Gut Health and Testosterone: Is There a Correlation?

I want you to think for just a moment of the word testosterone. What comes to mind? Maybe test boosters? Anabolics?

Young men, who have what seems like a flood of natural testosterone flowing through their body? What if I tossed in gut health? You’d probably think I was crazy, right? Well, there’s actually a correlation between your gut health and your testosterone levels.

We are all familiar with testosterone being associated with reproductive health and masculine characters. But did you know that gut health plays an important role when it comes to helping increase natural testosterone production?

Taking a step back and looking at the big picture, poor gut health and digestion will not only make you feel bloated and uncomfortable, but it can negatively affect your testosterone level if you do not take care of it. When your gut health is weakening, you could eventually develop many health issues – even turning into something serious. Poor gut health can leave you weak enough to hurt your workouts and cause you to not feel like your usual energetic self.

The Link Between Gut Health and Testosterone

The link between gut health and testosterone is not something that is generally talked about, but it should. It is important to understand the role of gut health in relation to testosterone and how it can hurt your testosterone levels.

As men age, it has been found that testosterone levels drop around 1 to 2 percent every year starting around the age of 30. This drop in testosterone can cause men to have a lower sex drive, less muscle mass, more body fat storage, less energy, and can even cause depression. Interestingly enough, sleep can even play a role in the decline in testosterone levels.

Medical conditions can also damage your testosterone levels and production. Certain conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes can fast-track your decline in testosterone. 

Testosterone is a hormone, and as with any hormone, it is all about balance. According to research, testosterone levels drop in men, which also affects estrogen, as your body converts free testosterone to estradiol.

So, how does poor gut health lead to a drop in testosterone levels and production?

• A portion of your immune system is situated in your intestinal tract; a few areas are separated from your intestinal tract by a lining that is just a single cell thick
• If this lining turns permeable, then food particles can slip into your bloodstream
• When this occurs, our body tends to attack these food particles with antibodies and produces a chemical called cytokines; this can raise our level of chronic inflammation
• If this inflammation is ignored, it can lead to some health issues that can affect your performance and daily activities/lifestyle
• Fatigue, slow recovery following workouts, depression, and painful joints are some common side effects.
• It can also lead to a decrease of Leydig cells, which are cells within the testicles that play a role in producing testosterone
• The loss of Leydig cells can drastically lower your testosterone levels 

As your inflammatory level keeps rising, it can make your body more likely to store visceral fat. Increased visceral fat can result in higher production of interleukin, which is a pro-inflammatory cytokine. This will create a never-ending harmful cycle of cytokine production that can continue to destroy Leydig cells and negatively affect your testosterone production.

How Do Probiotics Help Improve Gut Health, Which Can Boost Testosterone?

In essence, fermented and cultured foods contain probiotics that help to balance your gut health. But many of us do not consume fermented foods, which makes probiotic supplements a great alternative. According to research, probiotic supplements help improve the immune system, manage mood, normalize inflammation, and balance hormones.

Related Article: Better Body Composition with Probiotics

Probiotics can help balance glucose levels if taken along with a healthy diet. It can also improve blood sugar levels and regulate glycemic control. If it is not taken care of, then the imbalances can lead to insulin resistance and chronic disorders such as obesity, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes. 

The benefits of taking probiotics are way more than promoting just gut health.

• By taking probiotics, you replenish the good bacteria present in your gut, so your body can continue to function at its best
• Probiotics can help fight diarrhea
• It can reduce digestive disorder symptoms and provide improved gut health
• Probiotics support mental health because of the healthy gut and brain connection
• Probiotics improve metabolic health
• It may help with weight loss
• It can boost your immunity level
• It supports prostate health

Can You “Stomach” the Thought of Damaging Your Testosterone Levels? 

If you think that you are suffering from low testosterone levels, there are many steps that you can take to raise your levels. One of the ways you can do this without the need for prescriptions or hormone replacement therapy is by focusing on your gut health, so you can increase the level or maintain your natural testosterone production. It should be noted, however, that if you get your testosterone checked by a doctor, you should always follow their advice as they understand your medical and health history.

You can accomplish this by making some specific dietary changes (such as including foods that contain probiotics), as it helps improve gut health, which can then help balance your testosterone levels. The effects of testosterone are far more than just a focus on the reproductive system like so many put an emphasis on.

Improve Gut Health with Lactobacillus Reuteri

With around 200 known Lactobacillus species that can help improve gut health, there is one that has been getting a lot of attention lately – Lactobacillus reuteri. This probiotic has been found to be able to decrease intestinal inflammation, may improve wound healing, can play a role in weight reduction, supports muscle growth, and important to this article, aids with the production of testosterone through the Leydig cells. 

Due to the findings in regard to Lactobacillus reuteri, when looking at gut health and testosterone, Evogen Nutrition decided to include it in one of their new test boosters. 

Evogen Nutrition Evoboost-T is a unique free and total testosterone optimizer that utilizes a specific matrix of ingredients, which includes Lactobacillus reuteri, to help improve gut health. Also included in the formula are ingredients like vitamin D3, KSM-66®, patented Tesnor®, DIM, and Bioperine®, to name a few.

Take your gut health and testosterone levels to new heights with Evogen Nutrition Evoboost-T!