Natural Ways To Increase Testosterone Bioavailability In Athletes

By Tracy D. Olson


Many men who become naturally deficient in testosterone ponder the relationship between having a vasectomy and testosterone levels if thinking about boosting their testosterone levels with testosterone replacement therapy.The connection between vasectomy and testosterone production may influence their decision as to whether to have a vasectomy or not.


So, I decided to do some good digging and reading and then if I manage to put things together, to lay that in writing form so that others can benefit as well. Without wasting even a minute more I will start this off by describing what testosterone is and what it does in the human body. Testosterone is a steroid hormone with anabolic and androgenic properties. It is the main hormone, responsible for the increase in lean muscle tissue, increased libido, energy, bone formation, and immune function.Testosterone is secreted in the testes in men and in the ovaries in women. Small amounts are also secreted in the adrenal glands. Testosterone is derived from cholesterol. The levels of testosterone in men range between 350 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng/dl). Sex Hormone Binding Globulin or SHBG is the one that concerns us the greatest. Why? Because this is the main reason why testosterone might not be available to reach the cell receptor. When testosterone gets attached to SHBG, it is no longer able to perform its anabolic functions.What elevates SHGB: Anorexia nervosa, Hyperthyroidism, Hypogonadism (males), Androgen insensitivity/deficiency, Alcoholic hepatic cirrhosis (males), Primary biliary cirrhosis (females).What suppresses SHGB: Obesity, Hypothyroidism, Hirsutism (females), Acne vulgaris, Polycystic ovarian disease, Acromegaly, Androgen-secreting ovarian tumors Less than 1% of the circulating testosterone is in a free form in males (less that 3% in females). Only when in a free form this hormone can exhibit its properties by connecting to the androgen receptors on the cell walls. Based on a study 14 to 50 per cent of the testosterone is bound to SHBG in males and 37 to 75 in females. It is worth mentioning that SHGB poses very high affinity for binding to testosterone. Therefore, changes in the SHGB levels noticeably influence the level of bioavailable testosterone.Let's discuss for a moment what exactly a testosterone bioavailability is. Other than SHGB there are two more testosterone-binding proteins, also called carriers. One of them is albumin. It is a low-affinity binding protein, thus testosterone bound to it is considered "bioavailable". Albumin binds to testosterone in the range 45 to 85 per cent in men (25 - 65 in women). The third carrier is the cortisol binding globulin, which binds also with low-affinity to less that 1 % of the testosterone in circulation.


Yup! It's poor decisions, you're making on a day to day basis, that are decimating your male hormone levels.I'm going to list the top five right now.Take this information seriously, make some changes, and you just may turn your life around!Excessive use of Drugs & Medications!If you're taking any type of drug or medication, please raise your hand!Almost two-thirds of all Americans currently use some form of drug or medication.

If you're regularly using drugs, and think they're not effecting your sex drive, think twice. Even common aspirin reduces testosterone levels in men.Here are a few of the worst offenders.Antidepressant psychiatric medications, including Elavil, Valium, and Prozac. Antihypertensive and diuretics.Antihistamines including, Dramamine, Antivert, and Benadryl.Opiate analgesics (painkillers) such as Demerol, Oxycontin, and Codeine.And a few more for good measure, including,Propecia, Tagamet, Zantac, Pepcid AC, and Ibuprofen.

The surgery affects neither the subsequent desire for sex by a man nor the frequency at which he can perform it.A question arises if there is a safe way to boost testosterone levels for men who have vasectomies and suspect they are suffering from low testosterone levels without side effects.

Vitamin C. It suppresses the release of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol decreases testosterone levels. So, ultimately less cortisol, more testosterone.How to boost testosterone levels Incorporate basic movements that involve several muscle groups in your training routine. Good ones are squats, dead lifts, and military presses. Basic (compound) exercises have been shown to play an important role in the testosterone levels.The greatest workout related testosterone production occurs with the use of heavier weights and lower rep range. A study shows that the best is 85 per cent of your one-rep max.Tribulus terestris is a natural supplement, which has been shown in some studies to have the ability to increase the leutenizing hormone (LH) levels. As we already mentioned above, one of the functions of LH is to stimulate testosterone production by the testes.

Block the testosterone-binding effects of SHBG Nettle root as a highly concentrated extract has shown to be effective at binding to SHBG and therefore it permits more free testosterone to circulate the system. It also acts as a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. This is the enzyme, responsible for the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a more potent form of the male sex hormone, which causes prostate enlargement and ultimately cancer. Methanolic extract of nettle can also cut down the SHBG levels, which is another form of elevating the free testosterone in the blood stream.Pygeum (prunus africana) is another herb, known to block the testosterone-binding effects of SHBG. Nettle root and pygeum extracts also benefit the prostate gland as a preventive treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) both by blocking the 5-alpha reductase action.Avena Sativa is an extract from the straw of oats. It has somewhat different properties. It works by freeing bound testosterone, which increases the free testosterone in circulation.Lowering aromatize levels of Zinc. The mineral zinc inhibits the aromatase enzyme that converts testosterone into excess estrogen. The recommended dose for inhibiting aromatase is 80mg daily. However, be sure the combined zinc quantity of all the daily supplements you are taking does not go over this benchmark.

How do you know if you have elevated estrogen levels? Take a look at your body. Do you have fleshy hips and thighs, and a round soft belly? Are you developing gyno, or male breasts.If so, you need to reduce your estrogen levels.How do you do it? Reduce body fat,Reduce your chemical exposure.Gas fumes, diesel fuel, perfumes, dyes, paints, solvents, detergents all have chemicals that mimic estrogen in your body.

Cycling is the key word when taking any Testosterone Supplements. Simply put, it means that the supplements are taken for a certain length of time and then use is stopped for a predetermined amount of time as to give the body and system a rest. This is done for two very important reasons. The first and most important, is that with continuous use with no breaks in between, the body will become overloaded with testosterone, which can cause serious irreversible damage to the system. Second, after taking the supplements for an extended period of time with a cycle break, the body will essentially become immune to the extra testosterone and no longer produce the initial effects. What that means is bodybuilders will not see any further muscle increase and athletes in general, will not have the same extra strength and stamina they had in the beginning.

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