The hormone imbalance can also cause harmful effects in men’s bodies without them knowing. Testosterone is the hormone indispensable for men’s growth and development. Here are five things reducing your testosterone levels.
- Chemicals
As industrial chemistry advances, so is the use of chemical products. Thus no one can dispute its role in increasing crop production. Further, home sanitizing has also seen an uptake in home-cleaning detergents.
Yet these products, as well as their containers, pose a grave danger to your testosterone. Most plastic containers are made of BPA extracts.
But these chemicals reduce your body’s ability to secrete testosterone.
The chemicals also contribute to the secretion of estrogen. Large amounts of estrogen prevent testosterone from taking root. They also contribute to breast and prostate cancer.
Other chemical components contain polyethylene. This chemical compound is available in reusable plastic bottles. Again, they are present in clear cans and food cans.
The chemical is used in SPF blocking lotions, sunscreen creams, skin medical cosmetics, and shaving creams. Home pesticides and air fresheners also have these elements.
As stated by Hone Health, there are certain chemicals known as endocrine disruptors that can be found in various household items such as plastic bottles, furniture, and food containers. These chemicals, whether naturally occurring or man-made, have the potential to imitate or interfere with the body’s hormones, including testosterone. It is important to be mindful of these substances as they can influence hormone levels.
You acknowledge that these harmful chemicals are in your home. Hence you should recognize their harmful effects on your testosterone production.
- xStress
Stress is a common feature in our modern-day lives. After all, we live under pressure. Thus it’s normal to be anxious in your workplace as well as home.
But too much stress is bad. Your body tries to control it by releasing a calming hormone. Cortisol can reduce the harmfulness of stress. But it also creates yet other complications.
Cortisol increases estrogen in the body. This anti-testosterone enzyme prevents testosterone from multiplying. As such, it reduces the available quantity of the essential hormone.
Lack of adequate sleep is a significant contributor to stress. Fewer hours of uninterrupted sleep leaves you tense as your body is not rested enough.
It’s when you sleep that your body repairs damaged tissues. So when you rest for eight straight hours, you feel more invigorated. Sleep also facilitates the production of testosterone.
But lack of sleep increase estrogen levels, which in turn can cause cancers. Breast and prostate cancers thrive due to a shortage of testosterone.
Several studies published in the Medical Library of Medicine have revealed that stress can significantly impact testosterone production in men, particularly when stress is intense and unresolved. These research findings consistently indicate that lower levels of stress can result in increased testosterone levels up to a certain threshold, indicating a positive association. Conversely, high levels of stress have been associated with reduced testosterone levels.
- Belly fat
Did you know that belly fat harbors a serious health risk? Well, there are two broad forms of belly fat. They are differentiated by where they settle.
About 90% of belly facts reside beneath your skin. But it’s the remaining 10% that is the problem. They are found inside your abdomen, nestled between body organs.
The first category is subcutaneous fat, while the second is known as visceral fat. Visceral fats are active in your body. It even helps to secrete hormones and molecules.
Testosterone is essential in helping to distribute body fat well. But visceral fats interfere with the secretion of this hormone. So, even small quantities of visceral fat become problematic.
The relationship between the two remains unclear. It’s not known whether visceral fat prevents testosterone churning. Or if it helps make more estradiol in men, which curtails testosterone levels.
Either way, belly fats result in the harmful effects due to low testosterone. Your body grows resistant to insulin and more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases.
- Food
Food is a paradox in your testosterone regulation. You may assume that all food enhance your testosterone levels. But certain foods kill your testosterone.
Inorganic foods continue to increase in proportion. They look appealing and delicious, but they are harmful to your testosterone health.
The inorganic food production process adds many artificial byproducts. These synthetic additives convert natural food compounds. Further, they alter how our bodies biosynthesize them.
Even organic food may deplete your primary sex hormone if you eat them wrongly. Eggs are good for testosterone production.
But you may shun them because they increase cholesterol. When you cut cholesterol, you also eliminate testosterone.
Likewise, you may cut on high carb vegetables to avoid body fat. Hence you could cut potatoes and spinach from your diet. But this action kills your testosterone.
Soy food, including soy milk, fermented soy extracts, and soy cheese, increases estrogen production.
When estrogen quantities surge, it eliminates testosterone in your system. This effectively starves you of this essential protein.
According to Legacy | Sperm Testing blog, diet and testosterone levels are interconnected. Your food choices can either decrease or increase testosterone levels. A recent 2021 study discovered that men who followed a pro-inflammatory diet rich in refined carbohydrates and saturated fats had lower total testosterone levels compared to those with less inflammatory diets. Moreover, individuals with the highest intake of pro-inflammatory foods had a 29.6% higher chance of experiencing testosterone deficiency than those with diets low in inflammation. These findings underscore the significance of adopting a balanced and anti-inflammatory diet to maintain optimal testosterone levels.
- Triclosan
This abrasive industrial compound is a known testosterone killer. It’s so harmful that the EU banned products containing this chemical in 2010.
It has since also been banned by the FDA in the US beginning 2016.
Triclosan is a crucial compound in the production of antibacterial soaps. But it doesn’t even kill more bacteria faster.
Instead, it helps the existing bacteria to become more resistant to antibacterial treatments.
Further, studies have discovered that extensive use of products with triclosan is dangerous. It has brought about new strands of bacteria.
But the compound is also present in shampoos, skin cleaning kits, and brake fluids. They are also used in the manufacture of children’s toys.
And since children chew their toys, it could hinder testosterone’s proper secretion later.
Your skin and oral mucosa absorb triclosan extracts. Once ingested, this chemical decreases the biosynthesis of testosterone. Thus prevent your body from making more testosterone.
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- Mint
The powerful stomach-soothing herb is good for relaxation and mood improvement. But it has been found to diminish testosterone levels.
Spearmint and peppermint are two herbs that lower testosterone. Scientific studies suggest the same.
A month’s study of the effects of drinking spearmint herbal tea by 42 women found a marked decline in testosterone levels. Similar studies in rats for three weeks also confirmed a decline in testosterone quantities and a distortion of hormone levels.
It’s not clear how this mint works. But the anti-androgen effects of this spice help to reduce testosterone production. Test indicate that up to a third of the free T cells usually available for sex enhancement gets wiped by the herb.
Still, taking more than two cups of peppermint tea could also hurt sexual health primarily by lowering your sexual urge.
Peppermint could help with its blood-thinning properties, but suppresses T cell production. Additional studies are needed.
- Flaxseed
Flaxseed is the dry fruit of the Linum usitassimum plant. It’s a healthy meal and packs heart-friendly fats, fiber, and vitamins.
But more assessments found that consuming flaxseed reduces testosterone concentration in the blood. This reduction is due to the binding effect of lignans.
Lignan compound mop all the free T cells, discharging them from the body as excrement. Additionally, the high omega-3 fatty acids in flaxseed help to decrease testosterone levels.
Different tests show that this fatty acid stymies the proper functioning of the Luteinizing Hormone. Yet LH is a testosterone-production catalyst.
Since flaxseed has two active ingredients that prevent testosterone from multiplying, it’s effective in reducing the T cell concentration in men.
A small study done on 25 men enduring prostate cancer found that flaxseed supplements reduced testosterone volume.
But it’s a useful treatment for women suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome – a condition prevalent in women with high testosterone secretion.
