Author: Justin Nault
Throughout most of human history, we find clear evidence of men coming up with creative ways to make themselves even more, well... “manly.” Modern society is no different.
It seems like every other day we have a new story in the news about the latest athlete caught “doping” with supplemental testosterone. There’s a common belief that “more testosterone” is the secret to improving just about any aspect of human performance. Libido, strength, speed, endurance, physique, etc., etc. You name it, and someone out there is taking testosterone in hopes of improving it.
But the truth is (contrary to popular belief) testosterone isn’t some “magic bullet” that transforms normal humans into super humans. Testosterone is a perfectly natural steroid hormone found in both men and women required for a whole host of functions in the human body. Unfortunately, low testosterone is more common now than ever before, and the problem sets off a cascade of unwanted health issues.
A question I get asked regularly is, “Is there a way to boost my testosterone, naturally?” The short answer is, yes. The long answer is, yes, and you should try it before you call the random phone number you heard on a talk radio ad for some bullshit “Low-T” center for men.
When it comes to health and longevity, your hormones run the show, almost entirely. They are responsible for every function within the human body, including turning genes on and off. For that reason, Hormone Replacement Therapy should be taken very seriously and should be administered by well-vetted endocrinologists. HRT (hormone replacement therapy) is not guess work. If you are considering HRT, make an appointment with an endocrinologist or Functional Medicine Doctor and get a full hormone panel done before making any decisions.
Your next best option is the natural route, which is what this article will cover. The risk vs. reward is wonderfully one-sided as the following protocol carries virtually zero risks and has the potential to improve your health and testosterone levels in a significant way.
As with any health and wellness protocol, you have to get the nutrition right above all else. If you want to raise your testosterone, make sure you cut out the things that are killing your testosterone in the first place.
Here are a few of the biggest offenders:
1. Porn - That’s right, I said it, I meant it, I’m here to represent it. Dudes, quit the porn already! Be honest with yourself and go cold-turkey. This is one of the single best piece of advice I can give any male for a list of reasons that reach far beyond the scope of this article. I assure you, your porn habit is killing your testosterone and ruining your potential relationships. Read the following article for more on this subject: Your Brain on Porn (The ladies in your life will thank me)
2. Sugar - Both fructose and glucose (the most common forms of sugar in the diet) are natural enemies of testosterone!
3. Grains - I’m talking all grains. Notice how I didn’t just say, “gluten.” Again, this is a topic that goes beyond the scope of this article, but I assure you, grains are messing with your hormones. You can thank the Lectins, mostly. Ditch them, and you will be a better man for it!
4. Lack of Sleep - Your body creates testosterone from cholesterol, while you sleep. Simple math tells us, more sleep = more testosterone. This is especially true if you have a high training volume. Sleep is essential to recovery, fat loss, muscle gain, and testosterone production! In fact, studies have shown that you can double your morning testosterone levels simply by getting more sleep!
Now that you’ve removed some of the most common enemies of testosterone let’s talk about a few things you can do to raise the almighty T to legit badass levels...
It’s no secret that I promote the Paleo Diet. (The Perfect Paleo Powder, anyone?!) The removal of processed foods from the daily diet is healthy by anyone’s standards, and it should be adopted by the masses. Now, let’s talk about which of those foods will help you maximize natural testosterone production.
All steroid hormones are created from cholesterol. (That’s right, the stuff the mainstream media has been telling you is “bad for you” for decades) So we want to keep your animal protein levels in the right range for optimal testosterone production. Grass-fed beef and whole eggs are your new best friends!
• Eat at least 4 whole eggs per day. (Pasture raised eggs, of course!)
• Eat 4-8 ounces of grass-fed beef per day. If you can’t find grass-fed beef locally, you can have it shipped to your door!
Now, let’s talk about supplements. I have used all of these recommendations personally and have recommended them to countless clients with fantastic results! All of these supplements are available over the counter and are perfectly safe.
1. DHEA - Take 1 capsule, at night time, with food.
2. Vitamin D3/ K2 - Take 1,000 IU per 25 pounds of body weight, with your last meal of the day. (Maximum 6,000 IU per day) Example: 165-pound man would take 6,000 IU per day. A 135-pound man would take 5,000 IU per day.
3. Omega 3s - Take 2 pills, in the morning, with food. Then take 2 pills at night, with food. 4 pills per day.
◦ Remember, every single supplement listed above is fat soluble. This means they require fat to be transported throughout the body. Do not take these without food!
* Bonus Points - Resistance Training - Adding in some heavy resistance training even just once or twice per week is a sure fire way to help boost testosterone, naturally. To be clear, I’m talking about relatively short workouts with very heavy weight with low reps. I do no advocate daily resistance training. In fact, overtraining is one of the fastest ways to kill testosterone! Check out my article on adding resistance training into your life for some practical tips - "Simple Strength: How Cardio is Ruining Your Life."
That’s it! Assuming you remove all the negatives I mentioned, eat the right foods, and supplement accordingly, I promise you; you will raise your testosterone. No doubt about it. Matter, of fact, It’s about as good as you can get short of HRT.
Give this protocol a shot and let me know your thoughts in the comments section! As always, I am available for further questions at info@clovisnutrition.com
