Foods that lower testosterone?
It’s a great question and was sent to me via you tube.
Yes you can, lower testosterone in women with food choices, although I wouldn’t rely solely on it as the only measure you do.
Testosterone can be radically increased in women who have too many carbohydrates, not enough proteins or eat while they are stressed.
This is a recap on Testosterone You Tube clip:
The reasons why testosterone can go up due to food lie in the following:
1. Testosterone and insulin require the same vitamin to penetrate the cell membrane:
Inositol. When there isn’t enough Myo-inositol in the diet and a woman has high circulating levels of testosterone or insulin, one of two occur. Either testosterone will spike (and lead to symptoms of high testosterone) or insulin will spike.
Both lead to belly fat production. Additionally an increase in testosterone may lead to androgenic side effects such as aggression, irritability, unwanted facial hair, acne and PCO (the major cause of infertility, anovulation and poly cystic ovaries).
Increased insulin on the other hand leads to irritability, blood sugar swings, damage to the capillaries and can lead on to Metabolic X syndrome.
Limit carbohydrates to low glycaemic index foods such as vegetables. Limit grains, and fruit (fructose found in foot dramatically elevates insulin). Never eat more than ½ cup of carbohydrates at any sitting (vegetables are the exception)
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Proteins are important to balance insulin swings when eating.
Many people don’t eat enough proteins, either because they are eating too many take-aways, have a grain based diet (not protein/fat based diet) or have an inadequate digestive system so don’t break them down.
Proteins are really important in your every day eating and at least 25 % of you daily calories should come from proteins (animal or plants).
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Eating while you are stressed is diabolical.
Eating when you are stressed means your body is eating in the opposite state to which it is designed to.
Your body ONLY likes to eat and digest when you are relaxed.
This is when your body is in a parasympathetic state. Low heart rate, feeling relaxed, gut switched on and digestive enzymes, hormone feedback that you are full etc are all activated.
Eating when you are stressed means your gut is switched off, but more importantly, you will be secreting stress hormones such as testosterone, cortisol, adrenaline and insulin. All of these affect the way food is handled by your body and will more likely cause fat gain. It definitely will result in poorer absorption and digestion.
So the 3 really important things to keep in mind when eating to have balanced testosterone are:
1. Never eat carboydrates on their own and limit to less than ½ cup with any meal
2. Increase proteins when you eat, which will decrease the burden on insulin, which will help with testosterone shunting into cells
3. Only eat when you are relaxed, not stressed.
The hair analysis that I offer will reveal if you inositol levels are low and you can order a saliva hormone test and consultation from here if you would like to know more about your hormones.
