Maintaining your testosterone levels high is extremely important for maintaining a healthy body. People with high testosterone levels tend to have increased muscle mass, lower presence of body fat, and better bone structure.
Additionally, increasing the testosterone levels is beneficial for your libido and your mental abilities, not to mention that it improves your sporting performances.
Although our bodies are generally equipped to maintain normal testosterone levels, we constantly expose our bodies to different factors that inhibit its production. These testosterone killers are found almost everywhere. In your diet, in your lifestyle choices, and even in the air you breathe.
For example, low calorie diets used for reducing your bodyweight are one certain way to hinder the testosterone production. Also, reducing your fats intake can have negative impact on your t-levels.
Both direct and indirect inhaling of tobacco smoke can also reduce your t-levels. According to the studies, cigarette smoke contains cadmium, which is extremely harmful for our testosterone production.
Alcohol is another testosterone killer that comes with your lifestyle choices. When we introduce alcohol in our body, it breaks it down into acetaldehyde. This organic compound affects the interstitial cells responsible for testosterone production.
Different environmental pollutants produced in industrial processes that involve metal welding and release of lead or copper smoke also affect the testosterone production.
Testosterone Boosting Ingredients
Luckily there are several ways for increasing your testosterone levels. One of them is by altering your diet to include the four testosterone boosting ingredients.
Magnesium
The positive effect of magnesium on the utilization of testosterone in our body has been proven by many studies. Regrettably, magnesium deficiency is very common, since this mineral is not widely available in dietary sources.
The benefits of magnesium is in facilitating the exploitation of available testosterone in our bodies. As we grow older, or during a low protein diet, the concentration of sex hormone binding globulin our bodies increases. The SHBG tends to bind with testosterone, and as a result our bodies cannot exploit its benefits.
However, according to one study the SHBG seems to prefer binding to magnesium. As a result, the testosterone remains free for exploitation.
This conclusion is based on a study that included 30 males that received 10 mg of magnesium per each kilo of bodyweight. After four weeks, they showed significant increase in testosterone counts.
Moreover, the spike of testosterone levels was even higher in those individuals that took both magnesium supplementation and performed intensive exercises.
Recommended dose: If you follow the example of the above mentioned study, you should be taking 10 mg of magnesium per each kilo of bodyweight. However, that is far from necessary and ill-advisable. The recommended daily allowance of magnesium is about 420 mg for adult man. If you want to try the testosterone boosting effect of magnesium we recommend taking 750 mg daily in the course of few weeks.
Magnesium can also be found in different foods, like fish and legumes. Dark green vegetables that include kale, spinach, broccoli, etc. are also good source of magnesium. This mineral can also be found in some nuts (brazil nuts, almonds, cashews) and flaxseeds, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. Other dietary sources of magnesium are avocados, bananas, raisins…
Garlic
Scientific research has proven that consuming garlic helps in revamping and improving your testosterone production. This property of garlic is probably a result of the presence of diallyl disulfide in garlic.
The results of a study researching the effect of garlic on rats on high protein diet, reveal that this food boosts the testosterone production and lowers the cortisol levels in our body. This came as a result of the increased production of luteinizing hormone which is known as interstitial cell–stimulating hormone. In other words, it increases the testosterone production.
Recommended dose: To boost your testosterone production consume 900 mg of garlic, divided into smaller doses throughout the day.
VITAMIN K
Vitamin K boost the activity of enzymes that are involved in testosterone synthesis.
The menaquinone-4, which is a homologue of vitamin K2 is involved in stimulating the production of testosterone in two ways. First, by activating the protein kinase. The second is with the involvement of menaquinone-4 in steroidogenesis (the process of generating and transforming the steroids obtained from cholesterol.
Recommended dose: If you want to increase the testosterone levels we recommend taking 30 to 50 mg of vitamin K2 as a supplement.
Vitamin K2 can also be found in these foods: Cheese, egg yolk, liver, fermented foods, butter.
Zinc
Zinc deficiency can result in low testosterone levels. People lacking zinc often exhibit impairments of their androgen receptors.
The studies have shown that supplementing your diet with zinc can be helpful in increasing the luteinizing hormone levels, which in turn boosts the production of testosterone.
Recommended dose: 40 mg daily.
Zinc can also be found in different food sources. Shellfish are probably the best dietary source of zinc. Adding oysters, mussels, lobster and other shellfish will greatly increase your zinc levels. Zinc is also present in beef, pork and chicken, while it can also be found in many dairy products like yogurt, milk, cheddar cheese. Your diet should also include legumes, oatmeal and nuts. Different types of seeds also have good amount of zinc.
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