June is dubbed Men’s Health Month to increase awareness of preventable health problems and encourage early detection and treatment of disease among men and boys.
St. Maarten Medical Center Dietician, Jeshneila Carti continues with part 2 of vital information pertaining to Men’s Health. This week, the focus is on testosterone level changes.
Fluctuating levels of Testosterone
When a man ages, his testosterone level changes from a high level to a lower one. This can result in hair loss, decreased sex drive, changes in mood and a decrease in body mass and strength.
Fortunately, men can boost testosterone levels naturally by increasing their intake of certain foods. These include:
1. Oysters: Oysters contain zinc, which in addition to increasing testosterone, increases muscle growth, physical endurance, and sperm production. Other foods high in zinc include chicken liver and pumpkin seeds. Zinc also helps wounds to heal.
2. Broccoli: Increasing the amount of cruciferous vegetables in your diet, which include broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower, rids the body of excess estrogen, thus increasing testosterone. Crucifers are also high in fiber, which can help with weight control, and losing weight can also increase your body's production of testosterone.
3. Garlic: Garlic contains the chemical diallyl disulfide, which stimulates the body to release a hormone that spurs the production of testosterone.
4. Bananas: Bananas contain the enzyme bromelain, which some studies have found boosts a man's libido. They are also rich in B vitamins, such as riboflavin, which are essential for the manufacturing of testosterone. Pineapplesare also rich in bromelain.
5. Brazil nuts: Brazil nuts are high in magnesium, which helps raise testosterone levels. A recent study found that athletes given about 750 mg of magnesium daily for four weeks increased their free testosterone by 26 percent. An Italian study found that older men who had low levels of magnesium had lower levels of testosterone than men who had the highest magnesium levels.
6. Eggs: Eggs are rich in vitamin D, which is essential for optimal testosterone levels. Although vitamin D supports the production of testosterone, researchers believe it also hampers a process in which testosterone is converted into estrogen in men.
7. Healthy Diet: Some men even try to achieve a normal testosterone level by eating the right kinds of food. Foods with monounsaturated fats, such as olive and peanut oil, help a man’s body provide a normal testosterone level.
Beginning at the age of forty, men will need to check with their doctor to see if they have a normal testosterone level. If any symptoms are occurring, your doctor can prescribe steroids and/or advise you about lifestyle and dietary changes that can assist you in gaining a normal testosterone level.
Should a man’s diet change as he ages?
If you've spent your 20’s and 30’s neglecting your health, you might want to rethink that strategy when you hit the age of 40. This is when men start to see a significant increase in weight gain, as well as the above mentioned. With a little bit of foresight and some smart choices however, a 40-year-old man can make his diet a priority for better health for years to come.The spare tire that's inflating around your midsection might indicate metabolic syndrome and the group of factors that increase the risk of heart disease, so you would want to keep your waist size below 40 inches.
There is an ongoing, increasing and predominantly silent crisis in the health and well-being of men. Due to a lack of awareness, poor health education, and culturally induced behavioral patterns in their work and personal lives the well-being and health of men are deteriorating steadily. So……
Support Men and their Health, End the Silence