Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise.Ho CH et al. Symptoms of low libido, fatigue, weight gain and low mood will soon subside without the need for costly creams and gels! Add in compound upper body movements like bench press, push press, chin-ups, pull-ups, inverted rows and dips and you’ll increase your testosterone and lean muscle in no time. Unfortunately for men, the more fat you store around your belly, the greater the activity of an enzyme called aromatase, which converts your precious muscle building testosterone to estrogen. Typically, the higher your alcohol intake, the greater your weight gain around the abdomen. This is a very common scenario that suppresses testosterone production. This means that your body does not process carbohydrates very efficiently, resulting in consistently elevated insulin levels in your bloodstream. When the diet is based around grass-fed meats, you get the high-quality animal protein that is vitally important for testosterone production, along with plenty of saturated fat, which is one of the foundational nutrients for healthy T synthesis. Simply adopt a high protein, high fat, low carb (less than 100g per day) Paleo diet and your testosterone levels will be back on the rise in no time (your libido too!). Plant-based diet index, or the amount of plant-based foods in men's diets, did not predict and had no impact on serum testosterone levels. But researchers say those studies were based on extremely high servings of protein daily -- beyond what even people on paleo diets and athletes in training take in. So it makes sense that a testosterone-boosting diet should be full of lean protein, healthy fats, and foods high in antioxidants, like berries and leafy greens. Now that you understand what the Paleo diet is (evolutionarily consistent eating), and what your testosterone levels tell you (how healthy you are), you can understand how the two are related. Cells all across the body have cortisol receptors since it influences a number of body functions, and it is a hormone critical for overall wellness and health. Steroid hormones, like cortisol, are fat-soluble, and can actually cause changes within cells because they can pass through cell membranes. Did I have high cortisol and create a pregnanalone steal that has dropped testosterone levels? Even the carbohydrate sources on a paleo diet are of the most testosterone-friendly kind; starchy tubers. On a paleo-ish diet, you’re avoiding the modern day high-PUFA vegetable oils, which significantly cuts back your overall PUFA intake. Right of the bat, the idea of eating minimal amounts of processed foods is great for testosterone production. Those who take a modern-style approach to the paleo diet often use it as an excuse to overeat meat. This research reinforces the current dietary recommendations of including foods high in fiber and whole grains to maintain cardiovascular function and gut health. The study found that those who followed a paleo or Mediterranean diet had reduced all-cause mortality, lower oxidative stress, and decreased mortality from heart disease and cancer. They also report weight loss, which is likely due to eating more whole foods while cutting out major food groups. However, wild fish tends to be ridiculously high in the beneficial anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids with lower levels of the inflammatory omega-6’s… If you’re a frequent reader here, you already know that polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), are known for their testosterone lowering effect. Eating more whole foods, less processed goo, also provides you with a TON of essential micronutrients for testosterone synthesis. When you eliminate processed stuff, you most often also eliminate the testosterone lowering trans-fats, polyunsaturated fats, pesticides and possible man-made chemicals that act as endocrine disruptors. …Still, most of the "experts" in the field like to state various ratios for carbs, fats, and protein.
