7 Foods that can Boost your Testosterone Levels
Author: Subhankar Shankar | May 23rd, 2018
Testosterone is an important hormone for both men and women. Although it is associated mostly with men it is also important for the health of women. The level of testosterone naturally produced by our body declines with age. Also, certain environmental factors affect the levels of testosterone in our body. Certain medicines such as herbicide and statin medications can also start the decline in the hormone production in our body. In men who have low levels of testosterone, it causes hair loss, prostate enlargement and even certain types of cancer. For women, the levels are usually low for almost the better part of their life, The health depends on the balance of estrogen, testosterone, and progesterone. The increased cases of breast cancer in women is mostly due to the imbalance in the hormone levels due to the use of hormone replacement therapy during menopause.
Testosterone is important because it plays a key role in the production of estrogen, helps maintain muscle mass, sperm production, hair growth and also contributes to the libido or the sex drive. There are various symptoms which can show that you are low on testosterone. If you experience low energy, high blood pressure, decreased strength, fatigue, low sexual desire, weaker orgasm and loss of body mass it may indicate that may have low levels of testosterone.
Our body needs various nutrients to produce testosterone. Vitamin D3 and Zinc are the most important nutrients. Both these are available in many food items. Zinc is an important mineral which can boost the levels of testosterone. The deficiencies can cause a wide range of problems as it is associated with a lot of processes in our body. Similarly, Vitamin D is manufactured by our body when our skin is exposed to the sun. Most people have low levels of Vitamin D mostly because of the time they spend indoors. Usage of sunscreen also blocks the absorption of sun rays by our skin. It is important to expose the skin to the sun, however, long hours of exposure is also not good for the body.You can go through the list of the food items which can help with the testosterone levels, for example, see how bananas can affect your testosterone levels and the amount that should be consumed daily.Apart from the doctor`s recommendation, these food items can also help increase the testosterone levels. Let us look at the 7 foods to help increase the testosterone levels
1. Bananas and Pineapple
Both fruits are a great source of the necessary enzymes to produce testosterone. They contain bromelain and also help with the digestion. The enzyme bromelain has shown that it can help maintain the testosterone levels even during the competitive exercise situations. Although you may find various supplements of the bromelain enzyme it is always best to enjoy the whole fruits and all the different nutrients and fiber which come along with it.
2. Brazil nuts
Brazil nut is well known for its help in elevating the testosterone levels in our body. Among all the nuts, only Brazil nut has this feature. It contains high levels of magnesium which is the reason for its effect on testosterone levels. In a study, it was found that people who took magnesium daily had a 26 percent increase in their testosterone levels. The levels of the enzyme differed in men who exercised and those who did not.You just need to consume only a small amount of the nuts daily to meet the required amount of magnesium and selenium levels.
3. Beets
This vegetable is a source of Boron which is another important element in the production of testosterone and especially free testosterone. It is also believed that beets help in the testosterone production through the process of methylation.4. Garlic
It is commonly found and is an important part of the culinary. It contains diallyl disulfide which is a major sulfur-containing compound. It affects the luteinizing hormone. This hormone regulates testosterone production in the testes. In a test done on rats, it was found that testicular testosterone levels were high for the ones who consumed protein diet and a garlic supplement.
5. Cruciferous vegetables
Vegetables such as cauliflower, broccoli, kale and Brussel sprouts and other similar vegetables can help boost the testosterone levels. It was also found that food items which had high levels of indole-3-carbinol mainly found in cruciferous vegetables, increase estradiol excretion by up to 50 percent. This, in turn, helps in boosting the testosterone levels. These vegetables are easily found and can be easily added to any meal.
6. Olive oil
This oil has a high content of monosaturated fat content and is very much valued for its healthy fat. It is also found that men who use this oil daily for more than 3 weeks had a significant increase in their testosterone levels. The olive oil has a good amount of fat ratio which helps with the Testosterone production. The scientists think that another reason could be the fact that the olive oil is anti-inflammatory and has high amounts of antioxidants. It is also known to contain bitter glycoside which is known as a possible testosterone booster. Make sure that you buy the original olive oil and from a trusted brand.
7. Onions
Onions can help increase the testosterone levels. In the tests conducted on animals, it was found that it helped cure the sexual dysfunction and also boosted the testosterone levels. In one of the tests, it was found that 1 gram of onion can boost T-levels by more than 300 percent. Fresh onions contain more nutrients than the powdered or processed materials. The fresh products will preserve all the nutrients and will help spur the production of testosterone.
Last Thoughts
There are several other food items which can also help boost the testosterone levels. You should be aware that both men and women benefit from the fact if they have adequate levels of testosterone in their body. Even though it is primarily known as the male hormone, it plays an important role in women health as well. It is advised that the safest way to boost the testosterone levels is through natural ways. Eat as much food and fruits as you want to help improve your hormone levels and your health.
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Author Bio
Subhankar Sarkar:A Fitness lover and blogger by profession also love to ride bikes in the free times. Staying fit and writing blogs are two things I do best .