We are talking about TESTOSTERONE. It’s a muscle building hormone but don’t stress, I’m not going to insist you start taking anabolic steroids or anything like that!!
What I am going to do is give you a couple of solid tips on how you can send your testosterone levels soaring naturally with supplements.
Tip #1: Get enough zinc
Zinc is a mineral essential in helping with many processes in your body. In fact it helps over 300 enzymes! Zinc helps to produce vital proteins and DNA, helps your immune system and also plays a part with wound healing. You need enough zinc to maintain healthy skin and to keep your ability of taste and smell at optimal level. It’s an antioxidant that can be supplemented to support optimal levels of testosterone because it aids the enzymes that convert cholesterol into testosterone.
The best dietary source of Zinc is oysters however it is also found in red meats, poultry, shellfish and egg yolks. Some plants like beans and nuts can also be a good source of zinc.
How much zinc do we need I hear you ask…well, the daily recommended dose of zinc for men is 11 mg/day (for women it’s 8 mg/day). It is rare to have low zinc levels however when they occur they tend to be in vegetarians/vegans, athletes and people who sweat alot (zinc is lost in sweat!). And, not surprisingly, low zinc levels have been linked to low testosterone levels.
If you are not getting enough zinc purely through your diet you can of course supplement but before you do please consider a few important things:
- Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, never take more than 40mg/day. It is possible to get too much zinc. For most people 5-10 mg/day is enough to prevent deficiency.
- Zinc supplements can also affect certain medications so be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if zinc supplements are safe for you.
- It is best to take zinc supplements are best taken 2-hours away from any medications (if it’s safe to use it while taking those medications) and should always be taken with food.
Tip #2: Get enough vitamin D
Vitamin D, or as some people call it the “sunshine vitamin”, is it not very abundant in foods and most places far from the equator don’t get enough sunlight to produce adequate levels the whole year round.
Hello winter; goodbye sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium from our foods and is also crucial for our immune system, nervous system, AND muscular system. As with zinc if you are lacking in this nutrient you may experience increased testosterone levels after supplementing.
Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly linked with bone conditions such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Vitamin D is found in fatty fish, organ meats and egg yolks and is fat soluble. Unfortunately most other un-fortified foods are not abundant with it.
The bottom line is you may need to supplement in order to increase your levels of vitamin D. I mean’ if you basically live and work outside all day and eat fatty fish daily you probably the exception. Vitamin D is another one of those nutrients where more is not really better so you may want to ask your doctor to check your blood levels to see where you are at.
Here are a few tips to supplement safely and effectively with vitamin D:
- Don’t overdo it and be sure to read the labels. Unless supervised by your doctor never supplement with more than 4,000IU/day.
- As with all supplements you should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any other medications.
- It is recommended that you take it with the largest meal of the day as fat helps your body absorb vitamin D.
- Vitamin D is also found in cod liver oil, and most multivitamins, so you may not need to take it separately (read your labels).
Summary:
If you aren’t getting enough zinc and/or vitamin D every day your testosterone levels may be a bit low. But, don’t overdo these two essential nutrients.
Recipe (vitamin D and zinc): Honey Sesame Salmon
Serves 4
Approx 1kg salmon fillets
¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
¼ cup sesame oil
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons honey
1” of ginger, shredded or finely grated
1 tablespoon coconut oil
2 tablespoons diced green onions or chives
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Mix soy sauce/tamari, sesame oil, lemon juice, honey and ginger together to make a marinade.
Place salmon in a glass dish and cover with marinade. Let sit for a few hours or overnight.
Heat a large cast iron frying pan over medium heat and add coconut oil.
Place salmon in pan skin side down and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour marinade into the pan, lower the heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.
Sprinkle with diced green onions/chives and sesame seeds.
Serve and Enjoy!
Tip: Use wild salmon if you’re able. It can contain up to 4 times the amount of vitamin D as farmed salmon
Enjoy!
Bren “Testosterized” Ryan PN1
Personal Trainer
Weight Loss Coach
References:
https://examine.com/nutrition/how-can-i-increase-testosterone-naturally/
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_elements_tbl-eng.php
http://thewellnessbusinesshub.com/yes-nutrient-deficiencies-heres-proof-can/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/
http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/atReq.do?atid=zinc.mono&lang=eng
https://examine.com/supplements/Zinc/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=183&lang=eng
https://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/
https://authoritynutrition.com/8-ways-to-boost-testosterone/