Fellas, it’s no secret, testosterone levels are on the drop. In fact, testosterone in men has dropped rapidly over the last 50 years. This is due to many factors such as nutrition, alcohol consumption, smoking and other lifestyle factors, however you CAN do something about it. Now some things are a little out of our control but many things are and can be changed in order to optimise your bodies natural testosterone production.
Before we get to the 5 testosterone boosters (there are plenty more but step change and all that) let’s look at the benefits to having optimised testosterone levels:
- Reduced body fat
- Easier to build lean muscle
- Greater bone density
- More energy
- Improved concentration and memory
- Healthy sex drive
- Increased strength
- Better mood
- More confidence
Need I go on? Pretty awesome things right? As you can imagine, low testosterone levels can resort in quite the opposite of the above and as someone who suffered from low testosterone due to poor lifestyle choices I know just how frustrating it is. Look out for the video series I’m doing on how I turned low testosterone on its head. In the mean time though, let’s look at 5 things you can start doing immediately to have a positive effect on your bodies natural testosterone production.
1) Lift weights
Lifting weights a few times a week is a great way to boost testosterone levels, and whilst the boost is temporary, lifting weight has so many other amazing benefits it would be a real shame not to get a few weight training sessions in a week. Benefits include:
- Builds/maintains muscle mass
- Builds bone density
- Enhances endocrine (hormone secretion) and immune function
- Relieves stress
- Boosts confidence
2) Don’t over train
Whilst lifting weights has its benefits I don’t want you to get carried away with it and train too much as there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. As great as training is, it does elevate cortisol which is your stress hormone. In small doses this is healthy, however training excessively and not allowing enough time to recover will result in increased cortisol levels and inflammation, having a negative impact on your body’s testosterone production and potentially leading to muscle loss too. Not good. A good guide to follow is training progress, if you are getting stronger, building muscle and highly energised then chances are things are in order, if it’s quite the opposite, maybe its time to assess your recovery strategy.
3) Get more sleep
I say it all the time to clients, on our podcast, at our seminars and on social media all the time that SLEEP IS THE MAC DADDY OF HEALTH AND FAT LOSS but most of the time no one listens which is a big mistake. So much good happens when you sleep and your hormones will love you for it. A numbers of our clients have had amazing results just by prioritising sleep. Whilst I understand a good night’s sleep is not always within our control, we can certainly give it our best shot. Switching off from phones and computers by 8pm, reading a book, having a relaxing bath and dimming the lights for example, are all great ways to prepare the body for a better night’s sleep. Need to work at night? Download F Lux for your laptop or mac and use the night shift on an iPhone. Both of these block blue lights which stimulate the brain to say it’s not time for sleepy time yet. Consistently not getting enough sleep will be detrimental to testosterone production. I know because I’ve been there. 7-8 hours undisturbed sleep is a good amount to aim for. The earlier you get to bed before 10pm, the better. This was a game changer for me.
4) Get some sun
Not the easiest thing to achieve in the UK however it doesn’t need to be a scorching hot day for your body to reap the benefits. Exposing your skin to sunlight can help increase Vitamin D levels and men with adequate Vitamin D levels tend to have higher testosterone levels and are leaner, stronger and healthier than those who are deficient. Now, go and book that holiday, your hormones will be very grateful.
5) Reduce sugar consumption
We are firm believers in striking a healthy balance with your nutrition which of course includes the odd treat HOWEVER let’s not go crazy with the stuff. Testosterone levels temporarily reduce after consuming a highly processed carbohydrate which is fine occassionally, but if you over do it then this will have a lasting impact on your body’s testosterone levels. Prioritise good quality protein and fat and be smart with your carbohydrate choices with the odd treat here and there. Unless of course it’s ice cream, that’s allowed all the time 😉
As mentioned earlier, there are plenty more things you can do to optimise your body’s natural testosterone production but we don’t like to overload people with information and potentially overwhelm them. This is a great place to start.
A huge part of what I’ll be covering at our Optimal Body Workshop this September 3rd in Tunbridge Wells is about optimising hormone production to get the very most from your training and thrive as much as possible every day. Be sure to check it our for an action packed day of learning, lifting and laughing. Check it out here.
Matt
