Testosterone is a vital male sex hormone primarily produced in men’s testicles, although women’s ovaries also produce testosterone in relatively smaller amounts.
The hormone is mainly associated with sex drive and sperm production, but it also affects bone health, muscle mass, fat storage, as well as an individual’s mood, among various other crucial bodily functions.
Nuts That Can Boost Your Testosterone Levels
Testosterone levels tend to decrease with age naturally, but chronic health conditions and pituitary gland malfunctioning could also lower one’s testosterone levels.
This can lead to hair loss, erectile dysfunction, reduced libido, loss of lean muscle mass, and even cause obesity and excessive fatigue.
While supplements are available to remedy this, natural methods such as testosterone-boosting foods are usually preferred. Consuming the right nuts, for example, can be highly effective at increasing testosterone.
Here are some nuts that can improve testosterone levels:
Macadamia Nuts
Macadamia nuts have high levels of monounsaturated fatty acids, which help increase the production of testosterone in the body. In general, healthy fats are known to boost testosterone levels, while low-fat diets can decrease testosterone production. However, it’s not as straightforward as that. For example, certain fats, such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), have an adverse effect on testosterone production.
Macadamia nuts have a lower amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids and are high in monounsaturated fatty acids. Thus, they are highly effective at increasing testosterone levels, as they directly stimulate testosterone production.
Consuming around 30 grams of macadamia nuts every day can be beneficial. These nuts also offer other benefits which can indirectly contribute towards boosted testosterone levels, such as:
Brazil Nuts
Selenium is a mineral that helps to boost testosterone levels. Brazil nuts are extremely high in selenium, with just 5 grams of these nuts containing 96 mg of selenium. Selenium enhances the sperm’s quality and mobility, thereby improving fertility and boosting testosterone levels. Brazil nuts are also rich in boron, zinc, magnesium, and other minerals that offer beneficial micronutrients, improve testosterone levels and promote sperm health.
Additionally, they also protect against heart disease, improve thyroid problems, and improve mental health and the immune system.
Energy-dense and highly nutritious, Brazil nuts can be consumed raw or blanched.
Due to the high selenium in Brazil nuts, so just two or three Brazil nuts are enough for daily consumption.
Tiger Nuts
Tiger nuts were considered to be a highly beneficial superfood in ancient Egypt, and with good reason.
Tiger nuts are highly beneficial in boosting testosterone and were also used as aphrodisiacs in ancient Nigeria.
They are rich in various nutrients and are a good source of antioxidants. They are also high in fiber, promote better digestion, and are high in calcium, iron, and magnesium.
These contribute to higher levels of testosterone.
The protein, fats, and vitamin B present in tiger nuts are also beneficial for the reproductive system, and around 30 g to 38 g of daily consumption can improve testosterone levels in men. Germinating or roasting tiger nuts before eating them ensures that you get maximum antioxidants and the level of antinutrients in the nuts goes down. This will allow the body to absorb the tiger nuts’ nutrients better and help boost testosterone levels naturally.
Nuts That Will Lower Your Testosterone
Abnormally high testosterone can be just as detrimental as low testosterone levels. It can cause side effects such as acne, headaches, heart or liver problems, hypertension, and more.
To reduce these negative effects, you can consume certain nuts that reduce testosterone levels. These include:
Almonds
Almonds contain sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), which can bind to testosterone and neutralize its androgenic effects.
Additionally, they also contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which hinder testosterone production.
Walnuts
Similar to almonds, walnuts also increase the sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) by 10 to 20 percent. This can decrease testosterone production, especially considering walnuts also contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids like almonds do.
Peanuts
Peanuts have high levels of beta-sitosterol, which decreases the enzymes required to produce testosterone. Therefore, if you’re looking to reduce testosterone production, consuming peanuts is a good way to do so.
Pistachios
Pistachios are high in phytosterol, a type of plant sterol linked to reduced testosterone levels.
Other Foods With PUFA
Other nuts and foods with high polyunsaturated fat content also hinder testosterone production, thereby reducing the level of testosterone in the body. These include:
Can Consuming Nuts Considerably Affect Testosterone Levels?
Certain nuts can impact your testosterone levels, whether you are trying to increase or decrease them. Consuming or refraining from the specific nuts listed above can thus help you achieve the testosterone levels you desire.
However, eating nuts is not a cure-all. They can only assist in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, it is important to eat nuts in conjunction with other dietary and lifestyle changes to ensure that you get the nutrition you require and your testosterone levels are balanced.
Overeating these nuts in an effort to boost your testosterone levels can be counterproductive and can cause further health problems.
Conclusion
Testosterone is an important hormone that can greatly impact your quality of life and mental, sexual, and physical well-being. Unfortunately, high testosterone levels can be just as harmful as low testosterone levels.
If you want to ensure that your testosterone levels are within a healthy range, it is important to have a balanced diet and healthy lifestyle and consume the aforementioned nuts in moderation. As effective as these nuts may be, it is important that you don’t solely rely on them to change your testosterone levels and that you pay attention to your diet and lifestyle.