WANT MORE STENGTH? TRY THIS HORMONE

4 min read

By Janine Rotter, Director of Fitness Nutrition for UNBOWED

Yes, we're talking TESTOSTERONE.

That muscle-building hormone.

And we are going to give you two solid tips on how you can boost your testosterone levels naturally with supplements to give you even more strength when you want it.

PLUS

Give you one amazing recipe that is loaded with these natural vitamins and minerals.

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 you can find is oysters.

So what’ the daily recommended dose of zinc?

For the men, it’s 11 mg/day.

For the ladies, 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 away from any medications (if 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. Not only is it not very abundant in foods but most places far from the equator don't get enough sunlight to produce adequate levels year-round. But this time of year, we are in luck!

Hello summer; hello 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.

It is a fat-soluble vitamin and is found in fatty fish, organ meats, and egg yolks. Unfortunately, it isn't abundant in most other un-fortified 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. You can always ask your doctor to check your blood levels to be sure because vitamin D is another 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).

We’ve come up with a great recipe for you to try this weekend that is high in both vitamin D and zinc:

Summary:

If you aren't getting enough zinc and/or vitamin D every day your testosterone levels may be a bit low but it’s very important that you don't overdo these two essential nutrients. Always check with your doctor and have blood work done to check to see where your levels are.

HONEY SESAME SALMON

Serves 4

2-3 lbs salmon fillets

¼ cup soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos

¼ cup sesame oil

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons honey or coconut nectar

1” of ginger, shredded or 1 teaspoon ginger powder

1 tablespoon coconut oil

2 tablespoons diced green onions or chives

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Mix soy sauce/tamari/aminos, sesame oil, lemon juice, honey/coconut nectar, and ginger together to make a marinade.

Place salmon in a glass dish and cover with marinade. Let sit for a few hours or overnight.

Heat a large cast-iron frying pan over medium heat and add coconut oil.

Place salmon in pan skin side down and cook for 2-3 minutes.

Pour marinade into the pan, lower the heat and cook for 3-5 more minutes or until salmon flakes easily with a fork.

Sprinkle with diced green onions/chives and sesame seeds.

Serve and Enjoy!

Tip: Wild salmon can contain up to 4 times the amount of vitamin D as farmed salmon.

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