I am looking to boost my testosterone level in a safe manner by just eating the right foods to do so and not take supplements. What foods help boost testosterone in a man?
Is there reason to suspect that you have lower-than-normal testosterone levels? If so, do you weight train? Heavy resistance training has been shown to raise testosterone levels in men independent of diet. The acute (exercise-induced) and chronic (resting) anabolic response, however, will be unique to the structure of the exercise program (e.g., intensity, volume, duration, rest periods, muscle mass involvement) and individual characteristics (e.g., age, health, fitness level). Assuming that a properly designed weight training program is in place, there are a few things that you can do nutritionally to ensure that the hormonal response is maximized.
Eat enough. If calories are insufficient you risk lowering your testosterone levels.
Eat a moderately high-fat diet. Approximately 30% of total calories should come from fat with an equal proportion of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. Reducing dietary fat intake has consistently been shown to lower circulating androgen levels. In addition to insufficient fat intake, excessive protein may also compromise the anabolic hormonal environment.
Ironically, protein is not the most anabolic macronutrient. One study found a low-protein diet (10% of total energy) was associated with higher levels of testosterone compared with a diet higher in protein (44% of total energy). Another found that replacing dietary carbohydrate with protein actually decreased testosterone concentrations. That being said, protein is still very important.
Eat meat. Approximately 15% of your calories should come from protein with the bulk coming from animal sources. Cutting back on animal protein (or eliminating it altogether) is a surefire way to get your testosterone levels to plummet. While a rich protein source, animal flesh is also high in saturated fat which promotes anabolism. Vegetarians consume less total fat, less saturated fat, and have a higher polyunsaturated/saturated fat ratio compared with omnivores. As a result, vegetarians exhibit lower concentrations of testosterone.
Consume a pre- and/or post-workout shake with protein and carbohydrate. Doing so can drastically alter the metabolic and hormonal responses to heavy-resistance exercise.
Get plenty of sleep. Disturbances in sleep and light/dark cycles can decrease testosterone by almost 50%.
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