Recent research is changing the way doctors and patients view testosterone supplementation. Testosterone is beginning to be viewed as the fountain of youth, because this hormone can increase muscle size, reduce body fat, increase bone density and promote libido. After age 30, your testosterone will decrease by about 1 percent per year, according to the Mayo Clinic website. For some men, it may drop even faster due to various physical or environmental conditions. The good news is that there are natural ways to improve your testosterone levels.
Exercise
When you age, you also lose muscle and gain fat, if all other factors in your lifestyle remain the same. Regular exercise is a key component to good health. The reduction in body fat, increase in lean muscle tissue and overall positive body image will help you feel more confident, resulting in an increased libido, according to the Mayo clinic site. The Tim in Vermont website states that the bulk of your workout should involve multi-muscle strength-training exercises, such as squats, bench presses and dumbell rows. The site claims that these exercises increase testosterone more than doing typical small, specific muscle group exercises such as biceps curls or triceps presses. Regular cardiovascular exercise improves overall circulation throughout, requiring your body to increase various hormone levels as needed to make necessary modifications needed for improvement.
Natural Supplements
Various natural supplements can also help you increase your testosterone levels. DHEA is a building block for testosterone levels, and if your DHEA levels are low, taking this supplement may increase your testosterone, according to the Life Extension website. There are various herbs that have also shown promise, including ginkgo, ginseng and yohimbe root. Vitamins and minerals such as zinc, vitamin E and folic acid, according to the Mayo Clinic, can help improve your sex life by improving testosterone levels.
Foods
Certain foods that you eat contain various nutrients that may increase your testosterone levels. According to the Libido Increasing Food website, foods such as asparagus, which is rich in vitamin E, tend to increase testosterone. Almonds also have a moderate amount of vitamin E and appear to be beneficial in this regard. Eggs have some B vitamins in them, which are beneficial, and brown rice contains a healthy amount of zinc, which promotes testosterone production.
Sleep
A lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your body, and a decrease in testosterone is just one of the many problems that you may experience when you are not getting enough rest. The Mayo Clinic recommends seven to eight hours of sleep per day to properly give your body time to recuperate and properly adjust your hormone levels. Since testosterone is just one of the many hormones your body produces, and since many of your hormones work in tandem, imbalances within the system can lead to a negative impact on your testosterone levels.
References
- Tim in Vermont: 13 Ways to Naturally Increase Your Testosterone Levels
- Mayo Clinic: Testosterone therapy: Key to male vitality?
- Libido Increasing Food: Foods That increase Testosterone, libido and sex drive
- Mayo Clinic: Erectile dysfunction herbs: A natural treatment for ED?
- Life Extension: Anti-Aging Supplements
