Testosterone is known as the significant hormone that is found in men which is responsible for the development of the physical attributes common to men. It plays the major part in maintaining the bone of muscle strength in men as well as stripping them of excess fat.
Testosterone is the primary hormone responsible for reproduction in men and having an average testosterone level depends on your age, lifestyle and gender. However, research has shown that the level of testosterone begins to wane naturally in men after the age of thirty.
A reduction in sex drive can lead to lack of interest in sex, low sperm production and erections that are not firm as expected, and men tend to think it is as a result of old age. Luckily, there are numerous ways to tackle a reduction in low testosterone.
Females also produce testosterone, and they face their problems when there is a reduction in their levels, but the primary sex hormone produced in women is known as estrogen.
Symptoms of Low Testosterone
Your physical and mental health begins to decline when the level of testosterone in your body becomes too low. To be specific, these are some of the symptoms that indicate you have a low testosterone level.
- Decreased sexual activity or libido
- Infertility
- Lesser impulsive erections
- Problems maintaining or achieving an erection or erectile dysfunction
- Enlarged breasts as a result of high estrogen level
- Insomnia
- Regular fatigue
- Loss of hair on the body likewise on the head
- Male pattern baldness in women and the growth of facial hair
- Brain fog
- Osteoporosis
- Relationship issues
- Depression
- Night sweats
- Irregular menstruation
- Acne
- Enlarged breast tissues
If you notice these symptoms often in your body, it is advisable to visit your doctor because this is a serious issue just like thyroid disease, heart disease and different types of cancer.
There are numerous ways to increase the level of testosterone in your body, of which exercise and living a healthy lifestyle is most important. In addition to boosting the level of testosterone in your body, exercise helps in shedding weight, likewise releasing endorphins that help in relieving your stress.
Also, engaging in high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is perfect and ideal for raising your testosterone levels and research has shown that it is most effective when you observe some minutes of rest at intervals while you workout.
Studies state that engaging in weight lifting for about thirty to forty-five minutes is tested and proven to increase the level of testosterone in your body or you could opt for HIIT on some particular days. The combination of these two activities would not only boost your testosterone levels, but it would also improve the condition of your heart.
It is essential to know that there are some particular exercises which would not increase your testosterone levels but rather reduce it drastically, activities like intensive running for hours and intense endurance cycling for hours. Most high-endurance athletes are faced with suffering low testosterone levels because they produce a higher level of cortisol.
Testosterone Boosting Foods
Having a healthy diet regimen and managing it extensively has a significant impact on the production of testosterone in your system. Low testosterone is closely associated with obese people. Obesity is most likely to occur to men with lowered testosterone levels.
This happens because fat cells convert testosterone into estrogen, thereby reducing testosterone levels which would, in turn, produce more amounts of breast tissues.
Avoid foods with high amounts of fat and sugar but instead opt for foods that richly contain magnesium, Zinc, Selenium and vitamin A, B and D because losing excess weight and dieting properly helps in boosting your testosterone level. No food has been scientifically proven to improve your testosterone directly, but they can aid to maximize production.
Some foods that help in building testosterone level include:
Chia seed
This food is superb for boosting your testosterone levels because it contains magnesium, iron, zinc and potassium which have been recommended for its testosterone increasing attributes.
Carrots
These are also known foods that boost your testosterone levels because they contain vitamin A
Brazil nuts
These are great boosting testosterone foods because they contain selenium.
Pumpkin seeds
These are world-known foods which help in increasing your testosterone level because they are packed with tryptophan and zinc, which helps in boosting serotonin.
Mushroom
It provides vitamin D, which helps in boosting testosterone levels.
Avocado
This is high in vitamin B6, which lowers the level of cortisol in your body.
As earlier mentioned, stress aids in reducing the level of testosterone in your body because of the cortisol is produced when you are stressed. So it is advised to avoid stress as much as possible because the body tends to produce less testosterone when it is always confirmed.
Asides your testosterone levels dropping, too much pressure can damage your organs and destabilize your immune system. Avoid taking too much alcohol because it leads to a reduction in your testosterone level. Alcohol contains ingredients which increase cortisol and decreases testosterone in your body.
Other ways of reducing stress to stop producing excess cortisol include:
- Getting more exercise, not too little and not too much
- Getting supplements such as Omega 3
- Reducing your intake of caffeine
- Spending more time with family and friends and also your friends this, in turn, produces oxytocin.
- Create an environment that is stress-free, most importantly, before bed.
- Learning how to do yoga or doing yoga is a great way to relieve yourself of stress.
- Inhaling and exhaling deeply for about five minutes helps to make you relax.
- Learn to ignore your phone during the first hours of every day, and it is sure to reduce your stress level.
- Search for a mindfulness technique that works perfectly to reduce negativity and anxiety thinking.
- Begin to say no to things you cannot handle because too much work leads to stress.
Do you have difficulty sleeping or even feeling too tired to have sex? Well, it is likely because you have a lowered testosterone level as a result of lack of sleep. Insomnia is closely associated with a reduced testosterone level.
Tips to Sleeping Better
Sleep disturbances can lead to low testosterone levels, and likewise, low testosterone levels can result in sleep disturbances. Sleep is needed for the normal functioning of your body and research has proven that men who get little sleep than required tend to have a lowered testosterone level.
Ways in which you can improve your sleep at night include:
- Avoid having distractions like phones, computer, books and television during bedtime
- Have a stipulated routine that tells you when to go to bed and when to wake up. Make sure you follow it diligently
- Do not eat big meals after midnight or before your bedtime
- Make sure you are comfortable right before bed.
- Do not consume caffeine at least seven hours before you go to sleep.
Sex is a significant part of testosterone production. While some men continue with their low testosterone during sex, the low testosterone could be the reason for their low libido.
Did you know that having sex regularly can increase your testosterone level? Well, it does because, after sex, there is a rise in your testosterone levels for the following twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
This is great because as your testosterone levels increase, the increased sex drive and other hormones would have a positive effect on your body. Even if you do not engage in sex, but instead you masturbate for about three to four weeks, your testosterone levels would be increased, and your desire to have sex would be heightened.
This hormone can be lost if you do not make use of it. Research has shown that if you abstain from sexually related activities, you will start to experience the above-listed symptoms.
Lastly, with a combination of everything listed above like living healthy, getting regular exercises, sleeping more often, you are sure to see an improvement in your testosterone levels.
Also, testosterone boosters are superb ways of increasing your testosterone levels as far as you get yours from a reliable, tested and trusted source; you are good to go.
Conclusion
Testosterone is the primary hormone found in men that is responsible for the development of their sex organs. This hormone is also related to all sexual activities and sperm production.
After a certain age, men begin to experience a decrease in their testosterone level, and this leads to lack of interest in sexual activities, erections that are not firm enough to perform efficiently and low sperm production. As a result of this, men sort various methods to boost the level of testosterone in their body.
Different ways in which you can increase your testosterone levels range from exercising with a healthy diet regimen, avoiding too much intake of alcohol, avoiding smoking, getting more rest and avoiding stress.
