Sport Testosterone and diet

Sport Fitness
When I visited the doctor last fall, I had my testosterone checked. While it was still in the "normal" band, it was definitely at the low end of the normal band, and my understanding is that it would certainly qualify as low for my age (31). Besides being a possible aid to faster muscle growth, it would be nice to have a noticeably higher level. Any suggestions, diet or otherwise, on how to make that happen? (Of course, I would like to do so safely and healthily.)

I decided to start this thread after reading the thread about flax and phytoestrogen. I hardly consume any flax and am not a big soy consumer either, but I consume quite a bit of wheat germ, which I understand contains quite a bit of phytoestrogen. My diet mostly consists of nuts, berries, bell peppers, spinach, broccoli, onions, avocado/guac, wheat germ, oats, nonfat organic yogurt, eggs, lean chicken, tuna, green tea, and red tea. I have red meat probably about once a week. (Back in college, it was at least once a day.) I supplement with omega-3 EPA/DHA pills. I am quite deliberate about not consuming any trans-fats or artificial sweeteners, and my saturated fat intake is quite low. Overall, I feel good and healthy. As for exercise, I do more cardio (running and rowing) than weight training although within the last few weeks I've gotten more into weight training.
 
Whats your routine like?

Many of the big lifts will release more testosterone.
 
First of all, I must admit that a lot of the reason I want to lift is to raise T levels. Being stronger and more well defined would be nice, but raising T levels is always on my mind when it comes to weights.

Right now, I'm in the process of figuring out what my routine should be and gathering the equipment necessary to do it. The only pieces of weight lifting equipment I have right now are two 20 lb hex dumbbells, two adjustable dumbbells, and my reverse push-up bar (which I mentioned in another new thread). I also have about 30-40 lb of body fat, almost all around my belly. I want to get rid of about half of that, but in the meantime, I suppose that counts as part of my weight set. I don't foresee myself ever joining a gym. I would consider getting a home gym within the next year, but only if finances make that possible. Mostly, I'm interested in getting relatively inexpensive weight training items I can use in my house, and I'm open to suggestions. (I put out that question in more detail in the equipment section.)

I haven't developed a regular weight training pattern yet, but I've been making pretty regular use of my dumbbells lately. Inasmuch as it would be best for me to develop a regular as opposed to random weight lifting routine, I want to do that. But up to this point, I've mostly been treating them in the same way a toddler plays with a toy: I pick them up and "play" with them when I want to, which is pretty often, and I leave them in the corner when I don't feel like doing anything with them. In any case, with the dumbbells, lately I've probably been doing on average about 2-3 sets a day, 10 reps a piece, of each of the following: hammer curls, chest press (on my back), shoulder press (standing), and squats. Contrary to what my wonderful wife thinks, I'm not very strong, so I'm not exactly causing the Earth to shift with my 24 lb dumbbells. (I'm still trying to figure out which exercises I can do more weight with, and how much, and then adjust the dumbbells accordingly. I also plan to buy weight lifting gloves within the next week so that my hands can more comfortably deal with increased weight.) I also do two sets of pushups, about 40-50 at a time, most days. I'm not sure how much those help, but it seems to be a healthy habit anyway, especially when my wife is around to watch.

In addition to all that, I plan to run a 1/2 marathon in August, just as I did last year. I already regularly run about ten miles once a week and shorter, faster distances on other days. I also play ultimate frisbee once a week May-September, and most of my condtioning during this time of year I do with the intention of being a better player there.

So anyway, that's where I'm at right now. Thanks.
 
Fats, including saturated fats from red meat raise T-levels and so do big lifts such as squats, deadlifts, cleans, snatches.

If you want to raise testosterone, go on the anabolic diet, i guarentee your testosterone will rise.
 
Also, try to strut around with a cutoff t-shirt and roar occasionally. I have had good results with these two activities in regards to testosterone.
 
Yes, I do consider that maybe my cardio/muscle building balance isn't helping me. If it weren't for the t-problem, I probably would be concentrating more on distance running. But the t-problem, along with my desire to sprint faster and jump higher, makes me think I should concentrate more on power and strength and less on endurance. (Besides, I can't fit a super long run into my schedule as easily as sprints, HITT, and weight lifting.)

How much meat does everyone eat, anyway?

What's the best article/thread to read about anabolic diet?
 
I'm not going to recommend the AD just because you do a lot of running and because I don't think you can transistion to eating 1 serving of meat once a week to several servings of meat every day but here you go



Wanna raise T levels?
Don't need no kind of special diet. Just start incorporating more meat into your diet and start doing heavy lifting
 
Yes, maybe the best thing for me is not really adopting the diet completely but to at least make my diet a bit more meaty. My current diet seems pretty close to the AD except for the fact that I don't eat differently M-F than on the weekends and that I don't eat a lot of red meat. So, maybe I should at least do that, along with eating more eggs. I know I already get plenty of fat in my diet, so I don't know that I need more, but I get very little saturated fat. Most of the fat I consume is monounsaturated, either from guacamole, nuts, or EVOO.

Perhaps, given that testosterone is derived from cholesterol, it's no coincidence that I have low cholestrol. My cholesterol seems to average at about 140 given the times I've had it taken, and since I last had it taken, my diet has become much lower in saturated fat, so I would guess my cholesterol level is lower now.

Is it really just the fat that makes red meat better than poultry or fish as far as the AD goes? Does iron matter too? After all, fish and poultry don't have nearly as much iron as beef. I think I get enough iron in my diet from beans, spinach, and grains (as well as the occasional red meat), and I don't think I have any symptomatic reasons to believe I'm not getting enough. However, maybe I should be getting more, especially given that almost all of my iron intake is non-heme.

Also, does anyone know anything about tribulus? Does it work or is it just hype?
 
Then why worry?

I don't want to provide TMI, but let's just say I wouldn't be the only one to appreciate the feeling of more testosterone flowing through my bloodstream. Basically, I suffer from one of the most annoying symptoms of low T, which is why I went in to have it tested last fall. And sure enough, it was near the low limit of the normal band.

But yeah, other than that, I feel pretty healthy. Besides not being quite as fast or strong as I'd like to be and having just a few more pounds of body fat than I'd like, my low T issue seems to be the only real complaint I have about my body.
 
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And make sure you're getting enough omega 3's , eat plenty of fish, if you cannot eat fish often, get some Fish oil capsules.
 
Take some more then, most people recommend more than the amount listed on the bottle. I take at least 4 a day.
 
I don't want to provide TMI, but let's just say I wouldn't be the only one to appreciate the feeling of more testosterone flowing through my bloodstream. Basically, I suffer from one of the most annoying symptoms of low T, which is why I went in to have it tested last fall. And sure enough, it was near the low limit of the normal band.

But yeah, other than that, I feel pretty healthy. Besides not being quite as fast or strong as I'd like to be and having just a few more pounds of body fat than I'd like, my low T issue seems to be the only real complaint I have about my body.

Bad sex life huh. Don't worry. Start eating more meat like a real MAN, and you'll notice the increase in libido.

TESTOSTERONE NATION - Saturated Fat: Killer or Testosterone Booster?
 
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If I start banging on about what is to be a real MAN then I may become a vegetarian, but until then steak sure is tasty :p *

Subdude you sure its testosterone mate? Have you tried various other ways of ummm, getting in the swing of things with the missus? Some good skunk maybe?

* Edit - maybe this is a cultural difference between the UK and US and I'm being harsh.
 
If I start banging on about what is to be a real MAN then I may become a vegetarian, but until then steak sure is tasty :p *

Subdude you sure its testosterone mate? Have you tried various other ways of ummm, getting in the swing of things with the missus? Some good skunk maybe?

* Edit - maybe this is a cultural difference between the UK and US and I'm being harsh.

English people are known for their low testosterone, thats why they are such pansies. :p
 
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