It is natural for athletes to strive so hard in their workout routines in the hope of enhancing their physical performance. However, it is wrong to think that pushing themselves to the limits and training more will benefit them.
When it comes to working out, doing more is not always good, at least with respect to your testosterone. What do we mean to say by this?
Intense physical training might backfire on you. If that happens, it may compromise your body’s ability to perform well. Physical activity like working out will break down your muscles, repair them, and then you need to rest awhile. Too much activity and not giving your body enough time to rest and recuperate can lead to “overtraining syndrome.”
What is Overtraining Syndrome?
According to TRT Melbourne endocrinologists, the overtraining syndrome is defined as “significantly poor response to an exercise regimen done rigorously but without appropriate rest, causing disruptions in numerous bodily systems (endocrine, neurologic, immunologic) that combine with alterations in mood. Thus, the overtraining syndrome can have a detrimental effect not just on performance but also on immune system work, hormonal, and mental health.
How can we know if we’re pushing ourselves too much in training? Some indicators will help us determine this, such as the rapid decline in performance, lethargy for no apparent reason, and difficulty sleeping. However, repeated vigorous exercise without enough rest has been proven to induce a significant decrease in testosterone.
How Much Testosterone Does a Male Human Body Need?
This applies to both men and women. Testosterone (T) is classified as a steroid hormone that can be found in high concentrations in our bodies. The pinnacle of a man’s T levels occurs in his late 30s, following which they start to drop by 1-2 percent every year for the rest of his life. In the case of women, their testosterone is significantly lower than men’s.
While testosterone levels fluctuate depending on factors such as age, gender, and physical fitness, the following are typical guidelines:
Men have testosterone levels ranging from 348 to 1197 ng/dL.
For women between the ages of 18 and 49, the range is 8 to 48 ng/dL; for women over 50, the range is 3-41 ng/dL.
Depending on how low your testosterone levels are, your attending physician or an experienced urologist may offer you some suitable intervention programs to help you boost your T-levels, such as modification of your training, nutrition, or sometimes just your lifestyle.
The Importance of Testosterone in Athletic Performance?
The scientific TRT Melbourne community has been telling us time and again that testosterone is responsible for the development and maintenance of both muscle mass and strength. Optimal quantities of this hormone are of paramount importance to the development and maintenance of bone density. If our bodies lack calcium, it runs the risk of rendering our bones fragile and flimsy.
When testosterone concentration is at an all-time low and cortisol levels soar high, your body will compensate for it by breaking down muscles and make use of their proteins for energy production.
When it comes to the maintenance of the body’s energy, testosterone has a key role to play here, too. This means saying that this hormone (testosterone) can help your system feel more energized throughout workouts and exercises, and boost your endurance while at it.
Finally, testosterone can also help in heightening brain activity. This has something to do with learning and memory, which is important for athletes in the sense that they need to pick up new workout routines in a snap. Therefore, if you have low T, the odds are high that you are performing far below your real potential.
Our Takeaway
You can enhance your testosterone naturally if your levels are low beyond the standard. An important first step is to provide enough time to recover after a rigorous physical activity like exercise, and then an ample amount of time for sound sleep.
The decision about having a workout training plan depends on your intensity and duration of workouts, so follow your body’s cues. Getting adequate sleep so that your body can repair the damage that occurs while training is critical.
Finally, keep an eye on your diet. In particular, take note of your pre-workout meals and post-workout snacks. And if you are uncertain whether you are a running candidate for low T, TRT Melbourne doctors and urologists suggest that you have yourself tested first. Blood testing is necessary here to determine if there are any hormonal abnormalities in your system.
If your blood tests affirm low T and it keeps you from enjoying the quality of life you want to have, treatment options based on your lifestyle can be suggested by your attending physician. This may be a lifetime commitment, just in case.