If you’re looking to make some serious gains, testosterone is a hormone that you will want to pay vert close attention to. Testosterone is the dominant male sexual health hormone that is considered to be the king of the androgens. It plays a pivotal role in the growth and development of muscle tissue and is essential for anybody looking to get big and jacked. Testosterone is synthesized naturally via the human body, though as we grow older we tend to find that our testosterone levels drop very drastically.
Whereas once upon a time when we were hormone-fuelled teenagers, our testosterone levels were through the roof. By the time we’re in our forties we find that our T levels have dropped drastically. The good news is that we can naturally increase our testosterone levels, by consuming a wide range of testosterone boosting foods. Testosterone can also be increased via supplementation and exercise, but for today, we’re focussing on testosterone boosting foods. Here’s a look at five types of food you’ll want to be eating on a regular basis if you are looking to boost T levels.
Tuna – First on our list we have tuna. Now, when we say tuna, we’re talking about fresh tuna steaks that you can purchase from any local fishmongers, and not the canned tuna that looks anaemic, which also happens to be very high in mercury. The difference between canned tuna and fresh tuna is like chalk and cheese in terms of taste and health benefits. Fresh tuna, for example, is packed full of vitamin D, which plays a vital role in a person’s overall testosterone production levels. Vitamin D is known as the sunshine vitamin, because exposure to the sun’s rays does allow the human body to naturally synthesize vitamin D, but if it’s winter, or if the weather sucks, vitamin D will instead have to come from dietary sources. Fresh tuna is perfect because it’s also rich in proteins and amino acids, which promote muscle growth and repair.
Honey – Bees are one of nature’s miracle creatures, and if you’re not doing your bit to help save them then you really should be. Bees pollinate flowers and trees, they help to control pests and insects, plus they also make honey. Honey is nature’s sugar, as it provides all of the sweetness, with nothing added, and nothing is taken away. Manuka honey is considered a miracle ingredient because of its amazing healing properties, but for the purpose of today’s article, we’re going to be focussing on regular honey instead. Honey is packed full of natural goodness, including a mineral known as boron. Boron has been found to help strengthen the bones, enhance muscle coordination, promote protein synthesis, and help increase natural production of testosterone. Yep, it turns out that honey is actually a very anabolic ingredient, so ditch the chemical-laden artificial sweeteners and use a spoonful of honey instead. After all, it does help the medicine go down.
Garlic – Garlic is another ingredient which is under-appreciated when it comes to building up the body. Not only does garlic make foods taste amazing, but it also happens to be packed full of vitamins and minerals that strengthen the immune system. For testosterone-boosting purposes however, it’s a compound known as allicin, which we are going to look at today. Allicin is a compound which helps to naturally lower levels of a hormone known as cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone, which we produce and secrete in times of stress. Just for the record, the body classes exercise as stress, so cortisol is produced and secreted during, and after, an intense physical workout. Cortisol suppresses the immune system and also suppresses the natural production of testosterone and also HGH for women. As the allicin in garlic helps to naturally lower cortisol, this helps to keep your testosterone levels nice and stable.
Whole eggs – A lot of bodybuilders tend to discard the yolks of eggs and only eat the whites, and we can’t understand why. Yes, the yolks do contain the fats and the cholesterol, but the fats are healthy and the cholesterol is primarily healthy as well, so the yolk is very nutritious. Eggs contain all essential and non-essential amino acids, and they’re a great source of protein. They also contain vitamin D, healthy cholesterol, and omega-3 fatty acids, which are all essential when it comes to the natural production of testosterone within the body. Ideally, you should go for organic eggs or failing that, free-range. Do not even consider eggs from caged hens as the eggs are tasteless, lacking in nutrients, and not healthy in the slightest. The hens are also kept in poor conditions, which isn’t right for them either.
Oysters – Oysters are considered an aphrodisiac, but do you know why that is? When we think of sexy foods, we imagine chocolate dipped strawberries, glasses of champagne, romantic steak dinners, and rich desserts. An oyster does not look sexy, nor does it have a particularly appetizing texture, so what gives? Well, the reason they are aphrodisiacs is because they boost testosterone levels, and therefore increase the libido. Oysters are packed full of proteins, and minerals, especially zinc. Zinc is a mineral that plays an essential role in the production of testosterone in the human body. The more zinc we have, the more testosterone we can produce, and so the greater our libido becomes. As an added bonus, oysters are also a great source of protein, and are low in calories, so it’s no wonder why they are considered one of the best testosterone boosting foods ever discovered.
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