Dropping testosterone levels is a natural occurrence. Here are some important DO’s and DON’Ts to follow for improved health and to keep your testosterone levels from plummeting.
When we think about testosterone, we think of muscle-bound, balding guys who look like the ‘Marlboro Man.’ However, both men and women have testosterone! The hormone testosterone is created by the human body. It is critical to consider your testosterone level when it comes to your health and fitness.
What exactly is testosterone?
The male sex hormone is testosterone. But, for a moment, let’s go a little more technical and go into the definition of testosterone. “Androgens are a class of steroids that have both male and female anabolic (growth) and/or masculinizing effects.” In humans, testosterone is the most significant androgen! What is the reason behind this? Because it’s in charge of libido, immunological function, energy, bone health, and muscular growth.
What is the purpose of testosterone?
Males need testosterone to create sperm for reproduction. In females, testosterone helps to produce hormones that are vital in the menstrual cycle and adds to a woman’s sex desire. A man’s fat distribution, bone density, and muscle strength can all be affected by testosterone.
Low testosterone signs and symptoms
The implications of producing less testosterone than the body requires are severe. Low testosterone levels can lead to a variety of problems, including:
- Lack of energy, weariness, and lethargy — a “mojo” loss
- Impaired capacity to recuperate from exercise in a timely manner
- Make you more vulnerable to harm
- Muscle and bone density loss, as well as loss of lean body mass
When you see this list of ways that low testosterone levels might harm your health, it might be a little daunting. As a result, managing testosterone levels with the correct lifestyle, eating, and exercise habits is critical to your overall health.
Your testosterone levels may be deliberately reduced as a result of your lifestyle choices. Let’s look at some of the factors that might cause testosterone to drop, as well as some preventative actions you can take to ensure your testosterone levels remain stable for overall health.
These are the DO’s and DON’Ts of testosterone maintenance:
DON’T consume foods that are heavy in saturated fat and sugar.
If you want to keep your testosterone levels up, avoid foods high in saturated fat and sugar. Aside from the negative implications of raising your bad cholesterol, these meals induce weight gain and can lower your testosterone. This includes meals from a restaurant! Take-out food has higher saturated fat than a typical home-cooked dinner. “Frequent restaurant meal customers have greater calories, saturated fat, and salt intakes, but lower intakes of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fiber, and various micronutrients,” according to a research.
Eat a balanced diet.
The foods you eat have a significant impact on your overall health, including your hormone levels. Maintain a healthy diet to boost testosterone levels.
Here are a few dietary suggestions to help you maintain your testosterone levels:
- Make a point of getting enough protein in your diet: this will help you maintain your testosterone levels.
- Consume healthy fats (unsaturated fats) to help maintain testosterone levels.
- Consume dark green vegetables:
Low testosterone levels have been linked to a poor diet of dark green vegetables. Dark green vegetables are a must-have for healthy testosterone levels.
Maintain a well-balanced diet to keep your testosterone levels in check!
DON’T DRINK TOO MUCH ALCOHOLIC LIQUID.
Increased testosterone levels are linked to excessive alcohol use and chronic alcohol misuse. So, if you love indulging every now and again, that’s ok. However, keep in mind that limiting your alcohol use will help you maintain your testosterone levels in the long run. Alcohol can raise cortisol levels, your stress hormone, which has been linked to a reduction in testosterone production.
Begin to say “no” to alcoholic beverages.
Even better than restricting alcohol consumption, try saying no! Or, to put it another way, say no more often than yes. Large, continuous use of alcohol, on the other hand, can stifle muscular development, as well as throw off the balance of your hormone ratios and disrupt your sleeping habits.
Consider it like the domino effect: one thing not regulated causes another crucial series of processes to be disrupted, which in turn causes still another series of processes to be disrupted, resulting in increasing levels of low testosterone.
Don’t overdo it with the booze; keep your testosterone levels safe by getting enough sleep and keeping correct hormone ratios.
DON’T go to bed too early or too late.
Do you have a lot of parties? Staying up for the majority of the night, especially if it happens frequently, is a straight path to elevated cortisol, which has been related to lower testosterone levels. In a word, not getting enough sleep is hazardous for your testosterone levels.
We’re not only talking about those late nights out, dancing, or meeting up with pals when you can’t sleep because you’re worried about something vital. Even if you’re having a wonderful time (partying or conversing), keep in mind that lack of sleep, for whatever cause, raises cortisol levels, which lower testosterone!
DO get enough sleep on a regular basis.
So, if you want to achieve ideal testosterone levels, you may still go out, but return home and relax so that your body’s cortisol-testosterone ratio is balanced, and you aren’t losing sleep on a daily basis. Also, keep an eye out for sleeping too much: excessive sleep might be linked to health problems and other variables that may be treated.
Most individuals (aged 18 to 64) need between seven and nine hours of sleep every night to remain healthy. On a fundamental level, sleeping too much is unhealthy, while sleeping too little is stressful on the body. To keep your testosterone levels in check, make sure you receive adequate rest every day in the form of sleep.
DO NOT STOP WORKING OUT
What happens if you quit exercising? You gain weight, and your sleeping and eating habits are disrupted, all of which have bad consequences on a holistic level. We already know that lack of exercise and poor sleep have a negative impact on testosterone levels, but now you can add “no exercise” to the list.
Continue to exercise.
“Exercise will enhance testosterone, however different forms of exercise enhance testosterone more than others,” says Richard Jadick, D.O., a Piedmont urologist.
Weightlifting and High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), for example, have been shown to be more effective than others. Basically, exercise can increase testosterone levels because it encourages muscle growth.
This is for you if you exclusively perform long steady-state cardio sessions. At least 2-3 times each week, including weight training in your routine. Not only will this lower your chance of injury, but it will also help you maintain your testosterone levels.
When it comes to most things, balance is vital, and this is also true when it comes to keeping a healthy testosterone level. Download our free guide, Training Hacks for Beginners, if you’re just getting started and want to learn more about achieving the right balance in fitness.
DON’T BE STRESSED
Stressful experiences were linked to irregular testosterone levels in males, according to one study. Cortisol is a stress hormone that causes testosterone levels to drop.
We are fortunate to live in a period where we can take a test to check if we are genetically suited to handle stress. For individuals looking to improve their fitness and nutrition, this can give a straightforward, personalized, and easy-to-follow strategy.
DO keep a stress diary.
One strategy to boost testosterone is to use various stress management approaches. Mindfulness practices, including kinds of meditation, are beneficial on a holistic level.
So, relax a little and then check your testosterone levels!
Resistance training and meditation can be related because some people utilize their resistance training sessions as a type of meditation.
If you’d want to combine meditation and vigorous movement into one session, yoga might be a terrific way to do it.
Reduce the number of stressful circumstances that occur in your life on a regular basis.
It’s all about the mind-body connection!
Taking a DNA test, which explores your specific predispositions for specific foods and exercise, can provide a straightforward, tailored, and easy-to-follow strategy for people looking to enhance their fitness and nutrition.
Get health fit, our most complete, tailored wellness plan, which includes insights into your stress tolerance and sleep quality.