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February 10, 2020

Top Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Testosterone

The androgenic hormone, Testosterone, is associated with multiple health outcomes and not just physical characteristics. Not adopting to a healthy lifestyle can lead to adverse health effects. However, some lifestyle habits may help in improving testosterone levels naturally and in the betterment of health.

Testosterone is a major male sex hormone. Most of the time, it gets falsely associated with aggressive behaviour, violence, and machoism in men. The term “testosterone” originated as most of it is secreted from “Testes”. Some of it is also produced by the adrenal gland.

Testosterone plays quite a few important roles such as:

Development of male sex organs such as the penis and testes.
Regulating male sex drive or libido.
Development of sexual male traits during puberty. For example, Deepening of voice, and growth of facial, armpit and pubic hair.
Responsible for bone mass, strength, muscle mass and fat distribution.
Production of red blood cells and sperm.

Did you know that testosterone is also produced by females? For women, testosterone is important for muscle mass and bone density. It also contributes to women’s sex drive (libido), overall health and energy level. However, as per an article by the National Institute of Health (NIH), men produce testosterone 20 times more than women after they hit puberty. In women, it is produced by their ovaries and adrenal glands.

Low testosterone symptoms or associations:

As men get older, their testosterone level decreases by 1% to 2% every year. Their pituitary gland starts sending fewer signals to the testes to produce testosterone.
Testosterone deficiency during the development of a foetus can result in incomplete development of male characteristics.
Testosterone deficiency during puberty can cause slow growth, lack of growth spurt, reduced development of pubic hair, penis and testes, and voice deepening.
Boys with low testosterone during puberty may have less than normal strength and endurance, and disproportionate arm and leg growth.
Low testosterone in adult men may lead to a reduction in muscle bulk, loss of body hair, and wrinkled, parchment-like skin.
Age-related decline in testosterone levels in men can cause mood disturbances, increased body fat, loss of muscle tone, inadequate erections and poor sexual performance, osteoporosis, difficulty with concentration, memory loss, and sleep difficulties.

The androgenic hormone, Testosterone, is associated with multiple health outcomes and not just physical characteristics. There are some natural ways to increase testosterone. Following are some lifestyle habits that may help in improving testosterone levels and in the betterment of health.

What lifestyle factors increase testosterone?

Balanced Diet

A good proportionate diet plays an imperative role and can alter hormonal levels. Too less or too much eating can lead to disrupted hormonal balance. Research has reflected the essentiality of having a good balance of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats in the diet to maintain healthy testosterone levels.

Move… More!

Anything in proportion leads to great results. Physical activity when done properly, not in an excessive manner, may have positive effects on testosterone levels. A study compared hormonal levels of physically active men with hormonal levels of sedentary men and showed physically active men to have better hormonal profiles.

Correcting the Sleeping-Schedule

Lack of sleep can disrupt bodily functions to a substantial extent and testosterone is no exception! The apparent cause for this is, sleep loss affects the stress-related hormone Cortisone, which if present in higher amounts, causes a lowering of testosterone levels. One such study conducted in the USA showed that when adult men slept for less than 5 hours for a week, it affected their testosterone levels and had mood changes.

Stress management

Stress affects loads of people around the world and hampers their quality of life. Along with being related to the hormone cortisol, stress also relates to the hormone Testosterone. As stress level goes up, eating habits and sleeping habits also get impacted and may lead to weight gain causing a decrease in testosterone levels.

Considering natural supplements:

Natural testosterone booster supplements support the endogenous (bodily) production of the hormone testosterone, unlike steroidal supplements. Moreover, only a limited number of natural testosterone boosters have scientific backing which depicts the safety and effectiveness of the testosterone booster. Fenugreek has shown great potential to improve free testosterone levels, muscle strength and body fat percentage in multiple clinical studies.

What is harmful to testosterone?

Sugar:

We are all aware that sugar is linked to several health issues. But did you know it also affects our hormones? In a study, it was revealed that there was a significant reduction of up to 25% in free and total testosterone in men after consuming sugar. This effect lasted for about 2 hours since consuming sugar.

Alcohol:

This study reviewing the effects of alcohol on Testosterone levels concluded that drinking regularly or heavy consumption of alcohol for a longer period reduces testosterone in men. However, testosterone levels increase in women after the consumption of alcohol.

Anabolic steroids:

Using anabolic steroids causes the testes to stop the production of testosterone. This can also become permanent. Even after you completely stop the consumption of Anabolic steroids. Research shows that weightlifters that make use of anabolic steroids have a higher risk of low testosterone, even after they stop using it.

Takeaway

So, to conclude, making these changes in your lifestyle can help you a great deal to increase your body’s capacity to produce testosterone:

Drinking enough water and controlling the consumption of alcohol.
Eating healthy and lowering the use of sugar in your diet.
Getting a good night’s sleep and taking measures to manage stress levels.
Going for natural supplements instead of anabolic boosters.