Ok dudes. Weโre about to get a bit โsciencyโ here, but itโs for your own good. (Well, your BEARDS own good.)
Hormones & Beard Growthย
The two primary hormones responsible for growing our beards are testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Testosterone primes the hair follicles and DHT supports the growth. DHT is actually a metabolite of testosterone and therefore a byproduct of its production within the body. For the simplicity of this blog post, we will only be discussing the former hormone โ testosterone
Testosterone is an androgenic male hormone produced by Leydig cells in your testicles. (Try saying that sentence 3 times in a row after chugging a few beers). It affects sex drive, bone and muscle health, and generally controls men's masculine features. This includes our bone structure, eyebrow ridge, strong jawline, and of course, our beard hair growth.
Our testosterone levels naturally decline with age, but can also decline in response to medications, high body fat, and a variety of conditions including HIV, cancer, and many others.
Low testosterone production is also known as hypogonadism, and itโs quite common; 40% of men over 45 years old and 50% of men over 80 years old deal with it. Beard growth can be directly related to our masculinity hormone, testosterone. There are many reasons beards are associated with masculinity and letโs face it, dude, thereโs no shortage of women who are naturally attracted to masculine men. In fact, a study published in the Journal of Evolutionary Biology showed that women were far more likely to rate men more attractive just by adding a beard to their face. There you have it! Itโs evolution dudes!
Obviously, modern medicine does offer support for low T levels as seen in the sweeping rise in doctor prescribed TRT therapy and T-patches. But what about additional ways we can help try and boost our testosterone levels the all-natural way?.
If you want to grow a kick-ass, thick beard โ one of the important things to remember is giving your body the right natural ingredients to ensure your manly hormone levels are supported. Specific foods rich in vitamin D, magnesium, and zinc are believed to help contribute to higher testosterone levels. Here are ten tasty options to help boost your overall health and also help support your bodyโs natural testosterone production
Possible Testosterone Boosting Foods
Fatty Fish & Oysters
Salmon, sardines, oysters, and other fatty fish have a lot of vitamin D, zinc, and Omega-3 fatty acids. Oysters in particular have one of the highest zinc levels which is healthy in and of itself!
Dark Greens
Dark greens like spinach, kale, and collard greens are high in magnesium, and high magnesium has been linked in several studies to higher testosterone
Cocoa Products
Cocoa products like cacao nibs and dark chocolate are also high in magnesium, along with antioxidants. Keep in mind that foods lower in sugar are healthier, so stick to dark chocolate and pure cacao.
Avocados
Avocados are rich in magnesium and healthy fats, along with the element boron, which may be linked to higher testosterone. Boron is also plentiful in raisins, but the tasty advocado is king here.
Eggs Eggs Eggs
Eggs are rich in selenium, which is speculatively linked to high testosterone, and eggs are rich in protein and other nutrients in general, Egg yolks carry more nutrition than a plain egg white.
Ginger Root
Ginger has been a medicinal tradition for centuries, and studies from 2012 and 2013 have proven links between ginger intake and higher testosterone. Could be a great indicator as to why ginger is also categorized as an aphrodisiac by so many outside sources.
Pomegranate
Pomegranates have been a symbol of fertility and sexuality in ancient myths, and a 2012 study lends credence to the stories by finding that men and women who drank a daily glass of pomegrganate juice experienced a surge in testosterone and sexual desire.
Onions
Onions are well-known for their anti-inflammatory properties, a 2012 rat study showed significant improvements in testosterone levels, but the specific effects on humans require more study.
Almond Milk
Almond, soy, and oat milk are often fortified with up to 25% of the recommended daily vitamin D amount, so these are good options. There are some concerns over soyโs similarity to estrogen, but there are plenty of fortified plant milk options to choose from. If you live in a warm climate, the best source of vitamin D is sunshine, so get out and enjoy it!
Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil is also a healthy fat and a Morrocan study from 2013 linked argan and olive oil to both direct testosterone and luteinizing hormone which helps stimulate the production of other sex hormones.
Conclusion:
Many foods that are good for general health can also help support healthy testosterone levels. Check with your healthcare provider for a more detailed list.
For other beard growing tips, check out our Derm Dude Beard blog and mega-line of power beard growth products, specifically designed to help promote beard growth.
Stay safe and keep it healthy, dudes.
-Drew Plotkin (Chief Dude Officer)
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Sources:
Leonard, Jayne. โThe 8 Best Foods to Boost Low Testosterone.โ Edited by Natalie Butler, Medical News Today, MediLexicon International, 28 Jan. 2020, https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323759#foods-to-avoid.
B.J.W Dixson, D. Sulikowski, A. Gouda-Vossos, M. J. Rantala, and R. C. Brooks
Journal of Eveloutionary Biology, Volume 29, issue 11 - November, 2016
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jeb.12958
Kubala, Jillian. โ7 Foods That May Help Boost Testosterone.โ Healthline, Healthline Media, 20 Oct. 2021, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/testosterone-boosting-food#4.-Avocados.
2 comments
All the great foods.
Decent list. Letโs not forget about red meat though. It might not be a healthy choice but when it comes to increasing test levels naturally, itโs high on the list.