Testosterone is a hormone involved in bodily processes such as muscle mass production and male fertility. As we age, testosterone levels decrease. This is a natural process. But other factors such as stress, obesity, poor nutrition, and medication can also influence it. Below is what you can do to maintain your (normal) testosterone levels.

Ensure quality sleep

One of the most important aspects for testosterone production is a qualitative night's sleep. Two factors are important for a good night's sleep. The first is sleep duration. For most people, this is somewhere between 7 and 9 hours. The second factor is sleep quality. This depends on the time you spend in the 4 different sleep stages during the night. 'REM sleep' (cognitive recovery) and 'deep sleep' (physical recovery) are particularly important. During the night, you want to have approximately 15-25% deep sleep and 15-25% REM sleep.

Read '5 ways to improve your sleep' for more tips & tricks related to sleep.

Less cortisol = more testosterone

The relationship between the stress-reducing hormone cortisol and testosterone is, of course, very complex, but I think I can explain it in a simple way. When our body experiences prolonged stress or frequently receives hormetic (acute stress) stimuli, our body enters a state of survival.

When our body enters a state of survival, several functions become enormously important. The heart has to beat harder, focus has to increase, and breathing also has to accelerate to release a lot of energy in the short term. To achieve this, a lot of cortisol (a hormone produced in the adrenal glands) is released. Cortisol suppresses immune functions (because getting sick is not useful when you have to survive) and increases the release of sugar into the blood to be able to run quickly (flight) or fight (fight).

As long as our body is in a state of survival (i.e., increased cortisol production), we see several bodily functions being suppressed. Specifically, digestion and everything related to reproduction are put 'on hold.' The logical explanation for the latter is simple. If you cannot survive yourself, what is the point of reproducing?

In addition, you can remember that two opposites theoretically never reach their peak simultaneously. Cortisol has a catabolic (breaking down) effect to ensure you can release energy. Testosterone has an anabolic (building up) effect, for example, to achieve muscle growth.

Less cortisol = more testosterone.

How do you make sure that cortisol goes down? Very simple. Fewer stress stimuli and more relaxation. Less time with your phone and more time in nature. Remember that sports, ice baths, breathwork sessions, intermittent fasting, etc., are also stress stimuli. Compensate sufficiently by using nasal breathing, spending time in nature, getting enough sleep, hours without stimuli, and standing barefoot in the grass doing nothing. Additionally, make sure to spend the first few hours of the day without stimuli (ABSOLUTELY NO PHONE!) and the last 2-3 hours of the day likewise.

Nutrition: how does it affect testosterone?

The process of testosterone production starts in the liver. After receiving a signal from the pituitary gland, it begins. The liver produces cholesterol from saturated fats.

Your body uses cholesterol for the production of all steroid hormones, including testosterone. Therefore, your body always ensures that cholesterol can be fully produced by the body. However, we can relieve the liver by consuming extra cholesterol from food. This allows your liver to better attend to its other important tasks.

Besides cholesterol, your body also needs thyroid hormone T3 and vitamin A.

T3 is made from the amino acid tyrosine and the mineral iodine. Tyrosine is mainly found in protein-rich animal products, and iodine is mainly found in seafood and sea vegetables. Selenium is also important for T3 production. This is mainly found in meat or Brazil nuts. If you eat meat, choose the grass-fed variety as much as possible. You can order this from zorgnatuur.

Vitamin A is mainly found in the livers of various animals or in raw fermented dairy and butter.

The biggest testosterone killer is OVERWEIGHT. This is because adipose tissue produces estrogen. Estrogen is an antagonist to testosterone and therefore also affects the amount of testosterone.

The key takeaways

Now you know some things you can do to maintain your (normal) testosterone levels. Here are the key takeaways:

– Ensure qualitative sleep with 15-25% deep and REM sleep

– Lower your cortisol levels

– Ensure sufficient intake of vitamin A, tyrosine, and iodine

– Eliminate your excess weight