And yes, WOMEN get these benefits as well, and it takes less testosterone for them to experience even greater results.
When you get into your early thirties your testosterone slowly, and in some cases not so slowly, declines. Most people, doctors included, say this is a natural progression of aging, and we should embrace and accept these negative effects of getting older.
But, I refuse to believe that the diseases of old age are simply inevitable.
- Forget ALL of the diet advice you have ever been given.
- Eat more dietary fat. Roughly 40% of your total intake of calories should come from fat. The idea that a low-fat diet is better for you, and more specifically your heart, is absolutely incorrect and not supported by science. Researches at Penn State University have shown a high-fat diet reduced the risk of heart disease by 21% while a low-fat diet reduced it by only 12%; effectively demonstrating that a high-fat diet can be the most heart-protective of all.Another study conducted by Penn State in 1997 demonstrated that subjects who ate a moderate-fat diet exhibited higher testosterone levels than the subjects eating a low-fat diet. This finding merely confirmed previous studies demonstrating that dietary fat is positively linked with testosterone levels, which is no surprise when we see the results above.Restricting total fat intake and replacing saturated fat with polyunsaturated fat (exactly what the experts are telling you to do) would appear to be the perfect prescription for: lowering your testosterone causing low energy levels, inability to increase muscle, and ever growing fat around your mid section, as well as increasing the risk of being diagnosed with one of the diseases of aging mentioned above.
- Don't over consume protein, but eat enough for muscle repair and metabolic function. This means you should have a moderate protein diet where 25-30% of your calories come from protein. For most of us this means consuming a minimum of one gram per pound of body weight, but no more than 1.5 grams/pound of weight.In the Massachusetts Male Aging Study researches observed that diets low in protein led to elevated Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) levels and decreased testosterone bioactivity. The decrease in bio-available testosterone resulted in declines in sexual function, muscle, red cell mass, contributed to the loss of bone density and a lower quality of life.
- Consume more carnivorous vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach. Avoid carbohydrates that come out of a bag, these are your worst enemies. The majority of your carbohydrates must come from vegetables. The nutrients in broccoli, spinach and others are essential to healthy testosterone levels.
- Avoid over consumption of fiber. This is very hard for the great majority of us, especially when we are making sure our diets are 40% fat coming mainly from animal sources. But, it is important to note that an excessive amount of fiber should be avoided. In fact, the very high fiber intake of vegetarians could be another reason they have such low testosterone levels.
- Make sure you are consuming enough calories. We often fall into a dieter's trap of cutting calories to an extreme level. This must be avoided, because the constant deficit of calories can lead to a decrease in testosterone levels. This is one reason people will plateau when trying to lose weight, regardless of the type of diet they are following. The mere reduction in calories can lead to a drop in testosterone levels, which can hinder weight-loss efforts.
- Find a friend or two who is looking to accomplish the same goals as you are. It will make getting there much more fun, and it helps keep those of us who are procrastinators accountable.