We all understand the effect that a high testosterone level has on your libido. However, increasing your testosterone levels is more than just trying to improve your sex life. A high testosterone level can have a major impact on the various areas of your life, whether it is in the workplace or on the sports field.
So what are some of the other benefits of increasing testosterone levels in your body?
Benefits to Men
1. Improves your ability to build lean muscle mass — Hormones are responsible for determining how you build muscle, and testosterone is one of these important hormones. Apart from enhanced muscle growth, one other reason why athletes with high levels of testosterone outperform their rivals is because the hormone prevents their muscles from being broken down during the day. As men age, they begin to lose the muscle tone they had in their youth, This is usually a result of the nutrition and lifestyle they have adopted. Boosting your testosterone levels helps your body to manage your muscles better.
2. Improves your mood and prevents depression — Since testosterone gives you better muscle tone, your body looks great and therefore your mood improves. You develop a more positive outlook on life and feel much younger. Some studies have also shown that there are links between having high testosterone levels and low risk of depression.
3. Reduction in body fat — If your testosterone levels are high, then you will find it easier to gain muscle mass and increase your metabolism. These two factors will naturally collude to cut away the fatty tissue in your body. You will be able to consume more food but will burn the excess fat cells rather than store them. Men who are carrying around too much body fat have been shown to suppress testosterone levels. As we discussed before, the relationship between testosterone and body fat is a cycle. Lower body fat leads to increase in testosterone, which in turn leads to less body fat storage.
4. Greater attraction to the opposite sex — Men with higher levels of testosterone tend to be more masculine, and as a result, are able to attract women quite easily. Coincidentally, research has shown that those men who have more testosterone in their bodies tend to be attracted to women with more feminine faces. This shows that testosterone plays a key role when it comes to sexual attraction between the two genders.
5. Improved bone health — By increasing your levels of testosterone, you are enhancing your body’s ability to regulate calcium. This results in improved bone health, especially for older men.
6. Maintenance of energy levels — Boosting your testosterone levels helps keep your energy levels up.
This small list of benefits shows you just how powerful this hormone is and its capacity to change the lives of those men who are experiencing suppressed testosterone levels. Increasing your testosterone levels should always be done under medical supervision, especially if you already have some other underlying conditions.
Side Effects of Elevated Testosterone in Men
The truth is that there are some negative side effects of having too much testosterone in your body. Testosterone levels that go beyond 1000 ng/dL are regarded as too high for men. Some of the side effects include:
– Acne mostly on the shoulders and back – Depression
– Reduced fertility
– Aggressiveness
– Impulsivity
– Hair loss
– Anger
– Mood swings
– Enlarged prostate
– Minor shrinking of testicles – Low sperm count
Most of these negative side effects can result if you are undergoing testosterone replacement therapy. The introduction of drugs into the body or even specific medical conditions may result in excessive testosterone in the body. What is important to keep in mind is that all the above side effects won’t occur if you are responsible in the way you go about boosting your testosterone levels. The best thing to do is to work with your doctor to monitor your health markers as you boost your testosterone levels by natural means.
Testosterone in Women
Women also have a small amount of testosterone produced by their ovaries. However, if its levels become excessive, certain side effects occur. These include acne, irregular menstrual cycles, low sex drive, blood sugar swings, male pattern balding, and growth of facial hair.
Elevated testosterone levels in women may sometimes be caused by thyroid disorders, diabetes, stress, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and fasting after workouts.
