Lifestyle vices and testosterone levels
The modern man’s lifestyle can often include small vices such as smoking, drinking alcohol, long holidays and dining at good restaurants. In one of our earlier articles we talked about what to look out for in your food so that your menu supports high testosterone levels.
Quality meat, healthy fats and fresh ingredients are exactly what good restaurants mostly serve – so eating out is a true gentlemanly pleasure, and one that benefits your male sex hormone level too. But what about the other aspects of lifestyle?
Smoking
Smoking causes countless health problems, including cancer and cardiovascular disease. However, no clinical study has proven a negative effect of smoking on testosterone levels. According to one study conducted in women, smoking even raised the level of the male sex hormone.
Of course, this story has another, no less important side. Smoking causes erectile dysfunction and noticeably reduces sperm quantity and quality. When chasing a healthy testosterone level, it is quite easy to lose sight of the other aspects that make a man a man. A healthy sex life and the ability to father children are undoubtedly fundamental factors for a man, and so smoking has a strongly negative impact, despite the film and advertising rhetoric that treats it as masculine.
Alcohol
Chances are you learned the hard way, quite early in adulthood, what excessive drinking can do to your health – especially the day after a party. Still, a glass of full-bodied quality red wine with a good meal, or a little cognac to mark a festive occasion, is often a pleasure you would rather not deny yourself.
Moderate consumption of quality alcohol is not just a way to show your good taste in fine drinks; doctors have recommended it for many years as a way to reduce the risk of heart disease.
Contrary to popular belief, studies do not support the claim that alcohol directly lowers the male sex hormone level or impairs testicular function. However, alcohol plays a role in the development of erectile dysfunction and can raise levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. As we discussed in one of our first articles, cortisol is precisely the hormone that blocks the positive effects of testosterone.
That said, there is no need to give up moderate drinking entirely, as long as it is done for the enjoyment of flavor rather than for recreational purposes.
Beautiful company
A gentleman knows how to appreciate a woman’s beauty and elegance. Besides providing pleasant company, this pattern of behavior can also help raise the male sex hormone level. Studies show that being near a sexually attractive partner raises testosterone levels noticeably.
At the same time, frequent sex is not optimal for testosterone levels. Studies show that the rise in the male sex hormone level is periodic, peaking (145% above baseline) on the seventh day after the last ejaculation. It is worth noting, though, that the noticeable rise in testosterone occurs mainly on the sixth and seventh days.
A trip to the sun raises testosterone
Strictly speaking, it isn’t the trip itself that raises testosterone but the sunny climate. Under the influence of the light energy it receives, the skin starts producing the all-important vitamin D3.
Vitamin D3 deficiency lowers testosterone levels and promotes erectile dysfunction. Avoiding it, of course, doesn’t require hours-long siestas in the scorching sun. Just 10 minutes of sunshine helps your body produce about 10,000 IU (international units) of vitamin D3. That is enough to prevent a vitamin deficiency.
Although following this advice seems easy, vitamin D3 deficiency is pandemic – especially among the part of humanity that doesn’t live in a sunny climate. Since sunlight is, sadly, a rather rare phenomenon in Estonia, you should take a swig of fish oil every day and add more fish dishes to your menu to optimize your D3 level. Very good sources of vitamin D3 include herring, salmon, mackerel and sardines.
In the next part of the King of Spades article series, we will talk about how testicular temperature affects testosterone levels and fertility, and how to deal with this problem easily.
The information in the articles already published on how to look after your testosterone level is also complemented perfectly by King of Spades, a supplement made in Estonia. It is made only from top-quality ingredients with clinically proven effects, helping men optimize their sex hormone levels and reduce inflammatory processes in their bodies.
References:
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2. Smoking is associated with increased free testosterone and fasting insulin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome, resulting in aggravated insulin resistance. Cupisti S, Häberle L, Dittrich R, Oppelt PG, Reissmann C, Kronawitter D, Beckmann MW, Mueller A. Fertil Steril. 2010 Jul;94(2):673-7.
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9. A research on the relationship between ejaculation and serum testosterone level in men. Jiang M, Xin J, Zou Q, Shen JW. J Zhejiang Univ Sci. 2003 Mar-Apr;4(2):236-40.
10. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, Wehr E, Zittermann A. Horm Metab Res. 2011 Mar;43(3):223-5.
11. Association between plasma 25-OH vitamin D and testosterone levels in men. Nimptsch K, Platz EA, Willett WC, Giovannucci E. Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2012 Jul;77(1):106-1
12. Does vitamin D deficiency contribute to erectile dysfunction? Sorenson M, Grant WB. Dermatoendocrinol. Apr 1, 2012; 4(2): 128–136.
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Author: Testosteroon
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