Due to a variety of modern-day causes and habits, more and more men are realizing the side effects of having low testosterone levels. Here are a few of the leading causes for this decline, as well as a few ways to correct it.
Being Sedentary
One of the leading causes of low testosterone levels nowadays is living a sedentary lifestyle. Multiple studies have shown that regular anaerobic and strength-training exercises can help maintain healthy testosterone levels.
Many bad habits, such as smoking and drinking, will also contribute to lower testosterone levels. Whether you taper gradually to help you quit smoking or go for a brisk walk every day, becoming less passive is a must.
Taking Anabolic Steroids
On the other end of the spectrum, many men love working out but want that extra push and turn to steroids. While steroids do help you build muscle and lessen fatigue, medium to long-term use of them can quickly and easily shut down your natural testosterone production and cause serious harm.
While steroids may seem like a solution to your workout plateaus, it is best to change your diet or your workout. Not only will you not risk lower or no testosterone levels, but you will also help them instead.,
Being Overweight
Excess fat is another common cause of low testosterone levels, with many overweight and obese men seeing massive improvements in their test levels as they lose weight and exercise more.
Excess fat has also been shown to have a great impact on test levels than aging, and losing weight is one of the ways to get your test levels back up to a regular level again.
Not Getting Enough Sleep
Poor sleeping habits have also been linked to lower testosterone levels. Once again, more research needs to be done, but improving your sleeping habits will not only help your testosterone levels, but also have tremendous positive effects on both your physical and mental health.
Medications
Considering medication can impact your testosterone levels, it is important to consult and expert when taking prescribed medication, especially for a long period. Medication reacts differently to everyone, and therefore, you need to know what it can potentially do to your test levels.
Poor Food Choices
Some foods and drinks have also been shown to lower or limit testosterone production. Alcohol, nuts, and trans fats are some of the biggest culprits, with mint even being shown to lower test production.
Therefore, if you have lower testosterone levels, it is best to cut these foods out until your levels have corrected themselves, and then you can potentially limit your intake of them after the fact.
How to Stabilize Your Testosterone Levels
There is far too much conflicting information about what can and can’t increase your testosterone. However, there are several ways to bring it back to stable levels, all of which can be done naturally.
Lift Weights & Exercise
Firstly, exercise more and begin a strength training routine. As mentioned previously, this has been shown to have great effects on your testosterone levels, and it also helps you lose weight, one of the main causes of lower testosterone.
You also don’t need to become a gym addict to feel the positive effects, as many studies suggest as little as 75-90 minutes of intense exercise a week is enough to not only maintain your testosterone levels, but also raise them back up to natural levels.
Increase Your Protein
Eating healthy is an essential part of maintaining your testosterone levels, and one thing you should be eating more is protein. Not only does protein help you build muscle, but it has also been shown to improve your testosterone levels.
While it doesn’t need to be the main focus of your diet, you should take the steps to increase your daily intake. When combined with a workout regime, you will begin to notice changes almost immediately.
Minimize Stress
Stress causes an increase in cortisol levels, and sudden increased cortisol has been shown to lower your testosterone levels. Both of these hormones are known to work like a see-saw; when one is higher, the other decreases. Therefore, it is important to manage your stress quickly and effectively if you want to maintain your testosterone levels.
Increase Vitamin D Intake
While more research needs to be done, some studies have shown a link between a Vitamin D deficiency and lower testosterone levels. While the research may still be murky, it is still necessary to get sunlight every day, and if this is not possible, a Vitamin D3 supplement is a must.
Avoid Estrogen-Like Chemicals
Finally, many may not know there are plenty of chemicals and additives that have similar effects to estrogen. BPA, parabens, and a few other chemicals that are found in one-use plastics can all have similar effects to estrogen when you over-expose yourself to them.
As you can see, while there are multiple causes for low testosterone, there are also several natural ways to return them back to their normal state. If these methods don’t work for you, it is best to visit a doctor, as you may require a more serious treatment plan, such as TRT.
