Testosterone is best known as “that thing that makes guys be guys” – a male sex hormone that governs the fertility and sexual functions, and some say also aggression tendencies, in human males. Aside form that, though it also has a part to play in building muscle mass and maintaining bone health. You can get a better understanding of how testosterone affects men and their lives in this informative article.
Considering all that, it makes sense that having a testosterone deficiency is definitely not a desirable scenario. Thankfully, there are many supplements you can take to fix that situation, and not all of them have to be pills (though pills definitely do wonders for your hormone levels). Sometimes a supplement just means a targeted addition to your diet. Today we are going to take a look at the best natural helpers in raising your testosterone levels.
Extra virgin olive oil
This ancient staple of the Mediterranean culinary art has exhibited the effect of increasing the level of luteinizing hormone, which in turn increases stimulation of the cells in the testes which produce testosterone. There are also some indications that it improves overall male reproductive health and serum testosterone in healthy adults. It is also rich in vitamin E and monosaturated fats, and helps reduce the risks of cancer and heart disease.
Fish oil and fatty fish
Continuing the previous theme with this one, fatty fish meat and fish oil (as a supplement) contain insanely high amounts of the healthy and beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids. We know, fish oil sounds absolutely disgusting even in a blog post, let alone in your actual mouth.
To avoid that nasty fate, eat some kind of seafood twice a week. Omega-3 acids are important allies in bettering your serum testosterone levels. You can find these fatty acids in sardines, salmon, trout, herring, and Atlantic mackerel, to name just a few kinds of fish. Feel free to explore though, aquatic cuisine gives plenty of opportunities to make a healthy meal that is also delicious.
Good old onions
Yep, believe it or not, onions can actually help you boost your testosterone. These intensely smelly little bulbous beauties are known to be packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and they are awesome for your heart. Moreover, in a 2012 comparative rat study, it was found that drinking fresh onion juice every day for four weeks made the serum testosterone levels jump up quite noticeably.
Pomegranates
The pomegranate is a powerful fruit, already well known for its role in reducing stress and its high content of antioxidants that are beneficial to heart health. However, in a study in 2012, they were discovered to have yet another benefit: the increased testosterone levels in both men and women.
Over the course of 14 weeks, a total of sixty participants, all healthy adults, drank pure pomegranate juice each day. Researchers tracked their testosterone levels by testing samples of their saliva three times a day. In both male and female study subjects, the salivatory testosterone levels were found to have increased by an average of 24 percent. There were also improvements in the participants’ blood pressure and overall mood.
Leafy green vegetables
No, sorry, there is really no way to get around having to eat your veggies. One substance that has significant potential to increase your body’s level of production of testosterone is magnesium, and you can find a great abundance of this mineral in leafy greens. At the top of the list of preferences would probably e kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. Try adding a little spinach into your omelet! You get a nutrient + testosterone bomb, and it tastes great too! Even frozen spinach works just fine.
If you are not too big on spinach omelet and kale – well, anything, really – there are a few more foods that are a pretty neat dietary source of magnesium. These include lentils, beans of any kind, whole grains, and nuts and seeds (any kind of nut will do the trick – no pun intended).
Oysters
Now, we might have mentioned oysters under fish oil and fatty fish meat – after all, they all count as sea food. However, these tiny bad boys are in a class of their own.
Fish oil and fatty fish
Continuing the previous theme with this one, fatty fish meat and fish oil (as a supplement) contain insanely high amounts of the healthy and beneficial Omega-3 fatty acids. We know, fish oil sounds absolutely disgusting even in a blog post, let alone in your actual mouth.
To avoid that nasty fate, eat some kind of seafood twice a week. Omega-3 acids are important allies in bettering your serum testosterone levels. You can find these fatty acids in sardines, salmon, trout, herring, and Atlantic mackerel, to name just a few kinds of fish. Feel free to explore though, aquatic cuisine gives plenty of opportunities to make a healthy meal that is also delicious.
Good old onions
Yep, believe it or not, onions can actually help you boost your testosterone. These intensely smelly little bulbous beauties are known to be packed with nutrients and antioxidants, and they are awesome for your heart. Moreover, in a 2012 comparative rat study, it was found that drinking fresh onion juice every day for four weeks made the serum testosterone levels jump up quite noticeably.
Pomegranates
The pomegranate is a powerful fruit, already well known for its role in reducing stress and its high content of antioxidants that are beneficial to heart health. However, in a study in 2012, they were discovered to have yet another benefit: the increased testosterone levels in both men and women.
Over the course of 14 weeks, a total of sixty participants, all healthy adults, drank pure pomegranate juice each day. Researchers tracked their testosterone levels by testing samples of their saliva three times a day. In both male and female study subjects, the salivatory testosterone levels were found to have increased by an average of 24 percent. There were also improvements in the participants’ blood pressure and overall mood.
Leafy green vegetables
No, sorry, there is really no way to get around having to eat your veggies. One substance that has significant potential to increase your body’s level of production of testosterone is magnesium, and you can find a great abundance of this mineral in leafy greens. At the top of the list of preferences would probably e kale, spinach, and Swiss chard. Try adding a little spinach into your omelet! You get a nutrient + testosterone bomb, and it tastes great too! Even frozen spinach works just fine.
If you are not too big on spinach omelet and kale – well, anything, really – there are a few more foods that are a pretty neat dietary source of magnesium. These include lentils, beans of any kind, whole grains, and nuts and seeds (any kind of nut will do the trick – no pun intended).
Oysters
Now, we might have mentioned oysters under fish oil and fatty fish meat – after all, they all count as sea food. However, these tiny bad boys are in a class of their own. Oysters are the single top dog among all the foods anywhere when it comes to the amount of zinc per single serving. You will get more of it from oysters than from actual pharmaceutical zinc paste (never eat that, by the way).
Zinc is essential for reproductive functionality and sperm health. Men (or males of any species) that develop zinc deficiency issues are faced with the problem of hypogonadism. In simple English, this means that the body on the whole will not be able to produce enough testosterone to meet its needs. This in turn may cause delayed sexual maturation in younger men, or outright impotence in any age group.
Besides oysters, other good sources of zinc that you can add onto your plate include any other shellfish, beans, nuts, poultry, and red meat. Take care in putting together your menu, though: zinc and copper obstruct each other’s absorption in the body. Therefore, be careful and ingest foods that have lots of either mineral at least three hours apart. Make an extra effort to pay attention to this if you are taking any other (especially pharmaceutical) zinc or copper supplements.
Ginger
How about we end this guide on a note of spiciness? Ginger is a powerful antioxidant, and lends richness of taste to many dishes. It has been a huge player in both the culinary arenas and medicinal realms for many centuries. Closer to the modern day, there is implicational data which suggests that ginger root may have a role to play in improving male fertility in humans.
In a 2012 study, 75 adult men with fertility issues were taking a ginger supplement every day for three whole months. Their testosterone levels rose by 17.7% and their sperm health also improved.
What do you think?