The most shocking ways of lowering testosterone that are not well-advertised include:
- Alchohol
- Grain-fed beef and milk (including all milk products made from grain-fed milk)
- Wheat
- Fish contaminated by estrogen run-off from farms
There’s so much more to the story though. Basically, the typical Western diet plus plastics and other synthetic stuff is not conducive to healthy testosterone levels.
This information is pretty raw, but I have condensed about 20 articles (or so) from a variety of sources and viewpoints, at the request of an important person in my life, so I thought after all that work I may as well share it in case someone else can benefit too.
Testosterone-boosting foods:
http://www.healthline.com/health-slideshow/testosterone-boosting-food
In one study, researchers found that low testosterone was tied to vitamin D deficiency in European men.
Tuna
Vit D
Zinc
Egg Yolks
Black Kidney and White beans
Beef
http://www.menshealth.co.uk/food-nutrition/eat-up-to-man-up
Protein foods
“Lack of protein boosts testosterone-de-activating hormones.” On the other hand, a University of Utah study found a diet overly rich in the saturated fats in beef and lamb can also make testosterone dip. The middle ground is venison
For virility: pomegranate juice and grapes
Raw garlic to help testosterone get into muscles instead of cortisone
Cabbage rids your blood of ‘girly hormones’ Healthy men took 500mg daily for a week at Rockefeller University; their oestrogen levels halved
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-6-best-testosterone-boosting-foods.html
Vit D
Pumpkin Seeds – very high in zinc
Magnesium: A study conducted by scientists in Turkey found that subjects with higher intakes of magnesium had increased testosterone swirling around.5 Of note, the study found that magnesium was more effective at bolstering testosterone if paired with high-intensity exercise.
Vitamin C and Whey Protein – lower stress after work-outs so less cortisol
https://www.anabolicmen.com/foods-that-boost-testosterone-naturally/
Grains (esp. the gluten in grains) mess up t-production, so eat potatoes as carbs – all different kinds of potatoes including sweet potatoes
Macadamia Nuts are the best kind – some other nuts actually inhibit t-production
Grass-fed bison bars
Beef gelatin
Brazil Nuts – selenium is very important – directly linked to t-production
Extra-virgin olive oil as main source of fat: Since there’s literally a study where young Moroccan men changed to extra virgin olive oil as their main source of fat, and in 2 weeks their testosterone levels increased by 17%.
Raisins: Secondly, 100 grams of raisins contain ~3 mg’s of boron, which is a not too popular mineral that has increased testosterone levels quite significantly in few scientific studies (study, study).
Parsley:
The researcher at Texas tech found out that apigening increases the amount StAR (steroidogenic acute regulatory protein) inside the testicular leydig cells.
Why is this great you might ask? Well, StaR is the binding protein that transports cholesterol into the mitochondria inside your ballsack, essentially converting it to free testosterone.
Ginger: Not only that, but several animal studies have identified ginger as an androgenic compound (study, study), while one Iraqian human study noted a 17% increase in testosterone levels after ginger supplementation.
Raw cacao
Eggs
Real Salt
Avocado
White Button Mushrooms exert anti-estrogenic effects, since they seem to naturally block the aromatase enzyme which converts testosterone to estrogen (study, study, study).
Minced Meat
Pomegranates
Blue Cheese
Dark Berries
Onions
Garlic
Zinc
https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/20-best-testosterone-boosting-foods/ss-AA9jB1V#image=2
Honey – contains boron
Cabbage
Asparagus
Garlic
Eggs
Banana
Watermelon
Ginseng
Almonds
Zinc
Porridge Oats
Citrus Fruits
Spinach
Grapes
Wild Salmon
Avocado
Tuna
Pomegranate
Meat ( meat-free diet is said to lower T due to less protein)
http://fitness.mercola.com/sites/fitness/archive/2016/04/08/7-testosterone-boosting-foods.aspx
Dr Mercola says, zinc and Vitamin D are essential. Stress lowers T.
Pomegranate
Olive Oil
Zinc
Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli and cauliflower may help a man’s body excrete excess estrogen and increase the amount of testosterone available to cells. Indole-3-carbinol, a compound found in cruciferous vegetables, may increase the excretion of estradiol (one estrogen hormone) in some men by up to 50 percent, thus increasing the amount of testosterone available.11,12
Whey Protein
Garlic
5 more ways to optimise T:
Weight Loss
Exercise
Vit D and Zinc
Reduce Stress
Reduce Carbs
http://www.muscleandfitness.com/nutrition/gain-mass/6-testosterone-boosting-foods
Egg yolks
Cruciferous vegetables
Oysters/Zinc
Garlic
Spinach – packed with magnesium
White-button mushrooms
Pumpkin Seeds
Avocado
Kale
Matcha Green Tea
Gluten-free grains
Grapes
Fenugreek
Bananas
Mushrooms
Black Beans
Garlic
Goat Weed
Acerola Berries
Vit D
Olive Oil
Good Carbs
Zinc
Magnesium
https://www.anabolicmen.com/foods-that-block-aromatase-enzyme/
Celery Stalks
Red Grapes
Olive Oil
White button mushrooms
Zinc (oysters)
Cruciferous Vegetables
Parsley
http://drjockers.com/aromatase-inhibiting-foods-and-herbs/
Cruciferous vegetables
Healthy fats
Alium Family: The aliums include garlic, onions, scallions, chives and leeks.
The most powerful flavones include chrysin which is found in passionflower and apignine which is found in chamomile.
Flavonones: These are found in citrus fruits and in particular lemons and limes.
Anti-Oxidant rich herbs: Herbs such as oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage and turmeric are loaded with volatile oils that promote liver detoxification. Turmeric has a potent ability to destroy estrogen receptor positive cancer cells which are the most commonly found cells in breast, uterine, ovarian and prostate cancer.
Clorophyll and fermented foods
(NOTE: the above article has HEAPS of references)
http://www.ucheepines.org/impotence/
Diet: Avoid sugar or highly refined carbohydrates, and also the free fats—that is, margarine, most cooking oils, fried foods, mayonnaise, butter, including peanut butter, etc.
We advise a total vegetarian diet, free of all animal products. Make certain you get plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and some nuts, seeds, and legumes.
Exercise: Should be done daily, out-of-doors; walking is fine, or any other good kind of exercise. It should not be violent, just a brisk walk once, or preferably twice, a day, or the equivalent in gardening, indoor gymnasium workouts, stretching, etc.
Food Supplements: Try the herbal product ginkgo (made from the leaves of the ginkgo tree). It is one of the best products known for circulation, and has been known to help even when there seemed to be no known circulatory problem.
Magnesium should be tried. It can be easily taken in the form of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), which is an excellent vasodilator. Start with one-half teaspoon in a glass of water twice a day. You can go up to one teaspoon twice a day if necessary. Back off if it causes diarrhea (it very seldom does in these low doses). Other forms are available in capsules.
Ginseng has been highly rated by the Orientals, and is at least an excellent tonic-type herb. The American, the Korean, or the Chinese/Japanese ginsengs are all about the same. Drink a cup of the tea three times a day. You can mix a teaspoonful of the American sarsaparilla with the ginseng, if you can find it. These products certainly won’t hurt, even if they don’t solve the problem; and they can be useful in just about any of the causes of impotence.
Plant sterols from certain herbs and foods may be of great value.
Herbs High in Plant Sterols:
- Alfalfa leaf tea
- Licorice root tea
- Red raspberry leaf tea
Other herbs that have estrogen and progesterone precursors are hops and ginseng. All ginsengs have a lot of saponins in them.
Foods High in Plant Sterols
- Apples
- Carrots
- Cherries
- Coconut
- Garlic
- Nightshade Family (bell pepper, paprika, pimentos, eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes)
- Olives
- Peanuts
- P1ums
- Soybeans
- Whole grains (barley, corn, oats, rice, wheat)
- Yams
- Anise seed
- Food yeast
- Sage
- Parsley
- Wheat germ
https://www.anabolicmen.com/foods-that-decrease-testosterone/
Flaxseed
Licorice
Free fats
Mint
Alchohol
Soy Products
Trans-fats
(NOTE: this article has LOTS of references)
http://nutritionfacts.org/video/estrogen-in-meat-dairy-and-eggs/
Estrogen is contaminating farmed animals, milk and eggs, and also is leaching into water and contaminating fish.
http://nutritionfacts.org/2016/09/13/estrogen-animal-products/
Discusses how all animal products contain animal sex hormones – too much estrogen. Especially chicken estrogen, which is basically identical to human estrogen.
Flaxseed
Soy
Certain beans inc chickpeas – esp., sunflower oil (since sunflower seeds have natural estrogen)
Animal Products
Wheat Germ & Estrogen | LIVESTRONG.COM
Wheat is packed with phytoestrogens
http://www.lifeextension.com/news/lefdailynews?NewsID=11842
Bread makes belly fat
Carbs produce cravings
Wheat messes with estrogen
Your brain becomes addicted
Eating wheat zaps your energy
Gluten-free processed high-starch foods are not the answer
http://www.foodtrients.com/news/could-you-be-eating-too-much-estrogen/
Phytoestrogens: Legumes: Foods like soy flour, soybeans, soy protein powder, tofu; black-eyed peas, chick peas (garbanzo beans), red beans, split peas. Seeds: Sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, anise seeds. Fruits: Apples, plums, dates, tomatoes, cherries. Vegetables: Beets, peppers, carrots, eggplant, sweet potatoes (yams), celery. Grains: Wheat, barley, rice. Beer. I recommend only herbicide-free organic produce as synthetic estrogens – atrazine and dieldrin – may also be present in commercially grown produce.
Synthetic estrogens: Dairy, beef. These food sources contain man-made estrogens that have been mixed into the feed that cows eat. It stores in their fat and muscle fibers and is passed into the milk. The FDA claims it does not permit the use of added hormones in pork or poultry (chicken, eggs, turkey), so these foods should be estrogen-free. However, I recommend eating only grass-fed beef and organic free-range poultry, and organically fed pork. Read labels. You may also get synthetic estrogens in the form of xenoestrogens – environmental sources of estrogen. Mostly these are Bisphenol A, or BPA, an estrogen that can get into your food from heated plastics. BPA is released into your food when you microwave frozen foods, or if your plastic water bottles become heated and you then drink the water. Be sure to empty frozen foods into a glass or ceramic bowl before heating also removing the plastic wrap. Don’t use plastic food wraps over hot foods – use wax paper or place in a glass container. Keep water bottles in a cool, dry, dark place, or filter your own with reverse osmosis filters. Atrazine and dieldrin are estrogen-like herbicides that can be present in non-organic produce. Triclosan, another synthetic estrogen, is present in antibacterial soaps. Triclosan disrupts hormones in bullfrogs.
FoodTrient recipes for estrogen blocking foods to help remove excess estrogen from your body.
They include: Cruciferous vegetables: Broccoli,cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts all contain a chemical called DIM, short for diindolymethane, a compound that naturally binds to estrogen and removes it from the body.
Citrus fruits: Contain flavonoids that help regulate hormones. Tea and coffee also contain an offshoot of flavonoids – flavones – that do the same.
Herbs: Many of these are found in estrogen-blocking supplements.Turmeric, passionflower (contains Chrysin), resveratrol, fenugreek, epimedium, tribulis terrestris, help reduce excess estrogens by blocking the enzyme aromatase, which converts testosterone to estrogen in men.