Does Slowing Down Exercise Reps Boost Testosterone?
It might seem counter-intuitive at first that slowing down your
exercise increases your Testosterone, but you actually work out
harder when you work out more slowly. Slow Anaerobic Exercise is
actually a powerful High-Intensity Workout.
The scientific reason for this is that incredibly slow repetitions
increase the interactions between your muscle cells, causing them to
develop and fortify the peak amount of cross-bridges among your
muscle proteins, which is the means by which your muscles increase in
size and strength. Maximizing the number of muscle cells stimulated
aggressively amplifies Testosterone Production.
Limit
Carbohydrate Consumption in the Period After Exercise
If you want to maximize the benefits of Testosterone and Human Growth
Hormone released during physical activity, it's important to eat the
right foods. Carbohydrates eaten after exercise interfere with
optimal hormone function, depressing your body's ability to build
muscle and release physiologically beneficial hormones.
A small protein snack after exercise, with a glass of water, is the
best way to both satiate hunger and give the body the materials it
needs to rebuild after a good workout. Choose natural sources of
protein over processed proteins, however, because shakes and
powerbars don't fulfill your needs as effectively as good, natural
protein.
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #4: Optimize Vitamin D Intake
Vitamin D
is an incredibly important hormone, which belongs to the steroid
family, just like Testosterone, DHEA, and Estrogen. Vitamin D plays
an integral role in male sexual function, most notably promoting the
normal formulation of sperm nuclei. As a result of its importance in
sperm structure, healthy Vitamin D levels are also associated with
sperm viability and the number of sperm that are produced.
Link
Between Vitamin D and Testosterone
There is
also a strong correlation between Testosterone and Vitamin D. Men
that are deficient in Vitamin D are much more likely to experience
Testosterone Deficiency than men that get enough of the nutrient in
their diet. Healthy Vitamin D levels are also associated with
enhanced libido. Studies have shown that obese and overweight males
experienced enhanced Testosterone Production after a year, when
treated with supplemental Vitamin D.
Vitamin
D Deficiency is a Major Issue in American Society
In the
United States today, millions across the country don't get sufficient
Vitamin D, and the condition is also a problem in many other
societies which have become increasing sedentary or industrialized
over the past fifty years. Many medical experts consider Vitamin D
Deficiency to be at epidemic levels in America. Vitamin D is produced
naturally by the human body when exposed to sunlight, but many areas
don't produce enough sun, and many Americans don't take the time to
expose themselves to the moderate sunlight that they need to produce
Vitamin D.
Vitamin D
deficiency is currently at epidemic proportions in the United States
and many other regions around the world, largely because people do
not spend enough time in the sun to facilitate this important process
of Vitamin D production. Also, aging men and women become more
susceptible to Vitamin D Deficiency as they begin to produce the
nutrient less effectively.
Vitamin
D Deficiency Testing
Many
people also naturally have issues producing enough Vitamin D, not
necessarily related to age. There is a simple test which can reveal
your body's Vitamin D Levels, known as the 25-hydroxyvitamin D Test,
a molecule also known as 25(OH)D.
What
are Optimal Vitamin D Levels?
The final
opinion regarding optimal Vitamin D concentration in the human body
is far from settled. In the recent past, the general recommendation
was 40-60 ng/ml, but further evidence has encouraged recommendations
to increase to 50-70 ng/ml.
How Can
I Get My Vitamin D?
The most
effective way to increase your Vitamin D production is to step out
into the sun for a brief period of time in the hours before and after
noon. Ten or fifteen minutes of sunlight is fine for most people.
Longer than fifteen minutes without protection, and you put yourself
at risk of sun damage. Showing your face and your arms to the sun is
enough, although going out in shorts is even better!
Vitamin
D Supplementation Suggestions
If you are
in a location where such a concentration of sunlight is not an
option, you can also turn to Vitamin D3 Supplementation. A number of
foods are fortified with the vitamin as well. Recommended Daily Value
for Vitamin D is 800 IU, but this also assumes that you are getting
the sunlight that you need each day. Studies show that in order to
boost Vitamin D concentrations in the body to 40 ng/ml, it can take
as much as 8,000 IU.
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #5: Limit Sugar in the Diet and Avoid Added Sugar
As we
mentioned in an earlier tip, Testosterone Levels are inhibited by
body fat, but did you also know that sugar and carbohydrates
(especially simple carbs and sugars) have the nasty ability to
inhibit Testosterone Production? They also limit the release of Human
Growth Hormone by the Hypothalamus. This is because sugar spikes
caused by the consumption of excess sugar and carbs cause insulin
levels to increase in the blood dramatically.
Insulin
Spikes Impact Hormone Balance
Human
Growth Hormone can be thought of in some ways as a corollary hormone
to Insulin. The more that your body uses Insulin, the fewer signals
that it sends for endogenous HGH. High levels of insulin also
diminish Testosterone Production.
Americans
Eat Way Too Much Sugar
In the
United States, it is clear that we consume too much sugar, as well as
too many simple carbs, in our diet. The USDA approximates that the
average U.S. citizen eats four tablespoons of sugar each day. Across
the course of a lifetime this is more than 4000 pounds of sugar!
Why Do
We Love Sugar?
It's quite
obvious why sugar is such an issue in the United States. It is
readily available, and corn syrup is highly subsidized, making it
incredibly cheap to pump into a wide variety of foods. Also, raw
sugar can almost be likened to a drug. It's something that tastes
good that isn't too bad in its natural form, but we've processed it
down to its most pleasurable components and stripped it of any innate
nutrition that it once had. Sugar produces pleasure in the human
brain by stimulating both opioid and dopamine receptors in the brain.
Even
though we love the taste of sugar, the affect that too much sugar has
on the body, as well as our hormone balance, can be incredible. Most
men and women can experience significant healthful improvements in
their lives just by restricting sugar, processed grains, and simple
carbs from their diets while being conscientious with complex carbs
and natural sugars in the healthy foods that they eat.
How Can
I Limit Sweets Effectively?
Here are
some helpful ways that you can get over your craving for sweets and
simple carbs:
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #6: Reduce Stress
Most
people compartmentalize the physiological and psychological aspects
of themselves. They think of physical and emotional stress as two
different parts of the human condition. This is a huge mistake.
Psychological stress is intimately connected to the physical
condition of the body, and one area where this is made especially
clear is with regard to hormone health.
Stress
is a Condition Associated with Cortisol
All forms
of stress are highly related to a hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol
stimulates the fight-or-flight response of the body and prepares it
for split-second decision making and stimulates the body to optimize
processes which protect it from short term harm. This is a good thing
in small doses, and we do need some
cortisol in order to function optimally.
Chronic Stress Leads to Hormone Imbalance
The problem is that any form of chronic stress causes us to produce
too much cortisol, which can have a devastating affect upon Hormone
Balance over time. Cortisol is a steroid hormone, just like
Testosterone, and the two hormones actually compete for resources. If
you are stressed out all the time, your body overemphasizes the
production of cortisol, which eats away at your body's ability to
make Testosterone.
Cortisol
Stimulates Survival Mechanisms at the Cost of Overall Health
In
addition to this, cortisol also blocks your body's ability to utilize
Testosterone. Researchers theorize that the reason why Testosterone
becomes less active in the presence of cortisol is because
Testosterone is primarily associated with activities and traits not
associated with self-preservation, including aggression, competition,
and mating, while cortisol is a hormone that increases your body's
ability to preserve itself in the face of external circumstances.
Chronic
Stress Feeds Off of Our Inability to Cope with Anxiety
Perhaps
because of our large and complex brains, stress has become an
incredibly multifaceted psychological issue. The same mind that
allows us to achieve such amazing things also has the potential to
leave us chronically worried or anxious over forces that we have no
control over or are constantly plaguing our minds.
As you can
imagine, chronic stress rapidly depletes Testosterone Levels in the
body. It also increases the risk of a wide variety of health
conditions ranging from infertility to hypertension to stroke.
What
Can I Do to Control My Stress?
There are
a number of highly effective tools to reduce stress and help restore
more normal Testosterone Production and Hormone Balance.
Finally,
positive visualization is a method of relieving stress. The goal of
positive visualization is to imagine yourself in a more peaceful
state, so that your body and mind adapt and start to take on the
characteristics fostered by your imagination.
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #7: BCAA Supplementation for Testosterone
Branched-Chain
Amino Acids, also known as BCAAs, are incredibly important for
sustaining the health of the human body. In particular, BCAAs are
powerful rejuvenative nutrients which increase the body's healing
capacity. These Amino Acids are not naturally produced by the human
body, so they must be consumed in the diet or taken as a supplement.
Benefits
of Branched-Chain Amino Acids
There is
strong medical evidence that BCAA supplementation both mitigates
injury risk and enhances performance, most vividly demonstrated in
the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Another study,
released in the medical journal Metabolism, tested the impact of
Branched-Chain Amino Acids on athletes.
These
participants either took placebo or administered the supplement every
night for thirty days. They also engaged in intense physical exercise
regularly throughout the study. Participants taking BCAA were found
to have much higher levels of Testosterone than their placebo
counterparts. BCAAs are also shown to soften the effects of stress,
another factor which has a powerful impact on Testosterone Release
and Utilization
BCAAs
and Exercise
Remember
when we discussed how strenuous physical activity enhanced
Testosterone Production? When combined with BCAA Supplements, this
benefit is enhanced even further. Dairy Products are known to contain
some of the highest levels of Leucine, a potent Branched-Chain Amino
Acid. Among the dairy products which contain Leucine most potently
are whey protein and select cheeses.
Benefits
of Leucine
Leucine
only provides this benefit in abundance when combined with vigorous
anaerobic activity, so don't think you can just start eating whey
protein and your Testosterone Levels will increase. Those calories
will go straight to your gut. But if you use BCAAs as a mechanism to
enhance physical activity, you'll likely experience real advantages
in both increased strength, muscle mass, and Natural Testosterone
Secretion.
Finally,
it's most beneficial to absorb Leucine and other BCAAs in foods which
contain them naturally, or the body may absorb them too quickly, and
this can lead to insulin spikes which inhibit Testosterone and HGH
Production. In order to maximize the impact of Leucine, choose Whey
Protein or other foods which make the body work for the protein.
Other sources of Leucine include wheat germ, oats, and animal
proteins.
Benefits
of Valine
Valine is
another BCAA which provides significant benefits to anaerobic
exercise enthusiasts because it enhances the metabolism of protein,
helping the body convert protein to muscle more efficiently. It also
repairs damage to the muscles, and is a mechanism by which the
muscles increase in mass and strength.
There is
also evidence that Valine (and other BCAAs) can be used to mitigate
the damage of gallbladder disease and liver disease. Natural foods
which contain Valine are peanuts, soy, mushrooms, meat, dairy, and
grains.
Benefits
of Isoleucine
The
primary benefit of Isoleucine is that it increases the body's ability
to expend energy and overcome feelings of fatigue. Because of its
metabolism boosting power, this Branched-Chain Amino Acid has the
ability to burn fat, increase exercise capacity, and supply the body
and mind with much-needed energy.
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #8: Eat Heart-Healthy Fats
Testosterone
is a steroid hormone which is converted from cholesterol by the
testes. Human beings get cholesterol from the fat that they consume.
Many people think that fat is invariably bad for you, but the more we
understand the human body and its needs, the more clear it is that
sugars and carbohydrates are the main culprits for weight gain and
obesity, as well as Testosterone Deficiency.
Our fear
of fat is primarily related to misconceptions related to early
scientific study, when we were still trying to figure out how foods
like fat and sugar interact with the body. It may seem logical that
Fat Breeds Fat, but this is actually far from the case! Eating
healthy fats responsibly can actually help you lose weight faster,
keep you healthier, and preserve optimal hormone balance!
What
Happens to Testosterone When We Eat Fat?
Eating
healthy fats conscientiously, on the other hand, has the power to
enhance and optimize your Testosterone Production. The Journal of
Endocrinology & Metabolism recently released the results of a
study in which subjects were fed one hundred grams of fat daily for
fourteen days. After the test period was completed, researchers took
blood samples of the patients to monitor hormone concentrations
related to Testosterone.
Sex
Hormone-Binding Globulin Inhibits Free Testosterone
They found
that a particular hormone, known as SHBG, or Sex Hormone-Binding
Globulin, was inhibited by this form of diet. Testosterone binds with
SHBG in the blood stream, preventing it from doing its job. Think of
this form of Testosterone as stored. Lower levels of SHBG mean that
you have more Free Testosterone. Free Testosterone is Testosterone
that the body can immediately use to stimulate tissues throughout the
body.
The
Body Needs Healthy Fat
Many
people think of Saturated Fats as unhealthy, but the human body
actually needs Saturated Fat in order to function properly. The most
dangerous form of fat is Transfat, and this form of fat should be
avoided if at all possible. Polyunsaturated Fats and Monounsaturated
Fats are also an important part of the diet as well. All three of
these forms of fat are necessary for the body to efficiently produce
Testosterone to fulfill the needs of the body.
How
Much Fat Should I Include in My Diet?
Evidence
suggests that a good rule of thumb is that you should get forty
percent of your calories from fat products, primarily from healthy
fats. Individuals that consume less fat are more likely to experience
issues related to Testosterone Deficiency.
It is
vital to note that the human body needs healthy fats from both
vegetable and animal sources in order to be able to operate in peak
condition. If you get too many calories from carbs and sugars, you
are doing your body a disservice and putting yourself at an increased
risk of obesity and diabetes.
What
Are Some Quality Sources for Healthy Fat?
The
following are some examples of good fat sources that can enhance your
Endogenous Testosterone Production:
Uncooked
Natural Nut Oils
Palm
Oil
Fatty
Fish Such as Salmon
Meat
Fed on Grass
Avocados
Egg
Yolks
Raw
Pecans, Almonds, and Other Nuts
Butter
Made from Dairy Cows Fed on Grass
Coconut
Oil
Coconut
Olive
Oil
Olives
Testosterone
Boosting Tip #9: High Intensity Exercise and Intermittent Fasting
Both High
Intensity Workout Routines and Programmed Fasting have been proven to
have a positive impact on Testosterone Secretion, and when combined
these effects are magnified. As we mentioned in a previous tip,
excessive cardio exercise can limit the influence of Testosterone,
and slow, methodical heavy weight lifting can positively benefit
Testosterone Balance.
What
Makes High Intensity Exercise Increase Testosterone?
Intense,
quick exercises are a fantastic way to enhance Testosterone
Production while also working out large groups of muscles which
benefit from exercises related to cardiovascular exercise. These
exercises have also been clinically proven to slow down the rate at
which Age-Related Testosterone Deficiency becomes problematic for
male health.
This form
of exercise provides many of the benefits of extended cardio or
aerobic activity without the negative influence on Testosterone.
How
Does Intermittent Fasting Increase Testosterone Levels?
Intermittent Fasting is a dietary technique in which one goes for an
extended period of the day without eating, and consuming all the
necessary calories of the day in a small window. This form of diet
promotes HGH and Testosterone Secretion by enhancing the activity of
a number of different hormones associated with satiation, including
melanocortins, colecystokinin, glucagon-like peptide-one, adponectin,
leptin, and insulin.
There is
evidence that this change in hormone balance can be highly beneficial
for many men, increasing both the rate of Testosterone Release and
its Activity in the short term while slowing down Age-Related Low-T
and boosting sex dive.
Exercising
after a period of Intermittent Fasting is highly beneficial, and
consuming a protein-rich meal after engaging in your daily workout
can make Hormone Balance even more optimal for Testosterone Secretion
and Weight Loss.
What is
Peak Fitness?
Peak
Fitness is a form of High Intensity Exercise which seeks to work out
the whole body and emphasize the Hormone-Boosting Benefits of such
activity. The following is an example of the kind of High-Intensity
Workout which will benefit your health:
Start
your routine, going slowly, emphasizing the warm up process.
Push
your body to the limit for thirty seconds, going as fast and as hard
as physically possible.
Drop
the pace for the next minute and a half to give your time to
recover.
Repeat
steps two and three seven additional times.
After
the eighth cooldown, the workout is complete!
High
Intensity Workouts are a simple and effective routine, and you have
an immense amount of flexibility in how you'd like to structure your
routine! Use whatever equipment that you'd like. You can swim, run on
the treadmill, workout on the elliptical-you can convert
practically any form of cardiovascular exercise into a fantastic
Testosterone Enhancing Activity
Tips
For Those Starting Out On High Intensity Exercise
Before
starting High Intensity Workouts for the first time, understand that
your body may not be ready for the entire process on your first try.
Don't be embarrassed to work your way up to the full, vigorous twenty
minute routine over the course of a few workout sessions. Also, it's
important to remember to stretch properly before starting the routine
to reduce the risk of injury.
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