If you are a man in your 30s, who is employed, leads a sedentary lifestyle, is married, and dines at home frequently, chances are you are fat or overweight. If you drink and you don’t know where the nearest gym is, and you hate any form of exercise, chances are you have a belly, man boobs and you could be failing in delivering fire strokes in the bedroom.
This of course has so many consequences. Besides being cuckolded, chances are you could be losing your morale, and your will to live since you are constantly in a state of worrying lethargy. Too much time on the screens has also messed up our sleeping patterns making a bad situation worse.
Our modern lifestyle has really compromised the battery that drives masculine energy: Testosterone aka the T-hormone. When it is not enough or not balanced in the body, there is a price to pay. Most men try to cheat around when they are low on the T-hormone. An energy drink here. A sex-enhancing drug there. Coffee. Anything that can give us a boost of energy or keep us awake.
However, to restore your body and get back to firing from all cylinders requires one to make drastic adjustments in their dietary habits and lifestyle. It starts with a good diet, then exercising, and getting better and quality sleep.
Today, we start with the foods. Then we will address the other aspects of building a tank of testosterone.
Without further ado, here we go.
- Garlic and ginger- garlic contains a compound, allicin which lowers cortisol(stress hormone)levels, this allows for more testosterone production. Ginger is rich in antioxidant that increases testosterone production.
- Oats- oats are a rich source of B vitamins which boost testosterone. B vitamins especially B6(pyridoxine) boost T levels by suppressing estrogen
- Fenugreek- fenugreek seeds/powder/leaves contain furostanolic saponins which increase T-hormone production. Studies show a dose of 500-600 mg intake daily has a significant increase in the T levels. For anyone with low T a dose of 2-5g a day, is recommended.
- Cruciferous Vegetables – these include cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. These are rich in indoles, anticancer compounds that increase T levels by flushing out excess estrogen.
- Leafy greens – an excellent source of micronutrients including magnesium, a mineral critical for the maintenance of T levels. Magnesium is said to increase T levels by increasing bioactivity in the body by lowering oxidative stress levels.
- Pomegranates – these contain antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress and lower testicular stress levels leading to an increase in T levels. Studies show that a daily intake of pomegranate raised T levels by up to 22%. Did you know pomegranate is actually referred to as natural Viagra?
- Fatty fish –this includes Tuna. These are very good sources of omega-3 fatty acids. This improves testicular health and increases testosterone synthesis.
- Bananas and avocadoes –there’s a common recipe that is termed as men’s best: oats, bananas, and nuts. Bananas pull very much weight in that. The potassium and magnesium in the 2 fruits go a long way in boosting T levels. This happens to keep the blood vessels healthy and to maintain a hard-on, those vessels have to be in good health besides the T levels being optimum. The two power fruits for men also contain other B vitamins essential for the same. Bananas also contain the enzyme bromelain which aids boost T levels. For any man with health conditions like diabetes and kidney disease, don’t overindulge without consulting your nutritionist on the same. Don’t mess with your health pushing for the T.
- Cocoa products-cocoa powder and cacao nibs contain a high level of magnesium, that’s very essential in boosting T levels. These also contain flavonoid antioxidants like quercetin which may increase testosterone synthesis by the Leydig cells of the testes.
- Eggs – these are good sources of healthy fats, proteins, and selenium. Selenium is a mineral that acts as a very potent antioxidant and enhances testosterone production via activation of some pathways.
- Vitamin D-fortified foods and milk-fortification mean the addition of one or more nutrients to a commonly consumed food/drink. Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble Vitamin that acts as a steroid hormone essential for optimum T production. The sun is a good source of vitamin D but the majority of us do not manage to catch enough or any sunshine. So, supplementation with D3 or regular consumption of fortified foods is a better option.
- Beef- the correct cuts and amounts of beef are very very essential for your testosterone levels. Beef is a rich source of zinc and protein, essential for T synthesis, beef liver is a very rich source of vitamin D.
Betty Christine is a nutritionist with the Diabetes Management Medical Centre (DMRC). You can check them out here https://dmrckenya.co.ke/.