Testosterone is the only male hormone tasked with regulating muscle, bone density and sexual drive. The testosterone level in men naturally decreases with age – as does energy, power, and other all-encompassing goodwill aspects of life. While we have a lot of supplements and medications available to raise testosterone, food is the biggest contributor to our hormone levels. In this article, we’ll discuss the top 5 foods that are scientifically proven to increase testosterone.
1. Beef
Beef is high in protein, iron, and zinc, which all help to produce testosterone. Zinc, specifically, has been shown to be essential for the production of testosterone. According to a study in Nutrition, men on diets high in zinc experienced greater increases in testosterone than did men who ate less zinc. Soybeans also contain saturated and monounsaturated fats that regulate the production of hormones such as testosterone. But you must also opt for lean beef cuts to reduce your intake of unnecessarily unhealthy fats.
2. Eggs
Eggs are a food source of nutrients as well as cholesterol which is a precursor to testosterone. You can find most of the cholesterol in the yolk of an egg, so you’ll need to eat the entire egg to get the most from it. According to one study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, men who ate a high-cholesterol diet exhibited much higher testosterone levels than those who had a low-cholesterol diet. Eggs also contain vitamin D, which has been linked to testosterone. Having low testosterone is thought to be a direct result of vitamin D deficiencies, so consuming eggs can help maintain a healthy hormonal balance.
3. Oysters
Oysters are widely considered aphrodisiac, and rightly so. They contain zinc, which is the building block for testosterone. The enzyme responsible for converting cholesterol into testosterone is Zinc, which is a vital nutrient to ensure proper hormone levels.
Studies have linked zinc deficiencies with low testosterone. For example, a study in the Journal of Andrology found that men with low testosterone had higher zinc levels. Similarly, a 2014 article in the journal Nutrition found that men who ate more zinc had higher testosterone than men who ate less zinc.
As the highest zinc-rich food, oysters have around 74 mg of zinc per 100 grams of raw oyster, which is an excellent source of testosterone enhancing foods. However, zinc supplements may be available to those who cannot eat oysters as well.
4. Tuna
And just how does tuna increase testosterone levels? What explains why tuna raises testosterone levels is that tuna is a food high in vitamin D, which is considered a vital nutrient for testosterone production. Vitamin D has been shown to correlate with low testosterone levels and, when administered internally, has been found to increase testosterone levels in very low-testosterone men. In one report, men who took the Vitamin D supplements for one year increased testosterone levels by an average of 25%.
Tuna is also rich in protein, which is the glue that enables testosterone production. Proteins provide the substrates needed to create muscles, and the more muscle mass you have, the higher your testosterone. So they went: the more muscle, the more testosterone. Tuna is also a source of Omega-3 fatty acids, which have been found to boost testosterone levels and overall health.
But to be fair, it’s not the food you eat that’s the issue. When you grill or broil tuna, that might not lose any of its nutritional content, making it an even more powerful testosterone booster. Don’t deep-fry or bread tuna because it will be overflowing with calories and fat.
A further way to maximize the testosterone-inducing effect of tuna is by combining it with other foods that tend to spike testosterone naturally, such as avocados. Avocados, just like tuna, are packed with healthy fats and vitamin B6, which will help maintain increased testosterone in the body. Other foods to boost testosterone include eggs, oysters, and lean beef.
The caveat is that tuna, despite being an excellent food for the increase in testosterone levels in the body, must be eaten at a moderate amount as it contains mercury. The FDA requires that an adult should not consume more than 12 ounces of low-mercury fish, including tuna, each week.
5. Pomegranates
With their unusual flavour and ripe red flesh, pomegranates have been used medicinally for millennia. Pomegranates have been proven in various studies to improve cardiovascular health, inflammation and testosterone levels.
In a study published in the journal Endocrine Abstracts, 58 healthy men were given 1500 ml of pomegranate juice every day for 14 days. Results showed that the men’s salivary testosterone rose an average of 24% from baseline (In a placebo group there was no significant increase). The researchers concluded that pomegranate juice would enhance testosterone levels considerably, making it an ideal homeopathic treatment for men with low testosterone.
The antioxidants in pomegranates might be responsible for the testosterone-inducing effects. Because pomegranates contain polyphenols, they reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, leading to better health. Further, pomegranates have been found to lower cortisol, a hormone that impairs testosterone.
Conclusion:
The conclusion, therefore, is that diet is one of the main keys to keeping your testosterone levels in check. These five foods are all known to increase testosterone naturally when consumed by an individual. These foods, in combination with exercise, stress reduction and a healthy diet, could ensure men lived healthy lives and maintained hormone balances for overall health. However, the fact remains that while these foods may boost testosterone levels, they won’t treat low testosterone levels medicinally. Low levels require medical attention, and a trained physician must be consulted to prescribe treatment.
