If you’re looking to increase free testosterone levels, consider this…
Bound testosterone, that is not free of carrier proteins, is like having a fistful of dollars, with nowhere to spend it.
But Free Testosterone, that is not bound up by carrier proteins, is available now for whatever it is you want to buy…
Be it women, wealth or world domination.
This explains why a man with total testosterone levels in the 700’s can still be slammed with all the brutal symptoms of Low T.
He’s got the money, but he can’t spend it.
The carrier protein that binds up your testosterone is called Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and if you have too much, you’re definitely going to feel it.
Most of the SHBG in your body is produced by your liver, but your brain and testicles produce it as well.
The SHBG produced by your testes is called androgen-binding protein, and it has a strong affinity for your testosterone.
But it also has a relationship with estrogen, so when E levels go up, SHBG goes up too.
And it’s this combo of elevated estrogen and elevated SHBG that is pushing many mens’ free testosterone levels way down into the danger zone.
Fortunately, there are a some fairly simple solutions to this problem that will take your testosterone that is currently bound, and free it up so your body can use it.
Let’s take a look at a couple of my favorites…
HIIT Exercise And Free Testosterone
Anthony Hackney, out of the University of North Carolina, took a group of males and tested their hormones before and after two different types of exercise.
In round one, he had these men run at a moderate pace for 45 minutes, at around 60 percent of their VO2 max.
Hormone testing was done before and after these long cardio sessions.
He then took the same group of men and had them run sprint intervals (HIIT exercise) on a treadmill going at 100-110 percent of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max).
Hormones were tested before and after these routines as well.
After the trial, the blood tests confirmed that the sprinting routines increased free testosterone in the mens’ blood much more than the slow steady state cardio did.
Quote:
These findings suggest IE (interval exercise) produce a more pronounced turnover of Free Testosterone by androgen sensitive tissue than the SSE (steady state endurance) form of exercise. (source)
This is an important study, because everyone seems to focus on human growth hormone when discussing HIIT exercise – but now we know that testosterone is impacted as well.
And even better, the testosterone that is impacted is of the free variety, the type most of us need more of.
So if you’re looking to increase your free T levels, this is one of the easiest ways to get there.
Next…
Increase Free Testosterone With Nettle Root
Nettle root works by attaching to the SHBG in your blood, which locks it up and prevents it from binding to your testosterone.
Not only that, but it also takes your T that is currently bound and releases it, making it free again.
But it’s important to remember that we’re talking about nettle root here, not leaf, an important distinction.
Nettle root has other hormonal powers as well…
For example, it also blocks the action of the enzyme aromatase, the agent that takes your testosterone and converts it into harmful estrogen metabolites.
So not only does it release your bound testosterone, it also prevents that T from being converted into estrogen.
It has also been clinically proven to reduce cancerous cell proliferation in the prostate gland and reduce symptoms of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).
But before you rush out and start taking it, I need to warn you…
If you use nettle root on a daily basis, for weeks at a time, it will actually reduce your sex drive…
Possibly by taking your estrogen and DHT levels too low, although there may be other things at play here as well.
I just know that chronic supplementation with nettle is not the way to go and that in most men, dosing up 2 to 3 times a week works much better than daily usage.
I usually take mine when one of the flowing circumstances come up…
1: When a T-Booster hit me especially hard, I use it to prevent T to E conversion.
2: When I have trouble getting my urine stream going at night. This is a clue that I have too many estrogen metabolites and DHT in my system, which nettle does a good job of knocking out.
3: When I start noticing hair in my kitchen sink or on my computer keyboard. This is another clue that I have too many estrogen metabolites and DHT in my blood.
And finally…
If my sex drive starts to decline for no apparent reason, I’ll take nettle to free up some of my bound testosterone.
If I experience a bump, I’ll know I’m on the right track.
But if I feel nothing, I put it away for 48 hours and place my focus on other things like chemical avoidance, fat soluble vitamins, and muscle building exercise.
Here’s the best way to look at it…
HIIT exercise only requires physical effort, but nettle root requires the involvement of your mind.
Both will lead to elevated levels of free testosterone, but with nettle you need to throw in some testing, monitoring, and planning. Otherwise, you may wind up hurting yourself.
But once you get it right, you’ll see for yourself how potent this herb can be.
Read more about nettle here and focus on the info underneath the headline: Multiply the Effectiveness of Your Androgens
Update – More Ways to Increase Free-T Naturally
Testosterone is crucial for male health, but especially for sexual health.
When your testosterone is bound to SHBG, it cannot be used by the parts of your body (like your testicles) that need it the most.
That’s why it’s key to optimize your free testosterone – that’s the kind that you want bouncing around inside your body.
I already went over a couple practical ways you can get started, but let’s take a look at a few more. These are some of the best vitamins to boost free-T levels. I’ve also included a few of my top foods to increase free testosterone.
Magnesium and Free Testosterone
Magnesium is a crucial mineral for human health in general. It controls more than 300 bodily functions as well as hundreds of important enzymes.
Out of all those functions, the biggest benefits of magnesium are optimal energy levels, improved sleep, and increased free testosterone levels.
Obviously, we’re most interested in that last one.
Studies have shown that just one gram of magnesium can increase free testosterone levels by about 25 percent. (source)
Other studies have confirmed why this works. Magnesium has been shown to effectively free up bound testosterone by inhibiting SHBG in the body. (source)
In that first study I just mentioned, test subjects were given a magnesium supplement. These supplements are the most effective way to boost your magnesium levels.
However, you can also make some simple diet changes to boost your magnesium levels. There are quite a few foods you may not be eating that offer relatively high concentrations of this mineral.
Below are my top magnesium-rich foods to optimize free-T levels.
- Dark chocolate
- Cacao powder
- Beef
- Spinach
- Swiss chard
- Brazil nuts
Vitamin D and Free Testosterone
Did you know that vitamin D isn’t actually a vitamin? In fact, it’s a steroid hormone with tons of health benefits.
It helps improve mood, strengthen your heart, improve bone health, and even strengthen your immune system.
Vitamin D also has plenty of benefits when it comes to testosterone. Studies have shown that it has a strong positive correlation with higher testosterone levels. (source)
Vitamin D deficiency has also been linked to decreased free testosterone levels in men in multiple studies. (source, source, source)
These studies also confirm the mechanism at work behind the scenes. When your vitamin D levels are low, your SHBG levels go up. This ultimately wrecks your free-T levels.
So how do you increase your vitamin D intake? The simplest and most effective way is to use a good vitamin D supplement.
However, there are plenty of foods rich in vitamin D that you can add to your diet as well. Below are my top vitamin D rich foods to boost free testosterone.
- Mushrooms (Portobello, Maitake, Morel, Shittake)
- Wild caught fish (cod, salmon, mackerel, tuna)
- Milk
- Egg yolks
- Oysters
References:
Association of vitamin D status with serum androgen levels in men
Hip fracture in elderly men: the importance of subclinical vitamin D deficiency and hypogonadism
Association between plasma 25-OH vitamin D and testosterone levels in men