Testosterone is a hormone produced by both men and women. Although, women produce far less of it than men. It is an incredibly powerful and important hormone – especially for men – it controls the libido, influences sperm production, increases energy, impacts behaviour, and helps to create muscle mass. However, as you age, your body begins to slow down in producing testosterone, and the level decreases. Luckily, you can boost testosterone production naturally. Want to know how? Keep reading to find out more.
A Background On Testosterone
Testosterone has a number of uses within the body. The first is during pregnancy. In male fetuses, it is the hormone that is responsible for the development of the male organs. Then as a boy hits puberty, it becomes responsible for the creation of blood cells, the creation and maintenance of muscle and bone mass and finally, it is also responsible for your sex drive. As you get older, it begins to drop, leading to the male menopause.
In terms of your bones, testosterone is one of the hormones responsible for the production of new bone, which is used by the body to repair damage. If you want to increase muscle mass, burning fat will help you to accomplish this target. Testosterone is vital for a man’s libido because it supports erectile functions, the production of sperm, sex drive and motivation too, so it really is key for performing in the bedroom.
Not only this, but it also helps to improve cognitive function by encouraging learning and improving focus. Additionally, it has even been linked to remembering and recalling things. Testosterone has also been linked to healthy sleeping habits, allowing you to sleep for longer and experience better-quality sleep too. When this happens, you will wake up feeling refreshed and energized, and, more importantly, better able to concentrate throughout the day.
Testosterone has certainly been linked to violence and aggression, but this isn’t always the case; it can help regulate emotions and provide more balance. This is because it helps to lower stress and decrease depression. Lastly, it also has a few different roles within the blood too, like stabilizing blood pressure, balancing triglycerides and cholesterol, producing more red blood cells and supporting the body’s natural sensitivity to insulin.
The body has to monitor and control the production of testosterone closely. For most men, they will find that their testosterone levels peak in the morning, and slowly and gradually decrease throughout the day. Obviously, testosterone in men is produced primarily in the testes, but the adrenal gland shares duties too. The brain controls this process, but it is mostly the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland.
The testosterone levels in the blood can only reach a certain level before the brain notices and prompt the body to stop producing and suppress the process. It is cyclical; there is an optimum range. If the body falls below this, the brain kicks off production. If the level gets too high, it dampens it down.
How To Tell If Your Levels Of Testosterone Are Low
Truthfully, when trying to determine whether your testosterone levels are low without having a blood test, it is all hearsay and guesswork. Testosterone tests aren’t all that common on the NHS, admittedly. This is why you will likely need a testosterone test carried out privately by a healthcare provider like Bioma. Why not visit their website to see how their services could help you.
That being said, if you do notice any of the following symptoms, it could indicate low testosterone levels. To confirm this, you could look into having a test completed. If your sex drive has changed and you don’t feel ‘in the mood’ as often as you used to, this could indicate an issue with your testosterone. The same can also be said if you find yourself experiencing erectile issues or a low sperm count. Your energy levels may also drop similarly, so if you previously have always been pretty active, but you are suddenly struggling to find the energy, it may be worth a test.
Next, if you have always previously been pretty lean, but your body fat percentage has recently risen, then this could be because your testosterone levels have decreased (however, as well as being a cause, it can also be a symptom, so it can be hard to tell which comes fist). Changes to your mood, like experiencing anxiety or depression more often than usual, can also be symptomatic. However, fear not, it is totally natural and normal for your testosterone level to drop a bit as you get older. As such, it isn’t necessarily any cause for concern, but it is worth exploring ways to boost your testosterone if these symptoms are something you wish to avoid.
Boosting Your Levels
If your levels are really low, then your GP is likely to recommend a course of treatment designed to boost your body’s production or supplement it if it is struggling to produce testosterone on its own. However, because the body tends to produce less as you get older anyway, it isn’t always a cause for concern and can often be a matter of preference. If you want a boost, you can do a few things to encourage your body to produce more testosterone naturally – without medical intervention.
Firstly, because testosterone is linked to muscle mass, it is therefore needed when exercising; however, it is another chicken-and-egg scenario in that if you need more testosterone, you can begin to exercise more regularly to produce more testosterone that your body will then need to use to exercise. If you have been living a more sedent life lately, get yourself up and out to the gym a couple of times a week; you’ll boost your testosterone and your fitness.
Stress is unavoidable, but it can range in severity. Little stresses here and there aren’t going to have too much of an effect on your health or, indeed, your levels of testosterone. However, chronic stress very much can and will. This is why it is also worth considering how to manage your stress better. This might mean taking up a hobby that helps you destress and unwind, whatever the case. It could also mean stress management techniques like meditation or mindfulness.
When you’re tired, your body is not able to operate optimally. This means that missing sleep frequently can be what is impacting your levels of testosterone. Most doctors recommend at least eight hours a night whenever possible. As well as improving your production of testosterone, ensuring you get enough sleep can help improve your health all around, reducing your risk of cardiovascular illness and even mental health issues.
In Summary
Testosterone is an incredibly important – probably one of the most important – hormone for any man. Getting older can be a lot to deal with; there are so many changes within the body as it ages, all of which tend to culminate in aches, pains, fatigue, and other feelings of discomfort. Unfortunately, for the most part, getting older is inevitable. However, you don’t necessarily have to deal with the symptoms right now. You can do things to slow the ageing process and keep your body producing testosterone for as long as possible because it is beneficial for the body.
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