Ways to naturally increase Test. back to normal levels?

Long story short, I used to be "normal" in terms of energy and such but was overwieght. I lost the weight down to a reasonable body weight and was fine. Then I got a little too restrictive with my diet and lost nearly all my bodyfat and muscle (was 6'1.5" 150 lbs). At that point I had very low energy, was always tired, low sex drive, etc. I straightened myself out a bit as that was about 10 months ago and started eating more, etc. so that I'm now a stable 165 lbs, eating about 2600-3000 cals a day. Still though I have less energy than when I started out, have a lower sex drive and other similar symptoms, although not as bad as when I was 150 lbs and probably only eating 2000 cals. From what Ive read, my testosterone levels seem low. How can I act to raise them to more normal levels?

Weight restoration and refeeding often help to return sex hormone levels to normal, so you may be right on track. How long have youb een at 165? Sometimes it takes a while of being at a healthy weight before the hormonal systems "catch up". In the mean time, making sure you're getting enogh carbohydrate, protein, and fat in appropriate proportions is important, as well as a good balance of micronutrients, especially zinc and magnesium. Are you taking a multivitamin at this point..?

I have read somewhere that certain nuts can raise test levels,along with deep squats.Do a search "how to raise testosterone levels naturally",you should find the answers you are looking for.

Need to make sure you're getting enough fats and cholesterol. Eat eggs, olive oil, nuts, avocado, fish, etc. Squats and pretty much any heavy lifting will also help.

There are also nat. test boosters like bioforge.

Try increasing your monounsaturated fats (nuts, nut butters, olive oil, etc)
Eat sufficient calories

more carbohydrates, more monounsaturated fats and more saturated fats

up to a point saturated fat intake is directly proportional to blood testosterone levels

[QUOTE=thegymbum;532156483]Weight restoration and refeeding often help to return sex hormone levels to normal, so you may be right on track. How long have youb een at 165? Sometimes it takes a while of being at a healthy weight before the hormonal systems "catch up". In the mean time, making sure you're getting enogh carbohydrate, protein, and fat in appropriate proportions is important, as well as a good balance of micronutrients, especially zinc and magnesium. Are you taking a multivitamin at this point..?[/QUOTE]

I've been at 165 for 8 months or so and the problem has not bettered. I am not taking any multivitamin or any substances. Should I be?

Increase calories, increase fat intake... consumption of dietary fat has been led to increase test. levels. Increasing these 2 things will make you feel better by a mile.

[QUOTE=hrg217;532641783]I am not taking any multivitamin or any substances. Should I be?[/QUOTE]yes

It probably wouldn't hurt to eat more, since you have only gained 15 lbs in 10 months. You could also have your blood screened to see if you have any mineral deficiancies. Eat more and eat healthy food.

OP i can LARGELY relate to what your going through.

Firstly, i was at the same point you were, i dropped a lot of weight very quickly and had minimal body fat on me and was at a weight where things started to stop (sex drive) etc.

I got my weight up to a healthier weight but still continued to be strict thinking that dietary fat was the enemy, i was eating NO FAT everything and refused to add olive oil to anything etc....

Over the past 12 months i have really educated myself on diet, training, supplementation and have been growing even since. I have more lean mass on me than i ever have my energy is through the roof.

In terms of my testosterone, i now eat a diet rich in dietary fat, about 30% of my calories come from fats, (olive oils, chia seeds, almonds, almond and PB spreads etc), and from my personal experience i have actually had to go to my local GP because my body has actually begun to finish the later stages of puberty again.

I was stupid and dieted when my body was growing and in turn, i stopped some crucial things. Now, my body is raging with hormones. I unfortunately have developed a slight case of gyno from my hormones going crazy but i hope that this will go down on its own.


Best of luck and increase those fats !!!

so eat more fats and take a multivitamin. sounds good, but what multivitamin (I dont know much about vitamins)?

bump

[QUOTE=hrg217;534289953]so eat more fats and take a multivitamin. sounds good, but what multivitamin (I dont know much about vitamins)?[/QUOTE]

Just pick any multi from your supermarket to start with, e.g. Centrum, One-A-Day, etc. Or this if you want the best.

[url]http://reviews.bodybuilding.com/Controlled_Labs/Orange_Triad[/url]

Also don't forget red meat and egg yolks are test boosters.

I just posted on this yesterday.

[url]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=126971633[/url]

[QUOTE=typh;536993843]I just posted on this yesterday.

[url]http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=126971633[/url][/QUOTE]

My computer wont let me open the document you attached in your post in the other thread. Is there any other way you could upload it, or just give a summary of what it says, as I am interested?

[QUOTE=hrg217;537328143]My computer wont let me open the document you attached in your post in the other thread. Is there any other way you could upload it, or just give a summary of what it says, as I am interested?[/QUOTE]

Basically it stats if you have a low-carb diet and then start eating low calories your testosterone levels could drop up to 40%. What it's stating is if you do diet in these manners don't do it for to long and try to incorporate all the macro nutrients into your diet as they are all vital for a healthy functional body.

I could send it to your email if you wish. Just PM me with your email addy.

Back to the original topic of the thread, is there a possibility that I could have done long term damage to myself, or that my testosterone levels will never return to where they should have been?

It's highly unlikely that the damage would be permanent. Within a few months of restored resources, hormone levels usually return to normal. There's a lag period, but it's almost guaranteed that they'll eventually come back to normal. The caveat is that you need to have enough BODY fat. If your essential body fat is too low, it can impact hormone synthesis and your steroid hormones can remain low even when you're eating enough.

lulz at all the wannabe BROdoctors who have zero practical medical knowledge.


If you haven't had a blood test then you should see a qualified professional - i.e. an endocrinologist and not this BS "guessing" you are doing to get straightened out.

MORE REAL FOOD.... saturated fat in particular. eggs, yolks, butter, red meat...your levels will be sky high in no time

"In adults, testosterone’s effects on growth and development have largely manifested and maintenance becomes its province. Libido is preserved for both men and women and erection strength and frequency are regulated by testosterone. Muscles resist wasting thanks to T (and even grow larger).

I would be remiss if I failed to mention testosterone’s chief antagonist: cortisol. Cortisol, as you know, is one of the stress, fight-or-flight hormones. It kept us alive and our wits about us under short-term life-or-death situations for much of our evolution. Unfortunately, when cortisol is constantly elevated – as it often is in the sleep-deprived and chronically-stressed – testosterone is muted. Cortisol is catabolic (breaks tissue down), while testosterone is anabolic. Excessive levels of cortisol produce insulin resistance, fat gain, and muscle wasting, while testosterone promotes muscular hypertrophy and lean mass gains. Cortisol contributes to metabolic syndrome, while testosterone helps alleviate it.

Ironically, serum testosterone status seems to predict the cortisol response of people faced with victory or defeat. High T men and women who “lost” released more cortisol, the stress hormone; when they “won,” less cortisol was released. Low T folks’ cortisol changes did not depend on winning or losing. I guess that’s a downside to high T levels, technically, but it’s to be expected.
Low serum concentrations of testosterone are also independently associated with higher mortality rates in men, even when you consider other risk factors and preexisting health conditions.

Testosterone is important in the formation of bones, as I mentioned earlier, but it’s also crucial for the maintenance of bone density, especially in the elderly.

Testosterone aids in protein synthesis, effectively helping rebuild muscle fibers with amino acids. It can preserve existing mass or build upon it, creating more.

So, testosterone is important, and even vital, if you want to build (and keep) strong bones and muscles, maintain a healthy, active sex life, and live long and well into old age – but how do we make sure we’re making enough?

In 1889, a Harvard University professor by the name of Charles-Édouard Brown-Séquard injected himself with a “rejuvenating elixir” containing the extract of dog and guinea pig testicle, reporting increased vigor and feelings of well-being. Traditional Chinese herbalists would often prescribe dried tiger’s penis for impotence, and ancient Greek Olympians feasted on goat and lamb testicles to boost stamina and athletic performance. Clearly, even before testosterone was specifically identified, the ancients (and not-so-ancients) knew that the loins were involved in vigor, strength, and stamina.

Their (our) fixation on consumption of genitalia and genitalia extractions to correct deficiencies in strength, vigor, sexual stamina, and general “well-being” sounds intuitive, in a folksy, endearing sort of way. Does it make sense to eat bull testicles to restore one’s manhood and increase available testosterone?

SprintIn young men, a short six-second bout of sprinting increased serum total testosterone levels. Levels remained elevated during recovery. Interestingly, testosterone was also correlated with lactate levels in the blood. It would be even more interesting to know if any training that causes lactate levels to rise would also increase testosterone.

Avoid Excessive CortisolSince cortisol antagonizes and reduces free testosterone levels, and stress promotes the release of cortisol, avoiding stress becomes crucial for maintaining or boosting T levels. Make sure you get a good night’s sleep, every night (which in and of itself increases testosterone levels). Avoid overtraining, especially in the Chronic Cardio arena, which may affect T levels and reproductive function. And be sure to take time to chill out and relax (read a book, go for a walk, play).

Get Sun, or Take Vitamin D SupplementsVitamin D, already associated with bone and muscular strength, also positively correlates with testosterone levels in men. Back in February, the vitamin D/T link got a decent amount of media attention.

Eat Clean, Pastured Animal ProductsToxic substances called dioxins have been shown to interfere with the male reproductive system, including production of testosterone. While concentrated sources of dioxins include Agent Orange (which I’m sure you’re already avoiding), we obtain most of our dietary dioxins through conventionally-raised animal products, especially animal fats and dairy (dioxins accumulate in fat). If you’re going to be eating fatty cuts of meat or using dairy, try to go for pastured, grass-fed animals to reduce your exposure and lessen the negative impact on your testosterone levels.

Eat Saturated and Monounsaturated FatA low-fat, high-fiber diet reduced serum and free testosterone levels in middle-aged men. T usage wasn’t affected, but T production was reduced. Another look at male athletes found that both saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and cholesterol intakes were positively correlated with resting testosterone levels. PUFA intake was barely associated with increased levels.

Avoid Foods that Regularly Spike Your Blood Glucose LevelsResearchers found that 75 grams of pure glucose – and the resultant spike in blood sugar – was enough to drop testosterone levels by as much as 25% in a random grouping of healthy, prediabetic, and diabetic men. Now keep in mind how rapidly many SAD carb choices (pasta, cereal, bread, etc) convert to glucose upon digestion…

Get Adequate Zinc IntakeA zinc deficiency predicts lowered testosterone in men (eat your shellfish), but heroic supplementary doses of the mineral don’t boost T levels beyond normal in men with adequate dietary intake.

All in all, testosterone is an incredibly important hormone for health, longevity, and vitality – in both men and women. Leading a Primal life, free of excessive stress and peppered with smart, intense workouts, full of healthy animal fats and plenty of vitamin D, should be enough to promote adequate amounts of testosterone coursing through your veins. It may sound a bit redundant at times (advice: live Primal!), but what can you do when a common, uniting thread seems to run through almost every aspect of human health. It almost writes itself."

[url]http://www.marksdailyapple.com/how-to-increase-testosterone-naturally/[/url]

[QUOTE=rhizome;538204921]lulz at all the wannabe BROdoctors who have zero practical medical knowledge.


If you haven't had a blood test then you should see a qualified professional - i.e. an endocrinologist and not this BS "guessing" you are doing to get straightened out.[/QUOTE]

this

For the past year or so ive dealt with very low testosterone issues
To make a long story short, after a whole bunch of "broguessing", i went to an endo, he took all the necessary blood tests, and after some experimentation we figured out that my thyroid was out of wack.
5 months later my test levels are sky high, or as my doc put it, "where they should be for someone your age"

So as Rhizome said, dont guess, actually find shiit out before you do anything
I recommend getting ALL the blood work that you see in this article done
[url]http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/willbrink12.htm[/url]

Good luck dude

where would I go to get bloodwork done? Does every hospital do it or do I have to go to a specialty clinic? Is it expensive?

[QUOTE=hrg217;538399093]where would I go to get bloodwork done? Does every hospital do it or do I have to go to a specialty clinic? Is it expensive?[/QUOTE]

I would start with your family doctor,he/she will point you in the right direction.

I'm between doctors right now and was wondering if there was someplace (i.e. do most hospitals do this?) someone could point me to while I continue to choose a primary care physician

squat and eat

[QUOTE=TheHeirApparent;538462443]squat and eat[/QUOTE]

Ive heard this before, does sqautting really raise T levels?