These days, it seems like you can’t move for health advice. Sometimes it can get a little tricky to tell the science from the advertisements, the facts from the promotion. You look at the list of ingredients on health supplements and ask yourself what exactly these things have to offer.
It always makes sense to do your own research when it comes to these things, and the history and the range of uses for some of these substances may surprise you.
Fenugreek is a great example of one of those ingredients that you will almost certainly have seen more and more in recent years.
It’s one of those health foods that comes in many different forms and has been used by people around the world for centuries.
But how exactly does it relate to testosterone, and can it really help to boost your T-levels? Let’s break down everything that you need to know.
What Is Fenugreek?
Fenugreek is a herb that grows to around two or three feet tall. The pods contain seeds that are golden brown, and it has green leaves and white flowers.
You may have eaten fenugreek as a vegetable, with its fresh leaves, sprouts and microgreens. It is known for having a maple syrup kind of flavor. But it’s not just about the leaves.
The seeds are often found in Asian, in particular Indian, cooking, and you may have had them as part of a delicious vegetable course, a dal, or in a pickle dish.
Because of the inherent sweetness of fenugreek, it is often used in cooking to reduce bitterness and create a more mellow flavor while bringing out the tastes of other more subtle ingredients.
Why Is Fenugreek A Health Food?
The history of fenugreek’s use in healthcare goes back centuries. Back in ancient Egypt, it was believed that fenugreek could help nursing mothers to increase their milk flow.
It is still used for that purpose today, and there are plenty of other areas where fenugreek is used for its all-natural health benefits.
Indeed, it packs a heck of a punch for such a small plant.
Some research has shown that it can help to lower the levels of fasting blood glucose for people suffering from pre-diabetes or diabetes.
Many women use fenugreek seed powder to help ease menstrual cramps and period pain.
It has also been shown to help with other symptoms of menstrual cramps, including nausea, headaches, and general fatigue.
Fenugreek has also been used to help with blood cholesterol.
There have been studies that have shown that fenugreek supplements can help to lower your cholesterol, including bad cholesterol while giving the good cholesterol levels a boost.
Again, this is why it is often a popular supplement for people suffering from diabetes and people who are looking to avoid heart disease.
And finally, fenugreek has emerged as one of the most popular ingredients in supplements for men looking to boost their testosterone levels.
Why Does Fenugreek Boost Testosterone?
One of the reasons why fenugreek has been linked to greater testosterone production in males is that it contains furostanolic saponins.
Research has shown that these compounds can increase the production of testosterone in the body.
Of particular interest here is a saponin called Protodioscin, which has been the focus of a lot of this research and has been shown to improve sexual desire.
As you can see, fenugreek’s power is not all about directly increasing the production of testosterone. It is also about helping areas that are linked to it.
For example, when you suffer from lower testosterone, you may notice that your libido and sexual function takes a knock.
If you have noticed that you are lacking in energy and you are not feeling the same motivation for intimacy that you used to, this could be due to lower-than-normal T-levels. And fenugreek has long been used (and when we say long, we mean it: around 6,000 years) to help with low libido.
As we mentioned, fenugreek can help to give your metabolism a boost to burn cholesterol and help you lose fat more quickly. This is important for one particularly vicious cycle related to lower testosterone levels.
When your T levels are lower than they should be, you may notice that you become lethargic and burn fat less quickly.
As a result, it is easy to fall into a pattern of not exercising and putting on weight. When this happens, you create less testosterone.
Why Do I Need Help Boosting My Testosterone?
Let’s start with the headlines. Studies have shown that testosterone levels in men have been decreasing for some time now.
A study conducted in 2007 showed that they have, in fact, been dropping at a shocking rate since the 1980s; in fact, they have been going down at a rate of about 1% a year.
There has also been a rise in reproductive issues such as testicular cancer, and there have been studies that have shown that sperm counts have also been dropping.
There are several medical reasons why you may have lower than normal testosterone (including undescended testicles, for example).
You may also notice a drop-off in testosterone production if you have had recent surgery or are on medication.
Many of the reasons for lower-than-normal testosterone levels relate to your lifestyle.
The first and most important point is that smoking can lead to lower T-levels, and that is just one of the many, many reasons why you should quit cigarettes.
Too much alcohol on a regular basis can also have a real impact, so cut down on your drinking.
Some of the contributing factors are more complicated than simply cutting something out of your life.
Stress is often linked to declining testosterone levels, as we spend our entire lives either working or attached to devices that demand our attention every hour of every day.
We are also spending much more time being sedentary. Even if you enjoy a healthy fitness regimen in your downtime, you may still be spending most of your workday parked behind a desk, only moving your fingertips across a keyboard.
And there’s our diet. We eat a lot of red meat, we eat a lot of fats, sugars, and other carbohydrates, and at a time when convenience is a priority, we often opt for the less healthy option because it’s quicker.
In short, there are plenty of reasons why we need help giving our testosterone levels a boost.
Unless we get proactive, our modern lifestyles are almost designed to keep them in decline.
What Can I Do To Boost My Testosterone Levels?
Let’s start by talking about fitness. If you are not exercising regularly, you know what happens next.
The fats and sugars you put into your body will be converted into fat, and that will lower your T-levels.
Getting into a regular exercise regimen will help to give you a boost. Weightlifting and high-intensity interval training have been shown to be particularly effective but getting into an exercise routine is the most important first step.
You should also make sure that you are getting enough sleep. When we talk about stress, we are often talking about not getting enough sleep, and it is so important to staying healthy.
On a similar note, make sure that you are drinking plenty of water. Coffee and energy drinks may give you a jolt, but there really is no substitute for good old-fashioned water.
The next thing to focus on is your diet.
While your first instinct may be to start cutting out anything you think may be causing you to feel sluggish or overweight, what you are putting into your body is just as important.
Healthy fats are crucial, so we are talking about avocados, eggs, nuts and seeds, and fatty fish (herring, mackerel, salmon, and sardines are all great options).
Protein is also important, but try to focus on leaner meats such as chicken.
Finally, you should be looking at healthy carbs, which have the nutritional value that you need. Brown rice and wholewheat pasta are both great options, and oats and lentils are good too.
How Can I Take Fenugreek?
If you are confident in the kitchen and have plenty of time to spare, you could think about learning how to cook some Indian dishes that have fenugreek seeds.
However, the most practical solution to making sure that you get enough to give your body the testosterone boost it needs is by taking supplements.
Make sure that you do your research to find a testosterone supplement that has been created by experts and has been fully approved for use.
A good supplement will be able to break down exactly how it works and what each ingredient is doing, whether it’s the B and D vitamins, minerals like zinc, or the plant and mineral extracts being used.
Supplements can be a fantastic cornerstone of any new regimen, and improved levels of testosterone will help you to feel more energized, focused, and positive.
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