It was long suggested that muscle development was solely dependent on exercise. That is until scientists asked the right questions: Why are the majority of men more fleshy than women? What is the entity responsible for this morphological difference?
That's when the researchers identified testosterone, a steroid derivative that is responsible for the appearance of male traits. This hormone is then responsible for excessive hair growth, but more importantly for bodybuilding. We will develop from top to bottom the mysteries that testosterone contains, its constitution, its properties and its effects on physical musculation.
History
It has been known to exist since the dawn of time. . .
Many ancient civilizations had resorted to castration to deprive men or animals of their virility. They first hypothesised that the key to the mystery would be the significant difference between the male and female body. And they were right, the testicles were indeed responsible for the vigour and aggressiveness of male beings.
Priests and doctors used them as a remedy to increase the libido. This method was very reassuring for consumers who had difficulties in sexual satisfaction. This was the main role of testosterone centuries ago: to improve libido.
Until it was given a name and its formula was known
After a few decades, scientists discovered that the organ produced a large amount of secretion (this is the hormone). Apart from a highly developed sexuality, this hormone had the ability to modify muscle growth according to its concentration in the body.
This is the so-called testosterone, the male-dominant hormone. The studies carried out by the scientist Adolf Butenandt were particularly helpful in understanding the exact mechanism of the hormone's effects on humans.
He discovered the structure of testosterone and started to produce the compound from chemical procedures. This discovery earned him a Nobel Prize in Medicine.
Later, the manufacturing industry was expanded to market synthetic testosterone, a product as effective ashormone in its natural state. This is what athletes are now using. You can administer the hormone into the body as you canboost your own production.
What is a hormone?
It is a biologically active chemical substance produced by a tissue or gland that serves as a means of communication between cellular compartments in the body. A hormone acts as a messenger, and helps regulate the body's functions. It is transported through the bloodstream and may be concentrated in a distinct organ.
Hormones are involved in almost every biological process in the body. They trigger a specific response in the cell when the receptor is activated. This response takes longer to be decoded by the cell. This is also the case for testosterone, the muscle mass hormone.
Chemical and physical characteristics of testosterone
The development of medicine is constantly giving more precision on the character of the male sex hormone. It has been discovered that testosterone is in fact an anabolic hormone. It is derived from the cholesterol that we ingest through our diet.
This hormone is involved in the process of gaining muscle mass by causing a thickening of the muscle fibres. The high level of testosterone helps to stimulate the mind and reduce fatigue. Its concentration in the body is never constant and its cycle repeats every 15 to 20 minutes.
Its function on libido is real: testosterone increases libido in men and women. A high production of testosterone can be seen in the desire to masturbate rather than to have sex, self-confidence and self-worth.
The hormone is mainly responsible for rapid recovery and muscle repair after exercise. A person with high testosterone levels tends to be strong and intimidating. It is also noted that the hormone has been implicated as contributing to certain types of criminal behaviour and domestic violence.
The amounts of testosterone
As the hormonal peak varies over time, the concentration of testosterone is different in men and women. For men, the amount is between 300 and 1000 ng/dl (nanograms per decilitre). For women, the concentration is between 15 and 70 ng / dl.
How to boost testosterone levels naturally?
There are many ways to increase testosterone. One can resort to medication, for example. However, this should not be done without the approval of a specialist doctor. Many testosterone drugs are counterfeit in France.
A natural method would be best if your hormonal disorder is not serious.
- Adopt a healthier lifestyle: exercise (this naturally increases testosterone levels in your body), get enough sleep, trust yourself and reduce stress. . . These practical and easy attitudes already make a big difference to testosterone levels.
- Eat a varied diet rich in protein. The consumption of animal meats favours the secretion of testosterone. Particularly the so-called "lean" meats such as poultry. It is important to vary the amount of meat, but also the consistency of the meat: red meat increases the testosterone level more than white meat. And fish also promotes the production of this hormone.
- Fatty acids: as testosterone is produced by the body from cholesterol, it is essential to increase the intake of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. These fatty acids are mainly found in vegetable oils (olive oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil), oilseeds (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts), avocados, eggs (especially the yolk in which the "good" cholesterol is present), fatty fish (tuna, salmon, mackerel, or herring, sardines).
- Vitamins: mainly vitamin D, vitamin B6 and zinc. These elements are found in dairy products, cereals and many others.
