Testosterone. Every man needs it. Not every man has enough of it - especially after the age of 30.
It’s the primary male sex hormone responsible for several things, including:
· Your ability to maintain an erection
· Your sex drive
· Your ability to grow and maintain muscle
· Your energy levels
· Your quality of sleep
Knowing this, you’ll understand why it’s important for a man to keep his T-levels high even past his 30’s if he wants to maintain good health as he ages. But how can he do it?
One rumor which frequently gets passed around is that the very act of having sex boosts your Testosterone levels. But is it really true?
Is sex a good way to increase your Testosterone levels?
In theory, the notion that having sex boosts your T-levels seems to make sense. After all, the more you have sex, the more sex you want, right? Well, that’s true, but it’s not necessarily down to a sudden flush of Testosterone caused by the act itself.
The fact is, when we have lots of sex, we have sex on our brains more. It’s as simple as that. Like any fun activity, the more we do it, the more we think about it, and the more we want to do it.
So, does having sex actually cause our T-Levels to rise? Unfortunately, not really. While having sex does very slightly increase your Testosterone levels, the amount is so minimal, it’s barely able to be measured. In fact, although it may not be what you want to hear, one study actually found that abstinence had much more of a positive effect on T-levels.
If you’re in a relationship and enjoy a lot of sex, this probably isn’t the news you want to hear - but if you just so happen to be single right now, you can take comfort from the fact that your sexless existence is not hampering your chances of boosting your Testosterone levels.
Bad news for sex lovers?
Does this mean that if we are in a relationship, we should all stop having sex if we want high Testosterone levels? No. That would be a very dull life indeed, wouldn’t it? Besides, sex has lots of other health benefits which can directly affect our Testosterone levels.
As a great form of cardio (and sometimes strength training too), sex is benefitting your Testosterone levels in the long term through this one benefit alone. Not only that, you’ll sleep better after sex - another vital component to increasing your sex drive.
So while your T-levels may not shoot through the roof during the act of sex itself, they will increase afterward due to the other health benefits you get from having an active sex life. In short, keep having lots of sex! It’s good for you, and good for T-levels.
And what of those who don’t have a partner to have sex with several times a week? Don’t worry, you can replicate the effects of the extra exercise with a light jog, or a quick gym session. Perhaps it’s not quite as much fun, but it could certainly be a good way to meet new people - and who knows, perhaps even a new partner?
How does Testosterone affect sex drive?
You may think this is all well and good, but I don’t really fancy having much sex anymore. Well, that’s exactly why you need to fix your T-levels - and even more reason to give sex a chance!
Low Testosterone levels play a key role in a flagging libido. In fact, having less interest in sex could be one of the first low T-level warning signs you notice. The good news is, the more you have, the more you want, so make time for sex. You may just find you enjoy it more than you expected once you get into the swing of things, and you’ll be improving your health (and your long-term ability to maintain high Testosterone levels) at the same time.
What causes low Testosterone levels?
There are various reasons your Testosterone levels may begin to dwindle. One of the main issues is age. Men past the age of 30 tend to suffer from a 1% drop in Testosterone levels each year.
In addition to this, alcohol has a devastating effect on your T-levels - and if you want them to stay high, you need to stay off the sauce as much as humanly possible.
High levels of body fat are another reason so many men struggle to maintain high Testosterone levels. And those man boobs? They simply wouldn’t be there if your body fat was normal and your hormones well balanced. When you lose Testosterone, you tend to increase your Estrogen levels (the female sex hormone), which is why you grow breast tissue.
As you can see, lowering body fat levels and keeping alcohol out of your system are both great ways to begin when fighting your war against low T-levels.
Symptoms of low Testosterone
How low is your testosterone? The truth is, without a blood test, you can never be sure. But you can look out for the early warning signs that your T-levels aren't all they once were.
Ask yourself, have you noticed any of the following recently?
· Your libido is slowing down
· You have less energy
· You struggle to gain muscle
· You’ve developed ‘middle age spread’
· You sometimes have trouble maintaining an erection
If so, you may want to consider booking an appointment to get those T-levels checked out.
The good news is the best treatment is completely natural, and mostly involves lifestyle changes. Weight training, cutting out alcohol, getting enough sleep and swapping carbs for veg are just some of the simple changes which can make all the difference very quickly.
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