It’s no secret that when we get older we don’t produce as much testosterone as we used to. After we pass 30, we produce about 1% less every year[1]. This comes with a lot of disadvantages for men and is a big part of why you don’t feel as spry as you did before your 20s. Of course, it is not the only reason, there is nothing that someone can do to completely stave the time of the father, but that does not stop us from trying.
Testosterone is important for men. Simple. And we’re not just talking about vanity, losing the 6 pack that you didn’t need to work for, or you did, we’re talking about everything, from the mental health of the man, the performance in the workplace.[2] until his erm, stamina at home.
If lethargy and stamina problems were not bad enough, it also makes muscle growth more difficult, which in turn decreases testosterone more, as the increase in muscle mass increases testosterone levels. It also typically causes men to gain weight, which also lowers test levels. It starts to feel like an impossible spiral, where half of what gives a man low testosterone, is to have some testosterone to begin with.
With all that in mind, men often turn to a variety of crazy ways to boost testosterone naturally, or even try to use TRT, before even trying to address their dietary problems, this is especially true for l ‘men who already follow a reasonably healthy life and a paradise. they did not consider simple things that they missed. Just one example is vitamin D3, which almost half of the population of the United States is deficient[3] and can raise testosterone levels dramatically[4] even knock some vitamin D deficient men out of the low testosterone range without needing anything. If this can be achieved with just a small change, like taking a vitamin d supplement, what can be done to boost testosterone naturally when we make sure our diets and supplements are designed to boost testosterone levels?
Vitamin D3
Ok, so we’ve already talked about this, vitamin D3 is incredibly effective, which is why it makes it into most natural testosterone supplements and could be a big part of what really works in them. It seems that most of the supplements that claim to be testosterone boosters reviewed by ourselves contain vitamin D.
Zinc
This is really only if you have zinc deficiency, while it is not the most common deficiency in men with a healthy diet, being low in zinc kills a lot your testosterone production. The supplement significantly raised testosterone in men who did not have enough of the mineral[5]but it did nothing in the men who had enough of the ore. Again, this is common in simple vitamin supplements, often mixed with calcium, vitamin D and magnesium together for a relatively low price and not something you need a dedicated testosterone booster for.
Magnesium
Studies on magnesium supplementation have been really interesting, it has been shown to raise testosterone levels naturally in sedentary and active men. In fact, men with active lifestyles have benefited more from supplemental magnesium[6]. It should be noted, however, that too much magnesium supplementation can be dangerous. The study used 10mg per kilogram of body weight in each of the men on the test. Again, as mentioned above, this can be treated with a simple multivitamin.
B vitamins
B vitamins are widely known for their function in promoting energy levels, and most men who work out regularly or consume energy drinks are probably getting more than enough. But, a couple of the same vitamins are essential for proper hormone production. B2 and B6 have many studies that show that they help the body to regulate normal levels of testosterone, and keep more “free testosterone”. Free testosterone is the amount of testosterone that is not used to balance the levels of the hormone, against the natural estrogen of the man.
Herbal supplements
Herbal supplements are where things are a little under-researched, and we’re starting to enter the realms of “maybe it helps.” This is also where we enter the realms of testosterone boosters with rather dramatic claims, ranging from everything from a miracle cure for erectile dysfunction, to promises of huge gains in lean muscle mass. This is not to say that all herbal supplements do nothing for testosterone production, but it does mean that you have to start taking things with a pinch of salt. Fenugreek extract for example is quite well studied and there seems to be some truth in its impact, as shown in this meta-analysis of multiple studies.[6]. Some other ingredients, however, and we’ve seen claims on everything from longjack to berry extracts, seem to be little more than diuretics (which we have no idea how they help) or just another name to add to a list of a supplement. which claim to stimulate testosterone. There are a couple of supplements that claim to be testosterone boosters that we have seen that focus on the most well-supported vitamins and other ingredients, but the problem is that they are often not the most popular, because they do not have a single one. point of sale, or require men to take incredibly high amounts of pills (18 a day in one case) to actually get the clinically tested doses of each ingredient they include.
Amino acids
This is another area where things tend to get a bit pseudoscientific, as far as we can see there is no internally consistent logic for why testosterone boosters use amino acids, specifically DAA (D-Aspartic Acid) plenty of evidence to suggest. it works as effectively in men as some testosterone supplements claim. It is true that we need some amino acids in our diet for muscle growth and to produce testosterone, but this can be better achieved with a balanced diet. This can be a little more complex for people who follow a restricted diet for moral reasons, i.e. vegans, because not all plant proteins contain a completely balanced amino acid profile. In fact, it’s just her doing it. Otherwise, it is important that they get a mixture of protein sources, peas, brown rice and wheat. Vegetarians have less of a problem as milk and eggs contain all the essential amino acids. While this is typically not a concern for carnivores. This is something to consider if you’re following a restricted diet and want to make sure you’re doing everything you can to maintain healthy testosterone levels, and especially if your testosterone issues are related to gaining lean muscle mass.
Testosterone Supplements
What is particularly interesting is that, like the US research foundation, Center TRT (centertrt.org), they are trying to do trials on which of these actually works in the real world. Who is going to get some real evidence to support or debunk some of the more outlandish claims of testosterone supplements. As it seems that many are just glorified vitamin D pills (more information on the Center TRT Trials).
Is there anything else in my diet that affects my testosterone?
Quite possibly, but there are a few quick myths to dispel, no soy will kill your test levels unless it’s the only thing you eat, in fact most vegans could be worse if they didn’t it doesn’t balance its amino acid profile like we do. mentioned Getting too much of certain minerals and vitamins is possible, but it is incredibly difficult to do. Fats will not kill your testosterone levels. And everything from poor sleep, medications and stress can mess with your production. The main thing most Americans do that kills our testosterone is…..you guessed it eat too much.
The average American is overweight, it’s no secret, and if you fall into this camp, it’s time for tough love. No testosterone boosters, no mineral vitamins, no magic supplement is going to boost testosterone levels more than losing excess fat. And for most people, it’s not that they’re not active enough, it’s simply that they’re consuming too many calories. Considering a healthier diet will be the best thing you can do for your testosterone levels. Of course, work will help. It will help a lot. But it’s not just abs that are made in the kitchen, testosterone is too.
[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2544367/
[2] https://easna.org/EASNA_Research_Archive.html
[3] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21310306/
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154195/
[5] https://www.asep.org/asep/asep/BrillaV2.PDF
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20352370/
[7] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32048383/