January 19, 2020

32 Natural Ways to Increase Testosterone – A Lecture from Ben Greenfield on The Ben Greenfield Fitness Podcast

Check out the Ben Greenfield Fitness Episode Page & Show Notes

Key Takeaways (And Products Mentioned)

• Workout & Exercise Strategies to Raise Testosterone
  • Do brief sprints
  • Lift heavy weights
  • Take longer rest periods when weight training
  • Do forced reps (assisted reps after you’ve reached failure)
  • Never skip leg day
  • Avoid chronic cardio
• Nutrient Strategies for Increasing Testosterone | Supplement With (Or Make Sure You’re Getting Adequate Amounts Of):
  • Magnesium & Zinc
    • Black ant extract is particularly high in zinc
  • Vitamin D3 and K2
  • DHEA
  • Boron
• The Optimal Diet (Macronutrient Ratio) for Increasing Testosterone
  • O.55-0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight
  • 30-40% of your calorie intake should come from fat
  • The rest, fill in with carbs
• Herbal Supplements for Increasing Testosterone & Libido
  • Maca Powder
  • Cacao Powder
    • Most mornings, Ben will drink cacao tea (which he says is an excellent replacement for coffee). His recipe: Blended MiCacao, ghee (or coconut oil), salt, butterscotch toffee stevia, and Four Sigmatic Chaga Elixir.
  • Eurycoma Longifolia (AKA Longjack)
  • Pycnogenol
  • Tribulus Terrestris
• Biohacks for Increasing Testosterone
  • Electrical Muscle Stimulation (on the legs)
  • Red Light Therapy (directed at the testicles)
  • Cold Therapy (applied to the testicles)
  • Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy
• Mistakes That Lower Testosterone & Fertility
  • Under-estimating the harmfulness of plastics
  • Being too sedentary
  • Eating too often
  • Think you’re immune to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) (frequent exposure to EMFs lowers testosterone)
  • Ejaculating too frequently
  • Ignoring the power of sex

Books Mentioned

• Body By Science by John Little
• The Magnesium Miracle by Dr. Carolyn Dean
• The Multi-Orgasmic Man: Sexual Secrets Every Man Should Know by Mantak Chia and Douglas Abrams
  • Ben says this is required reading for every man
• Read Estrogeneration by Anthony Gay to learn more about the dangerous effects of plastics on hormones
• Vitamin K2 And The Calcium Paradox by Kate Rheaume-Bleau is an excellent resource for learning about why taking vitamin k2 in conjunction with vitamin d is necessary

Intro

• This is a solo episode from Ben Greenfield (@bengreenfield) about how to naturally raise testosterone
  • Ben has a new book coming out January 21st – Boundless: Upgrade Your Brain, Optimize Your Body & Defy Aging

Microdosing Testosterone?

• Ben has been experimenting with microdosing a transdermal testosterone cream in both the morning and evening (linked is the brand from Ben’s show notes)
  • Why the morning and evening? – It mimics the diurnal variation in testosterone that occurs daily (compared to an unnatural surge in testosterone you’d get with an injection)
  • Where does Be apply the cream? – His scrotum

Workout & Exercise Strategies to Raise Testosterone

• Do Brief Sprints
  • This up-regulates androgen receptors (which bind to testosterone), testosterone itself, and growth hormone 
  • Whether on a bike, rowing machine, or with running – all it takes is 6 seconds
    • A perfect protocol: 4-6 6-second sprints with 30-36 second breaks in between
• Lift Heavy Stuff
  • This up-regulates androgen receptors
  • Great exercises: Hex bar deadlifts, squats, and the bench press
    • Ben keeps a hex bar loaded with weights near his desk and makes sure to deadlift throughout the day
• Take Long Rest Periods When Weight Training
  • “This idea of concurrent strength and endurance training, CrossFit, Spartan training—most of that flies in the face of building testosterone” – Ben Greenfield
  • How long? – At least 120 seconds after a weight lifting set
• Do Forced Reps
  • The idea: Do a weight lifting set, but towards the last 2-4 reps, get a partner to assist you through the movement (after you’ve reached failure, even if you only move through a partial range of the motion)
• Use Your Legs
  • “Any type of leg day is incredibly beneficial for testosterone” – Ben Greenfield
• Avoid Chronic Cardio
  • “I competed in Iron Mans for ten years, and that was the lowest that my testosterone ever was. I saw a steep rise in my own blood testosterone values after I quit racing Iron Mans.” – Ben Greenfield
  • Why does chronic cardio lower testosterone?
    • Think about it evolutionarily: If you’re constantly running from a lion, the body wants to down-regulate fertility (why would you want to bring children into the world during times of stress?)

Nutrient Strategies for Increasing Testosterone- Supplement With (Or Make Sure You’re Getting Adequate Amounts Of):

• Magnesium & Zinc
  • Caveat: Most of the studies show these micronutrients only increase testosterone in men who exercise frequently and sweat often
  • Black ant extract is particularly high in zinc
    • Taking it pre-sex, Ben finds, boosts his libido 
  • Shellfish are also high in zinc (clams, oysters, etc.)
• Vitamin D3 and K2
  • “In smaller amounts, Vitamin D3 has been shown to up-regulate androgen receptors and cause a favorable hormone response.” – Ben Greenfield
  • Note: It’s best to take vitamin D3 with vitamin K2 for optimal absorption and to reduce the risk of arterial calcification
    • For more on this, check out the book, Vitamin K2 And The Calcium Paradox
    • Your vitamin D3 needs will vary based on sun exposure, but the general rule is that 1,000 IU increases your blood levels by 5 ng/dL
    • Aim to get 100-200 micrograms of vitamin k2 with your vitamin D
  • Ben’s preferred vitamin D supplement: Thorne Vitamin D/K2
• DHEA
  • Although banned by most international sports sanctioning bodies, DHEA is something you can pick up at any pharmacy
  • The optimal dose for increasing testosterone: 25-50 mg/day
• 🎧 Creatine Monohydrate
  • “Creatine is one of the most studied, safe supplements known to man for staving off sarcopenia. It’s a known nootropic.” – Ben Greenfield
  • The optimal dose: 5 mg/day
    • Your body can only absorb 1.5-2 grams at a time, so space out your doses throughout the day
  • Creatine is best absorbed when taken with warm water
  • “There’s no loading that’s required. That’s a myth from the bodybuilding industry.” – Ben Greenfield
• Boron
  • The optimal dose: ~10 mg/day
  • You can supplement, but boron can also be found in raisins, nuts, fish, and dairy products

The Optimal Diet (Macronutrient Ratios) for Increasing Testosterone

• On average, you need 0.55-0.8 grams of protein per pound of body weight
  • On active days, make sure you’re getting more. On rest days, you need less protein.
• 30-40% of your calorie intake should come from fat
• The rest, fill in with carbs

Herbal Supplements for Increasing Testosterone & Libido

• Maca Powder
  • It’s been shown to increase androgen receptor density, reduce the risk of prostate cancer, and raise both testosterone & libido 
• Cacao Powder
  • (Or just eat more dark chocolate)
  • This won’t increase testosterone much organically, but it will increase nitric oxide and thus enhance libido 
  • Most mornings, Ben will drink cacao tea (which he says is an excellent replacement for coffee):
    • His recipe: Blended MiCacao, ghee (or coconut oil), salt, butterscotch toffee stevia, and Four Sigmatic Chaga Elixir
    • On the above: “If you want to have Christmas in a cup every single day that’s amazing for your nitric oxide levels… I’m addicted.” – Ben Greenfield
• Eurycoma Longifolia (AKA Longjack)
  • This specifically enhances libido (and once you enhance libido and have more sex, your testosterone also increases)
• Fenugreek 
  • Fenugreek is another libido enhancer
  • A weird side fact: Ben says fenugreek makes your semen taste like maple syrup
• Pycnogenol 
  • This acts similar to cacao in the way it enhances nitric oxide
• Tribulus Terrestris
  • This herb “significantly enhances sexual drive”

Biohacks for Increasing Testosterone

• Electrical Muscle Stimulation
  • Where? – On the legs (where there’s a high androgen receptor density)
  • There are a few electrical muscle simulators you can buy, but Ben’s favorite is the Neu.fit 
    • His protocol: 2x a month Ben will attach the Neu.fit to his legs and go through a series of squats and lunges
• Red Light Therapy
  • To learn more about the benefits of red light therapy, check out these Podcast Notes
  • (Specifically light in the wavelength range of 600-700 nm)
  • The protocol: Use something like a Joov and direct the light on your testes for 10-20 minutes a day
• Cold Therapy
  • This is an old powerlifting/bodybuilding strategy used for increasing testosterone and growth hormone
    • The easiest way? – By icing your testicles 
• Pulsed Electromagnetic Field Therapy
  • First, know that cell phones kept in front pockets have been shown to reduce sperm count and quality (frequently using your laptop on your lap or continually being around Wi-Fi routers can also have a similar effect)
    • But, exposing the body to low-intensity/low-frequency/long-wavelength pulsed electromagnetic fields can reverse some of this damage
  • Products:
    • Pulse Center PEMF Mat
• Other methods:
  • Platelet-rich plasma injections
  • Stem cell injections

Mistakes That Lower Testosterone & Fertility

• Under-Estimating the Harmfulness of Plastics
  • Perhaps the best book on this topic: Estrogeneration by Anthony Gay
  • Parabens, phthalates, and PCBs found in shampoos and conditioners are easily absorbed into the body and unfavorably affect testosterone/estrogen ratios
  • Easy tip: Avoid drinking bottled water
• Being Too Sedentary
  • You know the type: The guy that sits for 10 hours at work, 2 hours on his commute home, and for another 3 hours while he watches TV at night
  • MOVE throughout the day
  • Sitting too often raises the temperature of your testicles, which is harmful to testosterone production
• Eating Too Often
  • During longer fasts, testosterone and growth hormone levels drop. But, after re-feeding, they rise significantly (above normal levels).
    • Intermittent fasting (and then re-feeding) also has a similar effect
• Thinking Your Immune to Electromagnetic Fields (EMFs)
  • To learn more about the dangers of EMFs, check out these Podcast Notes
  • As mentioned above, frequent exposure to EMFs lowers testosterone
  • Easy hacks:
    • Use a DefenderShield case on your phone
    • Don’t keep your cell phone in your pocket
    • Avoid using your laptop on your lap
    • Avoid frequent Wi-Fi router exposure
• Ejaculating Too Much
  • In general, as you age, you should reduce your ejaculation frequency – the rule of thumb:
    • In your 30s: 3-4x a week
    • In your 40s: 2-3x a week
    • In your 50s: 1-2x a week
  • For more on this, give The Multi-Orgasmic Man: Sexual Secrets Every Man Should Know a read
    • Ben says this is a must-read for men
• Ignoring the Power of Sex
  • It’s a positive feedback loop: More sex increase libido and testosterone
  • Ben’s advice: Block off time for sex, just like you’d do so for a workout

The Best Ways to Measure Testosterone

• With a blood test
  • The con: It’s a snapshot in time (and hormone levels fluctuate throughout the day)
• With a salivary panel
  • The pro: This is superior to a blood test as it involves multiple readings throughout the day
  • The con: It doesn’t provide the downstream metabolites (AKA what testosterone is getting broken down into)
• With a urine panel
  • The pros: It involves multiple readings AND provides data about downstream metabolites

Additional Notes

• 🎧 “We forget about the low-hanging fruit… Everybody’s interested in their MDMA, going on their 38th ayahuasca retreat, and microdosing with psilocybin… I think everyone who wants to go off and do a deep plant medicine journey should go fast and isolate themselves camping in the wilderness for 3 or 4 days. I bet they would probably discover themselves in a very similar way had they gone out and done plant medicine.” – Ben Greenfield