Testosterone is the males sex hormone that plays a vital role in the body. Testosterone production starts at the age of puberty in men and commences with the appearance of male sex characteristics.
Gonads are the primary location from where testosterone production takes place but a small amount of testosterone is also released from the adrenal glands.
Production of the hormone:
Two hormones are released from the pituitary gland in the brain at puberty, the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The LH acts on the testes to stimulate the release of testosterone from the interstitial cells of the testes.
Nature and functions of testosterone:
The nature of testosterone is androgenic, which means it stimulates the appearance of male characteristics after puberty. These males characteristics include but are not limited to,
- Hoarseness of voice,
- The appearance of facial hair,
- Behavioral changes
- Increase in height
Besides the appearance of these secondary male characteristics testosterone also perform the following functions,
- Testosterone improves brain function by enhancing memory, focus, and cognition.
- It improves cardiovascular health by reducing the LDL levels in the body.
- It stimulates fat metabolism by increasing lipid oxidation and normalizes glucose utilization to prevent diabetes.
- It helps with the production of red blood cell from the bone marrow and work against anemic conditions
- It is also known to reduce stress levels and improve mood.
- It increases sexual desire in men to a healthy level and participates in the perception of pleasure.
The decline in testosterone:
After the age of 40, there is a gradual decline in the production of testosterone, but in some cases, the decline starts earlier in life. The reasons for the early decline in testosterone production are as follow,
- Obesity
- Drug abuse
- Hypogonadism
- Trauma
- Chemotherapy
- Medication side effects
- Sleep disturbance
- Stress
Testosterone decline can often lead to erectile dysfunction as a loss of interest and lack of sexual desire causes failed erection. This type of erectile dysfunction can be treated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) drug, Dapoxetinegeneric which is available in online stores. You can buy Cialis 20mg online Australia by visiting this website.
How to improve testosterone levels?
Medications:
The medical management of low-level testosterone could be done by synthetic testosterone medications.
Natural Remedies:
Fortunately, there are natural remedies available to boost the level of testosterone and to prevent the early decline.
- Regular exercise: Two types of exercises are highly effective for testosterone production, these are resistance training and high-intensity interval training. Both of these exercises help to build lean muscle mass which is directly proportional to the production of testosterone. Exercise helps keep the body’s hormonal regulation in a healthy style, inhibiting stress hormones and stimulates growth factors. Exercising regularly for 40 minutes with a moderate-intensity cardio fitness workout and 20 minutes of generalized relaxation techniques like stretching and deep breathing can improve hormonal regulation in the body.
- Dietary modifications: To keep a healthy level of testosterone in your body the first two things you need to control in your diet are sugar and fats. Consuming food rich in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and reducing consumption of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) makes a huge difference in the production of testosterone and other hormones. HDL is also called good cholesterol and is found in foods like fish, nuts, dry fruits, and some seeds. Sugar consumption should be kept to a moderate level as evident from researches that a high level of blood glucose can reduce testosterone production. Moreover taking foods rich in fibers and nutrients like vitamin D, zinc and iron maintains the testosterone level and prevents the early decline of hormone production.
- Weight loss: Losing those extra pounds and preventing obesity ultimately improves testosterone production because the increase in visceral fats can inhibit the pituitary stimulation of the gonads to secrete testosterone.
- Stress management: Increase in the incidence of depression and anxiety also reduces the production of testosterone, that is why there is a loss of interest in intimacy when depression strikes males. Stress management classes, psychological counseling, and meditation can improve mood and testosterone production.
- Sleep: Lack of sleep is responsible for the production of stress hormones and inhibition of testosterone in the body, moreover sleep deprivation can lead to muscle loss as well. Taking 7 to 8 hours of sleep per day is a good amount to keep the hormonal balance.
