Testosterone and Fish Oil? What’s that all about? Let’s find out!
Most bodybuilders and athletes believe that increasing the body’s natural production of testosterone is one of the primary ways to stimulate muscle growth, improve strength, and enhance sex drive.
It’s easy to see why. Testosterone has long been called the “King of Hormones”. That’s because of its impact on muscle growth.
This article will review multiple ways to increase testosterone – but one way you may not have considered is Fish Oil, or more specifically, Omega 3 fatty acids. That’s about to change!
Benefits Of Testosterone
Before we do anything, let’s be clear on the benefits of adequate levels of testosterone.
Testosterone is:
- Responsible for the development of muscle
- It’s responsible for the development of male sexual characteristics and sex drive
- Important for energy and mood
- Helps keep body fat levels under control
- It’s involved in red blood cell production
The bottom line is that testosterone is what makes a man, a man. Now look at what happens if your natural levels of testosterone are too low:
You will:
- Experience low sex drive
- Potentially gain fat
- Experience a loss of muscle mass
- Suffer from low energy
It should be clear that you want to keep your body’s natural levels of testosterone as high as possible. Let’s find out the best ways to do that.
What Is Testosterone?
Testosteron is defined as a steroid hormone that’s derived from cholesterol. It is produced by the interstitial cells of Leydig (these are cells in the testes, named after Franz von Leydig, who discovered them). Testosterone is an androgen and one of the major sex hormones.
Levels will fluctuate during the day. Still, the average adult male naturally produces about 5-10 milligrams daily. This amount declines as we age. In this case, it declines when men are in their mid-20s. (1)
It’s important to realize that to get the benefits, you need to do more than just increase the production of testosterone. Here’s why: most of the testosterone in your blood is attached or bound to plasma proteins such as albumin and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). Only a small amount of testosterone (about 2-3%) is unattached or unbound. This small amount is known as free testosterone. This is the testosterone that is used by your body for muscle growth. (2) So, if you want to increase your natural test levels, you need to focus on making the most of that 2-3% free testosterone.
What Are Hormones?
Since testosterone is a major hormone in the body, it’s important to have a basic knowledge of what hormones are.
A hormone “is a molecule that is secreted into the extracellular fluid, circulates in the bloodstream and carries or communicates regulatory messages throughout the body”. (2)
Hormones are part of the Endocrine System, which is a collection of glands that secrete various hormones. They carry specific messages to target receptors, which generate a specific response.
There are three main chemical classes of hormones are steroid hormones, protein (or polypeptide) hormones, and amine hormones. (3)
The Endocrine System uses a control method regarding hormone secretion. This method is called negative feedback.
Negative feedback ultimately controls the amount of testosterone that’s secreted and available for use at any one time. What is negative feedback? It’s a reaction that causes a decrease in a specific function. (4)
Testosterone, Sex Drive, And Fish Oil
When we think of Fish Oil, we typically take it for such benefits as joint health, heart health, or cognitive function. But what does it have to do with testosterone?
For starters, Fish Oil can improve testicle size, semen quality, and increased levels of free, or useable, testosterone. (5)
We learned that free testosterone is the small amount of total testosterone that’s available for functions such as muscle growth. Fish Oil supports that. Is that tremendous news, or what?
Not only that, but what red-blooded male doesn’t want bigger balls and better semen? We’re talking about better reproductive health, as well as improved results in the gym.
Of course, when you choose Fish Oil, or Omega 3, you want good amounts of EPA or Eicosapentaenoic Acid and DHA or Docosahexaenoic Acid. These are long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Why are they important? They are responsible for the health benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
With that in mind, here is our best Fish Oil supplements: Fish Oil Supplements – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
Two good choices are:
5% Nutrition Core Fish Oil – This potent formula provides 2,500 mg of Fish Oil, broken down as follows:
EPA (Eicoseapentaenoic Acid) – 860 mg
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) – 630 mg
Other Omega 3’s – 200 mg
See it here: 5% Nutrition Core Fish Oil – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
Wiley’s Finest Wild Alaskan Fish Oil – This is a lemon-flavored liquid formula that provides 4,500 mg of concentrated Fish Oil broken down as follows:
EPA (Eicoseapentaenoic Acid) – 140 mg
DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) – 900 mg
Other Omega 3’s – 300 mg
See it here: Wiley’s Finest Wild Alaskan Fish Oil Peak Omega-3 Liquid – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
Add one of these great products, or the Fish Oil of your choice, to your test-boosting program today!
Testosterone & Muscle Growth
Of course, any bodybuilder or athlete serious about testosterone is serious about muscle growth. We’ve seen how Fish Oil affects testosterone in terms of sex drive. What can we do in terms of muscle growth?
The primary way testosterone will increase muscle is by stimulating protein synthesis. (6)
For those that may not know, protein synthesis is the synthesis of new skeletal muscle proteins and is literally the process of muscle growth. It makes sense to make the most of your natural levels of testosterone if you want to build muscle mass.
Control Estrogen and Cortisol
There are supplements that can control estrogen. In fact, any of the test boosters we will list soon will get the job done. Control cortisol by keeping your protein and BCAA/EAA intake high.
Also, never train in a fasted state, and drink a post-workout shake immediately after training.
Use The Right Supplements
Of course, use a good Cornerstone Stack that consists of the following:
Dymatize ISO 100 – See it here: Dymatize ISO-100 – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
The Multi-Vitamin of your choice. Try: AllMax VITASTACK – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
Creatine – Your choice Try: NutraBio Creatine Monohydrate – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
Pre-workout – Your choice Try: Freedom Formulations Rowdy Pre-Workout – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
From there, use a good test booster, such as:
Spazmatic Supplements Just Test Me – One of, if not the best test boosters on the market. You can’t go wrong with this one.
See it here: Spazmatic Supplements Just Test Me! All-In-One-Testosterone Booster – I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
Train Using Compound Exercises
Work the big basic exercises (squats, bench presses, deadlifts) for 6-8 reps using heavy weight. Warm-up thoroughly first.
Get Enough Sleep
Shoot for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
Eat Plenty Of Protein & Complex Carbs
Follow a high protein diet, with your protein intake consistently spaced throughout the day. Eat complex carbs in the hours surrounding your workouts.
The Bottom Line On Testosterone
There’s no doubt about it. If you want more muscle and increased sex drive, you want to increase your body’s natural production of testosterone. The bottom line is that increasing test levels naturally requires a comprehensive approach that includes exercise choices, nutritional choices, good sleep habits, and the right supplement choices. The results are worth it!
Get all your supplements here: Bodybuilding Supplements Store | I’ll Pump You Up (illpumpyouup.com)
References:
- Biology by Campbell and Reece, p.993,1005
- Campbell and Reece, Biology, p.975
- Biology by Campbell and Reece, p.977
- Campbell and Reece, Biology, p.932
- Jensen TK et al. Associations of Fish Oil Supplement Use With Testicular Function in Young Men. JAMA Netw Open. 2020 Jan 3;3(1):e1919462. PubMed.
- Griggs, R. C., Kingston, W., Jozefowicz, R. F., Herr, B. E., Forbes, G., & Halliday, D. (1989, January). Effect of testosterone on muscle mass and muscle protein synthesis. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2917954