boost-testosterone

5 Steps To Boost Testosterone Naturally

Common symptoms of Low-T

Low energy… depression… and the dreaded “man boobs”…

low-testosterone-symptoms

These are common complaints I hear from men at my clinic.

I ask them if they also have trouble sleeping, a low sex drive and can’t work out like they used to. When they say yes, I almost always know what’s going on… low testosterone.

Other low testosterone symptoms include:

  • Decreased bone and muscle mass
  • Reduced insulin resistance
  • Irritability
  • Hair loss
  • Weight gain, especially in the abdomen

Testosterone and aging

Testosterone decreases as we age. But in today’s toxic environment, it happens at a faster rate. And at a much younger age.

The reason is that men today have higher levels of estrogen than ever.   

Relationship between testosterone and estrogen

Although estrogen is called the “female” hormone, men make it too, at a much lower level. But our toxic world knocks your natural estrogen/testosterone ratio out of balance.

Testosterone imbalance causes

Everyday items contain compounds that boost estrogen levels in men.

I call them “alien” estrogens…

They’re in household products like plastics, pesticides, shower curtains and toothpaste. Non-organic meat and dairy products are loaded with estrogen-raising growth hormones. Even the receipt the cashier hands you raises estrogen levels!

plastic-bottles-cause-estrogen

Ideal testosterone vs estrogen ratios

Men should have a ratio of testosterone to estrogen of at least 4:1… that’s four parts testosterone to one part estrogen.

The higher your ratio, the more “manly” you’ll look and feel. I like to see my patients at a ratio closer to 8:1.

5-step treatment to boost testosterone

To get their levels in sync, I recommend my patients do the following to increase testosterone naturally:

  1. Exercise the right way: Testosterone levels go up or down depending on what your body needs. Couch potatoes don’t produce as much because your muscles don’t demand it.

pace-intense-interval-training

When you’re active, your brain sends out a signal to make more testosterone. But be careful with the exercise you choose…

Endurance exercises — like jogging every day — lower your testosterone! By as much as 40%.1

The same study found that a high-intensity exercise program increases testosterone naturally.

I recommend PACE. This is a program of short bursts of brief intensity followed by rest and recovery.

  1. Eat more cruciferous vegetables: Certain foods reduce estrogen levels easily.

The best estrogen-blocking foods are cruciferous vegetables… broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower.

brussels-sprouts

These veggies contain DIM to break down estrogen naturally.

They also contain a compound called Indole-3-Carbinol. The two work together to keep estrogen levels down.

Another way to keep estrogen levels down is to avoid foods that contain estrogens. These include:

  • Chickpeas
  • Dried fruits
  • Soy products
  • Non-organic, grain-fed cow’s milk and eggs
  • Yams
  1. Eat more beef. Red meat raises your testosterone levels naturally.2

red-meat-boost-testosterone

Despite what the mainstream media has told you, red meat is not your enemy. A diet rich in grass-fed red meat does not increase your risk of heart disease. Numerous studies back this up.3

  1. Get more vitamin D. The “sunshine vitamin” increases testosterone levels. Go outside for 10 to 15 minutes a day, every day. This is the best way for your body to obtain vitamin D.

In fact, just 20 minutes of sunshine can provide you with as much as 10,000 IUs.

anti-aging-secret-of-sunshine

And take your shirt off! Expose skin that is normally covered up for best results.

Other good sources of vitamin D are fatty fish like herring, sardines and mackerel, beef liver, organic milk from grass-fed cows, egg yolks and cod liver oil.

  1. Use Bulbine Natalensis. This African herb has been used for centuries by traditional healers to treat male impotence.

It works by amping up the volume of a testosterone-boosting hormone (GnRH) from the hypothalamus in the brain… kind of like turning your car radio to full volume. This stimulates the testes to produce testosterone.

bulbine-natalensis

A South African study showed that Bulbine produced a stunning 347% increase in testosterone.4

And as an added bonus… Bulbine acts as an aphrodisiac. It even outperforms “the little blue pill” for improving sex drive.

To Your Good Health,

Al Sears, MD

Al Sears, MD, CNS

1. Hackney, A.C. Testosterone and reproductive dysfunction in endurance-trained men. In: Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine and Science, T.D. Fahey (Editor). Internet Society for Sport Science: sportsci.org. 20 Sept 1998.
2. Raben A, Kiens B, Richter EA. Serum sex hormones and endurance performance after a lacto-ovo vegetarian and a mixed diet. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1992 Nov;24(11):1290-7.
3. Siri-Tarino PW, Sun Q, Hu FB, Krauss RM. Meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies evaluating the association of saturated fat with cardiovascular disease. Am J Clin Nutr. 2010 Mar;91(3):535-46.
4. Yakubu MT1, Afolayan AJ. Anabolic and androgenic activities of Bulbine natalensis stem in male Wistar rats. Pharm Biol. 2010 May;48(5):568-76.