Will Taking Testosterone Make Your Facial Hair Grow

Will Taking Testosterone Make Your Facial Hair Grow

Testosterone - Its Effect on Beard & Hair Growth. Including a Guide with 22 Ways to Increase it.

This is the ultimate guide to testosterone, its effect on beard and hair growth and 22 ways to increase it naturally.

Let me be clear:

It's not a dry college paper on testosterone.

Instead, you're going to understand how T effects your beard & hair growth and how to increase it naturally with tested methods that work.

Let's dive right in.

Table of Contents

CHAPTER 0

Introduction

Testosterone 101

Testosterone's Effect on
 Hair & Beard Growth

Increasing T Levels.
How & Why

22 Natural Ways to
Increase T Levels

CHAPTER 0

Introduction

Testosterone…

I'm sure you'll agree when I say it's one of the most talked about hormones out there.

In this chapter I'll layout the topics that I'm going to cover and who will benefit from this monster guide.

​

Short Intro to What This Guide is About

If you're unsure about the function of testosterone in your body, don't worry; you are not alone.  This is the reason I've created a comprehensive guide explaining everything you ever needed or wanted to know about this hormone.

And of course, I have a special section on how can it affect your beard growth.

Who This Guide is For & What Will Be Discussed

• Having beard growth problems? I'll explain how testosterone effects beard & hair growth and why DHT is so important.
• How testosterone can make you look better, feel better and just make your life awesome.
• What testosterone is and why is it so important.
• Signs and warning symptoms of low/high testosterone levels, so you can spot this problem in the early stages and reverse it.
• Risks of using anabolic steroids
• 22 Ways to increase your testosterone levels naturally

I actually started writing this guide with only beards in mind, but as I read more I realized that testosterone has an enormous effect on our body, and while it has a big effect on beards and hair in general it can DIRECTLY affect the way we look and behave.

So I thought it would help everyone if I made a thorough article on testosterone that will help men in general, with and without beards.

Enjoy.

CHAPTER 1

Testosterone 101 Crash Course

Everyone's heard of testosterone...

BUT...

Before anything, we must talk a bit about testosterone and get everyone on the same page.

Don't worry it won't be scientific.

​

What is Testosterone?

Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It can be found in women, and other animals as well.

For women, small amounts of testosterone are made in the ovaries.  It's much more abundant in men, and it's primarily made in the testicles.

Testosterone plays a vital role in the bone production and muscle mass.  It also affects the way men store fat in their body and produce red blood cells.  Furthermore, sex drive and sperm production are connected to a man's testosterone levels.

During puberty, teenage boys begin to significantly increase testosterone production in their body. Once men reach the age of 30, their testosterone levels start to fall.

Why is Testosterone Important?

Testosterone has a multitude of functions within the human body.  We'll take a deeper look at its purposes and explain how they relate to your life.

1. Bone Mass

According to the Journal of Osteoporosis, testosterone is vital for bone growth and maintenance in the male body.  Healthy production of this hormone ensures that bones grow strong and properly.  Men with high levels of testosterone will have large bone mass and increased bone density as well.

As men grow older and their hormone levels slow down and drop, so does their bone density. Elderly men are at an increased risk for bone fractures and breaks.

Takeaway: High levels of T will make your bones strong & healthy. Low levels of T may be the cause for Osteoporosis.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

2. Body Fat Dicrease

According to a study by Sylvia Santosa, an assistant professor at Concordia University Department of Exercise Science, testosterone influences the distribution of body fat in males. The study focused on where fat was stored in people with high levels of testosterone and low levels of testosterone.  Men with low levels of testosterone had excess fat in their hips and thighs.

Your metabolism is affected by your testosterone. which has a role in regulating fat, insulin and more. High levels of T will actually help decreasing your body fat

I'm sure you've heard of Gynecomastia also known as 'man boobs'. Low levels of T is one of the main reasons for man boobs, read more about it here.

Takeaway: High levels of T will decrease body fat. Low levels of T are common in men with excess fat and may cause 'man boobs'.

3. Hair Growth

Testosterone production affects the hair growth on a man's body.

Depending on how much testosterone you have, you'll grow hair on your face, genitals, and armpits.

As testosterone production decreases with age, men may notice that they are starting to lose hair in different areas of their body.

The length and thickness of hair on a man's arms, legs, back, and chest are all related to testosterone levels. I'll discuss this in detail later on.

Takeaway: High levels of T will make your facial and body hair longer and thicker. Low levels of T will probably cause hair loss.

4. Muscle Mass & Strength

Testosterone helps you build and increase  your muscle mass.

It's easier for men with high testosterone levels to increase muscle mass and become stronger.
T has an effect on muscle protein synthesis. This is the reason why anabolic steroids are so common in the body building community.

Ronald Talmer, MD, explains in an interview with Everyday Health, that loss of muscle is a sign of low testosterone.  You may notice that you have less energy and feel weaker as well.

A study by Dr. Joel Finkelstein at the Massachusetts General Hospital monitored 400 healthy men between the ages of 20 and 50 over a 16-week period.  One of the findings in that study was related to strength and testosterone.  Finkelstein discovered that as testosterone reduced, the patients lost strength on the leg press machine.

Takeaway: High levels of T will increase your muscle mass & strength. Low levels of T  will make you weaker and less powerful.

5. Behavioral & Cognitive Traits

Research by the British Psychological Society indicates that testosterone is associated with certain types of male behaviors.

1. Aggression

One of the most common traits linked to the testosterone is aggression.

Testosterone plays a significant role in the arousal of aggression. Men with high testosterone levels may have higher levels of anger. You can read more here.

2. Cognitive Performance

Testosterone is also associated with cognitive performance. According to studies, testosterone effects the expression of spatial ability and the cognitive functioning in healthy men.

Reductions in T levels that are connected to age are commonly associated with a decline in cognitive abilities.

Takeaway: High levels of T will keep you sharp.

3. Alzheimer's Disease

Some studies have shown that low testosterone level is a risk  factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Other studies have shown that low testosterone levels in old men that suffer from memory problems can increase the risk of dementia.

4. Competitiveness & Risk Taking

It's not a secret that men are competitive. According to a study done by the University of Texas, changes in men's testosterone levels predict competitiveness after a loss.

According to the study: "When testosterone levels increase, we seem to become more dominant and driven to gain status. But, when testosterone levels drop, we seem to become more submissive".

On top of competitiveness, testosterone is also linked to risk taking. Combined with its effect on competitiveness, it's no surprise that men with high levels of T have a bigger motivation to take risks, win and gain power.

5. Mood & Depression

The Oxford Academic Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism explains that testosterone relates to a man's mood.  Fluctuating production levels can cause mood swings.  Irritability, depression, and hypomania can all get traced to testosterone.  Studies also found that the hormone can connect to fatigue and confusion as well.

Recent studies have shown that people suffering from depression have lower levels of T.

Takeaway: Low levels of T are connected to depression.

6. Libido

Libido is the formal term for sexual desire or sex drive.  In men, your libido is directly connected to your testosterone levels and production.  High levels of testosterone increase your desire for sexual activity.  Over time, dropping levels of testosterone can impact your libido.

However, according to the Testosterone Centers of Texas, low testosterone killing your libido is not the same thing as erectile dysfunction.  That's a common misconception that ED is the result of a libido issue when it's a physical problem with the penis.

6. Heart Health

According to Harvard Health, doctors suspect that there's a direct link between testosterone and heart disease.  The reason for this suspicion is that men have significantly more testosterone than women and men tend to develop heart disease about ten years earlier than women.  In tests done on animals, testosterone supplements increased the size of their hearts.

High doses of testosterone can increase the risk for heart attack by affecting the HDL cholesterol levels.

According to Medscape, testosterone is  also linked to the red blood cell count in your body.  In some cases, High levels of T can lead to polycythemia a condition in which there's an increased amount of red blood cells, which increases blood thickness and may cause heart attacks and strokes.

Other more recent studies have shown that normal levels of T can actually prevent heart disease.

Takeaway: When it comes to the heart's health, there's no solid conclusion about the effects of T on the heart. One thing is clear - normal T levels won't damage your heart.

7. Reproductive System

The health experts at the Cleveland Clinic Organization, state that the male reproductive system is entirely dependent on hormones to function properly.  The pituitary gland at the base of the brain produces a luteinizing hormone, which stimulates the testosterone production in the testicles.

Testosterone is related to sperm count and sperm transportation. It also affects the penis, prostate, and other important parts of the male reproductive system.

8. Red Blood Cells

According to Medscape, testosterone is linked to the red blood cell count in your body.  In some cases, High levels of T can lead to polycythemia a condition in which there's an increased amount of red blood cells, which increases blood thickness and may cause heart attacks and strokes.

9. Cholesterol Levels

According to a study conducted by the Trends in Endocrinology and Metabolism journal, testosterone supplements can decrease the levels of LDL in your system.  LDL is also known as bad cholesterol levels in the body.  Men suffering from cholesterol problems may choose to consider testosterone treatments as an alternative method of treating their condition.

CHAPTER 2

Testosterone's Effect On
Beard & Hair Growth

Testosterone has a direct effect on your beard growth and actually on each andevery hair on your body.

It's not a simple conditional, more T equals more hair.

In this chapter you'll learn exactly how T effects your beard and hair.

​

Testosterone and Its Effect on Hair & Beard Growth

The presence and amount of testosterone do have an effect on hair growth and balding, but it is not a simple matter of "testosterone = hair." The hormone is involved in several processes, and changes or termination of these processes can cause hair loss or reduced growth.

But before anything, we need to talk about DHT.

What is DHT?

Dihydrotestosterone, or in short DHT is usually mentioned in the context of baldness and hair loss.

DHT is a different form or a derivative of testosterone. Testosterone is converted to DHT with the help of 5-AR enzyme. Usually about 10% of T is converted to DHT. I'm not going to dig into DHT, if you want to know more, read here and here.

The problem with DHT is that sometimes it will hurt your hair follicles and cause hair loss; I will explain exactly what I mean by sometimes in the next section.

So, What Will Determine My Hair & Beard Growth

Now that we know what DHT is, it's time to talk about what it does and how.

The amount of DHT that you have will have a great effect on your beard and hair growth.

But it's not just the amount of DHT.

It's also about how sensitive to DHT your hair follicles are.

Remember that 'sometimes' I wrote 6 lines ago?

That sensitivity which is genetic is the sometimes…If your hair follicles are sensitive to DHT, then you'll have a higher chance of going bold, otherwise you probably won't.

How Does It Work Exactly?

As I said before, the effect of DHT on hair comes down to genetics.

It's important to note that the hair on your head grows independently of DHT while hair in other places, i.e. beard, chest hair, etc. depends on DHT, that is, high levels of DHT usually means more beard and more body hair.

The hormone is made in the male testes, then floats through the body until it finds a receptor. Your hair follicles have such receptors, be they body, head or facial hair. Once bound to a receptor, testosterone can either encourage the hair's growth or squeeze it, preventing it from growing.

Genetics is the primary factor in determining how the hormone will affect your hair, which is why male pattern baldness can be inherited. If your hair follicles are sensitive to DHT, the follicles may shrink and go dormant as your testosterone levels change. It is thought that DHT can prevent the hair from getting the proteins that it needs to grow.

Like father like son - Source

A popular claim states that men who are balding have higher levels of testosterone. This claim is not necessarily true, as the deciding factors are sensitivity to DHT or imbalanced levels of different kinds of testosterone. These are genetic factors at work, not results of various amounts of hormones. The opposite is also not true; balding men don't necessarily have lower levels of testosterone.

However, lower levels of testosterone do seem to affect the "male" types of hair, i.e. facial, chest, back and limb hair. Men with reduced testosterone production experience hair loss on their body and face while their head remains largely unaffected. Oddly enough, if your head hair is sensitive to DHT and your body begins to make too much of it, you may experience loss of hair on your head while seeing an increase in facial or body hair production. It's the classic joke about hair migrating south in old age.

As you can see testosterone and DHT have a great impact on your beard, hair and body hair. If you want to grow a beard or having patchy beard problems, increasing your T levels might help a lot.

• Key Takeaway

Testosterone and DHT have a great impact on your beard, hair and body hair. Usually higher levels of DHT will make your beard grow thicker and fuller.

CHAPTER 3

Increasing Testosterone Levels
Why & What's Your Options

Testosterone levels decrease as we age.

Low levels of T can have a dramatic effect on our body.

In this chapter you'll learn about symptoms of low & high testosterone levels, how to increase T levels, pros & cons for each method.

Signs & Causes of Low Testosterone

As we discussed earlier, as men age their testosterone levels decline.  Typically, this transition starts to happen around the time that men turn 30.  Once it starts, there is a gradual decline moving forward.

How do you know if you have low testosterone?  We'll take a look at the most common signs and symptoms, so you know what to look out for to detect the early warnings. In Chapter 1 I explained all the benefits and importance of testosterone in our body.

• Decreased libido, erection problems
• Low energy, fatigue
• Mood swings, depression, anxiety
• Reduction in muscle mass, excess fat, 'man boobs'

High Levels of Testosterone

If your body produces high levels of testosterone, you will probably notice it comes with plenty of benefits.  Men with high testosterone levels are confident and have reduced chances of developing anxiety or depression.  These men are also ambitious, motivated, full of energy, and have a higher work capacity.

High testosterone also improves concentration and the ability to complete involved mental tasks.  Sex drive is heightened, and body fat is reduced as the result of high levels of the hormone. These men will have more strength, muscle mass, and high metabolic rates.

But what happens if your body has too much testosterone?

Generally speaking, the male body does not produce testosterone levels that are considered too high or dangerous.  In fact, according to Men's Normal Health, about only 2.5% of men naturally produce levels of testosterone that doctors would consider considerably above normal.

That said, some men might take medication, pills, or supplements that put their production levels above this threshold.  You'll display some signs whether your body produces too much testosterone naturally, or you're taking a substance that increases those levels.

The signs of high testosterone include increased growth of body hair, large Adam's apple, deep voice, broad shoulders, and finer growth, according to Anabolic Men.  It's also common to experience mood swings as a result of high testosterone.

Increasing Testosterone Levels, Will It Help?

So, you have low levels of T, you're experiencing some sort of hair loss, will higher levels of testosterone help? Well, yes and no. As stated above more elevated levels of testosterone may speed up hair loss if you are genetically predisposed to it. It is a mistake to try and raise testosterone levels to promote head hair growth. But, increasing testosterone levels can have a positive effect on your body and facial hair growth as well a host of other benefits.

Testosterone levels and DHT levels are linked to how long beard hair can grow and how fast. That's why boys develop facial hair during puberty; they are beginning to produce testosterone. It's also why women who take steroids or testosterone supplements for bodybuilding or gender reassignment develop facial hair despite their sex.

Arm, leg, chest and back hair are all closely related to facial hair and as such can have their growth nurtured by high testosterone levels. You may experience increased hair thickness as well as hair growth on parts of your body that previously were smooth. So, depending on your preference, watch out for that.

Increased testosterone not only has a positive effect on body and facial hair growth, but it also is related to muscle mass, energy levels and libido. While raising hormone levels can fix these problems, there are just as many complications that can arise from too much testosterone.

Too much testosterone can stimulate the prostate, making it become enlarged which greatly increases the risk of prostate cancer. If your hormone levels are too high, you might also develop larger breasts, experience shrinking testicles, have acne breakouts, see a reduction in sperm count and increase your risk for a host of different health complications.

Anabolic Steroids & Supplements

Men can choose to take testosterone supplements to increase the production levels of the hormone in their body.  It's common in the weightlifting and bodybuilding industry for healthy adult males with normal levels of testosterone to boost their production for performance benefits.  Doctors do not recommend this, and the FDA warns against it.

Other males administer testosterone supplements due to their low production levels as they age.  Although this reasoning may seem more warranted, it's also not considered completely safe by health professionals.  Regardless of your reason for supplementing, I'll explain some of the side effects and risk factors of doing this.

You should also watch this video, it explains a lot about steroids and why you shouldn't take them.

Anabolic steroids have an entire laundry list of risks and dangers that can be light to severe, short-term to permanent and everything in between. Steroids are a synthetic version of testosterone that is injected straight into the system with no regulation by your body. Some users try to regulate the levels of steroids in their bodies by taking them on a schedule or fluctuating the dosage, but this won't stop the harmful side effects. Prolonged use of steroids will cause your body's natural testosterone production methods to waste away because you are no longer using them. So even if you stop abusing them, the damage done by steroids never truly goes away.

According to WebMD, testosterone supplements affect your heart, which can potentially lead to heart attacks, strokes, or heart failure.  It also can cause liver problems and diseases associated with the liver.  Supplements impact your brain and endocrine system, which can create an imbalance or problem with other hormones in your body as well.

The mood is often impacted by testosterone supplements.  It can cause depression, irritability, and increased rage, aggression, or hostility.  If the supplements cause the testosterone levels to rise too high, men may experience acne outbreaks on their face, back, and shoulders.

Another side effect is minor testicular shrinkage.  Testosterone supplements can cause both excess hair growth, as well as hair loss depending on how your body reacts to the dosage.  You may also experience reduced fertility and an enlarged prostate.

• Key Takeaway

Low testosterone levels can have a big impact on your life. If you're considering using anabolic steroids have a lot of risks and you should consider them before taking any.

Increasing Testosterone Naturally

Unsurprisingly, a natural increase in testosterone is much safer for you than resorting to steroids.

Natural methods nurture your own body's ability to create testosterone and keep it in balance. Your body is a much better judge of the hormones that it needs than a syringe.

You can achieve natural increases with more sleep, increased protein intake, a diet high in vitamins and minerals and herbal supplements.

The natural way may not be the fastest or efficient way, but the risks are also much less severe and don't have harmful short-term and long-term side effects.

In the next chapter I'll give you an in-depth description for how you can incorporate these techniques into your lifestyle.

CHAPTER 4

22 Natural Ways to Increase
Your Testosterone Levels

If you want to increase your T levels, you basically have 2 options:

1. The natural way.
2. The unnatural way.

As I explained above the unnatural way, a.k.a steroids is dangerous and has many risks.

The natural way is healthy and practically risk free. Just give it a try.

1. Weight Loss/Lower Body Fat

As your testosterone levels drop, you lose muscle and might develop fat in your hips and thighs. To combat this, you can make a conscious effort to lose weight and lower your body fat.

Body fat in your abdomen and belly area also lower your testosterone levels, according to Men's Health Magazine.  They continue explaining that the cause of this is an enzyme called aromatase.

Aromatase helps convert testosterone to estrogen, which is the main sex hormone in the female body.  Increased estrogen will cause your body to slow down testosterone production.  It's easier for belly fat to develop when less testosterone is present.  Essentially, it's a vicious cycle; body fat causes aromatase, aromatase causes estrogen, estrogen lowers testosterone allowing more body fat.

• Key Takeaway

Lose weight and lower your body fat percentage to increase your testosterone naturally. If you let body fat get out of control, not only will your testosterone levels drop, but your estrogen levels will increase.

2. Exercise

Exercise will help you stay in shape, lose weight, and keep the weight off.  One or two days of exercising won't change your testosterone levels.  You need to make fitness a habit and part of your lifestyle to enjoy the benefits.

According to Dr. Todd Schroeder, Ph.D. at the University of Southern California, testosterone levels rise after exercise.  Dr. Schroeder continues explaining that the levels don't rise for long, and it's a short-term solution unless you make exercise part of your everyday life.

His studies found that sometimes it only takes 15 minutes for testosterone levels to rise after a workout.  Other times it can take up to an hour for these hormones to kick in.

If you already have low testosterone levels, exercise will help but won't be as effective.  Exercise is more effective in men that are borderline or beginning to experience low hormone levels. Either way, don't let this discourage you, exercise has a multitude of health benefits and should be part of your routine anyway.

I'll explain the best exercises associated with naturally increasing testosterone:

Aerobic Exercise – HIIT

The experts at Easy Health Options explain that high-intensity interval training is one of the best ways to boost testosterone.

What is high-intensity interval training?  Let me explain.

If you're unfamiliar with this term, it's also known as HIIT, for short.  Instead of running or jogging on a treadmill for an hour, HIIT is a more effective alternative to boost hormone levels. Complete short and fast burst exercises such as jump ropes or elliptical machines.

If you prefer running, try sprints rather than distance. Do the following:

• Sprint as fast as you can for 20-30 seconds.
• Next, spend the next 90 seconds just walking.
• Sprint again for 20-30 seconds.

Do this cycle for about 15 minutes.

High-intensity interval training can easily fit into your busy schedule since it only takes about 20 minutes.  Do this each day to naturally increase testosterone and hormone production.

Tip: Consider adding HIIT to your resistance training.

Weight Lifting

The best way to increase testosterone naturally by weightlifting is with heavy weights and big lifts.

Isolation exercises such as bicep curls, shoulder extensions, or triceps pull downs are not nearly as effective as other alternatives.

Focus on lifts that emphasize your entire body. You should incorporate the following into your weight lifting routine:

• Squats
• Deadlift
• Power clean
• Bench press

Leg press machines are also beneficial since they target the largest muscle groups in your body.

First, try to do more than one of these lifts in a given day.  The variation will help shock and grow your muscles, which can boost testosterone.  Another tip to consider is your rest period.  Take shorter rests between each set and between each exercise.  Keep your muscles engaged and take less time to recover between sets.

Don't Over Train

According to the Journal of Applied Psychology, overtraining causes issues with the immune system.

When your immune system takes a hit, you are more susceptible to colds, flu, and other illnesses that adversely affect your health.

Another study explains that overtraining can cause a drop in sperm count.  They looked at elite cyclists and saw that there was a 50% drop in sperm production from over exhaustion.  If your sperm count lowers so significantly, your testosterone will do the same.

Know your limitations and don't push your limits while exercising.  Get plenty of rest in between sessions and don't train every day.

Stay Active

An active lifestyle, in general, will help boost your testosterone naturally and prevent the levels from dropping.

You don't need to become a gym rat to stay active.  If weightlifting or running isn't for you, there are alternative options.

It's not for everyone, but people that live in certain areas can choose to ride their bicycles to and from work as opposed to driving.  You can also walk to work if it's within a reasonable range and weather permitting instead of driving, taking a cab, train, or subway.

Walk around your neighborhood in your free time and enjoy the fresh air.  Try going on hikes or visiting local parks where you can exercise and stretch your legs.

• Key Takeaway

HIIT & weight lifting can help increasing testosterone. Don't overtrain!
Keep an active life style.

3. Diet & Eating

Certain foods help increase testosterone.  Changing your diet and eating habits can dramatically improve your hormones naturally. Let's go over some foods that can greatly help with testosterone levels.

Tuna Fish

Tuna fish is rich with vitamin D.  Adding vitamin D to your diet can boost testosterone by up to 90%, according to Men's Health.

The direct relationship between tuna, vitamin D, and testosterone is your sex drive.  For those of you affected by decreased sexual desire, try adding some tuna to your diet.

Venison

Although it may not be a common household food item, venison is a way to stimulate muscle growth from testosterone deficiencies.

According to the Nutrition Facts Organization, avoiding meat can decrease testosterone by 14% in men.

Meats contain vital protein that's important for your muscles.  Venison is an ideal protein source because it's not overly rich with saturated fats, which can lower testosterone.

Garlic

Garlic helps maintain your muscles because it contains allicin, a compound that lowers cortisol.

The Mayo Clinic explains that cortisol is a hormone that causes stress and can decrease testosterone as your stress levels rise.

If you're stressed, try eating plenty of garlic to fight cortisol.  When possible, consume garlic uncooked to enjoy its most potent benefits.

Honey

Honey is another natural ingredient that you can add to your diet to boost testosterone.

You can enjoy a daily dosage of a spoonful of local honey, add honey to tea, or drizzle honey over foods such as fruit.

Honey contains boron, which is a mineral linked to testosterone, according to the Gynecomastia Organization.  It's also proven to lower estrogen levels and increase blood flow that can help aging men maintain an erection.

Milk

Drink more milk to combat osteoporosis or other bone-related ailments due to decreased testosterone.

Furthermore, milk contains amino acids, which boost anabolic hormones.  That process helps you build muscle and eliminate fat.

According to some researches low-fat milk is better for increasing testosterone.

Eggs

A British nutrition expert, Kim Pearson, recommends eating more eggs to naturally increase testosterone levels.

Sometimes, people tend to avoid eggs from the stigma that the yolk could lead to cholesterol problems.

Pearson explains that you could eat up to three eggs each day without negatively impacting your cholesterol.

More Food Options

Cabbage is another vegetable that men with low testosterone can add to their diets.  The chemicals in cabbage can help flush out estrogen.  Once estrogen gets removed from your body, you can naturally produce more testosterone.

Consider adding pomegranate to your regimen.  You eat the fruit directly or enjoy a glass of pomegranate juice to enjoy the benefits and boost testosterone.

Grapes are another great option to increase testosterone.  If you have low sperm levels, you might want to consider eating more grapes to make your sperm more active.  Researchers discovered that the skin on grapes improves sperm function.

Recommended Foods By Category

For your convenience, here's a list of foods that will help you increase testosterone. They are ordered by category.

• Protein & Meat
• FRUITS & Vegetables
• Others

• Tuna
• Oysters
• Shellfish
• Venison

• Grass-fed beef
• Organic Bacon
• Steak
• Butter

• Low-fat milk
• Blue Cheese
• Eggs

• Garlic
• Avocado
• Cabbage
• Pomegranate

• Onions
• Potatoes
• Beans
• Broccoli

• Kohlrabi
• Kale
• Turnip
• Berries

• Nuts
• Honey
• Olive Oil
• Coffee

• Raisins
• Ginger
• Y​​​​ogurt
• Oats

• Almonds
• Chocolate
• Red Wine
• Baking Soda​​​​

Avoid Or Limit Consumption of These Foods

There are certain types of food that can actually harm and decrease your T levels, try to avoid them or limit the amount you consume.

• Mint​​​​
• Alcohol (Too much of it)
• Licorice
• Soy

• Trans Fats
• Flax​​​​

4. Don't Stress

High stress leads to decreased testosterone.  While it may sound easy, limiting your stress can naturally increase your hormone levels.

In such a stressful world, how can you avoid getting stressed out?

Drink more water and less caffeine.  Coffee can make you feel tense and irritated, while water has more benefits to your body, including decreased stress.  Avoid thinking about work or talking about work outside of work hours.  Checking your e-mail early in the morning, nights, and weekends can increase your stress.

Limiting your stress levels can also help boost your energy as testosterone levels rise.  Try some deep breathing techniques and exercises when you feel yourself starting to get stressed out.  You might want to consider adding yoga or meditation to your daily routine as well.

• Key Takeaway

Limiting stress will dramatically improve your testosterone levels.  Keep this in mind next time you feel yourself getting worked up.

5. Medications That Can Hurt Your T Levels

High stress leads to decreased testosterone.  While it may sound easy, limiting your stress can naturally increase your hormone levels.

In such a stressful world, how can you avoid getting stressed out?

prescription medicine can hurt and lower your testosterone production.  The International Society for Sexual Medicine explains that the side effects of certain medication can lower your hormone levels.

Ketoconazole is prescribed to people with yeast or fungal infections.  Those of you suffering from ulcers or gastroesophageal problems be taking Cimetidine.  Medicine for high blood pressure, heart problems, and antidepressants are all related to low testosterone production.

Furthermore the following Opioids all cause testosterone drops:

• OxyContin
• Percocet
• Codeine
• Morphine
• Oxycodone

• Key Takeaway

If you're suffering from low testosterone levels, take a look at your prescription medication.  Review all the side effects with your doctor.

6. Sleep

Poor sleep habits cause lowered testosterone.

Try to avoid napping during the day, even if you feel tired.

The key to getting a good night sleep is by reaching the deep sleep cycles.

To do this, you need to stay asleep during the night without frequently waking up.

Try to avoid eating before bed and drink plenty of water.  Regular exercise will also help you fall asleep fast and stay asleep through the night.

7. Vitamin D

The US National Library of Medicine explains that vitamin D can help restore testosterone in men.

Reproductive issues can be caused by vitamin D deficiencies.

The National Institute of Health studied a group of overweight men trying to lose weight.  165 men in the trial all had low testosterone levels.

The men were broken into groups, and each group was given different supplements.  Results showed that the men taking vitamin D supplements increased their testosterone levels throughout the trial.

Vitamin D is abundant in:

• Tuna
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Cheese

• Liver
• Egg Yolks
• Orange Juice

• Key Takeaway

Try adding more vitamin D to your diet to naturally increase testosterone.  If you are overweight and trying to lose weight, this method helps significantly.

8. Quality Multivitamins & Minerals

The fitness experts at T-Nation recommend zinc and magnesium to naturally maximize testosterone production.

You can consume these via supplements or food.

Zinc supplements can help increase the luteinizing hormone that stimulates the pituitary gland. As a result, your pituitary gland will increase your testosterone production.

Try to take about 30mg of zinc daily. You can find zinc in:

• Chicken
• Beef
• Pork
• Shellfish

• Dairy Products
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Oatmeal

Studies show that magnesium helps preserve testosterone.  You can take between 420 mg and 750mg of magnesium on a daily basis.  Magnesium can be found naturally in:

• bananas
• raisins
• avocados
• seeds

• fish
• spinach
• kale
• broccoli

9. Herbs

Malaysian Ginseng is an herbal medicine that can help increase your testosterone, according to Healthline.

It has benefits that help fight and improve various problems related to low testosterone.

Consuming Malaysian Ginseng can increase your libido and sexual desire.  Furthermore, it helps contribute to your weight loss goals by stimulating hormones such as testosterone.  It also fights high blood pressure, fatigue, and battles depression.

Herbal Malaysian ginseng has not been proven to damage blood cells or organ function, so it's safe to take.

10. No Sugar

Dr. David Williams recommends cutting sugar from your diet to boost your testosterone production.

Dr. Williams conducted a study that showed 15% of men with normal testosterone had significant hormone drops after consuming a sugary solution drink.

Additional tests showed that one in every four men in the United States over the age of 30 have lower than normal testosterone.  A diet containing too much sugar is one of the causes of this problem.

• Key Takeaway

Try to avoid sugary beverages such as soda, soft drinks, or sports drinks.  If you drink coffee or tea, consume it black without adding extra sugar.

11. Sex Life

According to WebMD, more sex can increase your testosterone levels.

Since your sex drive can suffer as your testosterone drops, many men may find this difficult.

Rather than giving up on sex completely, you can try to make a conscious effort to have more sex in your life.

Discuss this with your wife, girlfriend, or partner.  Make sure they understand that it might be difficult for you at times to maintain an erection and be in the mood for sex.  However, you should still fight through these obstacles and try making sex part of your daily routine.

Like I said earlier, low testosterone levels impact your sperm count as well.  Keeping your sex life interesting, active, and regular, can help restore normal sperm levels too.

12. Avoid Xenoestrogens

Xenoestrogens are hormone-like compounds that imitates estrogen.

Because they imitate estrogen, they can impact and destroy the hormonal balance in the body.

Lots of everyday items contain Xenoestrogren.  Once you identify which items have these, you can learn how to avoid them.

Foods such as fruits and vegetables with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides have Xenoestrogren.

Try your best to eat foods that are organic or locally grown.  Also don't eat foods that are not in season, because you know that they were not grown locally.

Eat meats that are hormone free as well.  You can look for these labels on the packing.  Dairy products such as cheese and milk also contain xeonestrogens hormones.  Try to find hormone-free dairy.

Another tip is to avoid plastic.  Do not microwave any food in plastic containers or on plastic plates.  Don't consume any water from a plastic water bottle that has been left out in the sun. Additionally, don't refill plastic water bottles or freeze them either.

Final Words

Did you realize how important testosterone was?  Now that you understand how significant and functional this hormone is to your everyday life, you need to take preventative measures to avoid decreased production levels.

If your testosterone levels are already low, don't worry; it's not an irreversible result.  Follow the advice in this guide, and you'll boost your testosterone back to normal levels in no time.

Consult with your doctor if you have other concerns or unanswered questions.

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Jason Hall

Will Taking Testosterone Make Your Facial Hair Grow

Source: https://wisebeards.com/beards/testosterone/