The hormone testosterone is linked to muscular building, strength increases, and desire. However, that isn't the only thing it does in the body. Testosterone affects everything from mood and memory to bone health, but, to be clear, it also makes muscles larger and stronger, as well as increasing endurance and sports performance.
So, what should a person do if they want more of it? If you've ever seen, read about, or listened to a sporting event in the previous few years, you're well aware that many brand out there offering a supplement that claims to increase your natural testosterone levels.
What are the advantages of having a higher testosterone level?
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Heart Health
A healthy heart pumps blood throughout the body, supplying muscles and organs with the oxygen they require to operate at their best. Through the bone marrow, testosterone aids in the formation of red blood cells. Low testosterone levels have been related to a number of heart problems. -
More muscle, less fat
Increased muscular mass is a result of testosterone. Weight loss and increased energy are both aided by a leaner body mass. Treatment for low testosterone in males can reduce fat mass and enhance muscular growth and strength. A change in lean body mass and strength will be visible in males with higher testosterone levels. Combining testosterone treatment with strength training and exercise is likely to yield the best results. - Testosterone's Endurance Advantages Testosterone's muscle-building and recovery benefits aren't the only reasons why people want it. EPO is increased by testosterone, which drives red blood cell formation. Higher red blood cells indicate more oxygen-carrying capability in the circulation and in the muscles. Testosterone injections into adult rats have been found to increase the number of fat-burning and energy-producing factories (mitochondria) in cells and enhance mitochondrial activity.
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Stronger Bones
Testosterone has a significant impact on bone mineral density. As men age, their bone density deteriorates, and their testosterone levels fall. This increases the risk of osteoporosis and weak bones. Strong bones support your muscles and internal organs, which might help you perform better in sports. -
A more positive attitude
Lower testosterone levels are linked to a lower standard of living. Depression, tiredness, and irritability are some of the symptoms of low testosterone levels. Our bodies show no signs of sadness when testosterone levels dropped naturally over time.
What Is the Effect of Strength Training on Testosterone Levels?
Greater volume weight exercise at a higher intensity than your present threshold promotes testosterone production in general. If you're used to doing 5 sets of 5 repetitions of bench press with 2-minute rest intervals between sets, lowering the weight to 10-12 reps each set should boost your relative training volume and trigger a testosterone response.
Cycling, running, and high-intensity interval training may all be approached in the same way: To increase testosterone production, do more labour in less time. However, if your body adjusts, you'll need to keep changing things or you won't have the same testosterone reaction. To put it another way, if you want to maintain getting a testosterone increase from your exercises, you must keep raising your total or relative volume.
How Can I Naturally Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels?
- Drink responsibly Although excessive alcohol use lowers overall testosterone, simply drinking alcohol raises your testosterone-to-cortisol ratio, most likely due to the false sense of security that alcohol gives, as well as its capacity to (temporarily) drown out stress.
- Reduce your stress levels Chronic stress, such as over training, lowers total testosterone and lowers your testosterone-to-cortisol anabolic-to-catabolic ratio. Acute stress, such as a high-intensity workout, has the opposite impact.
- Don't eat too much Avoid large, severe low-calorie eating, "starvation diets," or extreme fasting to keep testosterone levels at their optimum. Blood testosterone levels drop sharply in reaction to eating, which may appear paradoxical. Certain kinds of lipids and proteins are thought to enhance androgen receptors in muscle, eliminating more testosterone from circulation when the hormone is absorbed by muscles to accelerate protein synthesis and glucose utilisation.
- Post-workout shake When measured six hours after exercise and ingestion of a post-workout whey supplement, whey protein, but not a soy or leucine-enriched amino acid supplement, significantly increases the amount of testosterone shuttled into muscle cells.
- Maintain a slim physique Because of an increase in the aromatization of testosterone to estrogens, studies in identical twins demonstrate that an increase in body fat leads in considerably reduced total and bioavailable testosterone.
How to Boost Your Testosterone Levels Naturally
Some meals, vitamins, and plants can assist in increasing testosterone levels. If you're concerned about low testosterone, make an appointment with your doctor. These natural and alternative therapies haven't been proved to be either more or less effective than conventional testosterone therapy. Some of them may interfere with any drugs you're taking, resulting in unexpected adverse effects.
Herbs | Vitamins and supplements | Foods |
Ginseng | vitamin D | garlic |
puncturevine | dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) | ginger |
ashwagandha | L-arginine | pomegranates |
pine bark extract | zinc | leafy vegetables |
tongkat ali | ||
maca root |