Testosterone

Most people new to fitness want to know how to naturally increase testosterone levels in the body.

Understandably, this is a common concern, as testosterone is the hormone responsible for muscle mass growth.

In this lesson we will be delving into testosterone, its function in the body and more importantly how to obtain it naturally without resorting to supplements that are not always beneficial.

What is testosterone?

It is a steroid hormone with an important role in the development of male genitalia. It is produced mainly in the testicles. Women also produce testosterone, this process occurs in the ovaries and adrenal glands. The level of testosterone in men is much higher than in women, 20 times higher.

Normal values of this hormone in an adult male range from 300-1,000 ng/dl, while in women they range from 15 to 70 ng/dl.

Estrogens are another type of sex steroid hormone. Although both sexes have estrogens and androgens, the former are known as female hormones and the latter as male hormones.

Testosterone has anabolic effects, which are the ones we are concerned with in this lesson. This hormone is responsible for bone development and maturation, increased bone density and muscle mass growth.

Exogenous Testosterone Administration

There are many drugs and supplements that raise testosterone levels in the body. However, as mentioned at the beginning of the lesson, these are not always beneficial to health.

Among the most common adverse effects are prostate enlargement, abnormal breast development and fluid retention in the body. For this reason, we recommend consulting a physician before taking any medication. This is the only one qualified to indicate a dose, if needed, depending on the specific deficit that you present and the characteristics of your body.

These are the traditional forms used to administer testosterone externally to the body:

• Patches

• Gel

• Implants

• Injections

Ways to boost testosterone production in the body.

There are strategies to naturally increase testosterone, but we must understand that these strategies are limited. The limitation is genetics. The tips we will give you, you should use them to maximize what your body produces testosterone.

Avoid stress: The antagonist of testosterone is estrogen. These are produced in states of fatigue or stress, so in these cases the opposite process to anabolism occurs: catabolism.

Choose an adequate diet: It is necessary that you consult a dietician to prepare a dietary routine high in fats. It is recommended that these occupy between 20 to 30 percent of the calories you consume daily. It is important that these fats come from an appropriate combination of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. On the other hand, you should make sure that your blood levels of vitamin D and zinc are high, as these compounds have very beneficial properties on bone health.

Design an effective specialized workout: Exercise routines should have a purpose based on the characteristics of your body and the goals you are pursuing, so we recommend that you customize your workout with the help of a professional.

Prolonged rest: Sleep is important for your body to have enough energy to face the tasks you perform daily. However, in this case, sleep has even more relevance, since most of the testosterone is produced during this process.

Foods that raise testosterone levels

Earlier we talked about the importance of choosing an appropriate diet to increase testosterone in the body. Here we leave you with a list of foods that are forbidden for such purposes and those that you should boost:

• Avoid sugars: it is proven that after ingesting drinks or foods with a lot of sugar, the levels of this hormone in the body decrease.

• Limit or eliminate alcohol consumption.

• Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables.

• Increase the amount of healthy fats in the diet.

• Consume foods such as eggs, garlic, beef, oysters and broccoli.