Six Testosterone Friendly Foods
There are three principle ways to naturally increase testosterone. The first is to reduce fat mass and increase muscle through a combination of diet and exercise. The second is to take natural testosterone-boosting supplements (like Renew Male). The third – which is the focus of this week’s post – is to consume testosterone-boosting foods.
Testosterone friendly foods
Testosterone Friendly Food #1: Quinoa
“The Grain of the Gods” is actually a pseudocereal grown primarily for its edible seeds. Besides being an excellent source of complex carbohydrates (100 g has 64 g carbs, 7 g fiber, and 14 g of complete protein), quinoa contains ecdysteroids – including 20-hydroxyecdysterone – which some studies have shown to possess anabolic (aka muscle building) properties. Fun fact: the United Nations has declared 2013 International Year of Quinoa.
Testosterone Friendly Food #2: Cruciferous vegetables
We have touted the testosterone benefits of broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and other members of Brassica genus before and with good reason: they contain the anti-estrogen chemicals 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) and indole-3-carbinol (I3C), as well as the anti-cancer compounds sulforaphane and selenium. Mom was right: eat your veggies!
Testosterone Friendly Food #3: Berries
Blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and other berries are not only delicious they’re also loaded with free radical scavenging antioxidants. For many older men, an accumulation of free radical damage to mitochondria and endothelial tissues may be a contributing factor to low testosterone and sexual dysfunction. The antioxidants in berries contribute to the fight against oxidative damage from free radicals which helps keep testosterone levels up (amongst other things).
Testosterone Friendly Food(s) #4: Avocados, olives, and olive oil
These three foods contain the highest percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) which, if you remember back to Testosterone Tip #2, are associated with the higher testosterone levels. Pecans, almonds, and cashews are also decent sources of MUFAs, as are high oleic versions of sunflower and safflower oil.
Testosterone Friendly Food #5: Garlic
The unmistakable smell and taste of garlic comes from the large amount of sulfur-containing compounds it contains. Garlic’s pungent punch not only repels vampires, it also helps keep away cancer, diabetes, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), and pathogenic microorganisms. Oh, and garlic’s sulfur-containing compounds can increase testosterone, too.
Testosterone Friendly Food #6: Green tea
The antioxidant catechins in green tea – most notably EGCG – are decent aromatase inhibitors, meaning that they can prevent the conversion of testosterone to estrogen. Green tea is also a natural source of caffeine and L-theanine, a mood enhancing amino acid.
The great thing about these foods is that, aside from their favorable effects on testosterone and sexual function, they provide profound benefits in numerous other areas of health. Sure, most men want more testosterone and more muscle, and these foods will certainly help with that, but they will also significantly improve your energy and vitality and substantially reduce your risk for chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.
References
Dinan L, Whiting P, Scott A. Taxonomic distribution of phytoecdysteroids in seeds of members of the chenopodiaceae. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 1998; 26(5):553-576.
Oi Y, Imafuku M, Shishido C, Kominato Y, Nishimura S, Iwai K. Garlic supplementation increases testicular testosterone and decreases plasma corticosterone in rats fed a high protein diet. J. Nutr. 2001; 131(8):2150-2156.
Satoh K, Sakamoto Y, Ogata A, Nagai F, Mikuriya H, Numazawa M, Yamada K, Aoki N. Inhibition of aromatase activity by green tea extract catechins and their endocrinological effects of oral administration in rats. Food and Chemical Toxicology. 2002; 40(7):925-933.
Todorov IN, Mitrokhin YI, Efremova OI, Sidorenko LI. The Effect of Ecdysterone on the Biosynthesis of Proteins and Nucleic Acids in Mice. Pharmaceutical Chemistry Journal. 2000; 34(9):455-458.
Tóth N, Szabó A, Kacsala P, Héger J, Zádor E. 20-Hydroxyecdysone increases fiber size in a muscle-specific fashion in rat. Phytomedicine. 2008; 15(9):691-698.
Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Bush JA, Incledon T, Boetes M. Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. 1997; 82(1):49-54.
Green tea. My husband drinks alot of black decaffinated tea. I would like to know if what makes it bad to drink green tea, caffinated, for irregular heart beats, work effectively with the decaffinated version, and help the jitters go away. Hope I was clear.
If you are asking if decaffeinated tea has the same benefits as caffeinated tea the answer is yes.
I have read in many places that Quinoa is very high in phytoestrogen, this would mean that it is definitely not # in the Testosterone list
Dave,
There are a few things to note regarding phytoestrogens:
1) Not all phytoestrogens are bad, and while some can have estrogen mimetic effects, others act as anti-estrogens. Their physiological effects can vary greatly depending on individual factors like genetics and gut flora, as well as dose, dietary composition, and duration of use.
2) There are numerous healthy foods that contain phytoestrogens including flaxseeds, sesame seeds, almonds, multigrain breads, legumes, beans, and many fruits and vegetables (including the ones listed in this post). That doesn’t mean to avoid these foods, it just means that if you’re going to avoid phytoestrogens you’re not going to have many healthy foods left to choose from.
3) If you’re concerned about estrogen exposure, it would be much more beneficial to avoid universally-accepted harmful xenoestrogens like PCBs, BPA, and phthalates from plastics (especially heated plastics), synthetic fabrics, and pesticides and herbicides.