If your sex drive is low and your progress is stalling in the gym, hormones could be to blame. Testosterone, your bodybuilding asset, is at its peak during your 20’s, but soon after it dips 1.6% per year after 30. Going ham in the gym is a sure-fire way of boosting T, but there are other options that will up the levels. Before you go off running to the nearest supplement store, try enhancing testosterone levels from food—you are what you eat!
Eggs should be in your diet already, specifically egg yolks. Yes, I know you’re saving your fat macros, but the yolk contains more nutrients than the white. The T-boosting micronutrient in the yolk is vitamin D3, a bioidentical hormone for testosterone because it’s a cholesterol-derived steroid hormone. Proving this, a study published by Hormone & Metabolic Research indicated that total testosterone and free testosterone had increased by 400 percent after supplementing with vitamin D3 for over 12 months.
Cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower) are an anti-estrogenic food because they release a compound called indole-3 carbinole. This compound gets converted to DIM (di-indollyl methane), which converts estrogen into safer forms—allowing for appropriate levels of free testosterone. Free testosterone easily binds to androgen receptors to increase sex drive, build muscle, reduce fat, and boost your performance in the gym.
An eight-ounce oyster has 18 grams of protein—making gains easy while upping your t-levels. Oysters are rich in zinc, a t-boosting mineral. From food, you get about 10 milligrams of zinc each day, but the body only absorbs 2-3 milligrams of it—putting you at risk for a deficiency. The common cold is actually a symptom of low zinc levels along with a low sex-drive, which is an indication of low-t levels. When low zinc levels are present, the pituitary gland limits the release of the luteinizing and follicle stimulating hormones; they are responsible for triggering T production in the testes. This then decrease the amount of androgen binding sites and free testosterone in the blood stream.
This food won’t just flavor up a meal but also raise your T-levels. Garlic contains a compound called diallyl-disulfide, promoting a hormone that triggers T production. There have been animal studies confirming that garlic raises t-levels when combined with a high protein diet.
Another reason why Popeye loved spinach was that it amped up his T-levels. This green, leafy vegetable is packed with the mineral magnesium. Magnesium plays a vital role in muscle development and reproductive function. Biological Trace Element Research published a study showing that magnesium increases free and total testosterone in athletes and non-active individuals.
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Mushrooms
Pile your plate up with mushrooms if you want to see your testosterone levels surge. Mushrooms prevent the production of the enzyme, aromatase. Aromatase converts androgen to estrogen—preventing free testosterone from binding to androgen receptors.
