Minerals and vitamins support thousands of important functions.
While macronutrients, protein, fat and carbohydrates usually take the spotlight when it comes to nutrition, it’s the micronutrients that really do all the hard work.
Minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium, and vitamins A,B,C,D,E and K all support thousands of processes in our bodies as cofactors for enzymes, producing hormones and moderating muscle contraction.
Because of our modern diets, American men are low in most if not all micronutrients.
Obesity and ultra-processed foods are a major cause of our lack of these critical nutrients. Add to that how the soil we grow food is has lost a significant amount of nutrients due to intensive farming practices, and you start to see the effects of low micronutrient status.
Sub-optimal zinc levels can result in fatigue, lack of focus and attention, low libido, and even increase the risk for obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and osteoporosis.
One of the most important minerals for our health is zinc. Zinc is critical for a healthy immune system, cell growth and creating DNA.
Somewhere around 17% of the global population is zinc deficient. Because of supplementation, most Americans aren’t considered deficient in zinc, but we’re probably not optimal, either.
Zinc is also, as it turns out, important for the health of the gonads and production of testosterone. The conversion of testosterone to its active form depends on zinc, and zinc deficiency can impair testosterone synthesis.
The old saw that oysters are an aphrodisiac comes from the high zinc content in shellfish that improves blood flow and boosts libido, likely because of zinc’s role in gonadal function and producing testosterone.
So what does this mean for you? How do you know if you need more zinc?
Zinc is lost in sweat and ejaculate, so if you exercise a lot or have an active sex life, you may need to improve your zinc levels.
If you test your testosterone levels, try some of the zinc-boosting strategies below and see how they improve your next testosterone test.
If you don’t test often, simply gauge how you feel after including more zinc in your diet. Do you have more energy? Stronger libido? Feel more focused and alert? Don’t get sick as often?
These are signs that your zinc levels have improved, and you’ve got a strong immune system and are producing more testosterone.
How do you get more zinc?
First, start with nutrient-dense whole foods. Here’s a few that are high in zinc:
Red meat
Shellfish
Legumes
Seeds
Nuts
Dairy
Next, supplementation is a great way to add extra zinc to your day. It’s a pretty inexpensive supplement, and can be found in pills, chewable tablets and liquid drops.
My favorite is Mary Ruth’s Liquid Tonic Ionic Zinc. Both Thorne Bisglycinate and Seeking Health Zinc Carnosine are both highly rated options, as well.
To help improve testosterone levels, especially if you are active, experts recommend taking 75 mg per day.
Increasing your zinc levels is an easy and inexpensive way to improve your testosterone.
I know there can be a lot of pressure out there to just head to a clinic and get a shot or some cream, but why wouldn’t you try simple and inexpensive options first? Plus, they don’t come with any side effects.
Guys, this is what we do together in my 1-on-1 program. We figure out a simple plan tailored to you that gets you feeling like yourself again. So you don’t have to spend all that money on TRT.
Sometimes that means adding some new foods to your diet, maybe a supplement here or there and a few lifestyle hacks. All based on science, all things that work.
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