As we know
that testosterone is a very common term in the fitness world and more and more
natural supplements appear that promise to raise the levels of this hormone, we
have decided to answer some questions. Can you increase testosterone naturally?
The answer is yes. Below we explain how, but first ...
What is testosterone?
Testosterone
is a sex steroid hormone of the androgen group, it is produced mainly in the
testicles. It is the main male sex hormone and also an anabolic steroid.
What do we get by increasing testosterone levels?
- Increased strength and muscle mass
- Desire for power, competitiveness
- Improvement of sexual desire
- Strengthen the bones
Now, let's
get to the point, how do I get that increase in testosterone in a natural and
healthy way?
Exercising
and lifting the weight
1. Lifting Weights
Exercise not
only helps us promote an increase in testosterone, but it is also one of the
most effective ways to prevent many diseases related to a negative and insane
lifestyle.
A large
review study found that people who exercised regularly had testosterone levels
higher than the average population of the country in which this study was
conducted. In the case of the elderly, exercise also contributes to a positive
increase in testosterone levels, fitness and reaction time.
A new
investigation whose objective was to observe if there was an elevation in
testosterone levels in men suffering from obesity, found that the increase in
physical activity is even more beneficial than a diet to lose weight (in
relation to the increase in levels of testosterone) In turn, we have to keep in mind that, as a
general rule, if your body fat percentage is high, you will produce less
testosterone. Therefore, if you want to increase the levels of this hormone, it
is advisable to decrease the percentage of fat by at least 12-14%.
Resistance
training, such as weightlifting, is the best type of exercise to increase
testosterone in the short term and in a lasting way.
2. HIIT routines
High-intensity
interval training (HIIT) is also a very effective way to increase testosterone
production. Later we will comment on what this type of training is based on.
When
training with high-intensity intervals or HIIT, we have to keep in mind that
rest days become even more fundamental for our recovery. So we have to be
especially careful with overtraining because when we train more than our body
can withstand, it can get into a catabolic state, increase our cortisol levels
and decrease testosterone levels.
3. Food
Feeding
probably has the greatest impact on testosterone and other hormone levels.
Therefore,
we must pay attention to our calorie intake throughout the day and maintain a
healthy strategy with our diet.
Eating
enough protein can help keep these levels healthy and also contributes to fat
loss, which is directly associated with our testosterone levels.
Carbohydrate
intake also plays an important role, as many studies have shown that
carbohydrates can help optimize testosterone levels during resistance training.
Instead, low carbohydrate intake will cause an increase in cortisol levels
during training, and as a consequence, causing a decrease in testosterone
levels.
Regarding
the intake of healthy fats, such as omega 3, numerous research shows that
enough healthy fats are also beneficial for maintaining optimal testosterone
levels and for our overall health.
The best is
a diet based mainly on whole foods, with a healthy balance of fats, proteins,
and carbohydrates. This can optimize both hormonal levels and long-term health.
Drinking
caffeine can increase your levels even more when combined with a training
program.
4. Stress and cortisol
Researchers
of this hormone are always warning about the dangers of long-term stress, which
can raise cortisol hormone levels. Unnatural elevations in cortisol can quickly
reduce the testosterone present in our body. These hormones work similarly to a
seesaw: as one goes up, the other goes down.
So, both for
optimal health, and for hormonal levels, we must try to reduce repetitive
stressful situations in our lives. Concentrate on a diet based on whole foods,
regular exercise, good sleep, laughter, and a balanced lifestyle. All of this
can reduce stress and improve our health and testosterone levels.
5. Sleep
Many people
are not aware of the great importance of sleep, not only for our health but
also to maintain an optimal hormonal level.
We should know that:
· Most of the testosterone is produced in
the REM phase of our sleep, that is, during deep sleep.
· Muscle regenerates and rebuilds while we
are sleeping.
Not
complying with a schedule of about 8 hours of sleep per night, also influences
negatively, increasing cortisol levels, our great enemy when it comes to
increasing testosterone, few hours of sleep is one of the main causes for which
increase our cortisol levels.
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