Testosterone is a male hormone that plays an important role in men’s health. It is said to play an essential role in normal metabolism as it not only supports muscle and bone health, but also participates in sperm production and affects the mental part. When the male hormone level is insufficient, the basal metabolic rate decreases as well as the musculoskeletal system and cognitive function, and various abnormal symptoms such as skin aging, depression, malaise, lethargy, and sleep disturbance appear. In addition, the continuous lack of male hormone secretion causes male menopause symptoms and at the same time increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases due to various physical abnormalities. It is known that the secretion of male hormones gradually decreases after the peak of 20s, and decreases by about 1% every year after the age of 30. Therefore, as we age, it is important to improve various factors that decrease the secretion of male hormones and to maintain lifestyle habits that help smooth hormone secretion. So today, let’s look at various ways to increase male hormones that can be practiced in daily life. How to increase male hormones
1. Healthy Eating
A healthy diet composed of balanced nutrients is very important to help the smooth secretion of male hormones. In particular, seafood such as oysters, crabs, and shrimp are known to have a good effect on enhancing male hormone levels. In addition, various foods such as garlic, onion, leek, sesame, pumpkin seeds, broccoli, and nuts are rich in various nutrients such as allicin, selenium, zinc, magnesium, vitamins A, B, and C, respectively, to help expand blood vessels and improve stamina. It is said to help a lot in the secretion of male hormones.
2. Controlling intake of processed and instant food
Contrary to the various foods introduced earlier, excessive consumption of processed foods and instant foods can cause the male hormone levels to drop. Excessive intake of refined carbohydrates, saturated fatty acids, sugar, and sodium contained in these foods not only affects testosterone levels, but can also cause problems with cholesterol levels and blood sugar control, so it is desirable to control intake. do.
3. Steady strength exercise
The third habit to be implemented to increase male hormones is regular strength training. When you do this kind of strength exercise, the muscle area increases and blood flow increases, which in turn expands to the peripheral blood vessels, and it can be said that the secretion of male hormones occurs smoothly. Here, eating a balanced diet of protein-rich foods can help a lot in muscle development and strengthening. Also, if you do aerobic exercise such as walking or jogging along with strength training, it will have a better effect on the active secretion of testosterone. However, too much exercise consumes testosterone more quickly, so it is recommended to exercise moderately according to your physical fitness range.
4. Controlling the amount of alcohol consumed
Excessive drinking and binge drinking are said to be risk factors affecting the secretion of male hormones. A study in the United States found that men who consumed 40 grams of alcohol per day had up to 12.5 percent lower testosterone levels compared to men who did not. Therefore, it is important to improve the drinking habit of continuously drinking excessively and to properly control the amount of alcohol consumed. It is also desirable to improve the habits of smoking and excessive caffeine intake.
5. Get enough sleep
It is known that insufficient and irregular sleep habits are also related to the secretion of male hormones. An average of 5 hours of sleep per night has been shown to reduce testosterone levels by 15% during the active day the next day. In addition, insufficient sleep not only increases the level of inflammation in the body, but also causes problems with cholesterol and blood sugar control, which affects the onset of metabolic syndrome and chronic diseases. Therefore, it is recommended to get enough sleep of about 7 hours every day, and it is important to implement a sleep hygiene habit that will help you achieve a comfortable sleep and improve the quality of your sleep.
6. Stress
Stress, which is said to be the root of all diseases, also affects the level of male hormones. Stress induced in a tense and anxious state sharply increases the secretion of cortisol from the adrenal cortex, and this increased cortisol has the effect of rapidly decreasing male hormone levels. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the causes and situations that cause stress well and make efforts to improve them as much as possible. It is also important to properly relieve stress by increasing the secretion of serotonin, the happiness hormone, through sufficient rest, hobbies, leisure activities, and exposure to sunlight for a certain amount of time a day.