Hormones in the 21st Century
In the Western world, we are currently living in a time unlike any other. In the US, testosterone levels have dropped on average 1% per year since the 1980’s. This is the case for many different reasons. Along with the media’s influence here, there is also the hyper-processed food industry at fault and the pharmaceutical industry. All are of equal blame I would argue, but the most noticeable has to be the media. It is common and almost encouraged for men to behave in ways that are more feminine, to dress in these ways and generally to disregard their true essence as a man. Just look on most social media platforms or current television networks.
This in itself is strange, but the real problem begins to fester internally, not externally. A lack of masculinity breeds abnormalities in hormone production. Low testosterone creates a wave of psychological and physical problems. For one, there is more of a proclivity for mental health issues like depression and anxiety. It is more difficult to gain muscle. There is a reduced sex drive. Most traits that are characteristic of men are no longer noticeable.
With that said, it’s in your best interest as a man to ensure you’re maintaining or increasing testosterone levels. But rather than stabilizing this natural force through artificial means, like steroid injection, you can do so naturally in a simple, yet not so easy manner. This approach will benefit your health in both the short and long term. This is how to increase testosterone naturally:
- Control stress. Stress is something known to interfere with emotional regulation and general wellbeing. On the surface these are the problems we associate it with. However, even more consequential is the drop in testosterone levels that it can create. A study conducted at a university in South Korea presented 46 patients that were to be subjected to mild pain through electrical stimulation. Leading up to the test, stress levels rightfully increased and with this sharp increase came a drop in t-levels. These numbers were contrasted with levels during a resting period. Although stress is inevitable in some instances, ensuring that you’re controlling it majority of the time will go a long way. Meditation and physical exercise are good practices to help with this.
- Eat foods with high vitamin D and zinc content. Ensuring that you’re eating a healthy, balanced diet is always a smart decision for your health. Specifically, if you’re on the journey of increasing testosterone naturally, look for foods that have high vitamin D and zinc content. These vitamins are correlated with testosterone levels in men. The lower your intake is, the lower your testosterone levels. This is not to say you can’t just take vitamin D and zinc supplements to have the same effect, because you can, but why wouldn’t you want to optimize further with what you’re eating? Some good options include fish; red meats; chicken; avocados; eggs; dark green vegetables like spinach; and kidney, black or white beans. All of these are packed with said vitamins and also contain protein, which always helps for muscle growth.
- Exercise. As mentioned, physical exercise is a great way to reduce stress, which will ultimately prevent you from losing testosterone. Both anaerobic and aerobic exercise help with this, but anaerobic – specifically weightlifting – exercise is my personal preference as it strengthens muscle tissue while also reducing body fat. It’s like a double edged sword because instead of simply focusing on a reduction in body fat, which is also key in increasing testosterone, you’re simultaneously benefiting from increased muscle mass and physical strength. Muscle mass in itself is a big indicator of where you are on the testosterone spectrum.
- Compete. This one has a fairly broad meaning to it. Engaging in competition could range from a card game to a boxing match, but the essence of it is really what matters: that you’re trying to outperform another man at something. And men are intrinsically designed to do this anyways; for women, for resources, for status, for physical dominance, etcetera. It brings out a man’s true nature when he voluntarily competes. Unsurprisingly, competition is a method of increasing testosterone. An article from The Royal Society Publishing concluded that not only does testosterone affect a man’s interaction with a woman, but that it rises upon competing with other men. The study in this case used a non-physical challenge as an example, but the same is true for physical challenges.
Sources
- Choi, J.C., Chung, M.I., Lee, Y.D. (2012). Modulation of pain sensation by stress-related testosterone and cortisol. Association of Anaesthetists, 67(10), 1146-1151. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2044.2012.07267.x
- van der Meij, L., Almela, M., P. Buunk, A., W. Fawcett, T., Salvador, A. (2011). Men with elevated testosterone levels show more affiliative behaviours during interactions with women. Proc. R. Soc. B. 279: 202–208. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2011.0764