For many men, a trend takes place during the aging process that causes their testosterone levels to become sub-optimal. This can cause a multitude of issues, from decreased sexual drive to lethargy and decreased muscle mass. More individuals are searching for ways to improve testosterone naturally. There are some very effective ways of doing this, but first, it helps to understand the role of testosterone in the body and the effects of changing testosterone levels.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and also acts as an anabolic steroid. It is produced in the pituitary gland and plays an important role in the development of male reproductive tissues. Beyond its basic functions, it has a secondary role in promoting muscle and bone mass growth. Because of these important functions, sub-optimal testosterone levels can lead to issues such as osteoporosis and improper protein synthesis.
Beyond physical effects, there are several psychological implications of low testosterone. There is a direct link between testosterone and aggression, with higher levels of testosterone showing individuals to be more prone to violence. A study conducted by Princeton University found evidence that testosterone reduces fear. Because of this, high levels of testosterone make an individual less able to distinguish the emotional state of others. That concern would be an impediment to the drive for competition for status.
After age 30, the majority of men begin to experience a decline in testosterone. This can result in a decreased interest in sex along with fatigue and depression. It is for these reasons that some men decide to improve testosterone naturally, in place of resorting to synthetic measures which may have adverse consequences.
In most healthy men, testosterone can be a great booster for losing excess weight. Since testosterone boosts muscle growth and is, in essence, an anabolic steroid, excess weight can create a cycle whereby the body produces less testosterone and then gains more weight. This is a negative downtrend that can become a very difficult hurdle to overcome for anyone.
It’s not just the weight that is the issue. There can be problems with individuals who choose to diet in certain ways to lose fat and inadvertently reduce their testosterone levels. For example, diets that cut out fat can be a problem. It has been shown that there is a link between monounsaturated fats and improving testosterone naturally. This is great if you enjoy some fresh olive oil from time to time, and it can cause problems if you are not consuming it at all due to dietary restrictions.
The problem is set in modern fad diet concepts which completely limit certain types of foods. We are always hearing of a new miracle diet that is supposed to help us lose tons of weight by just eliminating fat, carbs, et cetera. There are many benefits of fats, though the downside of overconsumption can’t be ignored, and improving testosterone naturally is but one of them.
Whenever dietary advice is given, it’s prudent to recognize that everyone has a different situation involving their own diet and health. Just because something is suggested in an article does not mean that it is necessarily good for you. Always be careful and take the time to research on your own before implementing any of the concepts suggested herein. That being said, there are several options available for increasing your testosterone levels naturally, and some might be the right choice for you. See how you can change your diet to help build back your testosterone.
When excess amounts of sugar are consumed, insulin levels spike so that the body can process it. This is a natural and healthy mechanism for our bodies to deal with excessive loads of sugar. Excessive sugar consumption can result in an increased insulin resistance in men which is known to drive down testosterone levels. The conclusion is this. Don’t consume too much sugar.
It might seem difficult to reduce your consumption of sugar, but this is a step that many people need to take to improve their health. It’s not just that decreasing your sugar, and corresponding insulin levels, can improve testosterone naturally. The point of lowering sugar intake is that sugar often leads to an increase in body fat. This causes the body to produce more estrogen in men, decreasing sexual drive and lowering muscle mass.
There are a few points that should be touched on about how sugar affects the body. Sugar reduces the production of growth hormone, which is the catalyst for maintaining proper health.
Sugar also makes you tired. When you consume sugar, your insulin levels rise and you experience a brief boost in energy. This is great, but it doesn’t last long. It is best to consume foods that provide sustained energy and don’t have counterproductive effects on hormone levels in order to improve testosterone naturally.
In essence, lowering sugar consumption could be one of the easiest steps for improving testosterone naturally that you can implement.
Low levels of vitamin D have been significantly associated with low levels of testosterone in healthy middle-aged men. There have been several studies, but a constant trend shows that those who supplement with vitamin D have a statistically significant increase in testosterone.
It is not possible for everyone to get out into the sun to secure their healthy allotment of vitamin D. Some of us spend long hours in the office, have many responsibilities, or live in areas without adequate sunlight.
However, it is still important to ensure that our bodies get the necessary exposure to vitamin D. In times like this, one must consider dietary supplementation. Taking a vitamin D supplement may be the solution for lack of sunlight and improving testosterone naturally.
There will always be many different ways to tackle a problem. The best approach is often to combine small amounts of multiple solutions to achieve a balanced result that will be sustainable in the long term.
It is important to caution anyone who may be considering a change in supplementation. This is a good way for some to increase testosterone naturally but might not necessarily be the best way for you. Speak with your doctor if you have any concerns about low testosterone and develop a plan that’s right for you. Learn more about how vitamin D helps with testosterone.
Many aspects of emotional and physical health tend to become cyclical, and stress is a mainstay of many negative health cycles. It is no secret that stress is a negative contributor to overall health, causing inflammation, fatigue, anxiety, and weight gain. There are also side effects of stress that contribute to lower testosterone levels, such as lack of motivation to exercise and poor sleep.
Once you begin to experience these negative effects from high levels of stress, you will tend to slip into a state where lower testosterone levels contribute to even more lethargy and stress. Now, this is not a hopeless situation by any means. There are a few ways to both reduce stress and improve testosterone levels naturally.
Getting proper periods of rest is extremely important for reducing stress. Sleeping for the right amount of time and getting deep, restful, sleep can increase testosterone levels in most men. The standard recommendation from the National Sleep Foundation is that adults aged 26-64 get seven to nine hours of sleep per night and those who are over 65 get seven to eight hours sleep.
There are two main types of stress, short term and long term.
Short term stress is often not a detriment to our health. Stress in the short term is often a way for us to respond to the challenges that life puts in our paths. It is nearly impossible to eliminate this from our lives, and we all know that some stress is inevitable. Some stress is even healthy and necessary.
The second type of stress has more health hazards. Long term stress, by definition, continues over a long period of time and keeps stress hormones high for extended periods. These stressors can include difficulty at your job, relationship problems, or financial issues.
One of the main problems is that, during stress, cortisol levels in the body rise dramatically. When this happens, the synthesis of cortisol requires large amounts of cholesterol. Cholesterol is also a necessary component of testosterone biosynthesis. This means that when the body has to produce cortisol on a regular basis at above normal levels, there is not enough cholesterol left to produce adequate levels of testosterone making it hard to improve testosterone naturally.
Reducing stress has an endless list of benefits. There aren’t many things that you can definitively claim to be an all-around gain, but this is one of them. Reducing your stress levels is a great way to improve testosterone naturally. Get to know how stress hormones react to testosterone.
Zinc is an essential dietary mineral. Zinc is necessary for the immune system to function in a proper manner and also for cell division. When you consume proper amounts of zinc, it aids the body’s digestive process while helping to build proteins.
When someone has a zinc deficiency, it is often accompanied by low levels of testosterone. It is not fully understood why this is the case, but the correlation is strong enough to make this something worth exploring. There aren’t a very high number of cases involving zinc deficiency, but it is possible.
As with any supplementation, the incorporation of zinc into your diet should be carefully considered with the guidance of a professional. You can never be too careful when making changes to your intake. Because zinc can be stimulatory for the thyroid, those who have adrenal or thyroid weakness needs to be especially careful.
That being said, zinc supplementation may be a good way to improve testosterone naturally and avoid using synthetic hormone therapy replacements.
Many herbs can be helpful in encouraging the body to improve testosterone naturally. Keep in mind that these are separate from the nutrition requirements and are great to add to food and drinks or to take as a supplement:
Maca root is a nutty flavored food that is great for prostate health, boosting fertility, and increasing libido in men, and it may have a gentle “hormone balancing” effect for increasing testosterone naturally. Maca roots contain 20 amino acids out of which 8 are essential amino acids, which help in the production of regulatory hormones such as testosterone in men.
Research is also showing that it can work wonders for one’s sex life, and is known in Peru, its country of origin, as an aphrodisiac. Maca is also rich in fiber, calcium, and iron. It has been shown to reduce stress and increase stamina for males. And overall, it is a great supplement for male sexual health.
Cocoa flavanols are another delicious item to add to your daily regimen to improve testosterone naturally. Cacao nibs, or the raw organic and unrefined dark chocolate, not only has a major impact on enhancing male sexual performance, but they also increase nitrous oxide levels, increasing strength, cardiovascular health, and much more. Strong levels of nitric oxide are directly linked to strong testosterone levels and strong erections.
Cocoa is considered a superfood and is packed with nutrients, phytonutrients, and other unique properties that positively affect cognitive health as well.
Just three tablespoons of raw powdered cocoa have 4 grams of high-quality protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 14 grams of heart-healthy fats. The saturated fat included in the cocoa is crucial to improve testosterone naturally. In fact, consumption of fats is the most underrated and underused form of boosting testosterone.
Eurycoma Longifolia is another amazing herb for male sexual health. It is a tall evergreen shrub found in Asia. Due to high demand for improving male sexual abilities and virility, it is now a protected plant species. The root and bark are being used to aid in male infertility, increase libido, and treat male erectile dysfunction. However, its benefits do not stop there. The herb is also used to boost athletic performance, reduce body fat, and increase muscle.
There have been quite a few small studies done showing the effectiveness of fenugreek to improve testosterone naturally, along with other areas of male sexual health including enhanced sexual function and improvement in fertility. Fenugreek may even lead to lower levels of blood sugar, higher energy levels, an increase in muscle mass, a sharper memory, and an increased immune system.
Fenugreek is very potent and should not be taken by those who have heart disease, are anemic, or by anyone who takes medications for diabetes or medication to reduce potassium levels. It is also important to note that fenugreek supplements should not be taken by people who suffer from allergies to peanuts, chickpeas, or coriander.
Due to a compound called sotolon found in fenugreek, urine, sweat, and semen may take on a maple syrup like taste and smell when supplementing regularly.
This is an herb that is extracted from pine bark. It is not too well known but has some good data behind it to support its use for male vitality. Pycnogenol’s ability to enhance nitric oxide significantly aids in support for erectile dysfunction as well as diabetes, chronic inflammation, autoimmune disease, and overall well being.
Studies show that daily dosing at breakfast or twice daily dosing are both effective. Pycnogenol is recommended to be taken with food, but this is not required.
It should be noted that there have been many trials conducted on the supplement, but most of them were funded by large companies. Although this does not invalidate the testing results, it should always be noted.
Tribulus terrestris has a variety of health benefits, especially for men. It can reduce blood sugar and cholesterol, prevent blood vessel damage, alter hormone levels, and increase libido and male sexual function.
Tribulus terrestris may not be the greatest supplement to improve testosterone naturally. Despite results that the herb works to do so in animals, studies in humans have not been so successful. However, the supplement does boost libido by a whopping 79% if taken daily for two months. Studies have even shown tribulus terrestris can enhance sexual desire, arousal, and satisfaction in women as well.
A healthy diet is always recommended for optimal wellness. Missing nutrients in your diet can drastically affect health on many levels, including the production of testosterone. Making sure the following nutrients are in your diet are easy ways to improve testosterone naturally.
Magnesium is connected to over 300 functions in the human body including testosterone production. Deficiency in this mineral can be dangerous and causes symptoms such as hormone imbalances, inflammation, weak bones, anxiety, sleep problems, and cardiovascular issues. Deficiencies in magnesium can be so severe that a person can feel as though their entire body is falling apart. The typical American diet runs low in foods with magnesium and most often needs supplementation. Severe magnesium deficiencies are most frequently found in people who:
When it comes to improving testosterone naturally, supplementing with this nutrient has been shown to be very beneficial for men who exercise. Many athletes and rigorous exercisers are deficient in zinc and magnesium, causing an imbalance of hormones and a plummet in testosterone. In a 4-week study on both sedentary men and athletes, a significant rise in testosterone levels was found at an average of 24%, with the athletes showing the highest results. Aside from magnesium and zinc’s ability to improve testosterone naturally, they also are great nutrients for controlling blood sugar levels, lowering LDL and managing stress, all of which can lower testosterone on their own.
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is a steroid hormone that is often used in synthetic form to improve testosterone naturally. Although it is naturally produced by the adrenal glands and converted into testosterone or other sex hormones, the production of DHEA often naturally drops after the age of 30. It is estimated that the level of DHEA found in the body decreases by 80% through adulthood.
DHEA is often taken in supplemental form to boost testosterone production. It has been shown to aid in sexual vitality for men as an alternative to drugs for erectile dysfunction and testosterone replacement therapy. In addition, DHEA is great for strengthening the immune system; improving cognitive function by enhancing memory and mood; decreasing fat mass and preventing obesity; improving sexual function, sex drive, and sperm production; improving skin health; increasing muscle mass and bone density; and enhancing athletic performance. Low levels of DHEA are associated with aging, and in older men, it can be linked to higher chances of death.
DHEA has also been used to relieve symptoms associated with adrenal insufficiency. For those who suffer from this chronic ailment, DHEA decreased anxiety, depression, and improved overall well-being as well as sexual satisfaction.
However, if you suffer from adrenal problems, it is important to discuss diet and supplementation with your health care practitioner, as you can have a paradoxical reaction to DHEA. Often, people taking DHEA feel better initially, but find themselves having to continually increase their dosage as they are just treating the symptoms and not treating the underlying condition, which is why it is important to seek out an adrenal fatigue specialist who can help get to the bottom of what is causing your adrenal fatigue.
Generally speaking, DHEA supplements have been deemed safe for up to two years with no severe side effects. Minor side effects may include:
DHEA supplements are not recommended for people who have cancers that are affected by sex hormones.
This compound is banned by almost all international sport governing bodies due to its performance-enhancing abilities, but it is great for male health, and it is readily available at many stores such as Walgreens.
Creatine is an amino acid that is primarily located in your muscles and the brain. The liver, pancreas, and kidneys all make creatine which is then converted to phosphocreatine and stored in the muscles where it is used for energy. That is why many people use creatine supplements to improve athletic performance and build muscle mass. But it is also gaining publicity as a supplement to improve testosterone naturally. It can be taken synthetically or found in seafood and red meat.
5 mg a day is all that is needed for men to boost their testosterone production. There is no need to load up on it, as the weight lifting and marketing world has made you believe. When creatine is taken orally, the body can only absorb approximately 1 to 2 mg at a time. When you are looking to increase your creatine intake for health purposes, it is best to take creatine in powder form, 2 to 3 doses throughout the day.
However, supplementation of creatine must be done with caution. When used in small doses, it is safe for 5-year regiments at a time. But there is concern that high doses can be unsafe and cause damage to the heart, kidney, and liver. People who suffer from or at risk of suffering from kidney disorders, bipolar disorder, diabetes, or Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome, should always consult with a health care practitioner before beginning any new supplementation regimes.
Creatine can cause several side effects such as:
Boron is a very important, yet widely unknown trace mineral that is now being classified as an essential nutrient. Boron binds to SHBG, or the sex hormone binding globulin, and allows for more free testosterone. Testosterone levels can more than double when boron supplements are given. It also aids in assisting certain processes to perform optimally in the body such as calcium absorption, making it is known as the element that helps the body work smarter, not harder.
While we used to be able to get trace minerals and micronutrients in our foods, due to the mass production farming techniques that now dominate the food we consume, we are not getting as many nutrients from the soil and water. Often, to reap the benefits of trace minerals, we need to take them as supplements or increase specific foods they can be found in. 10 mg a day is a good addition to your diet to support testosterone health. Foods that are rich in boron include raisins, nuts, avocados, fish, dairy, and wheat. Boron supplements are also readily available.
There are a tremendous amount of other health benefits from boron that include improving brain function, bone, and joint health; relieving arthritis; and increasing the absorption of magnesium, also a very crucial element used to improve testosterone naturally. Boron also:
It is recommended to take 3 mg a day to benefit from the boron health effects. Overconsumption of this element is highly unlikely as toxicity is up around 20 mg. In fact, boron even has been shown to reduce toxicity levels from poisonous compounds such as arsenic, cadmium chloride, mercury, and lead.
Many of these essential nutrients are present in the best foods to help improve testosterone naturally. While supplements are a great way to get the nutrients your body needs, foods are often a safer, healthier, and cheaper alternative. Using food to directly supplement your nutrient intake is a great way to avoid costly or potentially low-quality derivatives.
One food that can help improve testosterone naturally that almost everyone enjoys is shrimp. Shrimp is a great source of vitamin D and an easy way to encourage your body to produce more testosterone. Many people like seafood, but there are also many other food options to suit everyone’s dietary needs.
Pumpkin seeds are a great source of zinc, which when deficient contributes to low testosterone levels.
There are often many people who worry about saturated fats but some are good for you. Coconut is a great source of saturated fat, which can help improve testosterone naturally. Unprocessed saturated fats have less health risk, but saturated fats should still be consumed in moderation. The link between coronary disease and overconsumption of fats should be taken into consideration when implementing coconut into your diet.
Wheat bran, as simple as it is, can also improve testosterone naturally. This is because wheat bran has high levels of magnesium, which have been shown to help with testosterone production. Other foods high in magnesium include almonds, oat bran, sunflower seeds, peanut butter, and beans.
Everyone has different dietary requirements, but most likely something on this list could be safely added to yours. Food is something that is a part of our daily lives, and it is often a great place to start when making changes to our bodies. Make sure you choose your foods carefully and do what’s right for your particular situation before adding anything new into your diet. Simple diet changes can make the difference.
Exercise is one of those things that always seem to be brought up when searching for a solution to health problems. This time is no different. Exercise has a direct correlation to testosterone levels.
Research has shown that high-intensity workouts, and weight training in particular, go a long way in helping to improve testosterone naturally. This is only for those who are healthy, as excessive high intensity workouts can be detrimental for those who are weak.
There are many ways that exercise can help your body, and this is only one of them. Doing push-ups, for example, can increase growth hormone secretion, which in turn will increase testosterone output.
Moderate exercise also reduces stress levels, which have a negative effect on testosterone production as well. When you exercise on a regular basis, it also improves sleep and releases endorphins which can help with depression and anxiety.
Scientists and health care practitioners have known for decades that exercise can be used to improve testosterone naturally, but what studies are uncovering now is that the way in which you exercise can really make a difference in how much testosterone will increase. There are a couple of different methods that have had great results and research to back them up.
If you can work all of the above into a regular exercise regimen, you will have great results with balancing out testosterone levels. If low testosterone is an issue for you, avoid bodybuilding and intense race training. Both are responsible for lowering testosterone and decreasing libido.
After exercise, testosterone levels immediately rise and remain higher for hours. This helps with burning excess fat and weight loss.
Not everyone can take part in high-intensity exercise because of certain health issues and that is understandable as mentioned above. If you have any concerns about exercise and what is the best approach for your situation, consult a clinical professional so that you can ensure it’s safe. This is particularly important for those living with chronic stress and adrenal fatigue.
These days, people can hack anything! Although the term derived from the tech world, it now is being used broadly in many areas, and the health industry has picked it up as well. Some great biohacks to improve testosterone naturally include:
Electrical muscle stimulation is a method to elicit a muscle contraction using electrical impulses that directly stimulate the motor neurons. The stimulated contractions can be fast with long pauses, quick and frequent, or held for several seconds, even minutes at a time. Muscles are fired up through the electrical impulses rather than the brain eliminating the stress that can occur to joints and tendons. The body never even recognizes the difference in origin.
EMS conducted on areas with high androgen receptors such as the legs have a high success rate in improving testosterone naturally. In addition, by adding an EMS regimen to their exercise routine, without any alterations in diet, many people found significant weight loss in the waist and abdominal area. EMS has also shown benefits in pain management and increasing blood flow to the muscles.
A new biohack for male sexual health now available is red light therapy. It has been found that testicles have photoreceptors that are very receptive to red lights and that male testosterone, male fertility, and reproductive health can all be boosted by this process. Keep in mind, not all lights are helpful. UV lights can cause damage to the skin and eyes, while blue light can affect the circadian rhythm.
The theory behind cold thermogenesis is that application of cold to places in the body moves it into survival mode and restricts blood flow to the affected area. The muscles and tendons in the specified area that are being targeted with cold therapy relax, removing any bouts of inflammation. When the cold is removed, fresh, toxin-free blood is then sent to the area, healing and, in this case, aiding in male sexual health. This is an easy method to replicate. Many people are finding they do not need to find fancy thermogenesis tanks to dunk their entire bodies in or swim laps in an ice pool, simply placing specially designed ice packs on the testicles can have the same results. Cold therapy pushes the body past its usual limits and provides a number of health benefits for the male reproductive system.
Many men are exposing themselves to a tremendous amount of radiation and EMF exposure by carrying their cell phones in their pockets, which happen to be near the genitals. This can have a negative influence on our health, especially male sexual organs. Testicular function is particularly susceptible to radiation emitted by electromagnetic fields.
Pulsed Electromagnetic Fields or EMF can help reverse the damage by using low-frequency, long wavelengths for 10-20 minutes a day. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy is a non-invasive, simple technique that can be used as a scavenging agent to combat the oxidative stress caused by EMF.
Gainswave is acoustic soundwave therapy that can improve vascularization with 20-minute treatments. It uses low-intensity sound waves to stimulate new blood vessel growth, improve blood flow to the penis, and remove build up of plaque. It has seen great results in reversing erectile dysfunction and is also known for enhancing sexual performance by increasing sensitivity and maintainability. Gainswave can also be used to improve testosterone naturally. It is a great therapy which offers efficiency and safety. It is a breakaway solution for men, but still only available in a few places in the US. It has no side effects or painful injections and results can be seen extremely quickly.
Platelet-rich plasma injections or what is now called the “P shot” is a shot of concentrated platelets which are rich in bioactive proteins. The proteins release growth mechanisms that stimulate cellular regeneration and can also repair tissue. Although the shot was originally used for dentistry, wound healing, and sports injuries, it has evolved to become one of the greatest tools for male vitality. It is now considered one of the most effective methods to improve testosterone naturally as well as:
The penis and its functions play a large role in a male’s life and in their relationships. Health concerns with the penis should be addressed and considered just as important as any other organ in the body. When a man has difficulty with erections, low testosterone levels, pain, or concerns about size or shape, it can greatly affect self-esteem and inhibit relationships or cause stress between sexual partners. PRP is a great way to address many issues at once.
With its organic composition, there are very few, minor side effects and sexual activity can resume within 4 hours of receiving the treatments making for a great way to address penile issues.
Stem cell injections have limited research on whether or not they can be used to increase testosterone naturally, but they have been successful when it comes to increasing the size of the penis and possibly helping with erectile dysfunction. The therapy involves taking stem cells derived from the patient's abdominal fat which are then injected into the erectile tissues of the genitals.
While there are many ways to biohack various aspects of your health and increase testosterone naturally, there are also ways that sexual health can be sabotaged by bad habits, myths, and common mistakes.
Low testosterone levels can cause many complications, especially with male sexuality. It is best to look into methods of increasing testosterone naturally before turning to dangerous hormone replacement options. If you feel you may have issues you’d like to investigate further, there are a number of methods available. Although blood testing is an accurate method, it only reflects a snapshot of time and can vary according to the time of day or what has been consumed that day. A saliva panel is a better choice as it is taken in multiple readings throughout the day. However, neither of these options show metabolites. A urine panel is the best way to track sexual health as 4 to 5 panels can give you deep insights into metabolites and your personal health.
The NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response is a system within all of our bodies that helps combat stressful situations on a physical level. A brief overview of the NEM begins in the brain. The hypothalamus is the first piece to the stress response puzzle. Once the hypothalamus signals that there is danger, the pituitary gland is triggered to act by producing hormones and further signaling to the adrenal glands. At the adrenal glands, the physical reactions really begin to take off.
The adrenal glands are responsible for producing cortisol, a powerful hormone so directly related to the stress response that it is sometimes referred to as the “stress hormone”.
Cortisol has many jobs in the body and while it can be very helpful in difficult times, it also has the ability to inflict great damage to the body. There are a few things that take place when cortisol levels remain high for a prolonged period of time. A few of these include sleep disruption, decreased muscle mass, high blood pressure, and decreased wound healing timelines.
Because of the negative things associated with a poorly regulated NEM stress response, it is important to mitigate any exposure to stress and control your reactions to it. It is easy to fall into a cycle of high stress which causes many long term issues that, if directly confronted, can be lessened with personal intervention.
High levels of stress over long periods of time can be detrimental to testosterone production, and this also has hormonal effects. One of the biggest things that happen when we experience stress is the release of cortisol by the adrenal glands. This can be chaotic for a multitude of reasons. Cortisol elevates awareness and contributes greatly to lack of sleep. Over the long term, it causes lethargy. This can cause an individual to gain weight, decrease muscle mass, and become depressed. In a cyclical way, all of these separate problems created by excess cortisol have a direct impact on testosterone.
When considering the NEM stress response, it is important to note the link between stress and low testosterone levels. Controlling your stress response to the best of your ability will give your body the tools that it needs to improve testosterone naturally. One can reduce stress to better cope with difficult situations, and incorporating proper diet, exercise, and rest is also an important part of the recovery process.
When the body is under continual stress, there is a limit on how much cortisol can be produced. Eventually, the body reaches a state of exhaustion and can’t keep up with demands. Constant stress also makes it difficult to muster the energy that’s necessary to make changes in lifestyle patterns which are contributing to low testosterone levels.
The important thing to keep in mind is that you have to start somewhere, and small changes make a difference. Whether you’re adding something to your diet, making an effort to get better sleep, or taking supplements to ensure your nutrition is adequate, there is somewhere that everyone can start to make a change.
Low testosterone levels are often a sign of the body slowing down and conserving energy when under stress. This also happens with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
Adrenal fatigue affects a large percentage of the population and results in a myriad of symptoms, ranging from depression to the inability to handle stress. The adrenal glands are responsible for the creation of a large number of hormones in our bodies. Because of this, they are constantly working to produce what is needed for a healthy balance.
The adrenal glands are particularly active during times of stress, which often results in them being overworked. If there are not sufficient building blocks for the adrenals to produce necessary hormones and steroids, they can become fatigued and even reach the point of exhaustion.
Testosterone relates to adrenal fatigue through the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland produces testosterone, albeit at steadily decreasing levels from the mid 20’s onward. Meanwhile, the adrenals rely on the pituitary gland to release adrenal corticosteroid hormones (ACTH).
When AFS is present in an individual, it can lean to insufficient signaling between the adrenals and the pituitary gland, resulting in tremendous imbalances that lead to inflammation and fatigue. Chronic inflammation is detrimental to cell regeneration. However, maintaining sufficient testosterone levels can help to normalize cortisol levels, which have a direct impact on inflammation. Click here to see how testosterone levels relate to adrenal fatigue.
Many of the same things that trigger AFS also result in low testosterone, as the body slow down reproductive desire. Likewise, many of the steps you can take to improve testosterone naturally also help AFS recovery.
It’s important to note, not all of these solutions should be implemented by everyone, especially in severe cases of adrenal exhaustion. The more advanced the adrenal fatigue, the higher the possibility of negative reactions, so it’s wise to consult with a professional. However, for most readers, many of these suggestions can help.
Lowering your stress level not only helps to improve testosterone naturally but also lowers cortisol levels. This is a key component of recovery because of the negative impact that sustained high cortisol can have on the body. When your cortisol levels are kept under control, you can get better sleep, reduce anxiety, and even lose weight.
Because so many aspects of testosterone directly correlate to AFS, taking steps to help one will often help the other. Reducing stress can help to reduce weight, which in turn helps improving testosterone naturally. Fortifying and supporting adrenal function will lead to a higher testosterone level. Avoid overstimulating the adrenals with glandulars, herbs, or anabolic hormones as it can lead to adrenal crashes. Focus on a long term nurturing strategy to optimize adrenal function, and testosterone levels will also normalize. Exogenous hormones such as DHEA, pregnenolone, and testosterone can be considered, but they have many drawbacks. Short term use can be contemplated. However, an exit strategy should be in place prior to starting such a regimen to avoid dependency, withdrawal, and side effect issues that often plague the user over time.
Along with certain exercise routines, a variety of supplements, and proven biohacks, foods are also an important element to improve testosterone naturally. There are a variety of foods that contain certain compounds or nutrients that are known to stabilize hormones.