Written in partnership with Mindful Media PR
As men age, their bodies naturally begin to produce less testosterone. The decline starts after 30 and continues at a rate of about 1% per year throughout a man’s life. There are ways to increase testosterone production in your body. 40 Shred Founder Funk Roberts tells us how.
The level of testosterone in the body gradually decreases as men grow older. This can often be concerning because testosterone is the hormone responsible for controlling sex drive, regulating sperm production, promoting muscle mass, and increasing energy. Symptoms of low testosterone include low sex drive, erectile dysfunction, decreased sense of well-being, depressed mood, difficulties with concentration and memory, fatigue, and loss of muscular strength.
Decreasing testosterone levels can obviously be a concern for men. Despite the body’s natural ageing process, there are ways of boosting testosterone levels without relying on medication or performance-enhancing steroids.
To get advice on how to boost testosterone levels naturally, we spoke to well-known health expert, Funk Roberts.
Roberts is 53 years old and a certified Personal and Master Metabolic Trainer, MMA Conditioning Coach (MMACA), online fat loss expert and author of the bestselling book, Over 40 Shred – The Ultimate 30 Day Fitness and Nutrition Guide for Men Over 40. He has appeared as a fitness expert on ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX affiliates.
He is also the founder of Funk Roberts Fitness Inc. and the creator of Over 40 Alpha Workout and Nutrition For Men which is a monthly membership website with over 12,000 members. The platform assists men over 40 to excel in health, fitness, weight loss, business and life through monthly workouts, programs, nutrition information, exclusive products, motivation, masterclasses, community and more.
We asked him to share ways to naturally increase T-levels in ageing men.
1. Get Quality Sleep
According to the National Library of Medicine, The majority of the daily testosterone release in men occurs during sleep. Sleep fragmentation and obstructive sleep apnea are associated with reduced testosterone levels. In older men, morning testosterone levels are partly predicted by total sleep time.
Roberts stresses the importance of sleep and recommends a minimum of six hours of quality sleep a night. “Six to nine hours of sleep is really important because testosterone production happens in the morning,” he explains. The more sleep you can get, the better it is. But for Roberts, the key is quality sleep. A deep state of sleep not only assists with testosterone production but allows the body to build bone and muscle, repair and regenerate tissue, and strengthen the immune system.
2. Keep Your Stress Levels Down
High stress is associated with low testosterone. When we are stressed, the body produces a hormone known as cortisol. While we need cortisol, too much can have a negative effect on testosterone production. Prolonged stress or high stress needs to be avoided and managed as effectively as possible.
“Practice meditation, breathing, or yoga to keep your stress levels down,” suggests Roberts. “Dealing with the stress that you already have will help keep cortisol levels down and assist with increasing your testosterone levels.”
3. Follow A Testosterone-based Diet
Popular diets such as the ketogenic and paleo diets are not the best choice for men wanting to boost their testosterone levels. The number one macronutrient for testosterone is healthy fats because cholesterol is the precursor to testosterone production. You get cholesterol from healthy fats such as avocados and salmon.
Roberts adds that you also need complex starchy carbohydrates to increase testosterone levels because carbs have micronutrients that boost testosterone. Carbohydrates like sweet potatoes, rice and steel-cut oats are ideal to add to your diet. In addition, you need protein. Animal protein is the best source because it also has healthy fats and then finally, don’t forget your vegetables and fruits.
“Basically, the testosterone diet is three meals a day with every single meal containing a source of starchy, healthy carbohydrates, healthy fats, proteins, and vegetables or fruits, depending on the meal,” says Roberts.
4. Do Total Body Workouts
Men over the age of need to focus on high-intensity, metabolic workouts rather than traditional bodybuilding or cardiovascular exercise alone. Three to four total body workouts a week, which last 20 to 30 minutes each, are the ideal way to boost your testosterone levels and increase your overall well being.
Roberts suggests the inclusion of resistance exercises using dumbbells or resistance bands. Total body, metabolic workout requires specific intense exercise intervals to increase the efficiency of your body’s metabolism. “Move from one exercise to another with little-to-no rest in between,” instructs Roberts. “Do eight 40-second exercises one after the other with a rest of 20 seconds between each exercise. That helps increase your growth hormones and also testosterone.” Metabolic training sets include exercises such as kettlebell swings, squats, presses, push-ups, burpees and jump squats. Head over to the Funk Roberts Fitness channel for specific exercise assistance.
5. Avoid Estrogenic Foods And Compounds
All human bodies irrespective of gender require a certain amount of estrogen to function optimally. In men though, too much estrogen can have a negative effect and block the production of testosterone.
Men over 40 should avoid eating foods that are estrogenic. These include food such as soy, alcohol (Roberts mentions beer specifically), sugar, dairy, and processed foods. He also advises that men check the grooming products they are using as there are often a lot of estrogenic compounds in store-bought shampoos, cleansers and moisturisers.
After sharing these five tips, we ask Roberts what the most important of these would be. “If you were to start somewhere, it would definitely be nutrition,” he says. “It’s often the thing most men are confused with but can be a great start to getting your testosterone levels up.”
To find out more, follow Funk Roberts on Instagram or sign up for his program specifically aimed at men over 40.
For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube!
link