Testosterone is king. The saying is true for both males and females looking to build the most amount of muscle possible and feel great at the same time.
The benefits of testosterone have been studied two-fold, and include things such more muscle mass, an increase of general wellbeing, better sleep, strength gains, higher libido, better bone density and more energy. Why in the world would you not want to optimise the amount of testosterone you have, naturally?
There are a good range of supplements that have been shown to increase natural levels of testosterone, but before we get into them, there are a few things you should be prioritizing that cost relatively nothing. The first of them being your sleep. If testosterone is king, then sleep is the queen. Sleeping optimally each night allows your body to reset, rest and repair. Hormone levels are replenished, including testosterone, ready for the next day. Poor sleep hygiene has also been linked to lower levels of testosterone, so get those z’s in!
Your nutrition also plays a role in t-levels. Have you ever had a lot of junk food and then a few hours later feel all sluggish and unmotivated? That is the food my friend! Your body recognises good and bad food and although losing and gaining weight is all about energy balance, how food makes you feel mentally and physically is all about the nutrients found within it. Junk food possesses a lot of unnatural chemicals that make you feel good in the short term, but do nothing for the health of your body. Natural foods possess lots of vitamins and minerals that you need for important processes that occur inside your body, including making sure that our hormone levels are kept at optimal levels.
The final way is by training, which I’m sure most of you reading are doing anyway. Yep, all this time you have been training you are helping your body keep your testosterone levels healthy! So, what if you want to take it to the next level? Is there anything you can take, and will it make a difference? Let’s take a look at some supplements claiming to do so.
D Aspartic Acid - This is an amino acid and is involved in making and releasing hormones in the body, specifically testosterone. Many studies have found that by supplementing with D Aspartic Acid you can increase your natural testosterone production by up to 40%, a pretty decent increase I think you will agree. The average dosage is around 3g a day.
Zinc – Zinc is one of the essential minerals and plays a number of important roles in the body, but did you know most people are actually zinc deficient? This means that they don’t get enough zinc in their diet and since the body can't produce it, the only way to get enough is through your diet or supplementation. Zinc has been shown to support optimal serum testosterone levels, and because most of the population are likely to be deficient, this is a quick fix to maintaining healthy testosterone levels. This is even more true for those of us who exercise, as zinc is mainly lost through sweat.
Ashwagandha – This is one of my current favourites. It's known as an adaptogen herb and helps to balance your hormones. It's widely used to help with anxiety as it has a calming effect, but it has also been shown to help lower cortisol levels and boost testosterone levels. This should sound like music to your ears as low cortisol and higher test levels is a perfect recipe for muscle. Further to this, it has also been shown to increase fertility levels.
It's important to note that before taking any supplementation you should be doing everything you can to boost levels using your training, diet and by making sure you sleep well. Once you have that in check, they can be a great weapon in your arsenal for naturally increased testosterone levels.
