When it comes to hormones, testosterone is considered the king hormone. In males, testosterone is produced mainly in the testicles. In women, testosterone is produced in the ovaries although in much smaller amounts. Testosterone production in the body begins significantly increasing in the late teens and starts to decline after the age of 30. Testosterone is the primary sex hormone, and it has a huge effect on your muscle mass and bone density, body fat levels, mood and red blood cell production.
Low testosterone levels can cause a wide variety of symptoms including weight gain, low sex drive, low energy, depression and low self-esteem. While testosterone levels naturally decline as you age, there are multiple ways you can boost your testosterone levels to maintain optimal levels of this critical hormone.
Signs & Symptoms of Low-Testosterone:
(in Men)
- Little interest in sex (low libido)
- Unable to sustain or get an erection
- Unable to build muscle
- Depression
- Lethargy, weakness & overall low energy levels
- Inability to concentrate
- Low motivation
- Unexpected weight gain
- Hair loss
- Decreased strength during exercise
- Signs of gynecomastia, an abnormal increase in breast tissue size
(in Women)
- Fatigue
- Depression
- Declining muscle and bone mass
- Difficulty concentrating
- Weight gain
- Painful intercourse
If you’re experiencing at least 3 of the above symptoms on a consistent basis, meaning they’re present daily, and you’ve been experiencing them for more than a few weeks, go see your doctor for a testosterone level blood test, then adopt the following steps…
How to Boost Your Natural Testosterone Levels:
- Reduce Your Stress Levels
In today’s fast paced, hurried society, reducing your stress levels can be easier said than done. We worry about our jobs and children and we stress over finances and relationships. Research has shown that being chronically stressed out increases your cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that your body releases in small amounts during the day in response to different stimulus. However, chronically elevated cortisol levels can quickly cause your testosterone levels to plummet.
- Get Plenty of Sunshine (Vitamin D)
Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin. Along with having numerous health benefits including helping with weight loss, it may also work as a natural testosterone booster according to a study done by German researchers. Ideally, you’ll want to get at lest 20 minutes of sun exposure per day to optimize your body’s Vitamin D levels.
If you live in the far north in a climate without much regular direct sunshine and getting daily sun exposure is not realistic for you, I highly recommend that you supplement with a quality Vitamin D product.
- Supplement with Fenugreek
Fenugreek is a plant that’s been used in alternative and Chinese medicine to treat various health conditions. Fenugreek is a plant that grows in the forest with pods that contain small brown-golden fenugreek seeds. It’s commonly used as a spice and sometimes found in personal care products such as shampoo and soap.
Fenugreek is a good source of several important nutrients, but its beneficial effects are used primarily for testosterone and libido boosting purposes. In one study, researchers provided 500 mg of fenugreek per day to 30 college-aged men. The men combined fenugreek with an 8-week weight lifting program and performed four training sessions per week, with half of them receiving the supplement.
When researchers compared the fenugreek supplement group to the non-supplement group, they noted a slight decline in testosterone in the non-supplement group and an increase in testosterone in the fenugreek group. The fenugreek supplement group also experienced a 2% reduction in body fat.
- Don’t Shy Away from Meat, Eggs and Butter
Meat, especially red meat, if it’s one of the leaner varieties such as sirloin, top round or London broil, is an excellent testosterone booster. This is because red meat is rich in cholesterol, and cholesterol is a direct precursor to testosterone in your body. As with any other food, it’s important to choose only the highest quality meat you can find at the grocery store, this means grass fed is a must and organic if possible.
Regular or conventional beef does not have the same health benefits as grass fed beef due to the difference in feed between feed-lot cows and pasture or grass-fed cows. Just like lean red meat, eggs are an excellent source of saturated fat and cholesterol which help boost your natural testosterone levels.