Men... Losing Strength? This Hormone Can Help
Yes,
we're talking testosterone. That
muscle-building hormone. But I'm not
going to recommend that you take any anabolic steroid hormones or anything like
that.
I
am going to give you two solid tips on how you can boost your testosterone levels naturally with supplements.
Tip
#1: Get enough zinc
Zinc
is an essential mineral that helps with a number of processes in your body (it
helps over 300 enzymes). Zinc helps your
immune system, helps to produce critical proteins and DNA, and also helps with
wound healing. Enough zinc is necessary
to maintain healthy skin and for optimal ability to taste and smell. Zinc is an antioxidant and can be
supplemented to support optimal levels of testosterone because it helps the
enzymes that converts cholesterol into testosterone.
Zinc
is found mostly in red meat, poultry, egg yolks, and shellfish. Some plants can also provide zinc such as
beans and nuts. The best dietary source
is oysters.
The
daily recommended dose of zinc for men is 11 mg/day (for women it's 8
mg/day). Low zinc levels are rare but
tend to occur in vegetarians/vegans, athletes, and people who sweat a lot (zinc
is lost in sweat). And low zinc levels
have been linked to low testosterone levels.
Of
course if you don't get enough zinc in your diet you can always
supplement. Before you do, however,
consider a few things:
●
It is possible to get too much zinc so unless your doctor
tells you never take more than 40 mg/day.
For many people just 5-10 mg/day is enough to prevent deficiency.
●
Zinc supplements can also interact with certain medications
so be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist to find out if zinc
supplements are safe for you.
●
Zinc supplements are best taken 2-hours away from any
medications (if it's safe to use it at all while taking those medications) and
should be taken with food.
Tip
#2: Get enough vitamin D
Vitamin
D, the “sunshine vitamin” is actually the most common nutrient that we in North
America just simply don't get enough of.
Not only is it not very abundant in foods but most places far from the
equator don't get enough sunlight to produce adequate levels year round.
Hello
winter; goodbye sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin
D is known to help us absorb calcium from our foods and is also necessary for
our immune system, nervous system, and muscular system. As with zinc if you're deficient in this
nutrient you may experience increased testosterone levels after supplementing.
Vitamin
D deficiency is most commonly associated with bone conditions such as rickets
in children and osteomalacia in adults.
It
is a fat-soluble vitamin and is found in fatty fish, organ meats, and egg
yolks. Unfortunately it isn't abundant
in most other un-fortified foods.
The
bottom line with vitamin D is that you may need to supplement. Of course if you're always outside in the sun
or eat fatty fish every day you may be the exception. You can always ask your doctor to check your
blood levels to be sure because vitamin D is another one of those nutrients
where more is not always better.
Here
are a few tips to supplement with vitamin D safely and effectively:
●
Read your labels and don't overdo it. Never supplement with more than 4,000IU/day
unless supervised by your doctor.
●
As with zinc (and most other supplements) you should check
with your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any medications.
●
Take your vitamin D with some fat to help your body absorb
this vitamin. It is often recommended
that you take it with the largest meal of the day.
●
Note that vitamin D is also found in cod liver oil, and
multivitamins, so you may not need to take it separately (read your labels).
Summary:
If
you aren't getting enough zinc and/or vitamin D every day your testosterone
levels may be a bit low but don't overdo these two essential nutrients.
Recipe (vitamin D and zinc): Honey Sesame Salmon
Serves
4
¼
cup soy sauce, tamari or coconut aminos
¼
cup sesame oil
1
lemon, juiced
2
tablespoons honey or coconut nectar
1”
of ginger, shredded or 1 teaspoon ginger powder
1
tablespoon coconut oil
2
tablespoons diced green onions or chives
2
tablespoons sesame seeds
Mix
soy sauce/tamari/aminos, sesame oil, lemon juice, honey/coconut nectar and
ginger together to make a marinade.
Place
salmon in a glass dish and cover with marinade.
Let sit for a few hours or overnight.
Heat
a large cast iron frying pan over medium heat and add coconut oil.
Place
salmon in pan skin side down and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Pour
marinade into the pan, lower the heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until
salmon flakes easily with a fork.
Sprinkle
with diced green onions/chives and sesame seeds.
Serve
and Enjoy!
Tip: Wild salmon can contain up to 4 times the
amount of vitamin D as farmed salmon.
References:
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