Testosterone

What makes a man a MAN? Testosterone. That bass in your voice, that hair on your chin and chest, that drive and motivation, that macho-man aggression, and those few hints of muscularity on your body are driven by this hormone. Testosterone is impacted by age, nutrition and lifestyle. You can't do anything about Father time but you can certainly make adjustments to your nutrition, lifestyle and training. I want to share what I’ve done to record higher testosterone levels in my 30s than I did in my 20s 🤯 insane but true. Listen up.

Lifestyle
Sleep 😴 for a minimum of 8 hours every night. Testosterone is produced in your sleep and it’s output is displayed in your morning glory. More and better quality sleep aids it’s production and ensures more glorious days ahead 🦁 . You're not Elon Musk or Steve Jobs and there's really nothing you're doing when you're up late so prioritize sleeping more.

If you smoke, stop. Shisha, cigarettes 🚬 and weed - lekefyo. Little Jimmy won’t stand up? Blame it on the smokes 💨 cutting off circulation . If you drink 🍺 , do so in moderation (x2 beers per day). Alcohol crashes test levels and elevates estrogen. That big belly? Blame it on the alcohol providing you with excess calories.

Reduce your stress levels 😔. Stop trying to be superman; you can't be a hero for everyone and save them from their problems. Stress causes an elevation in the stress hormone cortisol and sustained or frequent elevations in cortisol subsequently reduce testosterone.

Nutrition
Keep doing whatever it is that you're doing but pay particular attention to your fat intake. You must look to increase this. When it comes to testosterone, fat is your friend. Look into incorporating things such as a fatty fish 🐠 , nuts 🥜 and nut butters, full fat dairy milk 🥛 or cheese 🧀 (choose ONE), avocado 🥑 , whole eggs 🍳 , chia seeds, olives 🫒 and olive oil (when cooking or alternatively you can consider throwing a tablespoon of it into your smoothie - you won't taste a thing!). Personally avocado is my go to, as well as placing the seed options in my smoothies and having nuts as snacks.

Avoid estrogen containing products, mainly soy and soy related products such tofu and soy milk. Growing breasts as a man? That's a sign of excess estrogen. Estrogen goes up and testosterone goes down.

Limit your overall sugar intake. Watch the sodas and consider drinking sugar free options instead to avoid increased fat storage from excess energy intake. Plain old water is the best.

Training
It's simple really, lift heavy things up and put them back down. Repeat this action 3-5 times per week for 30-60 minutes and you're all set. Strength training takes priority over cardiovascular training. Vo tamanga tamanga (running 🏃🏿‍♂️) won't help your testosterone unless you're overweight. If you're overweight consider incorporating both strength training and cardiovascular activity for accelerated results in the weight loss department. High Intensity interval training is a great option for those short on time.

Supplements to consider:

• Maca root (available at Umoyo).
• Zinc (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy).
• Magnesium (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy). Eat more spinach and nuts if you're averse to supplements.
• Vitamin D3 (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy). Spend a few minutes in the sun if you're averse to supplementation.
• D Aspartic Acid (available at Supplement World Zambia or your local pharmacy).

⚠️ Low testosterone is associated with:

• Erectile dysfunction
• Fatigue
• Increased body fat
• Feeling irritable, or depressed
• Changes in sleep habits

⭐️ Supplementary reading:
Men's Health
African King