Learn how to increase blood testosterone levels and reduce fatty tissue through exercise and diet. It is generally accepted that androgens have strong fat burning properties. However, athletes using AAS will tell you that in practice things are not as smooth as they are in theory. On some people, these drugs are really capable of having such an effect, but others practically do not feel it. A reasonable question arises - why drugs that can increase the concentration of the male hormone have such a dual effect. Today you will learn about the effects of testosterone on fat burning.
Testosterone and normal body weight
To gain muscle mass, bodybuilders are constantly looking for ways to increase the concentration of the male hormone. However, testosterone is able not only to accelerate the processes of hypertrophy, but also the utilization of adipose tissues. Scientists have proven that at a low concentration of this substance, men are actively gaining fat mass. Since the rate of synthesis of the male hormone decreases with age, problems with excess weight begin to arise.
This is bad not only from an aesthetic point of view, because the excess content of fat cells in the body can cause the development of various ailments, such as diabetes. In the course of numerous studies, it has been proven that androgens are able to accelerate the processes of utilization of adipose tissues, and, therefore, improve health.
At the same time, the effect of testosterone on fat burning is twofold, and a high concentration of the hormonal substance can lead to the opposite effect. The range of values at which testosterone becomes a strong fat burner is quite narrow. This fact suggests that the use of androgens to improve body constitution requires a serious approach.
The maximum positive effect of testosterone on fat burning is manifested in the body of people with a weak appetite. Scientists are sure that it depends on the appetite how the male hormone will work as a fat burner. However, there are some nuances in this matter - if you increase the calorie content of the diet, then the body will begin to store fat.
Since adipose tissues contain a lot of androgen-type receptors, they are highly sensitive to any drugs containing a male hormone. Testosterone, in turn, has the ability to increase the number of beta-type adrenergic receptors, which activate lipolysis.
As the number of these receptors increases, the body needs less norepinephrine plus adrenaline to successfully utilize adipose tissue. This suggests that the effect of testosterone on fat burning is also to increase the susceptibility of adipose cellular structures to other lipolytic hormonal substances.
The stimulating properties of testosterone can be enhanced by growth hormone. In the course of research, the presence of a synergistic effect was established with the simultaneous use of growth hormone and androgenic drugs. That is why professional bodybuilders use them in one course.
All cells in our body contain special organelles - mitochondria. By and large, they are part of the cell, and their main task is to oxidize fatty acids for energy. But it is important to remember that the rate of energy production by mitochondria is limited by the amount of fatty acids that can enter the organelles. Thus, the higher the concentration of the male hormone, the higher the rate of lipolysis.
However, all of the above properties of testosterone on the body of athletes are not the only ones. Until the mid-nineties, scientists could not say for sure what was the reason for this effect of testosterone on appetite. The thing is that in 1996 the hormone leptin was discovered, which is now known to many people with overweight problems.
Recall that this hormone is synthesized directly in adipose cellular structures. Moreover, the larger the cell size, the more actively the substance is produced. After leptin reaches the brain, the appetite drops. Someone might think that in a complete person, the hormone is produced at a high rate, and this is so. However, obese people are leptin resistant and therefore have a strong appetite.
The rate of leptin production can be controlled with insulin and cortisol. Although many believe that leptin's primary function is to regulate appetite, in practice the hormone has several other properties. In a healthy person of normal weight, the higher the concentration of leptin, the more actively they lose mass. But there is one nuance that should be kept in mind - when it gets into adipose tissue, testosterone lowers the level of leptin.
It is this fact that explains the ability of the male hormone to activate the process of neolipogenesis. It should also be remembered that leptin can accelerate the growth of fatty cell structures. Basically, this substance helps the brain understand how much fat is stored in the body.
There is another relationship between testosterone and leptin - the rate of production of the male hormone depends on the concentration of the second substance. The higher the concentration of leptin, the more actively the sex secretory glands work. However, we remember that these substances interact with each other. From all of the above, we can conclude that androgenic drugs can produce negative effects on the body.
They increase the concentration of the male hormone, which in turn suppresses the synthesis of leptin. When this happens, the concentration of testosterone begins to decline. At the same time, the gonads are able to secrete testosterone even if the leptin level is low. As you can see for yourself, in practice, the effect of testosterone on fat burning is extremely difficult.
Most often, androgens have a positive effect on the process of utilization of adipose tissues, although this effect is not always noticeable. At the same time, the appetite does not increase much. However, there are also opposite situations, when androgenic drugs stimulate the feeling of hunger in athletes. It depends on the individual characteristics of the athlete, as well as his physical condition.
How to increase testosterone concentration?
When talking about testosterone, like other hormones, it is important to remember that there are two forms of these substances - free and bound. This is due to the fact that hormones travel through the body in a bound state thanks to two protein compounds, globulin and albumin. As long as the hormone molecules are bound, they cannot produce any effect on the body.
After taking tests for testosterone levels, the answer indicates two values. If the overall indicator is high, and there is little free male hormone, then this indicates a low level of the substance itself. Testosterone concentration is expressed in nanograms per deciliter of blood (ng / dl).
The following indicators are considered normal hormone levels for men:
- Total testosterone is 270-1070 ng / dl.
- Free testosterone is 9-30 ng / dL, or 2 to 3 percent of the total concentration.
As you can see, the range of normal values is quite large and everything depends on the person himself. To understand the ways to increase the level of the male hormone, you need to understand the reasons for the decrease in its concentration. The first step is to establish the level of the total form of testosterone, estrogens, LH and FSH, globulin, as well as progesterone with prolactin. All of these hormonal substances are capable of influencing the testosterone content in the body.
In the course of studies, it was found that in men under 40 years of age, with a free testosterone concentration below 400 mg / ml, symptoms of a substance deficiency may appear. With age, the rate of production of all hormones decreases and after 40 years, problems can arise if testosterone levels fall below 300 ng / dL.
However, let's get back to the issue of increasing the concentration of the male hormone. Obviously, the easiest way to solve this problem is to use anabolic drugs. However, this method will not be considered by us, since it is primarily suitable for professional athletes. The conversation will focus only on natural methods of increasing the level of male hormone.
Diet
A person's nutrition largely determines his well-being. Food can be a great way to increase and maintain a normal male hormone concentration. Now we will tell you how you can solve this problem with the help of carbohydrates and fats. Surely you know that these two nutrients are actively "blamed" for the obesity epidemic today.
However, without them, the body will not be able to function normally. Fats are involved in many biochemical processes, for example, in the renewal of cellular structures, maintaining insulin sensitivity, and it is from them that the male hormone is synthesized. When you sharply limit the amount of fat in your diet, then all these reactions slow down.
Nutritionists recommend that an adult consume fats daily in an amount of 20 to 30 percent of the energy value of the daily diet. At the same time, remember that this advice applies to people with a sedentary lifestyle and low muscle mass. For example, a man with a body weight of 80 kilos, who is not involved in sports, burns about two thousand calories throughout the day. Based on the recommendations discussed above, he should consume 45 to 80 grams of fat every day. If you exercise regularly, your energy expenditure increases significantly, but you shouldn't increase the amount of fat. According to the research results, in order to satisfy the body's demands, it is enough to consume 0.3 grams of fat for every kilo of dry weight during the day.
Physical exercise
Exercising can significantly increase testosterone levels, but doing it right is essential. The best option for men is strength training. Cardio exercise can lower testosterone levels and increase cortisol levels. However, this does not mean that you absolutely do not need aerobic training - the main thing is not to overdo it.
Basic exercise has the most powerful effect on male hormone production. In fact, if you train for yourself and do not think about participating in competitions, then use only them in your program. In addition, your classes should be high-intensity. If we go back to aerobic activity, then we can recommend high-intensity interval training. Doing this will help you shed excess fat as well as increase testosterone levels.
