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| Testosterone molecule |
For men who want to build muscle and get in better shape,
finding a way to boost their testosterone levels is essential. This hormone
plays a central role in many biological processes, including muscle building
and burning fat.
What Is Testosterone And Why Is It Important?
According to Wikipedia, is a steroid hormone from the
androgen group and is found in humans and other vertebrates. Both males and
females produce this hormone, but males produce more.
Since it is an anabolic hormone, it supports muscle mass, strength,
and bone density, as well as metabolism. This
might help explain why it is often easier for men to build muscle and lose
weight than it is for women.
There are various important bodily functions of testosterone:
These include:
- Support muscle growth and bone density.
- Increase resting metabolic rate thus increasing fat burning.
- Improved sexual arousal and performance.
- Production of red blood cells.
- Production of sperm.
Who Needs To Boost Testosterone?
Unfortunately, after the age of 30 or so, many men see their
testosterone levels start to drop, which can cause all sorts of unpleasant side
effects. However, virtually anyone may benefit from boosting or maintaining testosterone
levels naturally.
The word here is naturally. Boosting this hormone
artificially is not recommended as this can cause unpleasant side effects. It
is often best to look for natural ways to increase testosterone, before seeking
medical a solution. Why?
Well, with all due respect to the men and women of the
healing profession, some of them can be rather script-happy. You want to avoid
any forms of drugs or steroids and the associated side effects, unless you
actually have a medical condition that requires these.
Boosting Testosterone Level Naturally
A few simple changes to your lifestyle may be all you need
to give these levels a boost so that you feel better, have more energy, fight
fat, and build muscle more easily. Let's now look at some things you can do to potentially
increase your body's production of testosterone.
1. Eat Fats
If you are eating a low-fat diet because you think that
doing so is the best way to be healthy, you need to think again. Your diet
could actually be reducing your testosterone levels if it is not rich enough in
the right kinds of fat. Studies have found that eating more monounsaturated and
saturated fats can help you increase the amount of testosterone in your body.
However, it is important to remember that not all fat is
created equal. Choose healthy sources of these fats. To get more
monounsaturated fat, eat nuts, peanut butter, avocados, and olive oil. For more
saturated fat, choose cheese, red meat, or coconut oil.
Eating healthyfats can help fight fat, which too may also help optimize your testosterone
levels.
2. Increase Good Cholesterol
Cholesterol has become almost synonymous with bad health.
What many people don't realize is that the body actually requires it to be
healthy. Your body turns cholesterol into testosterone, so if you are not
getting enough in your diet, you will have a hard time keeping your levels
high.
By eating a diet that is rich in healthy HDL cholesterol, you can make sure that you have enough of
the raw ingredients needed to make this important hormone.
Eggs, when eaten in moderation, can also be beneficial. And
we are talking about whole eggs not just egg-whites, as the yolk is the most
nutrient-rich part of the egg.
Other good sources are red meat and seafood, including
shrimp and lobster. By the way, saturated fats have recently been rehabilitated
and are now considered… well, not bad for you. What you want to avoid are industrial-made
trans fats.
3. High-Intensity Exercise
Your level of activity can also have a strong effect on your
testosterone levels. Instead of doing lengthy, lower-intensity workouts, focus
on shorter, higher-intensity exercises. The longer that you work out at any
given time, the more testosterone you will use.
To make sure that you
keep your levels high, keep your workouts short and the intensity level at
maximum. Many experts now recommend that you work out for no more than an
hour at a time. In addition, shortening the rest period between each set will
help you maintain a higher level of this hormone. Try to rest for no more than
60 seconds between sets.
Short workouts such as high intensity interval training (HIIT)
and high intensity resistance training (HIRT) may work better for raising
levels of this important hormone, than long hours at low intensity.
4. Get 40 Winks
Getting adequate sleep may also be to keeping your testosterone
levels high. Contrary to what you might have heard, the eight-hour night sleep
is not a rule but a myth. Sleep is individual, and it is up to each person to
find their sweet spot. Like anything else, excessive sleep is not healthy
either.
5. Maintain A Healthy Weight
Maintaining a healthy weight is not about weight loss,
although many more people need to lose than need to gain. And yes, if you need
to lose weight you will be doing your testosterone levels a favor. However, the
same applies to those who need to gain.
Also, some of the established weight standards are
fundamentally flawed, in that one can be considered overweight even while
maintaining a healthy weight. Building muscle, for instance, typically causes
one to gain weight.
Your midsection may be a good indicator of healthy or
unhealthy bodyweight.
Give these natural methods of increasing testosterone a try.
A few simple changes may be enough to give you the results that you desire.
Resources:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728
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