Crazily enough, testosterone and weight loss are completely related. In fact, studies have shown that men who receive a testosterone booster for weight loss drop pounds and maintain their new physiques too.
Will testosterone help me lose weight?
A new study shows that obese men receiving testosterone shots lost weight, but doctors are divided on the results. Here’s the truth of the matter!
What Is Testosterone Weight Loss?
First of all, does testosterone make you lose weight?
Before we answer this question, let’s talk a little bit about what testosterone is. Since testosterone is key to developing male characteristics, a lot of men think that it aids in weight loss as well. After all, it does assist with muscle growth in both men and women.
We all know that most males are chockfull of testosterone. Some males have a severe deficiency of testosterone, which can lead to unnecessary fat gain. As the most vital sex hormone, testosterone is primarily produced in the male and female reproductive systems.
For the uninitiated, hormones send messages throughout your body. Once they enter your blood, these messages are carried to targeted cells. When your hormones find other cells that are a good fit, they link together and bind receptors.
In case you need a quick refresher, testosterone is responsible for:
- A deeper voice
- Increased muscle mass
- Stronger bones
- Increase facial hair growth
- Enhanced body hair growth
Of course, you have to have enough testosterone to reproduce as well. So, that’s why men have much higher testosterone levels than women. However, women also need this essential sex hormone.
As you may recall, it is super critical for both men and women to promote muscle growth, maintain bone strength, and increase muscle mass. To make matters worse, these levels decline as you grow older, partially explaining age-related bone loss and muscle loss.
On top of suppressing muscle growth, testosterone deficiencies can also cause weight gain. That being said, read on to find out if boosting your testosterone can lead to weight loss below!
Low Testosterone Levels = Weight Gain
This is what gets confusing. To put it clearly, testosterone suppresses fat gain and muscle growth. That’s why certain men with low testosterone levels gain more fat than their healthier companions.
Muscles burn more calories than fat does, meaning that muscle loss increases your odds of storing excess fat from excessive eating. It’s actually been proven that a lack of muscle mass is the main reason for testosterone deficiency and weight gain in males.
The worst part happens when men are already obese. Their testosterone levels are even further suppressed. As a result, the number of calories expended by their bodies is greatly reduced.
Bottom line: testosterone deficiency can cause weight gain as time goes on.
Sadly, this hormonal deficiency can also cause what’s known as “male hypogonadism.” This is distinguished by extremely low testosterone levels. Nonetheless, you can reverse the effects of male hypogonadism by losing weight.
How do we know this?
Here is the breakdown. For the uninitiated, your fat tissue has very high levels of aromatase. FYI – aromatase is an enzyme that transforms testosterone into the female hormone estrogen. Thus, it is clear why overweight males have higher levels of estrogen than men of average weight.
High estrogen and aromatase activity decrease the production of GRH, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone. Then, low levels of GRH can cause low levels of the “luteinizing hormone.”
What happens next is crazy. The healthy production of testosterone in men is dramatically decreased. The result is this: more body fat and lower testosterone levels!
Illegal Anabolic Steroids and Weight Loss
If you’re curious about the link between the illegal anabolic steroids and weight loss, we’ve got your back. Anabolic steroids include any form of synthetic steroids connected to testosterone. Occasionally, these steroids are misused by bodybuilders to boost testosterone beyond regular levels.
Not to mention that illegal anabolic steroids can quickly enhance muscle growth like no other. Abusing anabolic steroids is illegal in most countries, which include the United States. If you’re a male with really healthy levels of testosterone, then it will only harm you to take any form of anabolic steroids.
That’s because using these kinds of steroids for a long time can have pretty bad side effects such as:
- Reproductive problems
- Aggressive behavior
- Liver problems
We’re only getting started. On top of these horrific symptoms, anabolic steroid use can lead to greasy skin, oily skin, and severe acne. Besides this, hair loss and liver disease are also common side effects of illegal anabolic steroid use.
That being said, some scientists have stated that not every adverse side effect is due to testosterone. Instead, these negative side effects can be attributed to its fake derivatives. As a matter of fact, testosterone levels can have an important role in treating many medical conditions.
For instance, consider testosterone replacement therapy. Incredibly, this can be prescribed legally to regulate levels of testosterone in men who need it. The best part is that legal testosterone replacement therapy can stimulate weight loss in overweight males as well.
To make a long story short, you should never abuse anabolic steroids to speed up your weight loss process. When you look at the long-term effects, it can become super difficult to keep up with your overwhelming muscle mass.
Ironically enough, your muscles can turn back to fat before you know it!
Can Testosterone Replacement Therapy Help?
Instead of breaking the law, you can always invest in testosterone replacement therapy to get your hormonal levels back on their feet. Fortunately enough, this medical treatment is performed under the close supervision of a doctor.
Your physician can administer your therapy via:
- A supplement
- A skin patch
- A cream
- An injection
Testosterone replacement therapy can help you lose unwanted pounds, especially in overweight patients. To make your testosterone replacement treatment even more effective, we recommend that you try a low-calorie diet too.
Although you might lose a bit of muscle mass during this process, your testosterone levels will allow you to regain your muscle mass. Now, the only thing that you will have to worry about is maintaining the weight that you have lost during this time.
Not only does testosterone replacement therapy burn calories, but it can also help you to build muscles. Another general of thumb is that the more muscles you have, the more calories that you will burn, which is a win-win. Positive side effects include reducing fatigue, greater physical activity, and enhancing motivation.
But here’s the thing. If you’re already a man with healthy levels of testosterone, then TRT may not be the right solution for you. On the other hand, obese men who are suffering from low levels of testosterone should ask your doctor about TRT right away.
Can we be totally honest with you?
Men between 40 and 50 years old are most likely starting to suffer from low testosterone levels as we speak. Raise your hand if you are constantly complaining about a lack of energy and constant fatigue. If your hand is in the air, then there is no other option than to try out testosterone replacement therapy!
What Are Testosterone Boosters?
If you’re not familiar with testosterone boosters, let us explain. Basically, testosterone boosters are referred to as natural testosterone supplements. This can instantly increase the natural level of testosterone production in your body.
Contrary to what you would think, these plant-based testosterone boosters don’t have any testosterone inside of them at all. For example, some of the most common testosterone boosters include the following herbs:
- Ashwagandha
- D-aspartic acid
- Fenugreek seed extract
Here’s how it works. Also referenced as “Withania somnifera,” ashwagandha is an ancient Indian herbal remedy. Primarily, ashwagandha functions as an adaptogen, which means that it will let your body relax from the daily anxieties that come your way.
In addition to its healing properties, ashwagandha increases strength, exercise performance, and weight loss. By reducing stress hormones like cortisol, ashwagandha can enhance testosterone levels in men too.
As a natural amino acid, D-Aspartic acid can increase low levels of testosterone as well. This amino acid can boost the hormones that stimulate hair growth and trigger your luteinizing hormone.
Fact: your luteinizing hormone makes “Leydig cells” which produce more testosterone in men. It only takes a few weeks for D-Aspartic acid to spark your luteinizing hormone. This increases testosterone transportation and production inside of your body.
Another common herbal testosterone booster is fenugreek seed extract. This works by decreasing the number of enzymes that turn the testosterone hormone into the estrogen hormone. As a result, fenugreek seed extract can increase energy levels and improve well-being in men with super low testosterone levels.
What’s the bottom line?
Miraculously, testosterone boosters can improve muscle growth and raise testosterone levels. Nevertheless, some of these claims are not exactly supported by the scientific community.
Despite this fact, using testosterone boosters can still help to reduce your fat mass quicker than ever before!
Natural Ways to Boost Testosterone Levels
When it comes to testosterone for weight loss, there are also natural ways to boost your crashing hormonal levels. If you think that you are dealing with low levels of testosterone, all that it takes is a blood test to confirm your deficiency.
Once you are officially diagnosed, it doesn’t hurt to sign up for a round of testosterone replacement therapy either. Although this is the most efficient treatment, there is nothing wrong with trying other remedies to improve levels too.
Have you tried strength training?
You might be shocked to find out that spending more time in the gym can naturally increase your testosterone levels as well. Also, be sure to stock up on vitamin D supplements next time you hit the grocery store. People who are deficient in vitamin D often have low testosterone levels.
By taking vitamin D supplements, you can balance out your testosterone production, bringing them back to healthy levels in no time. For those of you with ultra-low testosterone levels, getting proper zinc nutrients might be your problem.
To fix this, make sure that you eat foods that are rich in zinc, including seeds, nuts, and meat, to restore your levels. Tweaking your sleep schedule can also be responsible for restoring your testosterone levels. So, do yourself a favor and get a few more hours of shuteye every night to see if this helps.
Try your best to minimize stress and relax. Since stress increases cortisol levels, your testosterone levels get suppressed in the process. When you live in a stress-free atmosphere with relaxing activities, you will live a healthy lifestyle before you know it.
Bonus points: besides improving your levels of testosterone, these natural strategies can help you to lose weight too!
Will Testosterone Help Me Lose Weight?
Ready to quit thinking: “will testosterone help me lose weight?”
Your long search is over. With our guide, understanding the link between testosterone levels and weight loss should be simple. As we mentioned above, low levels of testosterone can lead to weight gain in men.
Although some turn to anabolic steroids to shed the pounds, you will only end up turning your muscles into fat again when you put the dumbbells down.
Why not create a weight loss plan with your testosterone replacement treatment professional? Together, you can lose weight and balance your hormone levels at the same time.
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Visit one of our locations today!
