I know you will agree with me when I tell you that everyone is talking these days about testosterone, from magazine articles to doctors offices promoting hormone replacement therapies. But can you increase your testosterone naturally?
The answer is yes if it’s low.
The problem that I have found is that there is just too much contradictory information out there to know what is right from wrong. As a health and fitness journalist, and having worked in the medical field for over eight years, I have helped men treat their testosterone levels as well as other aspects of health.
In this brief post, I will give some ideas on how you can increase your testosterone naturally and how to find out if you have low testosterone, to begin with.
What is testosterone
Testosterone is a hormone that is produced in men and women. In the men, it is produced by the testicles and in women the ovaries. Testosterones main function is to produce bone and muscle strength, sperm production, sex drive, red blood cell production and of course stabilize mood and energy levels.
This is one of the reason when testosterone levels are low you may experience trouble sleeping or staying asleep.
What are the symptoms of low T
When your testosterone levels are low, it can easily be confused with other conditions such as exhaustion, overwork, and mental issues such as stress.
Here are some common symptoms of low testosterone:
- Sleep issues
- Muscle loss and low strength
- Sexual dysfunction such as erectile dysfunction
- Low sex drive
- Low sperm count
- Weight gain/difficulty losing weight
- Depression and mental fogginess
Test your testosterone levels
Always consult your medical provider if you think you are having symptoms of low testosterone. Your doctor will most likely order a total testosterone blood serum test however there are some at home saliva kits that can give you a much more accurate reading of your testosterone levels.
How to naturally increase your testosterone
To increase your testosterone naturally, this means without drugs or bio-identical hormone implants you must first understand this is a lifestyle change and not a quick fix like swallowing a pill.
Diet and exercise have a dramatic effect on your hormones and testosterone are no different.
First off low-fat diets will make you fat. The best diets incorporate a moderate to high amount of fat. I know this goes against what we have been taught by the crafty advertising campaigns of cereal companies and other similar product manufacturers.
The truth is the right kinds of fat such as fat from olives, avocados, etc. can be very beneficial for testosterone production. Moderate to high protein is also necessary.
If you are sedentary or work a desk job and get very little exercise, you may consider looking into the ketogenic diet, paleo diet or similar diets that regulate the number of starchy carbs that you are to eat.
There is one caveat though if you are not obese, or are in terrific shape then eating a low carb diet may not be the ideal diet for boosting testosterone. In this case, you are going to need to consume a higher amount of carbs to keep your energy levels high, and they should be consumed at the right time.
Bottom line
If you are serious about what to do to increase your testosterone, then consider eating enough calories, consume them in nutritious foods (not take out), balance your macros accordingly, strength train (lift weights) and stay lean (or lean up). And don’t forget, don’t do too much cardio.
Out of all of these nothing boosts testosterone like lifting weights and lowering your body fat.
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms described, consult your medical provider before attempting to change your diet, perform exercises or take advice from anyone.
If you found this article beneficial, please leave a comment below.