8 Ways To Increase Testosterone

Here are 8 ways to increase testosterone that I found on Mark’s Daily Apple. I’ve recently read his The Primal Blueprint and loved it. He puts forward the idea that the Standard American Diet (SAD) which is mostly comprised of refined and simple carbohydrates, processed foods and nasty chemicals is causing people all sorts of problems ranging from obesity to Type 2 Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, inflammation and skin problems, IBS, high blood pressure and hypertension, to name but a few. If we go back to our ancestors 10,000 years ago and eat how they ate and exercise how they did, we can shed the pounds super fast, boost testosterone, built muscle and live a far healthier life. There, you don’t need to read the book anymore! (Do read it, it’s awesome.) Check out his 8 tips to increase testosterone:

Sprint

In young men, a short six-second bout of sprinting increased serum total testosterone levels. Levels remained elevated during recovery. Interestingly, testosterone was also correlated with lactate levels in the blood. It would be even more interesting to know if any training that causes lactate levels to rise would also increase testosterone.

Avoid Excessive Cortisol

Since cortisol antagonizes and reduces free testosterone levels, and stress promotes the release of cortisol, avoiding stress becomes crucial for maintaining or boosting T levels. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, every night (which in and of itself increases testosterone levels). Avoid overtraining, especially in the Chronic Cardio arena, which may affect T levels and reproductive function. And be sure to take time to chill out and relax (read a book, go for a walk, play).

Get Sun, or Take Vitamin D Supplements

Vitamin D, already associated with bone and muscular strength, also positively correlates with testosterone levels in men. Back in February, the vitamin D/T link got a decent amount of media attention.

Eat Clean, Pastured Animal Products

Toxic substances called dioxins have been shown to interfere with the male reproductive system, including production of testosterone. While concentrated sources of dioxins include Agent Orange (which I’m sure you’re already avoiding), we obtain most of our dietary dioxins through conventionally-raised animal products, especially animal fats and dairy (dioxins accumulate in fat). If you’re going to be eating fatty cuts of meat or using dairy, try to go for pastured, grass-fed animals to reduce your exposure and lessen the negative impact on your testosterone levels.

Read More Here on MarksDailyApple.com