By Mike Kocsis | 10 minutes read | Last updated: October 31, 2024 Categories: Muscle Testosterone
Medically Reviewed by Dr. George Touliatos
If you know anything at all about testosterone, you might know that it is the singularly most important hormone in the male body. Testosterone is tied to many things such as sex drive, but it is quite important for a wide range of other things as well. One aspect of male body health heavily affected by testosterone levels is muscle mass. The amount of muscle mass a person can build and maintain is heavily impacted by the level of testosterone in their body. Those who are low in testosterone may experience a loss of muscle mass or difficulty building back muscle mass.
If you want to understand the role that testosterone has on muscle mass, then you are in the right place. We’re going to conduct a complete analysis of the effects of testosterone on muscle mass and the very important role that testosterone plays in maintaining muscle mass. Whether you want to learn more about testosterone and muscle mass or you are a frequent gym-goer who wants to understand more about testosterone, your body, and muscle mass, we’ll provide you with everything you need to know about testosterone and its effect on your body.
Testosterone: Not Just For Men
While many people associate testosterone as being a male hormone, it is necessary for the bodies of both men and women. It’s an important hormone for muscle growth in men and women, despite being more commonly associated with men. Though testosterone is more prevalent in men, it is a common misconception to say that it is not present in women.
Though testosterone is present in men and women, it is the primary dominant hormone in men. Men who are low in testosterone can feel several negative side effects. For that reason, many men are worried about the level of testosterone in their bodies.
Benefits of Testosterone for Muscle Mass
One of the primary roles of testosterone in the body is to build and maintain muscle mass. Testosterone is what is called an androgen. An androgen is a hormone that has to do with body maturation and sexual development including growing sex organs, growth of body hair, deepening of the voice, and more. Testosterone also has what are called anabolic effects, including the building of muscle mass, increased bone density, and other growth of the body.
Having a regular amount of testosterone will allow your muscles to develop correctly and help you to maintain muscle mass. Men who are low in testosterone can have trouble building muscle mass. One thing to be aware of is that even with the proper amount of testosterone, you cannot build much muscle mass unless you are working out and exercising regularly. If you want to maximize your muscle mass, you should seek to increase your testosterone levels and work out and exercise frequently.
What Are Anabolic Steroids?
Those who are seeking to maximize their muscle growth may have heard of anabolic steroids before. Anabolic steroids are frequently mentioned in association with building high amounts of muscle mass in short periods of time. Anabolic steroids are drugs that are designed to increase the amount of testosterone in the body. People use them to stimulate muscle growth and increase the positive muscle growth effects that testosterone has on the body.
Sometimes, anabolic steroids are used in men who have a testosterone deficiency. These can help to replace testosterone levels that they are lacking. A side effect of this could be increased muscle mass. It is not uncommon for people to administer anabolic steroids in the form of an injection to enjoy the benefits that come along with anabolic steroids.
Natural Ways to Boost Testosterone
If you want to boost your testosterone to replace missing testosterone, there are a variety of ways to do so. One of the most effective ways to increase testosterone is to use testosterone replacement therapy or anabolic steroids. However, not everyone wants to use medication to increase their testosterone.
A boost in testosterone could change your life and help you overcome some of the side effects that come along with low testosterone. There are some natural ways that you can give yourself a testosterone boost. Here are some ways that you can naturally increase testosterone in your body.
Change Your Diet
One of the best ways to raise the level of testosterone in your body is to change your diet. Many people don’t pay attention to their diet, and this can have drastic consequences on your testosterone levels. One thing to remember is that your testosterone levels correspond to your level of overall health. So, if you eat poorly and don’t exercise, then it can negatively impact your testosterone levels.
There are specific foods that you should be eating if you want to increase your testosterone. These include foods like broccoli, brussels sprouts, mustard, turnip, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale. These are foods that will lower estrogen levels, thus raising testosterone levels.
However, you should also know that it doesn’t always have to be complicated when it comes to choosing foods to include in your diet. If you don’t eat a healthy diet right now and you are experiencing the symptoms of low testosterone, a great start would be to simply start including more healthy foods and eating habits into your diet, whatever they may be. Having a healthy diet goes a long way when it comes to raising your testosterone levels.
Reduce Stress
Another step that you can and should take if you want to raise your testosterone levels naturally is to reduce stress whenever possible. Stress is generally seen as bad for your general health and your body. This is backed up by studies and statistics. What many people might not know, however, is that heavy and prolonged stress in your life can bring down your testosterone levels. Having too much stress in your life or not managing stress effectively can cause you to have the symptoms of low testosterone.
If you hope to avoid having low testosterone from stress, you should seek to do one or two things about it. The first is that you should seek to reduce stress whenever possible. While this can sometimes be difficult, the payoff from being able to do this is immense. The next thing you should do is try to handle the stress more effectively. If you can handle the stress in your life more effectively and not let it impact your general health as much, you can experience huge health benefits.
Sleep More
One of the most common reasons that men experience lower testosterone and poor general health is that they don’t get enough sleep. While many people don’t realize it, sleep is one of the most important things for the body. When you don’t get enough sleep, you certainly won’t be performing at full capacity. Subjecting your body to prolonged periods wherein you don’t get enough sleep is a surefire way to set you up for decreased testosterone.
If you are looking to naturally increase your testosterone, you need to be sure that you are giving your body every opportunity possible to get the sleep and rest that it needs. Not doing so could mean that you start to experience lowered testosterone. Your muscle mass and many other things could suffer as a result.
Increase Sexual Activity
A very common side effect of lowered testosterone is decreased sex drive and libido. However, if you want to increase testosterone naturally, you should have sex more. Having a more active sex life will help to give a natural boost in testosterone as a biological response to increased frequency of sex. Testosterone is produced by sex organs and when you have more activity with those organs, the level of testosterone will naturally rise.
This assertion is backed up by an Australian research study that showed that a decline in testosterone levels was partially linked to decreased sexual activity.
Click here for more naturally ways to increase your testosterone.
Who Should Increase Their Testosterone?
Though there are a variety of ways to increase testosterone, many men are left wondering if increasing testosterone is the right step for them. Sometimes, the natural approach is enough but for some men, more stronger methods are required.
To determine which approach is best for you, always speak with a medical professional who can evaluate your specific set of circumstances and help guide you to a solution that is best for you. You should seek out a medical professional that specialises in testosterone or a testosterone clinic.
Reasons to Boost Testosterone
You may be wondering what some of the reasons there are for men wanting to raise their testosterone. There are various reasons that you may want to do something like this. Here are some of the reasons that men choose to boost their testosterone.
Low Testosterone
If you have ever had low testosterone before, then you know that it’s not the most fun thing to deal with in the world. Men who are going through having low testosterone in their bodies are often very eager to address the issue because of how much it can interfere with their daily lives.
Men who are experiencing low testosterone will often experience symptoms such as low sex drive, loss of muscle mass, depression, lack of motivation, and many other symptoms that can have a heavy impact on their lives. That is the reason that so many men are very adamant about wanting to raise testosterone.
Once normal testosterone levels are gained, there are plenty more benefits to be had by continuing to boost testosterone such as higher sex drive, more confidence, and increased self-esteem. If you are suffering from low testosterone, you likely understand the desire to treat it and raise testosterone as soon as possible.
Low Testosterone Symptoms
Sexual | Physical |
Infertility | Decreased body hair |
Decreased libido | Gynecomastia |
Erectile dysfunction | Decreased muscle mass and strength |
Delayed ejaculation | Hot flushes/sweats |
Decreased morning erections | Poor quality of sleep |
fatigue | |
Weak bones and joints | |
Cardiometabolic | Psychological |
Increased BMI/obesity | Changes in mood (anger, irritability, sadness, depression, anxiety) |
Visceral (belly fat) | Decreased well-being or self-worth |
Metabolic syndrome | Decreased cognitive function (memory, concentration and spatial performance) |
Insulin resistance & type 2 diabetes Mellitus | |
Increased risk of cardiovascular diseases |
Muscle Building
Aside from the very common desire to overcome the symptoms that come along with low testosterone, another reason that many men seek to raise the level of testosterone in their body is to enjoy the benefits that raised testosterone has on the ability to build muscle in the body. It’s no secret that testosterone is one of the main ingredients in the body that helps to build muscle. Some men want to help along the process as much as possible.
Building muscle with increased testosterone is very feasible. There are several products and medications that will allow you to do so. However, you cannot rely solely on taking increased testosterone in order to build muscle mass. It will not happen overnight. If you are looking to increase your muscle mass by taking testosterone supplements and raising the amount of testosterone in your system, then you should be prepared to dedicate yourself to the cause and not only take testosterone supplements but also go to the gym and work out.
However, you could indeed experience enhanced fitness and muscle mass by taking testosterone boosters and using testosterone replacement therapy while you are also working out and taking care of your body.
Final Thought
In conclusion, testosterone plays a crucial role in male health, especially in maintaining muscle mass. Understanding its impact can help you address issues related to low testosterone, such as muscle loss and difficulty in muscle building. By maintaining healthy testosterone levels, through both natural methods and medical treatments if necessary, you can improve your overall well-being and physical performance. Whether you’re a gym enthusiast or just looking to learn more, this guide provides essential information to help you navigate the complexities of testosterone and muscle health.
If you think you may be suffering from low testosterone, get in contact with us today. Book your FREE consultation by clicking the button above. Our specialised doctors can assess your symptoms and potential treatment options.
Watch Our Video Discussion Around TRT and Muscle Mass
References / Study Material / Further Reading
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2917954/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/drugs-and-medications/testosterone–what-it-does-and-doesnt-do
Evidence Based Research
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