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By: Douglas Taylor
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February 21, 2025
Testosterone and Muscle Growth
Let’s get straight to the point. If you want muscle, strength and peak performance, then testosterone should be your greatest friend. This steroidal hormone is pivotal for muscle development, losing fat, having energy, and recovering, but you can’t believe everything you hear about testosterone.
Some people believe that testosterone boosters are fake. Others think getting testosterone injections are the only option to build muscle after forty. Then there are people who say that eating specific testosterone booster foods can fully replace medical intervention.
What is the truth? Let’s understand it piece by piece.
Table of Contents
ToggleTestosterone and Muscles: How It Really Works
It is a type of androgen hormone that assists in:
- Allowing greater muscle protein synthesis (also known as growing muscle);
- Increasing workout performance as well as endurance;
- Improving the body’s ability to burn fat and build a lean body;
- Reducing recuperation time of the muscles from strenuous training.
Testosterone and muscles are fuel and fire, respectively. If your training (the fire) is strong, then testosterone acts like fuel ensuring the fire keeps burning.
But if testosterone is low, then it’s like lighting a wet match. No matter how hard you train, your gains won’t come.
Indications of Testosterone Deficit and its Consequences
Testosterone deficiency can result in:
- Loss of muscle even when exercising;
- Rise in body fat percentage, especially in the midsection;
- Diminished energy and prolonged recovery time;
- Reduced motivation and energy levels for workouts;
- Marked reduction in libido and general performance.
Fact: Testosterone drops at a rate of 1% per annum after reaching 30 years of age. From 40-50 years old the decline can greatly affect your physique and strength. And here’s the most interesting part—I can do something about it.
Natural Methods Versus Medical Approaches in Testosterone Boosting
If you have a reason to believe your testosterone levels are lower than normal, you can do one of two things:
- Natural Methods: Implementing dietary, exercise, and lifestyle changes to maximize production;
- Medical Methods: Testosterone restorations through injections, gel, or prescriptions such as in the case of testosterone level deficiency.
What is your best option? This depends on age, indicators, and blood results.
Increasing Testosterone Without any Supplements
Instead of going straight to testosterone injections, try these steps for naturally boosting your testosterone level and achieving testosterone injection results:
Change your Diet
Diet matters just as much as your lifestyle and exercise routine. Increasing testosterone level-diet includes;
- Spinach: Lowers estrogen levels resulting in increased testosterone production;
- Nuts and Avocados: They are known for producing cholesterol which is essential for the making of testosterone;
- Shellfish & Oysters: Oysters & shellfish are loaded with zinc which boosts testosterone production levels;
- Eggs: Egg yolks are known for producing testosterone hence they are very important in optimizing testosterone production;
- Meat And Fish: Lean meat is know for production of fats which is crucial in the making of testosterone.
What to Avoid: Sugary foods, excess alcohol intake, and highly processed food wont help to increase testosterone level.
Exercise Regimen
Upper body weightlifting with shorter rest periods will do the trick but only when paired with heavy intensive cardio would achieve more drastic results. Best exercises that lead to higher testosterone production and muscle gain:
- Overhead Press;
- Pull Up;
- Bench Press;
- Deadlift;
- Squats.
These movements among many others target muscles, resulting in increased production of testosterone and promoting muscular body adaptation and overall enhancement.
Not another tip to try out but allow me to provide a core tip that uses progressive overload: adjusting the weights used is supposed to challenge your muscles subsequently, to ensure testosterone levels are on their best game.
Improve Sleep and Recovery
No proper sleep leads to no testosterone. That’s the bottom line.
When the body is in deep slumber is when the highest quantity of testosterone is generated. If a person can’t seem to sleep anywhere from 7 to 9 hours per night, them being fatigued from hormonal imbalance isn’t shocking at all.
So how do you improve your sleep:
- Have a set sleep schedule (even on weekends);
- Avoid the phone and blue light for some time before taking a nap;
- Have a temperature controlled and dark environment for your bedroom;
- Utilize Magnesium and Zinc to achieve less light sleep.
Did you know? Simply losing sleep for a week is a great way to reduce your testosterone production by 15%.
Reduce Stress and Cortisol Levels
Stress in the form of Cortisol leads to a great decrease in testosterone production. Being stressed all the time is not an ideal situation.
Lack of training and sleep are bound to adversely impact your testosterone levels, causing it to crash.
What can be done to keep stress in check:
- Avoiding rest days in a workout regime should never be an option (overtraining is harmful);
- There are many forms of breathing exercises and meditation to try out;
- Go for walks and get some fresh air. Vitamin D provides a great boost;
- Minimize any form of stimulants. Too much caffeine is known to increase cortisol and lead to further problems.
Also remember: “Train smarter, not harder” is how the phrase goes so do sleep better and laugh more.
About Testosterone Injections
If you are suffering from hormone deficiency, you may want to consider testosterone shots as an alternative. They can:
- Normalize the physiological hormone activity;
- Improve muscle volume and strength;
- Boost sexual drive and energy;
- Lift overall health and self-esteem.
On the other hand, testosterone shots have their limitations. For injection users expecting rapid muscle gain who are under thirty-five years of age, it’s a poor option. In such a case it would be better to find means by which testosterone levels can be increased naturally.
Testosterone Before and After Results
Those who are clinically diagnosed with low testosterone levels typically experience the following differences:
- Noticed more muscle and less fat within 3 to 6 months;
- Increased energy and improved workouts;
- Better mood and sharper thinking.
Note: Medical advice should be sought regarding testosterone injections.
Final Thoughts: Take Control of Your Testosterone
You have ever wondered what can potentially take your muscle mass, fat burning capabilities, and focus to the next level? Here’s a quick recap for you:
- What you eat (testosterone booster food is important) is crucial for you;
- Heavy lifting competitive exercises are a must;
- Manage stress and sleep as well;
- Monitor your levels and do the tests;
- Use testosterone injections when necessary.
Are you ready to boost your testosterone? Schedule a consultation with us GuideMeSupplements.com today to receive expert help tailored to you in nutrition and training as well as testosterone support.
Today is the day you begin your journey to improved performance. Let’s do this.