Testosterone is one of the human body’s most important hormones, and in men, it is crucial for maintaining both physical and mental health. Low testosterone levels are often related to a number of health issues, including weight gain, muscle loss, and reduced libido. It also helps regulate mood in men, and low testosterone levels can often cause irritability, anxiety, and depression.
By tackling three key areas of their lifestyle, men can have a positive effect on their testosterone levels and change their health, mood, and sex life. If you have reduced testosterone, or you want to begin some positive habits to help you maintain your existing testosterone levels, you need to know more about diet, exercise, stress, and the effects they have on this crucial hormone.
Boosting Testosterone Levels Through Diet
Making some small changes to your diet can have a big impact on your body’s testosterone levels. Consuming a diet comprised of ‘whole foods’ that are not processed is the first step to make. These often contain preservatives and additives that can inhibit your body’s natural hormonal production processes. Increasing the amount of protein on your plate can also help you increase the level of testosterone in your body.
Healthy fats are crucial for testosterone production. Fat has gotten a bad rap over the years, but like anything, ‘it isn’t what you do, it’s the way that you do it’. Avocado oil, olive oil, omega-3 fish oils, and grass-fed butter are all healthy fats that can promote testosterone production whereas soy oils and trans fats can inhibit the body’s natural testosterone-producing processes. ‘Low-T’ can affect your mood and your body, including reducing your libido. For more information and guidance, Great Green Wall looks into testosterone, its effects on male libido, and how you can use supplements to help boost your testosterone levels.
Tackling Testosterone on the Track
Regular physical exercise and weightlifting can help men boost their testosterone levels, even if they have gotten older. As men age, testosterone levels naturally decrease, but through exercise and changes in diet, this effect can not only be reduced, but it can also be turned around completely and testosterone levels can increase.
Weightlifting has been shown to give men a boost in their natural testosterone production, and consistent weightlifting sessions allow them to maintain them. Adding some weightlifting reps into your exercise regime can be very beneficial to your physical and mental health, and increased testosterone levels are a part of that.
Testosterone Levels and Stress Levels
Cortisol is a hormone associated with stress, and long-term stress levels can inhibit testosterone production in men. By managing your stress, you can manage your testosterone level. This can be done through therapy, lifestyle changes, or by stress management techniques like meditation, yoga, and other forms of self-care. High cortisol levels also contribute to other health problems like high blood pressure, sleep deprivation, as well as anxiety and depression. Stress is also a well-known killer of men in middle age and older, often contributing to heart attacks and other life-threatening cardiovascular issues. By managing your stress, you are helping to ensure you enjoy a longer, healthier, and happier life.
By making positive changes to your lifestyle in these three areas, you can maintain your testosterone levels and even boost them. This will result in changes to your mood, energy levels, and the gains you make at the gym. Make changes to your diet, supplement where necessary, and persevere with regular exercise, and you will see the difference they can make in your life as you get older. Don’t let your testosterone levels diminish over time; build them up again with these three lifestyle changes.
Read More:
How is menopause affecting the skin?
