Boost your testosterone

Testosterone plays an important part in our muscle growth and recovery and so, for people who spend a lot of time in the gym, maintaining high testosterone levels is a huge advantage. If you are under 25 then you shouldn’t have much problem maintaining healthy testosterone levels but as we get older our levels of testosterone start to decrease. Whilst weightlifting generally increases testosterone levels over time, excessive stress caused by over training can sometimes negatively affect our testosterone levels. Testosterone is an extremely powerful male hormone that is responsible for secondary male sex characteristics such as muscle mass, strength, fat distribution, fertility, libido, and energy levels. Needless to say, having a healthy testosterone level is essential for athletes who are looking to maximize performance. Having higher testosterone levels will give you more energy, improve your sense of well-being as well and also increase your libido.

Testosterone levels are affected by many things but here are some common lifestyle factors that may be affecting your testosterone levels.

Sleep

Sleep has a very powerful effect on your testosterone levels and is absolutely critical for all hard training athletes. While most people need between 7 and 8 hours a night, hard working athletes ideally need about 9 or 10 hours to function at their best. Studies have suggested that testosterone levels can be reduced by up to 40% when deprived of quality sleep. If you have trouble sleeping then I recommend either melatonin, ZMA or GABA supplements to help you relax and sleep more deeply. While everyone responds differently to supplements, I have used all three in the past and they worked well for me. If you find yourself unable to sleep after a particularly heavy weights session then it is possible that your body is in a state of over training. The solution is to take some time off and get more rest.

Sex

You might be glad to know that regular sex is actually good for your testosterone levels so feel free to use this line on your partner. You should aim to have sex or ejaculate at least once a week.

Alcohol

Sadly beer is not as manly as you might have thought and actually increases your levels of female hormones. As much as people might want to overlook this, alcohol is a serious problem for athletes. Alcohol will significantly reduce your testosterone levels and sap your motivation for training. Other things to be wary of with alcohol is that it can increase your oestrogen levels and promote fat storage. Chronic alcoholics can face up to a 50% reduction in their testosterone levels and start to suffer feminizing symptoms such as the dreaded man boob syndrome. Ideally you want to keep your drinking as sensible as possible and never drink more than once a week. If you are serious about your physique and sporting results then you might want to give alcohol a miss altogether.

Diet

Nutrition is vital part of the equation when it comes to maintaining healthy hormone levels. Fat is the most important factor to consider in your diet in relation to hormone levels. Getting a good amount of healthy fat in your diet can really help you boost your testosterone levels. Try taking a good fat supplement such as flaxseed or fish oil every day. Another thing to think about is that your testosterone levels will increase as you eat more calories. If you are not eating enough nutritious food then your testosterone levels will be affected.

As well as making changes to our lifestyle, there are supplements out there that can help your boost your hormone levels. Be aware that you shouldn’t get too carried away with the wild claims supplement companies make about these supplements. There is a big difference between the studies they do on animals and real world results. I would say that all of these supplements will help increase your testosterone levels slightly but don’t expect any miracle results. The best way to get to know how these supplements work is to try them out for a month or so and decide for yourself what works for you. Here is a list of supplements you can use to boost your testosterone levels naturally.

ZMA

ZMA is unique combination of Zinc Monomethionine Aspartate, Magnesium Aspartate and vitamin B-6 and it can be used to increase circulating testosterone levels and improve sleep. I find that supplementing with ZMA does give me a slight increase in strength and it can definitely help you get a better quality of sleep. For many hard training athletes and bodybuilders, zinc and magnesium levels tend to be suppressed and this supplement will correct the balance.Studies have indicated that supplementing with 30mg of Zinc and 450mg of Magnesium daily can elevate testosterone levels up to 30%!

Tribulus Terrestris

Tribulus is a Bulgarian herb that can help increase your free and total testosterone levels. Being a herbal supplement, Tribulus has no side effects and has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of problems. This steroidal saponin protodioscin stimulates the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) from the pituitary gland. The luteinizing hormone then travels to the testes where it stimulates testosterone production.

Fenugreek

Fenugreek is herb that has been shown to increase libido, elevate testosterone and increase insulin release. As with Tribulus terrestris, fenugreek contains a high level of furostanolic saponins. It works in a similar manner to Tribulus by increasing the release of LH

Multivitamin

A simple multivitamin tablet taken daily will ensure that you are getting all the vitamins and minerals needed to maintain healthy hormone levels.

Testofen

Testofen is a fenugreek extract standardised for the saponin Fenuside, which is known to raise testosterone levels and boost libido. I am not too sure about this supplement and so recommend giving it a try to see how if works for you. I have heard both good and bad things about it from people. I remember using it once but can’t say that I noticed any significant results. I will be trying it again before I make up my mind for sure.