What kind of diet lowers your testosterone levels?
Simple dietary habits such as eating a lot of sugar or High-GI foods, restricting fat, not eating meat or not getting enough Magnesium, Zinc or Vitamin D can lower your testosterone and make you fat.

What kind of health issues are related to low levels of Testosterone?
Men with low testosterone have a greater incidence of the following health problems:

• Type 2 diabetes
• Infertility and poor reproductive health
• More belly fat and a higher % of all over body fat
• Less muscle mass
• Less muscle growth from strength training
• Poorer athletic performance
• Slower recovery from intense training
• Greater risk of prostate cancer

There are many interconnected reasons for low  testosterone such as exposure to chemical estrogens, lack of nutrients in our food, diets that don’t provide the building blocks for the body to make testosterone, and  a lack of physical activity in general.

How to Boost Testosterone Levels
Vitamin D
Men who are deficient in Vitamin D have much lower free testosterone and higher levels of estrogen (important sex hormones for females). They also have more body fat, less lean mass, greater chance of depression, higher rates of cardiovascular disease and poorer fertility than men with higher Vitamin D levels. Men with adequate vitamin D also have the leanest body composition, higher free testosterone and better overall health.

Supplementing with Vitamin D
Supplement with Vitamin D (Dosage of 3-5 caps) as it supports  testosterone production as there are Vitamin D receptors on the cells in the glands that release testosterone. Vitamin D is also thought to inhibit a process called aromatization in which testosterone is changed into estrogen in men.

Zinc
Research shows that having adequate Zinc available in the body allows for a more robust release of testosterone and the related anabolic hormones such as growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1.
Lack of zinc has been linked to infertility in both sexes and increases  your cancer risk significantly.

Supplementing with Zinc
If you have low zinc, take a high-quality zinc supplement (Dosage of  1-2 caps with food) that is not cut with calcium, as this will impair absorption. You can also find Zinc from your meat intake, but don’t rely on vegetables/grains as they contain compounds called Phytates that make the Zinc unavailable to the body. Zinc, if taken for long periods of time, can be toxic so always consult with a professional before long-term consumption.

Magnesium
Getting enough Magnesium will help you raise testosterone and build muscle as Magnesium improves the body’s antioxidant capacity as well as decreasing inflammation, which then allows for a robust release of testosterone and IGF-1.
Maintaining adequate Magnesium is necessary to maintain hormonal balance and for keeping you lean.

Supplementing with Magnesium
We recommend a supplementary dosage(Dosage of 500 mg a day) of a high-quality Magnesium bound with taurate, ororate, glycinate, or fumarate to support hormone levels and athletic performance.
Dietary and high-quality Magnesium supplements in moderate doses do not pose a health risk, however, very large doses of magnesium-containing laxatives have been linked to toxicity.

Sleep
Most coaches and trainees know that getting adequate sleep is necessary for growth hormone production and recovery from training, but it’s just as important for testosterone release. Studies have shown that just one night of short sleep will alter testosterone release, leading to lower testosterone in the morning.

Sleeping Routine
Plan your sleep schedule so that you go to bed at the same time every night and stay on your schedule in so far as possible at the weekend too. You should be aiming for at least 8 hours per night of good solid sleep.

Sugar and Grains – Managing Your Glycemic Index
Testosterone production is temporarily reduced by having a blood sugar spike, and low testosterone is pretty much a given if you suffer from diabetes.

A new study found that men who had normal insulin health had a 25% decrease in testosterone after ingesting a drink containing sugar. Testosterone remained low for 2 hours, and nearly 80% of the men had their testosterone drop to levels that would be considered ‘clinical testosterone deficiency’. This study tested a one-time spike in blood sugar, but if your blood sugar is elevated over and over again, the entire hormonal balance will be thrown off and you will suffer from chronically low testosterone.

The Solution
The solution is to eat for optimal testosterone by managing your blood sugar response to food. This means that you should avoid foods that are quickly digested and lead your blood sugar to increase rapidly such as glucose and other sugars, but also many grains and all refined/processed foods should be eliminated from your diet.
Eat high-quality protein, healthy fats, and low-glycemic carbohydrates like vegetables and low-sugar fruits. If you do eat foods that elevate blood sugar, pair them with foods that help moderate insulin and glucose such as berries and nuts which aid in lowering the glycemic response to high-carb foods.

For more information about how to boost your testosterone levels, speak to our team in confidence now on 01 853 4091 or email info@theedgegym.ie