While the majority of my client base is women, I do work with men on Nutrition and weight loss issues and I find that guys can be reluctant to discuss sensitive issues in both a public forum, as well as in a business like mine unless I am direct. So today I want to direct my blog post to men who may be looking to improve or maintain their health and fitness–and more specifically their muscle mass– especially as they transition into middle age and begin to notice changes in their bodies and at the gym.
Guys, are you worried about losing strength and muscles mass as you age? I know men don’t typically sit around and discuss their hormone levels like women do, but “men“-opause isn’t something that only happens to women. Our reproductive hormones naturally decline as we age and move away from being of “reproductive age”. This is Mother Nature’s way of ensuring that successive generations are healthy and viable, in order to propagate the human species.
While that’s great for Mother Nature and the human species at large, it doesn’t address the more immediate concerns about middle-aged weight gain or the loss of strength and muscle mass that begins around the time that most women experience perimenopause (between 40-45).
While weight lifting is just as beneficial for men, as it is for women who are approaching middle age, there is also a correlation between hormone loss and men. In this instance, I’m referring to testosterone, the muscle-building hormone.
Note: I do not recommend anabolic steroids.
Today I am going to give you two solid tips on how you can boost your testosterone levels naturally without taking supplements or going to your doctor’s office for injections and blood work monitoring. I also have an amazing Honey Glazed Salmon Recipe to share. Salmon, as you may not be aware, is an excellent source of two key nutrients responsible for testosterone production, which I will discuss today.
Tip #1: Get enough zinc
Zinc is an essential mineral that helps with a number of processes in your body (it helps over 300 enzymes). Zinc helps your immune system, helps to produce critical proteins and DNA, and also helps with wound healing. Enough zinc is necessary to maintain healthy skin and for optimal ability to taste and smell. Zinc is an antioxidant and can be supplemented to support optimal levels of testosterone because it helps the enzymes that convert cholesterol into testosterone.
Zinc is found mostly in red meat, poultry, egg yolks, and shellfish. Some plants can also provide zinc such as beans and nuts. The best dietary source is oysters.
The daily recommended dose of zinc for men is 11 mg/day (for women it’s 8 mg/day). Low zinc levels are rare but tend to occur in vegetarians/vegans, athletes, and people who sweat a lot (zinc is lost in sweat). And low zinc levels have been linked to low testosterone levels.
Of course, if you don’t get enough zinc in your diet you can always supplement. Before you do, however, consider a few things:
- It is possible to get too much zinc so unless your doctor tells you never take more than 40 mg/day. For many people, just 5-10 mg/day is enough to prevent deficiency.
- Zinc supplements can also interact with certain medications so be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist to find out if zinc supplements are safe for you.
- Zinc supplements are best taken 2-hours before/after any medications (assuming that it’s safe to use it at all while taking those medications) and should be taken with food.
Tip #2: Get enough vitamin D
Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin” is actually the most common nutrient that we in North America just simply don’t get enough of. Most of us don’t work in the fields like our forefathers did. We usually work inside from sun up to sun down and many of us may not even see the sun if we work indoors and live in more northern climates. Sunscreen too can affect our inability to absorb Vitamin D, as well as the fact that Vitamin D is not abundant in foods, but most places far from the equator don’t get enough sunlight to produce adequate levels year round.
Hellooooo winter; goodbye sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D is known to help us absorb calcium from our foods and is also necessary for our immune system, nervous system, and muscular system. As with zinc if you’re deficient in this nutrient you may experience increased testosterone levels after supplementing.
Vitamin D deficiency is most commonly associated with bone conditions such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults and while most industrialized countries don’t see this on a regular basis, it does still exist.
Vitamin D is also a fat-soluble vitamin found in fatty fish, organ meats, and egg yolks. Unfortunately, it isn’t abundant in most other unfortified foods.
The bottom line with vitamin D is that you may need to supplement. Of course, if you’re always outside in the sun or eat fatty fish every day you may be the exception. If you decide to supplement outside of an over-the-counter multi-vitamin, it’s always good to ask your doctor to check your blood levels of Vitamin D. Vitamin D is one of those nutrients where more is not always better.
Here are a few tips to supplement with vitamin D safely and effectively:
- Read your labels and don’t overdo it. Never supplement with more than 4,000IU/day unless supervised by your doctor.
- As with zinc and most other supplements, you should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you’re taking any medications.
- Take your vitamin D with some fat to help your body absorb this vitamin. It is often recommended that you take it with the largest meal of the day.
- Note that vitamin D is also found in cod liver oil, and multivitamins, so you may not need to take it separately (read your labels).
Looking for natural ways to boost your hormone production or just committed to eating healthy food that tastes great? Then check out my Honey Glazed Salmon Recipe!
REFERENCES:
https://examine.com/nutrition/how-can-i-increase-testosterone-naturally/
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/reference/table/ref_elements_tbl-eng.php
http://thewellnessbusinesshub.com/yes-nutrient-deficiencies-heres-proof-can/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-Consumer/
http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/atReq.do?atid=zinc.mono&lang=eng
https://examine.com/supplements/Zinc/
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-Consumer/
http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=183&lang=eng
https://examine.com/supplements/Vitamin+D/
https://authoritynutrition.com/8-ways-to-boost-testosterone/