Benefits of Testosterone You Didn’t Know About
Testosterone is one of the most potent chemicals in the male body. This hormone is responsible for so many operations in the body, from sex to brain function.
Unfortunately, low testosterone levels are an incredibly common problem, especially with aging men. In fact, around 40% of men aged 45 or older have less testosterone than what is considered normal. For men, the normal range of total testosterone levels is about 300 to 1,200 ng/dL.
With such a widespread problem on our hands, we thought we’d take some time to talk about the benefits that testosterone has on your body. When your T levels are low, and you bring them back up to normal, you can experience these benefits and many others that can lead to a healthier life.
Understanding The Basics
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It is primarily responsible for the growth and function of the male sex organs. Testosterone also contributes to puberty, the lowering of the voice, growth of face and body hair, and many other pubescent events.
It is also vital for sperm production, bone-mineral density and bone growth, and sex drive. Interestingly enough, testosterone also has essential functions in women, even though there is much less than in men.
In women, testosterone helps with bone strength, reduces fatigue, boosts libido, and works with estrogen due to menopause and maintains ovary health. After all, testosterone is produced in the ovaries and adrenal gland.
But in addition to all of that, there are other important benefits that testosterone brings, especially to those who are T deficient.
Muscle Growth
The first major benefit to getting your T levels up is the promotion of muscle growth. Testosterone is a crucial player in the game of muscle strength and development.
Who doesn’t want stronger, healthier muscles?
For starters, testosterone improves protein synthesis and energy levels in the muscle cells. Testosterone utilizes the fat in your body to fuel the cells with the energy they need to create new proteins and function adequately.
This means that you’re not only building muscle with testosterone, but you’re burning fat. Performing medium to high-intensity workouts, especially resistance workouts like weight training, is the best way to work with your testosterone to increase muscle mass.
T also helps grow muscles by signaling the pituitary gland to release human growth hormone (HGH). The pituitary gland then sends the message to the testicles.
Who doesn’t want to boost their HGH? This promotes further muscle growth and energy in the muscles.
So as you can see, getting your testosterone levels back to normal can promote muscle growth and increase lean muscle mass, which can help you maintain a healthy life.
Stronger Bone Density
Bone density is also an essential element of health where testosterone plays a role. Studies show that improving low T levels has a positive effect on bone growth and health.
Bone density decreases with age, causing a higher risk of brittle bones that break easily. Not to mention, strong bones work together with the muscles to perform physical tasks. So increasing bone density can improve athletic performance.
So increasing testosterone can have more than one positive effect on your bones.
Improved Libido
This is no surprise, considering that testosterone is the primary male sex organ. Testosterone improves libido by increasing the function of sexual organs. In fact, increasing testosterone can improve your sexual function and performance.
Older men need larger amounts of testosterone to perform sexually. If you struggle with atestosterone deficiency and low sex drive, increasing your testosterone could help.
Better Mood and Cognition
Testosterone can also support the quality of your mood and your mind. Higher T levels lead to increased spatial and verbal memory, promoting healthy brain function. This could be especially beneficial to aging men with low T levels.
As far as mood goes, healthier sexual function, higher energy, and support muscle growth contribute to a greater mood. So, indirectly, testosterone can lift your spirits.
Healthy Cardiovascular System
One of testosterone’s key functions in the body is promoting the production of red blood cells. Testosterone works in tandem with the bone marrow to make red blood cells. This helps to ensure, firstly, that your cells get all the oxygen they need.
But this also promotes cardiovascular health. The fact is that higher T levels help support heart health by reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.
So How Can I Increase My T Levels?
There are several ways to increase your testosterone levels so you can get back to a healthier you. But there are some common misconceptions about what can or can’t increase your testosterone levels.
What Doesn’t Work
Before we dive into the helpful testosterone habits, let's talk about some things that might help, but won’t do that much for you.
Increased Sexual Activity
It is widely believed that increased sexual activity will increase testosterone levels. This is only slightly true.
It is true that after sex, testosterone levels are briefly increased. However, this change in testosterone is only temporary. Many different bodily functions and changes can alter hormonal levels, and sex is one of them.
But sex does not have any lasting changes on testosterone levels. The hormonal changes are very brief, and base T levels are not altered.
Testosterone Precursor Pills
There are certain pills out there that claim to load your body up with the chemical that your system can turn into testosterone. The claim is that this chemical already occurs naturally in your body, and your body turns it into T, so your body will also turn this pill into T.
Unfortunately, that just isn’t true. Just because there is a precursor in your body does not mean that your body will turn that precursor into testosterone.
This is not to be confused with supplements. Supplements are natural ingredients that promote the healthy function of the testosterone system. They are not artificial chemicals pretending to be other hormones.
What You Can Do
Now that that’s out of the way, here are some actual things you can do to support your body’s ability to make testosterone and boost your T levels.
Exercise
It may sound like we are beating a dead horse, but exercise really is the best starting point for increasing your T levels.
Just think about it. Two of testosterone’s main functions in the body are building muscle and supplying energy. Those are two functions actively utilized by working out.
Medium intensity to high-intensity exercise works best for boosting low levels of testosterone. With regular exercise, you support your body’s ability to make more testosterone to keep up with your physical activity, resulting in higher T levels.
Diet
Your diet is of the utmost importance for getting your T levels in the right spot.
Sugar can be your enemy when it comes to boosting your T levels, so it’s best to limit your sugar intake as much as possible. Another critical thing to focus on with diet is the calorie count. Eating a lower-calorie diet can promote healthy testosterone levels.
Weight gain can really hinder your body’s ability to make testosterone. High levels of cholesterol reduce the levels of free testosterone in your blood. So, do what you can to get your body to a healthy weight, and you may see improvements in your T levels.
Get Good Sleep
Testosterone is a hormone, and like so many other hormones, it is bound to a cycle in your body. And all bodily cycles tie to sleep in some way. Sleep is your body’s time to recharge and reset.
Interrupted, irregular, or inadequate amounts of sleep can disrupt your body’s cycle and hinder its ability to create testosterone.
While getting adequate sleep cannot boost your body to high levels of T, it is one step you can take to help prevent your levels from dropping lower.
Reduce Your Stress
Long-term stress can be one of the most hindering elements to your body’s production of testosterone. Stress causes the release of the stress hormone: cortisol.
Cortisol kicks your body into survival mode, directing energy away from what it deems non-essential and towards functions it deems to be critical.
So, it is essential to deal with your stress!
Now’s the time to understand the symptoms if their free testosterone levels decline in addition to its side effects and behaviors of stress. You can also talk to a friend or loved one, see a therapist, do what you have to do to handle the emotional stress you’re going through. It can make all the difference. Not to mention, take time to research the benefits of testosterone therapy.
With the effects of testosterone therapy, many turn to this treatment as a solution to reverse the effects and achieve ideal hormone levels.
Testosterone Supplements
Supplements can be natural ways to promote and support your body’s ability to make testosterone naturally. Essentially, supplements work to optimize the conditions in your body for testosterone production.
Not to mention, testosterone replacement therapy may come with potential side effects, forcing many to turn to patches. Testosterone patches may cause minor skin irritation, allowing topical gels to be the preferred method.
Conclusion
Low T levels can be one of the most frustrating and discouraging things an aging man can face. It is challenging to feel like a different, even lesser, man than you once were.
It is not your fault, but it doesn’t have to stay this way. There are things you can do to change the situation that you’re in. There are so many benefits to pursuing higher levels of testosterone.
And now you have the information and the resources to pursue it. So make a life change and step back into the way you used to feel.