Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Stimulating Testosterone Production
• Part 2 of 3: Include Specific Nutrients in Your Diet
• Part 3 of 3: When to Use a Tips
• Tips
• Warnings

Testosterone is a hormone that is produced in the male genitals. During puberty of a boy (between the ages of 9 and 14), the body begins to produce more of this hormone, which leads to the development of secondary sexual characteristics: the voice becomes lower, muscle mass increases, facial hair begins to grow, Adam's apple increases, and the like. ... In the body of some adolescents, these changes begin somewhat later than in their peers. In most cases, the timing of the onset of puberty is due to genetic (hereditary) factors. However, there are other reasons, such as malnutrition, physical injury and certain illnesses, that can delay the maturation of a boy's body. Natural methods can stimulate testosterone production in the teenager's body, and only in some cases hormone therapy will be needed to stimulate sexual development and its completion. In the third part of this article, you will find recommendations on when and what tools will be useful for a teenager.

Attention:the information in this article is for informational purposes only. Check with your healthcare professional before using any medications or supplements.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Stimulating Testosterone Production

1. 1 Lose weight if you are overweight. Several studies have found a correlation between being overweight (in particular obesity) and low testosterone levels in both adult men and adolescents. In a study in men who were significantly overweight, it was found that weight loss often stimulates the natural increase in testosterone production.
   • In adolescence, to maintain a healthy weight, it is necessary to limit the intake of simple sugars (such as refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup). Try to eliminate sugary sodas, donuts, cakes, pastries, biscuits, ice cream, and other sweets from your daily diet. Occasionally, for example, at the festive table, you can pamper yourself with these delicacies.
   • Eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, fish, and low-fat dairy products instead of unhealthy foods. Drink still water and low-fat milk instead of sugary drinks.
   • Make your favorite foods healthier.If you like macaroni and cheese, use whole grain pasta and add some squash puree. When making pizza, use whole grain flour dough, and use more vegetables and some low-fat cheese for the filling. Make burgers and stews with turkey or chicken and skip beef.
   • Cardiovascular exercise is another important component of weight loss. Walking in the evenings for 30 to 45 minutes will contribute to significant weight loss, as long as you eat well. Swimming and cycling are also beneficial as cardiovascular workouts.
2. 2 Add intense short workouts. Walking daily is good for weight loss, but intense athletic training (such as soccer, swimming, or weightlifting) directly stimulates testosterone production. However, training duration and intensity are key. It has been proven that short-term intense training (especially weightlifting) has a positive effect on testosterone levels, and also prevents its decline in adolescents and middle-aged men. Thus, try to keep your workouts short (no more than 30 minutes), very intense, but safe for your health. Longer workouts (60 minutes or longer) with less intense workout in some cases have the opposite effect and lead to a decrease in testosterone levels in men and adolescent boys.
   • Remember the general rule: the more muscle gain stimulates exercise, the more testosterone is produced in the body. Leg presses and squats (with weights) are particularly effective exercises to stimulate testosterone production because large muscle groups are involved.
   • The bench press and deadlift are exercises that also promote testosterone production.
   • During adolescence, skeletal and soft tissue growth and development continues, so intense strength training can only be done under the guidance of an experienced trainer.
3. 3 Get regular, full sleep. Chronic lack of adequate sleep leads to a significant decrease in the amount of testosterone in both adult men and adolescents, which, in turn, slows down muscle development and provokes the accumulation of adipose tissue. Studies have found a direct correlation between sleep and testosterone levels in men in the morning. In particular, in men, testosterone levels rise in the morning, depending on the length of the night's sleep. Experts advise at least seven hours of sleep, and a teenager is advised to sleep nine hours for proper rest.
   • Try not to consume stimulants (caffeine, alcohol) for at least eight hours before going to bed. Caffeine enhances brain activity and thus prevents a person from falling asleep. Alcohol prevents the brain from falling into deep sleep.
   • Take into account that caffeine is found in colas, energy drinks, coffee, black tea, and chocolate.
   • Create a calm, relaxing atmosphere in your bedroom and keep it dark. All this will help you get a good night's sleep. Always turn off your computer and TV when you go to bed.
4. 4 Forget the natural fat bias. Many people believe that fat is only harmful and should be completely eliminated from the diet, especially in adolescents who are overweight. In fact, natural fats and cholesterol, obtained from animal products (meat, eggs and milk), are necessary for the production of sex hormones, in particular testosterone. If you include moderate amounts of saturated and unsaturated fat in your daily diet, it is unlikely to lead to excess weight. Excess carbs and artificial trans fats are the true culprits of obesity.What's more, some studies show that a low-fat diet lowers testosterone levels in men and also leads to other growth and developmental problems in adolescents. Research shows that a diet in which less than 40% of the energy is derived from fat leads to a decrease in testosterone levels.
   • Here are some examples of healthy foods that are high in monounsaturated (vegetable) fats: almonds, walnuts, natural peanut butter, avocado, and olive oil.
   • Healthy foods that contain saturated (cholesterol-containing) fats: lean red meat, seafood, egg yolk, cheese, coconut oil, and dark chocolate high in cocoa butter.
   • Remember that cholesterol is needed by the body to synthesize testosterone. Therefore, you need to consult with your doctor and find out what blood cholesterol levels are normal for a teenager. As you grow up, your body needs more cholesterol than the normal average.
5. 5 Reduce your stress levels. Stress is ubiquitous in today's world, especially among adolescents, who face various forms of social pressure and expectations from others on a daily basis. High stress levels lead to the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which normally counteracts the negative effects of stress on the physiology of the body. No one disputes the importance of the functions of cortisol, but it should be noted that this hormone blocks the work of testosterone in the body and interferes with its effects. This can cause very serious problems in the body of a teenager. If you are a parent of a teenager, try to create a calm living space for him and reduce his stress levels. A teenager needs to venture out of anger and other emotions from time to time. Physical activity, sports, or an enjoyable hobby are great for reducing stress levels.
   • If the stress is so strong that you are unable to cope with it on your own, do not hesitate to seek help from a psychologist or psychotherapist. Some therapeutic techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, are very effective in helping to manage stress, anxiety, and depression.
   • Popular ways to reduce stress also include meditation, tai chi, yoga, and breathing exercises.

Part 2 of 3: Include Specific Nutrients in Your Diet

1. 1 Eat plenty of zinc. Zinc is a chemical essential for many functions of the human body, including the efficient functioning of the immune system, bone strength, and testosterone production. In fact, low zinc levels are in direct correlation with low testosterone levels in both adult men and adolescents. In the modern world, many men experience some zinc deficiency in their bodies, so there is a possibility that your teenage son also has below normal zinc levels (especially if he does not adhere to the principles of a healthy diet). To find out for sure, you can go to your doctor and ask for an appropriate blood test. At the same time, try to prepare and serve dishes from zinc-rich foods to the family table: meat, fish, low-fat milk, hard cheeses, beans, as well as some types of nuts and seeds.
   • Studies have shown that taking zinc supplements for six weeks leads to a significant increase in testosterone levels in men.
   • The recommended intake of zinc for a teenager is 8-11 milligrams per day.
   • If you're on a vegetarian diet, it will be difficult to get the zinc you need from your diet, so consider taking zinc supplements. You will need to consume 50% more of your daily zinc intake.
2. 2 Make sure you get enough vitamin D. This vitamin plays a very important role in testosterone synthesis. The important role of vitamin D is due to the fact that its action is more similar to that of a steroid hormone than to the action of a regular vitamin. In 2010, studies were conducted on the relationship between vitamin D levels and testosterone levels in men. It has been found that increased blood levels of this vitamin are accompanied by increased testosterone levels. Vitamin D is produced in human skin by intense sunlight. However, adolescents now spend very little time outdoors, which is why vitamin D deficiency is becoming an epidemic in some countries, including the United States. This problem is especially acute for people living in the northern regions, because for many months of the year, the level of sunlight is too low for the skin to get enough vitamin D.
   • Vitamin D is found in only a few foods; Sources of this vitamin include fish oil, fatty fish, beef liver, egg yolk and vitamin-fortified dairy products.
   • If you want to take vitamin D supplements, it is best to choose formulations containing the D3 form. Vitamin D3 is believed to be more effective and safer to take.
   • The recommended blood level for vitamin D is 50 to 70 nanograms per milliliter (ng / ml). Your doctor will give you a referral for a blood test to determine the level of the vitamin in your blood.
   • The RDA for a teenager is 600 IU / 15 micrograms per day.
3. 3 Take supplements with D-Aspartic Acid (DAA). This amino acid, which is found in glandular tissue, is believed to enhance testosterone production and the effects of other hormones on the human body. A 2009 study showed that men who received 3,120 mg of D-aspartic acid daily for 12 days had an average increase of 42% in testosterone levels. The results of the study suggest that DAA plays a key role in regulating testosterone synthesis and release in adults, so it is likely that DAA has the same function in adolescents. Another form of aspartic acid is synthesized in the human body and is also found in many foods. As for D-Aspartic Acid, it is not as common in foods.
   • Good sources of D-aspartic acid include corn protein, casein, vegetable cream, and soy protein. Thus, it is almost impossible to get enough DAA from food to have an effect on testosterone levels.
   • It is important to note that the addition of DAA supplements to the diet has a positive effect on testosterone synthesis, predominantly in men who lead a relatively sedentary lifestyle. In men who practice active sports (for example, bodybuilding and weightlifting), taking D-aspartic acid often causes a significant decrease in testosterone production.
   • If you are considering adding this supplement to your teenage son's diet to affect testosterone levels, be sure to discuss this with your doctor. Do not neglect this advice, because to date, the effect of DAA on the human body is still not well understood.

Part 3 of 3: When to Use a Tips

1. 1 Change your diet and exercise if your health condition allows. Losing weight, eating healthy foods and exercising will not only help increase your testosterone levels, but it will also be beneficial for your overall health. When it comes to small lifestyle changes, it is generally safe for adolescents' health.As for drastic changes, be sure to consult with your doctor and make sure that in your particular case, these measures will be beneficial, not harmful.
   • If you are not currently exercising, your doctor will likely recommend starting with moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise, such as walking. Continue moderate physical activity until your body adapts to the new level of physical activity, before moving on to intense training or strength training.
   • When you move on to intense training or strength training, it is imperative that an instructor or trainer shows you how to do the exercises correctly. This will reduce the risk of injury.
   • Before you start exercising - even moderate exercise - see your doctor and find out if you have heart disease, lung disease (including asthma), diabetes, kidney disease, or cancer. In addition, your doctor will be able to determine how much you are overweight.
   • If during exercise you feel dizzy, have difficulty breathing or have severe pain, refrain from further exercise and consult your doctor.
2. 2 Take dietary supplements when the levels are low. Low levels of zinc and vitamin D in the body often lead to low testosterone levels in adolescents, so increasing the amount of these substances in the diet or taking appropriate nutritional supplements will help increase testosterone levels. If the level of these substances in the body is correct, you need to weigh everything thoroughly before you start taking dietary supplements.
   • It is much safer to get zinc and vitamin D from food than it is to take dietary supplements. In addition, the human body assimilates these substances much better when digesting food.
   • If you decide to take nutritional supplements, be sure to adhere to the recommended intake of the relevant substances and find out how much zinc and vitamin D you can consume without harm to the body.
     • The RDA for zinc is 8 mg for boys aged 9 to 13 and 11 mg for adolescents aged 14 to 18. The maximum allowable daily dose of zinc for boys 9-13 years old is 23 mg, for adolescents 14-18 years old - 34 mg. If these values ​​are exceeded, it can lead to poisoning.
     • For vitamin D, the RDA is 600 IU / 15 micrograms per day. As for an overdose of this vitamin, then we can talk about it if you consume more than 50,000 IU per day, because vitamin D is not toxic. However, in some diseases, vitamin D overdose can occur at much lower values.
3. 3 Before using any natural way to increase testosterone, be sure to check with your doctor. While most non-drug testosterone boosters are safe for teens, you should still check with your doctor if you are concerned about your age-appropriate testosterone levels.
   • Keep in mind that puberty age and rate vary from person to person, so don't panic if you think your testosterone levels are lower than peers.
   • If you are worried about this, your doctor will give a referral for a blood test and determine if your testosterone level is much lower than normal. Many doctors understand that the patient wants to solve the problem with natural remedies, and they take this into account when they make a treatment plan. If the doctor comes to the conclusion that medication (including prescription testosterone preparations) will be more useful in your case, he will definitely tell you about it.
4. 4 Be very wary of other methods of increasing testosterone. There are a large number of herbal preparations on the market, the manufacturers of which promise to solve the problem of low testosterone. However, such funds can significantly harm health, especially if they are taken by a teenager. Take only those drugs that are recommended by official medicine. If they don't help you, ask your doctor for other methods.
   • Although D-aspartic acid preparations are considered conditionally safe for adolescents, research is clearly not enough to fully appreciate the effect of this substance, especially in the body of a teenager. If you want to take these supplements, be sure to ask your doctor's advice.
   • Do not take testosterone or other steroid hormone medications without a doctor's prescription. In addition, herbal supplements promising to increase testosterone are mostly not medically approved and can only be harmful, especially for a teenager during puberty.

Tips

• If there is reason to suspect that a teenager has delayed development and puberty, see a doctor who will do the necessary blood tests and prescribe the appropriate testosterone and other hormones.
• A blood test is the only method to diagnose low testosterone levels or decreased testosterone levels.
• Changes in testosterone levels in the blood can occur as a side effect of certain medications. Talk to your doctor about any medications your teen is taking.
• Testosterone treatment (in the form of injections, tablets, patches or gels) works for both adults and adolescents, but this treatment should only be done under the supervision of an experienced physician. Hormonal drugs are used only for certain diseases.

Warnings

• Do not take testosterone or other steroid supplements (especially anabolic steroids) unless your doctor has diagnosed you and prescribed treatment. Uncontrolled use of steroid supplements can cause serious side effects and harm your health.