low testosterone levels affect many Americans. According to Urology Times, levels of the hormone have been on a decline in most men. Overall low testosterone levels are informed by several factors.
Two of the most popular factors to inform testosterone deficiency are food and age. Yes, the kind of food we eat plays a major role in whether our bodies enjoy low, optimum, or high levels of testosterone. The American Urology Association defines low testosterone to be below 300ng/dL.
One way of boosting your testosterone levels is by changing your diet as some meals, like the ones we have featured in this article, can hurt the production of the hormone. Another effective way of increasing your body’s testosterone levels is through testosterone therapy.
This can be achieved through the following ways:
- Insertion of pellets beneath the skin on your buttocks area
- Applying or inserting a patch inside your mouth
- Applying gels or patches into your skin
- Muscle injection after every couple of weeks
You can tell you have low testosterone levels in the body by manifesting the following symptoms (click here for more signs and symptoms):
- Erectile dysfunction
- Low sex drive
- Irritability
- Decreased lean muscle mass
- Fatigue
- Depression
A normal testosterone range should be between 300 ng/dL to 1000 ng/dL. A serum testosterone test comes in handy in terms of establishing your level of testosterone in the body. As we have already mentioned, many factors can inform a drop in the hormone levels, chief among them being food.
The following are the top 10 notorious foods that decrease testosterone.
10 Testosterone Killing Foods
Having looked at some of the foods that boost testosterone levels in the body, it is only prudent to have a brief look at some of the foods that reduce testosterone levels in the body. Some of those foods include the following:
1. Flax Seeds
For many years, flax seeds have been a darling of many due to their impressive health-protective properties. Do you know that even Charles the Great demanded that his subjects consume flax seeds to enhance their health?
Because of the countless health benefits of flax seeds, many people have regarded them as ”superfoods.” However, while this is the case, another side of flax seeds is the fact that they decrease testosterone levels in the body.
They reduce testosterone levels in the body by coming in the way of the hormone changing into DHT. DHT is a potent androgen that improves the effects of testosterone. Ligans which are popular with flax seeds brings down testosterone levels.
Flax seeds, according to this study, reduce levels of testosterone severely.
2. Licorice Root
Cultivation of licorice root takes place in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Its rich history of use dates to the ancient cultures in India, China, Egypt, and Assyria. In the early days, the root was
The root is handy when it comes to flavoring not only in tobacco products and candy but also in beverages and an array of other beverages. Licorice root is utilized as a dietary supplement for ailments. like menopausal symptoms, kidney conditions, liver conditions, coughing, and viral infections.
As can be seen, the licorice root is quite beneficial. Its downside, however, comes in the form of lessening testosterone levels inside the body. This study discovered that exposure to isoliquiritigenin, a licorice compound, severely decreased gene expression touching on testosterone.
Glycyrrhizic acid, also contained in licorice root, particularly when taken in higher amounts isn’t healthy for testosterone production. Unfortunately, the substance, which inhibits the production of testosterone is what’s behind the great, sumptuous licorice taste.
3. Soy Products
Did you know that soy foods/products like protein isolates, edamame, and tofu have phytoestrogens? Phytoestrogen, according to this research study has a suppressing ability when it comes to the testosterone hormone. Unfortunately, most soy products feature higher levels of phytoestrogen.
What you need to know is that these chemicals impersonate estrogen, the female hormone, which produces female-like effects on your body.
Soya beans are among the foods that affect the production of testosterone in various ways. For starters, soya beans feature huge amounts of isoflavones that not only regulate androgen receptors but also trigger estrogen receptors.
Secondly, soya beans deter thyroid hormone production. This can eventually result in the functioning of gonads.
4. Mint
Mint is handy when it comes to the soothing of stomach issues. Other countless health benefits of mint exist. Nonetheless, while mint might be beneficial to the body in many years, research studies such as this one reveal that it can cause a major decline in testosterone levels.
Every type of mint, including peppermints and spearmint, and an array of other hybrids severely affects the production of testosterone. This study established that peppermint tea not only alters the production of testosterone hormone but also several others.
Note: There is more to refraining from taking mint than just adding it to your food. What you need to understand is the fact that mint is present in an array of meals, drinks, and even personal care products including shampoos, soaps, cough relievers, and toothpaste.
5. Red Reishi Mushrooms
In Chinese, the red reishi mushroom also goes by the name LingZhi. Red reishi is one of the most notorious plants when it comes to halting the production of testosterone. In this research study that explored the anti-androgenic effects of twenty mushroom species, these are powerful in altering the production of testosterone.
Researchers in the study discovered that these mushrooms can reduce 5-alpha reductase levels thus coming in the way of converting testosterone hormone into powerful DHT. Risen DHT levels could be a risk factor in ailments like baldness, acne, prostatic hypertrophy.
6. Certain fats
Some of the common fats and oils that we consume daily are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. The fatty acids are usually categorized as healthy even though they reduce testosterone levels. This study established the regular consumption of these types of fats is linked to lower levels of testosterone.
Processed foods and animal products generally contain saturated fats that have been associated with obesity and high levels of cholesterol. Men who are obese have a 30% lower testosterone level compared to their lean counterparts, this study suggests. The decrease in testosterone levels is informed partly by the obesity-linked in SHBG.
Processed foods like pre-packaged snacks feature trans-fats that are unhealthy. These unhealthy fats are associated with inflammation, type two diabetes, and heart disease, this study opines. Taking trans fats frequently from processed foods reduces testosterone levels.
Other negative effects of such harmful and unhealthy fats include:
- Decreased testicular function
- Reduction in testicular volume
- Reduced sperm count
- Impairment of reproductive performance
7. White Peony
Chinese peony that also goes by the name white peony. The ornamental plant is grown by an array of selected cultivars. The plant has been handy in different areas of conventional Chinese medicine. This study suggests that it affects androgen levels in the body.
Another study established that paeoniflorin, a compound that is present in the plant negatively affects testosterone production. On top of that, it enhances aromatase activity that transforms testosterone into estrogen.
8. Nuts
Nothing beats the delicious and fun feeling of eating nuts to enjoy healthy nutrients as well as optimize your health. The countless benefits of consuming nuts to the nervous system and cardiovascular health cannot be understated. Nuts are rich in fiber on top of being an incredible providers of minerals and vitamins.
Simply put, nuts have countless benefits to our bodies. Some nuts, however, can be detrimental when it comes to the production of certain hormones such as testosterone.
Nuts such as walnuts and almonds inhibit the production of testosterone. This is because of their ability to raise SHBG levels by around ten to twenty percent. SHBG is notorious for lowering testosterone production through binding with DHT and free testosterone thus making the hormone to be not only inactive but also unavailable.
9. Dairy Products
Many people are into different dairy products. Cheese, for example, is an excellent way to spruce up your meals such as a sandwich. The sad reality is that dairy products especially those made from cattle’s milk contain synthetic hormones that hurt the production of testosterone and estrogen hormones.
Those that can’t do away with including cheese in their meals should consider blue cheese as a viable option. blue cheese contains probiotics that might not only impact the hypothalamus but could also improve the production of testosterone.
Fat-soluble estrogen which is the main female sex hormone is contained in high levels not in dairy products but also in other animal products such as eggs. These products are responsible for around 60-70% of the sexual female hormone consumed.
All these bring with them the undesirable ‘feminizing’ effect on males. Men that take higher amounts of dairy products grapple with higher estradiol hormone. Estradiol, a female hormone, reduces testosterone production.
Taking dairy products also decreases the secretion of FSH and LH in men. The two usually work hand in hand to control the sex glands’ development as well as the production of sperms. Both are also responsible for testosterone production.
10. Green Tea
Green tea, on top of being a great supporter of your cardiovascular system and decreasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and cancer, also has anti-androgen effects as it features epigallocatechin that hinders the conversion of 5-alpha-reductase into testosterone then ultimately into DHT.
As we already established, the anti-androgen mechanism limits the production of testosterone in the body.
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