An Inexpensive Approach to Enhance Testosterone Levels

Author: TC Luoma

Introduction

In the realm of male health, the aspiration to elevate testosterone levels is widespread. However, a significant number of individuals fail to initiate the necessary steps to achieve this. Astonishingly, a simple solution lies in rectifying a basic mineral deficiency.

Testosterone Augmentation via a Mineral

When a blood test reveals testosterone levels below the normal range, the typical medical approach is for doctors to prescribe treatment. But what if your testosterone levels have declined from their previous state yet do not meet the current medical criteria for being low? The initial step should be to identify the root cause. One highly plausible factor could be a magnesium deficiency.

The Magnesium Dilemma

Alarmingly, up to 85% of Americans may be suffering from magnesium deficiency. This situation is likely exacerbated in athletes, as profuse sweating - similar to that of livestock - causes magnesium to be depleted from the body. This is of great significance because magnesium is involved in over 300 biochemical reactions within the human body. It is essential for energy production, protein synthesis, and insulin metabolism. Inadequate magnesium can lead to excessive lactic acid accumulation, muscle cramps, poor recovery, and subpar exercise performance overall. Additionally, a deficiency makes it more challenging to shed fat. Turkish researchers suggest that taking magnesium supplements (available on Amazon) can not only alleviate these symptoms but may also have an additional remarkable effect. Combining magnesium supplementation with intense exercise could potentially increase testosterone levels by a substantial 24%.

Research Methodology

• Subject Recruitment: Scientists recruited 30 male students aged between 18 and 22. Ten of them led a sedentary lifestyle, while the other 20 engaged in intense taekwondo sessions lasting 90 - 120 minutes, five times a week.

• Intervention: The sedentary group and half (10) of the taekwondo practitioners took 10 mg of magnesium per kilogram of body weight daily for four weeks. The remaining 10 taekwondo practitioners received no magnesium supplementation.

• Measurement: Testosterone levels of all participants were measured at the start of the study, both at rest and after high - intensity running until they reached their endurance limit. After four weeks of magnesium intake, the participants' testosterone levels were measured again, both at rest and post - exertion.

Research Findings

Magnesium intake led to an increase in both free and total testosterone levels in both the sedentary and athletic groups. Notably, in the sedentary group, free testosterone levels increased by approximately 15%, while in the group that combined magnesium supplementation with training, the increase was an impressive 24%.

Implications for You

Given magnesium's extensive involvement in numerous biochemical reactions, it is not unexpected that one or more of these reactions play a role in testosterone synthesis. It is also possible that magnesium "releases" more testosterone from binding proteins, thereby increasing the levels of free (bioavailable) testosterone. Considering these findings, taking a magnesium supplement is a prudent choice. The general daily recommendation for magnesium intake for overall health is 4 mg per kilogram of body weight. For a 200 - pound individual, this equates to approximately 363 mg per day to meet the minimum requirements. However, this may not account for the presumably higher magnesium needs of athletes and is significantly less than the dosage used in the study to achieve the substantial testosterone increase. The Turkish study utilized a dosage of about 10 mg per kilogram, which for a 200 - pound individual would be approximately 907 mg per day, just slightly less than a gram.

One could opt for natural food sources rich in magnesium, such as:

• Green leafy vegetables

• Seaweed

• Swiss chard

• Spinach

• Beans

• Nuts

• Avocadoes

• Bananas

Nevertheless, consuming the quantity of these foods required to reach a gram of magnesium is unfeasible for most (for example, approximately 10 cups of seaweed). Moreover, due to variations in soil and cultivation methods, there is no certainty regarding the precise amount of magnesium obtained from these foods, as many seemingly nutrient - rich foods may actually be nutrient - poor. To ensure adequacy, supplementation is advisable. Elitepro Vital Minerals (available on Amazon) contains sufficient amounts of fully chelated magnesium and zinc, along with selenium and chromium.

Reference

• Cinar V et al. "Effects of magnesium supplementation on testosterone levels of athletes and sedentary subjects at rest and after exhaustion." Biol Trace Elem Res. 2011 Apr;140(1):18 - 23.