How to Raise Testosterone Levels Naturally (from The Ultimate Guide To Male Enhancement)

The following is a chapter taken from the book: The Ultimate Guide To Male Enhancement.

Edited for content

How to Raise Testosterone Levels Naturally
By Mr. Paul Becker of http://www.naturalsize.com/

Testosterone is a male hormone that is essential for building larger muscles. It is important for manufacturing new protein within the muscle cell, which allows it to increase in size.

One of the things that can make the difference between a “quick gainer” and a “hard gainer” is testosterone production. Testosterone production can vary substantially among trainees, and the ones that have the higher testosterone level will make better gains.

This report will help you to up your own natural testosterone production so that you can maximize your size and strength gains without having to resort to illegal and possibly dangerous steroid drugs.

Exercise

Both the lack of physical activity and excessive physical activity (over training) will result in decreased levels of testosterone. Exercise effects testosterone directly by stimulating the pituitary gland and the testes and it probably also raises levels by slowing down the normal breakdown of testosterone.

The duration, intensity, frequency and timing of exercise will determine the circulating levels of testosterone.  Testosterone levels increase most with short intense bursts, while it decreases with prolonged activity especially that of frequent endurance training. During endurance training, testosterone is needed to maintain muscle but frequent extended training doesn’t allow for repair and recovery of testosterone and tissue damage occurs.

Testosterone is released in higher concentrations by using heavy weights (5 to 10 rep range) using rest periods of 3 to 5 mins between sets. Basic, multi-joint exercises (like squats, deadlifts, barbell rows and dips) cause a much greater hormone release then isolation exercises (like flies, lateral raises, concentration curls).

Only when you use a large percentage of your muscle mass will you get maximum testosterone release. So, spend most of your training time, working the largest muscle groups (legs, back and chest) by using heavy weights in the squat, deadlift, barbell row and bench press or dips.

Normally testosterone is the 30% higher in the morning than the evening. So, if possible, train in the morning and reap the benefits of those naturally elevated levels.

Studies show that testosterone levels will elevate with exercise for about 45 to 60 minutes. After this time period, cortisol levels begin to increase and testosterone levels will decline. This decrease has been detected for up to 6 days.

Because you require testosterone for repair and growth, do not train for more than 45 to 60 minutes at a single session. If you feel like you want to exercise or train more, split sessions are recommended. Also do not lift weights and perform aerobic training at the same time. It is also a good idea to vary your workouts and cycle them throughout the year.

Diet

You are what you eat! If you want to keep “juiced with testosterone” it is extremely important to follow these dietary
rules:

● Eat moderate amounts of protein. Protein in Latin means “above all else.” Protein stimulates the hormone glucagon and the anabolic (muscle building) responses important for adequate testosterone release.

● Eat more vegetables and fruit and limit excessive carbohydrate intake especially of simple sugars and starches (grains, potatoes, pasta). Excess intake of carbohydrates especially those that raise blood sugar rapidly create chronically elevated levels of the hormone insulin and cortisol. These two hormones oppose the action of testosterone and diminish its production.

● Eat Fat! The reason, Jack Sprat was so lean was he ate no fat. Essential fats such as the omega 3 fatty acids found in fish and flaxseed as well as saturated fats are essential for normal testosterone production. All steroid hormones are produced from cholesterol and when fats are deficient in the diet, this process will be inhibited.

● Studies clearly indicate that low fat diets result in lower testosterone levels while those higher in protein, lower in carbohydrate and moderate in fat cause the greatest sustained levels of testosterone and growth hormone.

● A recent study demonstrated the influence of diet on pre and post exercise testosterone and cortisol. After exercise with bench press and squat to failure, testosterone and cortisol were measured. Those men who were on a diet with a higher protein/carbohydrate ratio and percent fat content had the largest increase in
testosterone and the smallest rise in cortisol.

You must train and eat smart to minimize the catabolic and maximize the anabolic effects of exercise. If your diet is very low in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and fiber, your testosterone levels may remain very low and you will never make the changes in muscle mass and strength that you desire.

Also, don’t take anything, which produces estrogen; these being such as Soya, Cannabis or Alcohol.

Sunbathing

Sunbathing greatly aids recovery from exercise and can naturally raise our testosterone levels by 200% after nude exposure (yes, 200% and drug free!). You will also look more defined, carry less body fat and have that healthy glow when you spend some time in the sun.

Emotional Stress

Emotional stress is a frequent cause of decreased testosterone levels. When the “fight of flight” alarm reaction system is active, stress hormones such as adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol are released. These hormones that are released to protect our lives have catabolic activity. This means they catabolize (breakdown) body stores of fat and protein to be used for acute resources of energy and immune response. They go even one step farther and inhibit all anabolic processes as well. Because in life or death situations the body does not need to build muscle, eat, have sexual thoughts etc. processes that require vital life energy, all anabolic (building) processes including testosterone are shut down.

This was a very effective system when it evolved. For hundreds of thousands of years the threats to the body were short-lived and very acute such as being eaten or attacked. Today stresses are not only prolonged but perceived in our mind. And this chronic stress causes an over activation of our adrenal system and the catabolic process. In fact, chronic catabolism is not only the greatest cause of premature aging and cardiovascular disease but it severely inhibits testosterone function making it almost impossible to build muscle and strength.

So, if you want to really grow it is essential that you follow the advice, “Don’t sweat the small stuff and it is all small stuff”, stay well rested and take your time eating frequent small meals. This will help normalize cortisol levels and allow your anabolic system to take over again.

Use the techniques exactly as the book says, for about 15 to 30 minutes every day and you will be surprised at how much of a difference it will make in your training and in your life.  NOTE: Learn How to Build Muscle Mass and Get Super Strong Naturally! At naturalsize.com

The Ultimate Guide to Male Enhancement

 

Biohacking of diets and how does it help?

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Times Of India

Edited for content.

Our Takeaways:

· Dieting is one of the most fundamental ways to transform the body

· Experimenting with eliminating certain foods from the diet can be helpful

· Fasting is an ancient and proven method towards preserving health and mental function

What Is Biohacking? If we bring down that term by hacking, we see that the bio has to do with our biology to do with our body? The way our body functions are natural processes in the body from eating to performance and so on and hacking is, of course, trying to decode something. Biohacking of diet is trying to use science or technology to improve our body’s functioning by way of eating. “I think our bodies are incredibly intelligent and given the right diet in the right lifestyle, we can elevate ourselves and feel amazing. Everyone has a scope of self-improvement and living their best life and biohacking of diets can make that possible without spending all money on fancy foods and a million different tools, gadgets and medicines to feel good. It’s a natural way to optimise the body’s performance,” says Nutritionist Ritu Khaneja

Diet Hack #1
Elimination Diet

An elimination diet is one where you can eliminate certain foods based on medical research to see if you react to them. You can generally start by eliminating the most common food allergens for a few weeks then you slowly add them back one at a time and note any symptoms better or worse. The main benefit is that by turning into a body’s reactions to certain foods you can’t pinpoint sensitivities and intolerances that you may not otherwise know of experiencing results.
It is less expensive and, in some cases, more reliable than standard allergy testing. It can also be very empowering to be in control of what you eat learn about food and the compounds they contain and try new recipes that exclude eliminated foods. Having a good diet plan makes things much easier and beneficial.

Diet Hack #2
Intermittent Fasting

There are several approaches to intermittent fasting but the easiest to achieve is the one that simply extends the usual timing of the night fast. A daily cycle of a 1 6 hour fast followed by an 8-hour eating window is usually sustainable for intermittent fasting. It must be combined with balanced meals that provide good nutrition. The goal of IF is to systematically starve the body long enough to trigger fat burning but the method may not be suitable for everyone. When done correctly intermission fasting can help lose weight, lower blood pressure and cholesterol, prevent or control diabetes and improve the brain’s health.

Diet Biohack#3
Adding More Fibre To The Diet

The normal fibre in our body has been eliminated just with the processing of food. One of the best way to eat fibre is by adding more fruits and vegetables to our diet. The benefits of fibre are weight control and maintaining bowel movements.lt also helps in lowering cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Diet Hack #4
Adding Superfoods

The first step that I take to treat my clients through diet is adding superfoods. There is a whole list of superfoods with numerous benefits. 1 st category of superfoods is seeds not just any seeds but 2 seeds which one should hack into the diet are chia and flax. Chia seeds are a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, They have more calcium than milk and there are great sources of anti-inflammatory compounds. They’re great for growing skin and mental health and clarity and much much more. Flaxseeds are another great source for omega 3 fats and dietary fibre as well as essential vitamins minerals name powerful anti-cancer hormone-balancing compounds called lignans. It’s a great way of curing constipation as well.

Diet Biohack #5
Protein-Rich Diet

Eating plenty of high protein foods include a generous portion of at least 1 protein rich food at every meal will help you lose body fat or improve your body composition. Eating protein-rich meals can help you feel full and satisfied so you will eat less and lose weight. A high protein diet can help reduce insulin resistance so if you have diabetes or prediabetes, a high protein diet could be a good strategy for improving your blood sugar control.

To conclude, I think Biohacking of diet should be done mindfully as if something can be very beneficial for one body, It doesn’t mean it will suit everyone.

How the timing of dinner and genetics affect individuals’ blood sugar control

Eating dinner close to bedtime, when melatonin levels are high, disturbs blood sugar control, especially in individuals with a genetic variant in the melatonin receptor MTNR1B, which has been linked to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. The high melatonin levels and food intake associated with late eating impairs blood sugar control in carriers of the MTNR1B genetic risk variant through a defect in insulin secretion

This article is a repost which originally appeared on ScienceDaily
Massachusetts General Hospital - January 25, 2022
Edited for content and readability - Images sourced from Pexels 
Source: DOI: 10.2337/dc21-1314

Our Takeaways:

  • The melatonin receptor-1b gene (MTNR1B) has been linked with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • Late dinner timing resulted in lower insulin levels and higher blood sugar levels for the entire group
  • People with the MTNR1B gene had higher blood sugar levels than those without this genetic variant.

Blood sugar control, which is impaired in individuals with diabetes, is affected by various factors — including the timing of meals relative to sleep as well as levels of melatonin, a hormone primarily released at night that helps control sleep-wake cycles. In research published in Diabetes Care, a team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and the University of Murcia in Spain conducted a clinical trial to look for connections between these two factors.

“We decided to test if late eating that usually occurs with elevated melatonin levels results in disturbed blood sugar control,” says senior author Richa Saxena, PhD, a principal investigator at the Center for Genomic Medicine at MGH.

For the randomized crossover study that included 845 adults from Spain, each participant fasted for eight hours and then for the next two evenings had first an early meal and then a late meal relative to their typical bedtime. The investigators also analyzed each participant’s genetic code within the melatonin receptor-1b gene (MTNR1B) because previous research has linked a variant (called the G-allele) in MTNR1B with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.

“In natural late eaters, we simulated early and late dinner timing by administering a glucose drink and compared effects on blood sugar control over two hours,” explains Saxena. “We also examined differences between individuals who were carriers or not carriers of the genetic variant in the melatonin receptor.”

The team found that melatonin levels in participants’ blood were 3.5-fold higher after the late dinner. The late dinner timing also resulted in lower insulin levels and higher blood sugar levels. (This connection makes sense because insulin acts to decrease blood sugar levels.) In the late dinner timing, participants with the MTNR1B G-allele had higher blood sugar levels than those without this genetic variant.

“We found that late eating disturbed blood sugar control in the whole group. Furthermore, this impaired glucose control was predominantly seen in genetic risk variant carriers, representing about half of the cohort,” says lead author Marta Garaulet, PhD, a professor of physiology and nutrition in the Department of Physiology at the University of Murcia.

Experiments revealed that the high melatonin levels and carbohydrate intake associated with late eating impairs blood sugar control through a defect in insulin secretion.

“Our study results may be important in the effort towards prevention of type 2 diabetes,” says co-senior author Frank A.J.L. Scheer, PhD, MSc, director of the Medical Chronobiology Program at BWH. “Our findings are applicable to about a third of the population in the industrialized world who consume food close to bedtime, as well as other populations who eat at night, including shift workers, or those experiencing jetlag or night eating disorders, as well as those who routinely use melatonin supplements close to food intake.”

The authors note that for the general population, it may be advisable to abstain from eating for at least a couple of hours before bedtime. “Genotype information for the melatonin receptor variant may further aid in developing personalized behavioral recommendations,” says Saxena. “Notably, our study does not include patients with diabetes, so additional studies are needed to examine the impact of food timing and its link with melatonin and receptor variation in patients with diabetes.”

The ketogenic diet corrects metabolic hypogonadism and preserves pancreatic ß-cell function in overweight/obese men: a single-arm uncontrolled study

The ketogenic diet corrects metabolic hypogonadism and preserves pancreatic ß-cell function in overweight/obese men: a single-arm uncontrolled study

This article is a repost which originally appeared on PUBMED

Edited for content.

Endocrine. 2021 May;72(2):392-399. doi: 10.1007/s12020-020-02518-8. Epub 2020 Oct 15.

Sandro La Vignera, Rossella Cannarella, Fabio Galvano, Agata Grillo, Antonio Aversa, Laura Cimino, Cristina M Magagnini, Laura M Mongioì, Rosita A Condorelli, Aldo E Calogero

PMID: 33063272 PMCID: PMC8128723 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-020-02518-8

Abstract

Background: Overweight and obesity are increasingly spread in our society. Low testosterone levels are often present in these patients, the so-called metabolic hypogonadism, that further alters the metabolic balance in a sort of vicious cycle. Very low-calorie ketogenic diet (VLCKD) has been reported to efficiently reduce body weight, glycaemia, and the serum levels of insulin, glycated hemoglobin, but its effects on β-cell function and total testosterone (TT) levels are less clear.

Aim: To evaluate the effects of VLCKD on markers suggested to be predictive of β-cell dysfunction development, such as proinsulin or proinsulin/insulin ratio, and on TT values in a cohort of overweight or obese nondiabetic male patients with metabolic hypogonadism.

Methods: Patients with overweight or obesity and metabolic hypogonadism underwent to VLCKD for 12 weeks. Anthropometric parameters, blood testing for the measurement of glycaemia, insulin, C-peptide, proinsulin, TT, calculation of body-mass index (BMI), and HOMA index were performed before VLCKD and after 12 weeks.

Results: Twenty patients (mean age 49.3 ± 5.2 years) were enrolled. At enrollement all patients presented increased insulin, HOMA index, C-peptide, and proinsulin levels, whereas the proinsulin/insulin ratio was within the normal values. After VLCKD treatment, body weight and BMI significantly decreased, and 14.9 ± 3.9% loss of the initial body weight was achieved. Glycaemia, insulin, HOMA index, C-peptide, and proinsulin significantly decreased compared to pre-VLCKD levels. Serum glycaemia, insulin, C-peptide, and proinsulin levels returned within the normal range in all patients. No difference in the proinsulin/insulin ratio was observed after VLCKD treatment. A mean increase of 218.1 ± 53.9% in serum TT levels was achieved and none of the patients showed TT values falling in the hypogonadal range at the end of the VLCKD treatment.

Conclusions: This is the first study that evaluated the effects of VLCKD on proinsulin, proinsulin/insulin ratio, and TT levels. VLCKD could be safely used to improve β-cell secretory function and insulin-sensitivity, and to rescue overweight and obese patients from β-cell failure and metabolic hypogonadism.

Keywords: Insulin; Metabolic hypogonadism; Proinsulin; Testosterone; VLCKD; β-cell dysfunction.

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

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