New discoveries in medical science have revealed ways to counter the effects of aging, including low testosterone levels in men.
Low testosterone levels can cause various physical and emotional symptoms. Physical changes may include increased body fat, decreased muscle mass and strength, fragile bones, decreased body hair, and swelling or tenderness in breast tissue.
Low testosterone levels can also affect a man’s libido and sexual performance. Other symptoms may include weight gain, fatigue, depression, irritability, and trouble concentrating.
Other than that, low testosterone levels can also affect children assigned male at birth, leading to slowed growth, reduced development of pubic hair, and less growth of the penis and testicles. Treatment can increase testosterone levels or alleviate symptoms.
Health experts say it is essential to note that low testosterone levels can also occur in women, leading to symptoms such as decreased sex drive, fatigue, and mood changes.
This problem has been gaining attention, and new drugs have been developed to address it. However, for those who prefer natural methods, certain foods may help boost testosterone levels.
For those that would prefer to avoid the drugs, and try boosting their testosterone levels more naturally, the following foods may be helpful.
1. TUNA
Fish is not on everyone’s list of favorite foods, but if you love seafood, tuna may help give that low “T” level a boost. Tuna contains vitamin D which has been linked with testosterone production. You’ll get the same benefit whether you eat it fresh or canned.
2. GRAPES
It’s the red grapes that get the credit for helping boost male hormones. Researchers in China discovered that eating red grapes daily raised testosterone and also improved the health of sperm.
3. PINEAPPLE
Back in the day, many body builders ate a little bit of pineapple before every meal. They were hoping to get the benefit of an additional boost to their muscle-building hormones from an enzyme that’s found in pineapple called bromelain. Bromelain is helpful with the body’s production of testosterone.
4. GARLIC
You may not make a lot of new friends if you decide to chomp on garlic in its natural form, but fortunately there are supplements available that can help take some of the social stigma out of enjoying the health benefits of garlic. Garlic helps keep cortisol under control, and since cortisol is a hormone that competes with testosterone, the end result is higher levels of testosterone.
5. EGG YOLKS
Eggs have gotten a bad rap due to their cholesterol content but opinions are starting to lean the other way, and the thinking is that cholesterol is not as bad as the experts once thought it was. The cholesterol in egg yolks is thought to be helpful in raising testosterone.
6. OLIVE OIL
Olive oil may help cells in the body called leydig cells. What makes these cells special is that they are able to absorb cholesterol and convert it into testosterone.
7. COCONUT OIL
You may be hearing a lot about the oil that comes from the humble coconut these days, and there are plenty of good reasons to pay attention. In addition to numerous other health benefits, coconut oil is thought to be even better than olive oil for increasing testosterone levels.
8. CABBAGE
It’s probably no surprise to learn that males and females share some of the same hormones, which means women have some testosterone and men have some estrogen. What cabbage does is to help flush female hormones from the body thanks to an ingredient called indole-3-carbinol. Lesser amounts of female hormones in the body make the going easier for the male hormones like testosterone.
9. OYSTERS
Oysters have a time-honored reputation as an aphrodisiac, so it may not come as a surprise to learn that these slippery creatures also help promote higher levels of testosterone. Zinc is the mineral that’s found in oysters, and is thought to be responsible for their man-boosting qualities.
10. CELERY
Believe it or not, even the smell of celery is believed to have a positive effect on testosterone production in men. Celery contains androstenone, which is a naturally-occurring steroid. Celery is probably one of the best foods on our list for boosting testosterone.
11. RED MEAT
Red meats, particularly things like steaks and burgers are often viewed as a “manly” food, and there may actually be some science behind the idea. It turns out that the cholesterol, saturated fat, and zinc found in red meat can give men a testosterone boost.
