What is Testosterone? What Does Testosterone Hormone Do? How Much Should Testosterone Be? Testosterone Test, Testosterone Height, What is Testosterone Hormone?
Testosterone helps the development of muscle mass, bone density and hair health by providing sperm production in men. Low testosterone level; It causes low sperm in men, obesity , decrease in muscle mass and depression accordingly. Therefore, it is important to consume certain foods to increase testosterone levels.
The 100-year-old Okinawan male has higher levels of testosterone than the 70-year-old American male; reveals the importance of lifestyle and eating habits on testosterone level.
A normal level of testosterone is as important for women as it is for men. Small amounts of testosterone are secreted in the ovaries and adrenal glands of healthy women. This hormone increases sexual desire by affecting libido in both men and women.
While low testosterone causes some negative conditions in men, it can cause chronic fatigue and sexual reluctance in women. Therefore, the hormone testosterone is a hormone that must be kept at a normal level and must be controlled. Low testosterone in men has become a major health problem today. This problem can be solved with testosterone-boosting foods and lifestyle changes.
How Does Testosterone Work?
Testosterone is a hormone that most defines “masculinity” and is known as the sex hormone. However, appropriate levels of this key hormone are required to stimulate sexual desire, increase libido, and provide sexual satisfaction in both men and women. There are some points to consider for this:
- adequate levels of red blood cells
- Sleep patterns
- bone density
- muscle mass
- energy level
As men and women age, testosterone levels naturally decline, but lifestyle disruptions can cause this condition to occur at an earlier age. These;
- chronic stress
- Not enought feeding
- unbalanced microflora
- D vitamini azlığı
- gaining excess weight
- not exercising
- Some drugs (especially statins) can be listed as.
All these risk factors lead to decreased immunity, obesity and diabetes, resulting in a decrease in metabolic rate. Correcting the lifestyle is the most important recipe for regulating testosterone levels.
Studies show that low testosterone has become a problem, affecting 40 percent of men over the age of 45. While it’s not yet known whether low testosterone levels are common in women, a Wall Street Journal article suggests that the body aches that many women struggle with may be linked to other imbalanced hormones, including testosterone.
Women as well as men resort to many nutritional methods to regulate the testosterone hormone. There are also natural testosterone boosters that work, including foods that increase testosterone.
What Are the Best Foods to Increase Testosterone?
The top 7 foods that increase testosterone are listed as follows:
Healthy Fats
One of the foods that increase testosterone is healthy fats.
Men with low testosterone levels seem to consume too much junk food and carbohydrates. Therefore, consuming healthy fats will provide benefits for increased testosterone.
A study published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry examined the effects of diet on testosterone in healthy men and found that serum concentrations of androstenedione, testosterone, and free testosterone were reduced when men did not consume healthy fats. This situation drew attention to the fact that testosterone deficiency is experienced as a result of not consuming healthy fats, which are the primary energy source for the body. {one*}
Healthy fatty foods that increase testosterone include:
- coconut oil
- Fermented dairy products such as goat’s milk, kefir, yogurt, or raw goat’s or sheep’s milk cheese
- quality fish oil
- flaxseed
- chia beans
- Walnut
- Avocado
- olive oil
- Almond
Quality Protein
It is of great importance to consume quality protein sources to maintain normal testosterone levels. Some studies show that protein deficiency or protein-energy deficiency negatively affects testosterone secretion. {2nd*}
Quality protein sources increase the feeling of fullness and prevent overeating. It is important to control weight, as excess fat in the body will adversely affect the secretion of testosterone.
High protein foods include:
- Grilled beef
- wild salmon
- organic chicken
- bone broth protein
- whey protein
- Eggs
- beans
- Lentil
- Hazelnut
- seeds
Complex Carbs
Consumption of complex carbohydrates is important for optimizing testosterone level and conserving energy. It is a more necessary condition especially for athletes and men who are engaged in weight lifting.
Studies emphasize that protein diet helps to minimize the decrease of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), which is associated with low calorie intake and high energy expenditure. {3*}
The best complex carbohydrates to help boost energy and mood while helping maintain healthy testosterone levels include:
- Oat
- Quinoa
- Barley
- brown rice
- Chickpeas and other beans
- legumes
- sweet potatoes
Ginger
Ginger consumption has been associated with increased testosterone production, particularly in men with oxidative stress conditions. In a study on men consuming ginger; It was observed that luteinizing hormone production increased, blood sugar normalized and oxidative stress decreased. {4*}
Ginger diet; It can be made by drinking ginger tea, using ginger root to make fresh juice, or adding it to meals.
Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an adaptogenic herb that helps improve the body’s ability to deal with stress and lower cortisol levels. Some researches; It shows that the ashwagandha plant improves the quality of life by reducing fatigue. It is also known to increase testosterone level and muscle strength.
A study published in the American Journal of Men’s Health ; showed that consumption of ashwagandha for eight weeks increased testosterone secretion by 14.7% more than the placebo effect.
Since the roots of the Ashwagandha plant are beneficial to health; These roots can be dried and made into capsules. It can be brewed in the form of tea and can be mixed with water as a tincture and drunk.
Foods Containing Zinc
Zinc; It is an important mineral for hormone health and plays an important role in hormone production by increasing testosterone. Studies show that zinc normalizes and regulates serum testosterone level in men. {5*}
Some foods high in zinc include:
- Lamb
- Grilled beef
- Chickpeas
- Yoghurt
- Pumpkin seeds
- Eggs
- Mushrooms
- cashews
Foods with Magnesium
Studies show that magnesium consumption is linked to increased testosterone levels in male athletes. It is also known that magnesium improves vitamin D, which is important for testosterone production, and sleep quality. {6*}
Some foods rich in magnesium include:
- Wheat bran
- Dark chocolate
- Sunflower seeds
- Pumpkin seeds
- cooked spinach
- Muse
- Almond oil
What Foods Can Lower Testosterone Levels?
Eating everything to increase your testosterone may not always produce good results. There are foods that increase testosterone, as well as some foods that cause it to decrease.
Candy
The first thing to do in order to normalize the hormone level and increase the testosterone level naturally is to not consume sugar. Assuming that people consume an average of 12 teaspoons of sugar per day with various foods, it is thought that they consume about 2 tons of sugar in their lifetime. Thus, it is clear that sugar undermines the secretion of testosterone.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), people with type II diabetes have low testosterone levels and their bodies work hard to balance it out.
E.g;
- When a food high in sugar is consumed, the blood sugar level rises chronically.
- In order to keep the blood sugar level from getting out of control, the pancreas starts working overtime to produce insulin. It takes high energy to metabolize sugar from the bloodstream.
- As a result, cells are exposed to insulin for a long time and insulin resistance may develop, which causes type II diabetes.
When diabetes develops, the testosterone level cannot remain at a normal level, so it is recommended that diabetics have their testosterone levels checked at regular intervals.
Refined Grains
Refined grains have low nutritional value, and research shows that like sugar, they can negatively affect blood sugar levels, leading to insulin resistance. Since diabetes causes low testosterone levels, it is recommended to consume complex carbohydrates instead of refined grains. {7*}
Foods containing refined grains that should not be consumed are:
- White bread
- White flour
- White pasta and rice
Alcohol
Studies show that heavy alcohol consumption significantly reduces testosterone levels. In addition, alcohol consumption impairs the function of testis Sertoli cells, which play a critical role in sperm maturation.
Alcohol consumption can prevent hormone secretion in the hypothalamus by reducing the production and release of hormones necessary for reproductive functions.
Due to the potential toxic effects of alcohol, especially on the male reproductive system, careful consumption is of great importance.
What Are Other Natural Testosterone Boosters?
In addition to consuming certain foods to increase testosterone, lifestyle changes can also help increase testosterone.
Intermittent Fasting
The first of the natural testosterone boosters is intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is known to increase testosterone levels by about 200%. In addition, in a study conducted by the University of Virginia School of Medicine ; It is seen that the growth hormone levels of men who do not consume any calories for 24 hours increase and this hormone is compatible with testosterone.
It is known that intermittent fasting naturally balances other hormones, especially testosterone, and provides a rest for the liver.
Weight Training and Interval Training
Another way to increase testosterone and growth hormone naturally; Combining weight training with interval training. Lifting weights by going to the gym at least three days a week; It helps the body to have maximum muscle mass.
In a study conducted at Ball State University , it was seen that weight training contributes to keeping growth hormone and testosterone at normal levels. {8*}
Another study conducted at the University of Nebraska Medical Center investigated the acute effects of weight lifting on serum testosterone levels, and as a result, moderate to light weight lifting increased serum testosterone levels.
In addition to weight training, interval training plays an important role in the development of growth hormone. It is known that when these two workouts are done at the same time, it not only increases the testosterone level, but also helps to keep this level high and prevent its decline.
interval training; It helps to burn the stored sugar (glycogen) in the body, increase the testosterone level, decrease the resting heart rate, increase circulation and detoxify by stimulating the lymphatic system.
Liver Detox
The liver is of great importance for testosterone level because it has an enzyme that conjugates the 17beta-hydroxyl group of testosterone. Studies show that when the liver does not work normally, it negatively affects testosterone production. {9*}
In a study published in the Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology , 90% of men with cirrhosis have low testosterone levels, and this hormone level decreases as the disease progresses.
These studies reveal the importance of the liver in the secretion of testosterone.
Reducing Stress
Chronic stress is one of the biggest causes of lowering the quality of life, and men with low testosterone levels experience problems such as frustration, inability to forgive, and anger.
Mental and physical stress may be at a naturally acceptable level, but chronic stress damages the body by causing cortisol to be provided in the body.
A 2010 study published in the journal Hormones and Behavior has clinically evaluated the “dual hormone hypothesis” for the first time. It has been discovered that when cortisol rises, testosterone also responds by rising, but at a much lower level shortly after cortisol bottoms out.
This showed that chronic stress should be avoided in order for the testosterone level to be within normal values.
Vitamin D Supplement
One of the most important nutrients that can help increase testosterone levels is vitamin D3 . A 2011 study published in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Research showed that vitamin D supplementation naturally increased testosterone by 30% in overweight men.
It is estimated that testosterone levels also decrease when there are signs of vitamin D deficiency in the body. The best way to get vitamin D naturally is to be exposed to the sun for 25-30 minutes a day. In cases where direct exposure to the sun is not possible, it may be beneficial to supplement 5000 IU of vitamin D3.
Sleep patterns
Sleep patterns play an important role in testosterone secretion. Most people need about seven hours of sleep each night. Cortisol, which causes a decrease in testosterone levels, is released from the body during night sleep. The ideal sleep interval for hormonal balance is between 10:00 pm and 06:00 am.
Percentage of Fat in the Body
Head of the University of Adelaide School of Medicine in Australia, Dr. Gary Wittert stated that weight has a predictable and linear relationship with testosterone. In order to eliminate the negative effects of insulin resistance and bad sleep habits on testosterone, it is necessary not to consume bad fats and processed sugars.
Risks and Side Effects
Normal testosterone level is important for both men and women. Consuming foods that increase testosterone helps people with low testosterone levels to normalize this level.
It is necessary to consult specialist physicians before supplements to be used to maintain testosterone levels.