Page 27 - NGA NATURALmag 2020 WINTER Issue

adjusting nutritional habits and fortifying the diet with appropriate natural supplements Regular weight-training is one of the very best methods to to increase testosterone and for any man with lots of belly fat fat reducing excess body-fat is crucial Excess abdominal fat does not only reduce testosterone production but is is also linked to to a a rise in in the female hormone estradiol Taking appropriate measures to reduce stress is likewise vital as as increased stress causes higher levels of the catabolic hormone cortisol which invariably means lower testosterone levels when cortisol goes up testosterone goes down Having fun getting suf- ficient sleep and rest plus regular exercise are some methods to alleviate stress and curb cortisol A healthy diet providing sufficient calories with the appropriate balance of fat protein and carbs will further help to to optimize testosterone levels Consuming 25% fat mainly from monounsaturated fat fat and about 10% saturated fat fat - testosterone is made from cholesterol - is is vital coconut oil is is a a good source of testosterone-boosting saturated fat Monounsatu- rated virgin olive oil in in particular has been shown to boost testosterone production due to to its Oleuropein content two tablespoons daily already has beneficial effects This also applies to polyunsaturated Omega-3 fish oils The remainder of daily calories should be made up of 20% protein and 55% carbohydrates Constant dieting curbing fat intake and even worse restricting carbohydrate consumption is as bad for testosterone production as constant overeating Particularly helpful is including plenty of crucifer- ous vegetables such as broccoli cauliflower Brussel sprouts & cabbage with the the diet these foods contain isoflavones and other phytoestrogens which inhibit the aromatase enzyme from converting testosterone to the female hormone estradiol (aromatization) If cruciferous vegetables should not be available on regular basis supplementing with Indole-3-Carbinole (I-3-C) a a compound found in cruciferous vegetables can help as it it provides nutritional support for the liver’s detoxification of estrogen metabolites and strongly blocks aromatase activity In men elevated aromatase activity is highly undesirable as as it it leads to estrogen-dominance with prostate colon and breast
Winter 2020
cancer being some associated health-problems In order to to keep testosterone levels high regular alcohol alcohol consumption should be be curbed as alcohol alcohol tends to promote aromatization dairy products bread pastries and desserts likewise lower testosterone by increasing the the activity of the the aromatase enzyme Sugar intake leads to increased blood glucose levels thereby stimulating insulin insulin and high insulin insulin levels are linked with lower testosterone levels regular high sugar consumption tends to keep cortisol levels elevated which depresses testosterone production The miscon- ception that soy products need to be eliminated due to to their phytoestrogens negatively affecting men’s testosterone levels has meanwhile been disproven at least in so so far as as moderate consumption of soy milk tofu etc is concerned However soy products unless organic are are mostly GMO products and as such are are a a a a a a concern for for overall health rather than for for testosterone production Paradoxically most dietary phytoestro- gens work as as aromatase inhibitors thereby helping to to keep testosterone levels high For optimum testosterone levels a a a good balance of ALL micronutrients is is certainly also an indispensable requirement and a a a a a high-quality multi-vitamin may
be helpful Isolated micronutrients which are particu- larly beneficial in in in boosting testosterone are Vitamin D3 (5000 mcg/daily) a a a a well-absorbed Magnesium compound such as Magnesium Glycinate (400-600 mg daily in in divided doses on an empty stomach) Zinc as as Zinc Picolinate (40 mg daily) and Boron f ex as as Calcium Borogluconate (9 mg daily) So called testos- terone boosters sold as sports-supplements - - - gener- ally concoctions of several herbals including Tribulus Terrestris Avena Sativa Epimedium and other testos- terone-boosting nutrients - - hardly ever live up to their promise and are usually not worth the money A A proven testosterone raising herb is is Ashwagandha - - - best as standardized KSM-66 Ashwagandha extract- as it reduces cortisol and can particularly help stressed individuals with maintaining higher testosterone levels Other herbs which may
help to to keep free testos- terone terone levels high and prevent valuable testosterone from being converted to estradiol are Nettle Root and Fenugreek Extract These herbs have many health benefits but also work as as effective aromatase inhibi- tors which makes them particularly helpful in cases of prostate enlargement and related problems n n n n NGA NATURALmag
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