Talking about testosterone in the minds of most is tantamount to referring to man’s virility. But testosterone is a hormone that plays a much bigger role in the functioning of the body. The question is, what is testosterone? What is its importance ? Know first of all that we find testosterone in humans … and in women!
Definition and role of testosterone
Testosterone is an androgenic hormone secreted by the testes in humans . It is also secreted in small quantities in women by the ovaries and the adrenal glands in both sexes.
Testosterone plays a role of mood regulator because it reduces the reaction to stress. It is also a hormone associated with competition that boosts performance and domination. Some theories show that with age and the decline in testosterone production, men become more passive. In the field of performance, it is an anabolic popular with athletes because it is possible to increase its strength with testosterone which also promotes the development of bones. It also promotes the manufacture of blood cells and allows a recovery time after exercise .
Increase your testosterone level with bodybuilding
Testosterone is closely related to muscle development in men and the difficulty of taking in women because of its limited production in the latter. How to know your testosterone levels? From the age of 30, the level of testosterone in men declines by 1% per year and the deficit really begins to be perceived with the problems that entails from the age of fifty.
If it is impossible to exceed its maximum natural rate, it is possible to increase the testosterone level of an individual by doing bodybuilding for a short time (1 hour max), with brief exercises but with a lot of load. Indeed, clinical tests have shown that training in resistance to power is more effective than exercises according to the traditional approach, based on intensive rehearsals.
Thus, testosterone levels in the blood are higher after 8 repetitions of one exercise than after 12 . For example, make series of 2 to 5 repetitions of bench press, squat, military development, or deadlift, interspersed with phases of rest, series that you will repeat until failure. These exercises that stimulate several muscle zones at a time will lead to a high production of testosterone. The more muscles you exercise, the more the body releases testosterone. The squat at the helm is considered the most effective at soliciting the muscles since it makes the forearms, trapezius, abdominals and even the muscles of the lower body work simultaneously.
These exercises require in their practice an irreproachable technical level if you want to obtain palpable results. After each session, it is important to get enough sleep, and in the night on average 8h, because the sleep stimulates the production of testosterone and in parallel the recovery nerve and muscular.
Foods that promote testosterone production
Consume fruit foods that increase testosterone like honey that contains boron, a chemical element rich in testosterone; the banana which thanks to bromelain increases the level of testosterone; the almonds that are considered rich in zinc and stimulate testosterone but also the libido; the eggs , whole foods rich in omega 3, vitamin D, cholesterol and proteins that are great generators of this hormone you need; or asparagus known to be an aphrodisiac contains folic acid and vitamin E, which are necessary for the production of testosterone.
Dietary supplements will also help you to increase your testosterone level. For example, vitamin D3, which despite its importance is limited in many people. If it is sufficiently present in your body, it helps to raise your testosterone levels but also significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. A study conducted for 1 year on men whose age range oscillates between 20 and 49 years has also demonstrated that the interference in the body of 3300 IU of vitamin D3 per day (1 IU = 0.0003 milligram) increases testosterone by 20 to 25%.
The creatine essential especially if you follow a workout because it increases sports performance while increasing your strength and endurance. BCAAs , branched amino acids composed of leucine, isoleucine and valine. The combination of these 3 amino acids represents about a third of the muscle proteins. It is found in foods such as cheese, egg yolks, or meat.
They also exist as a supplement. For example by buying BCAA or Whey protein . Finally, it is possible to increase testosterone with Zinc. This is undoubtedly one of the most important elements. It is involved in over 100 chemical processes in your body. Professional athletes have found that a daily intake of zinc has reduced the testosterone drop after 4 weeks of intense physical activity. As with vitamin D, zinc directly affects the level of testosterone.