For men, testosterone is the ultimate hormone responsible for masculinity. It is a hormone which determines how naturally big and jacked we are, how strong we are, how athletically gifted we are, and how vigorous we are in the bedroom. That’s right, not only does testosterone play an important role in muscle growth, strength, size, and recovery, it also determines how strong our libidos are. As well as what we just looked at, testosterone also plays an important role in countless other aspects of physical fitness and health in general. When men hit 30, it’s all downhill – literally. Testosterone levels peak at around this time and drop further and further with each passing year. To make matters worse, some men are also naturally deficient in this hormone and consequently their health suffers. But, does working out boost testosterone? Also, can you naturally increase testosterone levels without using anabolic steroids? Experts seem to think so. Here are 6 surprising ways to boost your testosterone levels.
Resistance training
We’re asking the question of does working out boost testosterone, and the answer thus far is yes. You see, if you’re looking to naturally increase your overall testosterone levels, experts recommend that you engage in resistance training in the form of weight training. Weight training, which can be a combination of free weight training and machines, has been found to provide a significant increase in testosterone levels after you finish training. Studies found that testosterone levels spiked after finishing a resistance-based workout and that they remained elevated for around 15 minutes after the workout was complete. Gradually they did slowly drop and return back to where they were at before. However, overtime, regular resistance-based exercise has shown great promise when it comes to elevating testosterone levels and keeping them slightly higher than usual. These increases aren’t much, but every little helps.
Avoid endurance exercise on a regular basis
Every now and then, an endurance-based workout could prove beneficial for your stamina, your cardiovascular fitness, and, well, your endurance. However, regular endurance exercise can have an adverse effect on your testosterone levels. You see, when we exercise for too long, our bodies see this as a form of stress. Even though the exercise is good for us, because it is so physically demanding and taxing on our bodies, the brain does see this as a form of stress and consequently a stress hormone known as cortisol is secreted. Cortisol has many negative effects on the body, especially when it comes to testosterone production. Basically, cortisol slows down the production and secretion of testosterone in the body, so we produce less. While we’re on the subject of cortisol, it is also strongly recommended that you avoid stress whenever possible, for the precise same reasons as stated above.
Watch your favourite sports team
Yes, this really is true. According to researchers, watching your favourite sports team play, either in person or on the TV can cause your testosterone levels to naturally increase slightly. On a regular basis, these increases could even potentially be permanent – albeit very small. There is however, a catch. While watching your team play, your adrenalin levels will be elevated, your heartrate will be elevated, and your testosterone levels will increase as a result. However, if your team loses, this can apparently have the opposite effect and can cause your T levels to drop.
Drink a glass of red wine
First off, alcohol consumption is generally not conducive for testosterone. In fact, it’s not conducive for your health and fitness at all. Too much alcohol can cause a dramatic reduction in testosterone production and secretion. However, if you’re a fan of red wine then you’re in luck. Experts have found evidence which does appear to suggest that drinking a glass of red wine on a regular basis could actually help to boost your testosterone levels. You see, red wine contains an active compound known as quercetin. Quercetin helps to block an enzyme which communicates with the kidneys and tells them to secrete testosterone in your urine. So, because of Quercetin, you don’t excrete away your testosterone in your urine, so you retain more of it. Before you get too excited, we are only talking about an average-sized glass of red wine. Too much alcohol will slow your circulation and will have the opposite effect.
Get more sleep
As if you needed yet another excuse to stay in bed for longer, now you have one. You see, studies have found that men that fail to get enough sleep each night are far more likely to suffer from a testosterone deficiency than men that get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night. Sleep deprivation can cause testosterone levels to drop by as much as 10 – 15%. So, instead of staying up late browsing social media on your phone, or watching streaming serial killer documentaries online, instead get your butt to bed and aim to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep each night.
Use natural test boosters
There are now a number of natural testosterone boosting supplements available online that have been found to be effective when it comes to this anabolic androgenic hormone. Supplements such as Tribulus Terrestris, Zinc, Horny Goats Weed (yes, that is its real name) and Iron have all been found to marginally increase your testosterone levels.
So, does working out boost testosterone? You’re darn right it does, though endurance exercise can have the opposite effect, if you lift weights and keep workouts to under one hour, your testosterone levels will increase slightly. Combine this with the examples listed above and you can boost your T levels naturally, without the need for dangerous and illegal drugs and compounds.
