Talking about testosterone in the minds of most is tantamount to referring to man’s virility legal steroids. But testosterone is a hormone that plays a much more important role in the functioning of the body. So the question is, what is testosterone? What is its importance? Know that testosterone is found in humans … and much less in women!
Definition and role of testosterone
Testosterone is an androgenic hormone secreted by the testes in humans. It is also secreted in small amounts in women by the ovaries and the adrenal glands in both sexes.
Testosterone plays a role of mood regulator because it reduces the reaction to stress. It is also a hormone associated with competition that boosts performance. Some theories show that with the age and decline of testosterone production, men become more passive. In the field of performance, it is an anabolic popular with athletes because it is possible to increase its musculature through testosterone which also promotes the development of bones. It also promotes the manufacture of blood cells and allows a recovery of time after physical exercise.
Increase your testosterone level with bodybuilding
Testosterone is closely related to muscle development in men and the difficulty of taking in women because of its limited production in the latter. How to know your testosterone levels? From the age of 30, the level of testosterone in men declines by 1% per year and the deficit really begins to be perceived with the problems that it causes from the fifties.
If it is impossible to exceed its maximum rate naturally, it is possible to increase the testosterone level of an individual by doing weight training for a short time (1 hour max), with brief exercises but with a lot of load. Indeed, clinical studies have shown that training in resistance to power is more effective than exercises using the traditional approach, based on intensive rehearsals.
Thus, the testosterone level in the blood is higher after 8 repetitions of an exercise than after 12. For example, make series of 2 to 5 repetitions of bench press, squat, military development, or deadlift, interspersed with phases of rest, series that you will repeat until failure. These exercises that stimulate several muscle areas at once will lead to a large production of testosterone. The more muscles you exercise, the more the body releases testosterone. Squat at the helm is considered to be the most effective at soliciting muscles as it simultaneously works the forearms, trapezius, and abdominals and even lower body muscles.
These exercises require in their practice an irreproachable technical level if you want to obtain palpable results. After each session, it is important to get enough sleep, and in the night on average 8h, because sleep stimulates the production of testosterone and at the same time recovery of the nerves and muscles.
Foods that promote testosterone production
Consume foods that increase testosterone like honey that contains boron, a chemical element rich in testosterone; the banana which thanks to bromelain increases the level of testosterone; the almonds that are considered rich in zinc and stimulate testosterone but also the libido; the eggs , whole foods rich in omega 3, vitamin D, cholesterol and proteins that are great generators of this hormone you need; or asparagus known to be an aphrodisiac contains folic acid and vitamin E, which are necessary for the production of testosterone.
Vitamins
Some vitamins can help increase your testosterone level:
- Vitamin D, which despite its importance is often too limited in humans. If it is sufficiently present in your body, it helps to raise your testosterone level but also considerably reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. A study conducted for 1 year on men whose age range oscillates between 20 and 49 years has also demonstrated that interference in the body of 3300 IU vitamin D3 per day (1 IU = 0.0003 milligram) increases testosterone by 20 to 25%.
- Zinc. This is undoubtedly one of the most important elements. It is involved in more than 100 chemical processes in your body. Professional athletes have found that a daily intake of zinc has reduced the testosterone drop after 4 weeks of intense physical activity. As with vitamin D, zinc directly affects the level of testosterone.