Testosterone and muscle gains

January 27, 2019

So you've probably heard about how important it is to have good levels of testosterone if you want to maximise your muscle gains? Well this is true as this hormone is one of the main factors in muscle growth and how much muscle you can grow, if your levels aren't where they should be your gains might suffer.  As men get older as our testosterone levels drop at around 1% per year after we reach about 25 -30 years of age and decline quite a bit in most (not all) men by the age of around 40. There are many supplements on the market which claim to boost testosterone levels but we think these supplements don't have any scientific evidence to back up their claims and many people are wasting their money buying them, this is one of the reasons we here at Vantage don't offer them.

There is only really two options for increasing testosterone, one is steroids which of course we do not recommend at all, or you can make some changes to your lifestyle which can increase levels and I've outlined them below.

1. Exercise and lifting weights, now you might be thinking I already do this, well great keep it up. Studies show that people who exercise regularly and do resistance training have higher testosterone levels than those who don't. High intensity interval (HIIT) training is also very good too. Taking Creatine monohydrate and Caffeine combined with a training program may also help.

2. Diet, make sure you are eating Protein, Carbs and Fats. What you eat plays a major part in keeping your testosterone normal and constant changes to your diet can disrupt levels. Eating enough protein can help maintain healthy levels and aid fat loss which is also associated with your testosterone. Carb intake also plays a role, with research showing carbs can optimize testosterone levels during resistance training. Research also shows that healthy fats are beneficial for testosterone and health so making sure your diet consists of whole foods with a balance of the above can help make sure you optimize your levels and long term health.

3. Minimize stress, Research has long shown that high stress levels increase the hormone Cortisol which can quickly reduce testosterone and also contribute to weight gain, especially around the waist in men. Try and reduce stressful situations in your life, laugh more, relax when you can and just try to not take life too seriously where possible.

4. Vitamin D and Sun, Vitamin D is one of the most popular vitamins and research has shown that it has many health benefits and may also work as a testosterone booster. A 12 month study showed that by supplementing with around 3,000iu of Vitamin D per day increased testosterone levels by up to 25% in elderly people Vitamin D along with Calcium optimized levels reducing the risk of them falling. So to boost testosterone and enjoy the other benefits of Vitamin D supplement with 3,000iu daily and this can be done by using a spray into your mouth, found online and in most good health food shops.

5. Take Vitamin and mineral supplements, now benefits of Multivitamins are widely debated but we know that specific vitamins and minerals are beneficial. One study in particular showed that Vitamin B and Zinc increased sperm quality by 74%, Zinc also boots testosterone in athletes and those who are Zinc deficient. so in summary both Zinc and Vitamin D have shown these may be best for boosting testosterone levels.I also suggest people who don't have the best diet should also use Multivitamins. They can help support your immune system. 

 

6. Sleep! This is an area that many neglect and i used to be one of them, saying "i only need 4/5 hours" this may be the case for some but if you are looking to keep your health in check and to boost your testosterone levels then make sure you are getting good quality sleep, One study showed that getting 5 hours or less led to a 15% reduction in testosterone levels. So you might be thinking well i find it hard to fall asleep, so this can be helped by ensuring a good bedtime routine and one is to keep screen time (phones, laptops etc) to a minimum at least one to two hours before you go to bed, read, don't have Caffeine after 3 or 4 pm and take a hot bath and try to relax before going to bed. Lack of sleep can also lead to an increase in stress and in turn production of Cortisol which in turn can lead to weight gain. 7-10 hours of sleep is the recommended amount.

 

Hope you found this useful!

Dan, 





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