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Testosterone is a critically important hormone for men. Once you are over 20, you can expect you testosterone level to drop by about 2% every year. That is a natural process and you cannot stop testosterone from declining steadily the older you get. However, you can make that drop as minimal as possible and not add to it, by avoiding foods that can kill testosterone.
Many foods are what we call “testosterone killers.” As you look at this list, you will probably see quite a few foods that most men love and enjoy. However, they all should be consumed in small amounts, or avoided entirely if you want to keep your testosterone levels as high as they can be.
1. Pasta – This is a traditional favorite among most men, however, pasta is loaded with carbs. That may be OK, if you are planning to run a marathon, but most men are not doing so after a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs. All those carbs do not get burnt, and are stored as fat. Fat, especially abdominal fat, contributes to low testosterone.
2. Alcohol – Alcohol should be consumed only in moderation for many good reasons, but specific to this list, excessive alcohol inhibits testosterone production, and actually increases estrogen, which further lowers your testosterone level.
3. Ice Cream – Ice cream may be a summer time treat, but this yummy indulgence is mostly sugar and empty calories, which again contributes to obesity and lowers testosterone.
4. Soy Products – Soy and products made from soy negatively impact testosterone production. Soy is often recommended to help women who are going through menopause. That is because soy contains something known as “isoflavones,” which have “estrogen-like” qualities. That may be good for women, but it has the opposite effect on aging men who may be suffering from low testosterone.
5. Mints, such as spearmint and peppermint – Mint may be one of the less common foods on this list, and probably a little bit easier than most of the others to eliminate from your diet. Several published studies have found that the “mentha”, or mint-family, such as spearmint and peppermint, are among the foods that are testosterone killers.
6. Breakfast Bars – Breakfast bars and biscuits may be convenient, but they are not very good for your overall health, or keeping your testosterone levels up. Not only are they usually high in sugars and trans-fats, they also are highly processed, and processed foods are known to be testosterone killers.
7. Sodas and Junk Food – Speaking of processed foods, all junk foods, processed foods, and “white foods” should be avoided as part of any healthy diet. But, these kinds of foods, as well as soda pop, should be completed avoided by any man who want to maintain a slim waistline and healthy testosterone levels.
8. Flaxseed Products – Flaxseeds and flax containing products, are generally considered healthy, because they are high in fiber and omega-3s. However, like soy, flax has estrogenic properties, and therefore should be consumed at a minimum by men wishing to keep their testosterone as high as possible.
9. Licorice – Like mints, mentioned above, it should be fairly easy for most men to limit, or remove licorice from their diets. But if you are a man who enjoys it, you should try to get that sweet, salty, aromatic taste somewhere else. Love it or hate it, the distinctive flavor of licorice, comes from glycyrrhizic acid, which has been found to be a major testosterone killer.
10. Hamburgers – If there is any one food that is mostly identified with “manly men” it is a big old juicy burger. So, it may be difficult to remove burgers from your diet. But, here are a few tips. Avoid fast-food burger joints completely. Even restaurant quality burgers should be kept to a minimum, unless you are sure they use organic meat.
If you must have a burger you are best to make it for yourself at home, from a good quality organic meat. Any chopped meat, that is not organic, and especially that is used by fast food burger joints is chock full of antibiotics and hormones, which can wreak havoc on your hormone balance and your testosterone levels.
Of course, while there are food that kill testosterone, and should be eliminated from your diet, there are many healthy and tasty foods you can add to your diet that can boost your testosterone.
Just as there are foods that foods that kill testosterone, there are foods that can naturally increase your testosterone levels.
To keep testosterone high, avoid the foods above, and add these foods to your diet: Tuna fish or other vitamin D rich foods such as milk, or egg yolks. Vitamin D is a precursor to testosterone production. Zinc rich foods, such as oysters and shellfish, can also aid in testosterone production. Beans, such as kidney beans and black beans are good sources of both vitamin D and zinc.
In addition to dietary changes, here are some other ways to naturally increase your testosterone levels.
You can make better food choices, as well as take steps to increase and maintain healthy testosterone levels. However, if you are a man between the ages of 35 and 55, and after taking these steps, still feel tired, weak, or are facing sexual health issues, you may want to have your hormone levels checked. You could benefit from hormone therapy.
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