By Elena Voropay

If there is one diet bodybuilders would stay on, that would be the Testosterone Diet. The one and only most masculine eating plan imaginable guarantees to increase not just your T, but to add more lean muscle mass while shedding body fat at the same time. The good news about T diet is that you can eat more, and more of the foods you love. Save the cute, fancy sugary lollies, ice cream and overly sweet breakfast cereals for the girls and be ready to bite into some savory fatty dishes. One of the key elements of a nutrition program to boost Testosterone levels is consumption of plenty of red meat and dietary fats since the scientific scrutiny has revealed that higher-fat diets (30% - 40% of calories from fat) lead to higher Testosterone levels. Basically, it is a good old real man's plate of fatty meat and potatoes, bacon and eggs, as well as greasy cheesy meat-lover's pizza.

When you want to trim down quickly, you probably starve yourself while exercising like a madman. One of the many reasons the diet stops working in your 30s is pretty simple: cutting your caloric intake by more than 15% makes your brain think you're starving, so it shuts down all anabolic hormones, your natural Testosterone levels naturally go down, your muscle tissue stops growing and the metabolic rate drops. Biologically, it makes sense: you body doesn't want to waste any energy – what if the famine lasts too long? The most primitive response of the body is that there's no energy or need to reproduce if you're starving, so Testosterone production dips. Ironically, this dive in circulating Testosterone stops you from burning body fat efficiently, so you're actually thwarting your hard efforts to melt that tire off your gut.

If you need a better scientific explanation and a more educated persuasion to stop the food-free insanity, here it is. Following a low-calorie diet can result in less GnRH being released from the brain and decrease the activity of Testosterone-catalyzing enzymes in the testes leaving you in the hormone-deficient state. The dip in GnRHs released from the hypothalamus leads to a weaker signal to release LH and less T is stimulated. Studies demonstrated that fasting for 5 days can lower LH, T, and free Testosterone by as much as 30% - 50%! In addition, research on fasting in rats revealed that testicular enzymes involved in synthesizing T decrease in function. Even if you produce enough LH, and all of it reaches the testes, the gonads still cannot produce all the Test they could due to lack of enzymes. Many bodybuilders who take anabolic steroids and synthetic Testosterone fast before a drug test. This is what helps to show 'normal' hormonal reading and masks their drug abuse.

Jerry Brainum, a science writer, researcher, lecturer, nutrition consultant for many professional and amateur bodybuilders, as well as professional and Olympic athletes in various sports for more than 30 years has stated in his blog:

“From a bodybuilding perspective, however, severe calorie restriction isn’t conducive to maintaining an anabolic state in muscles. Not only is it difficult to get enough protein when you severely restrict calories, but decreased intake also leads to a decrease in anabolic hormones associated with maintaining muscle, such as IGF-1 and Testosterone. Those who advocate calorie restriction ‘ la lab rats always seem to appear gaunt, with a noticeable lack of muscle. Even so, calorie restriction fosters decreased cellular oxidation, particularly in the portion of the cell that produces energy (mitochondria); induction of ‘heat shock proteins’ that protect cells from destruction; and Insulin control.”

The amount of calories you consume each day should be enough to maintain your bodyweight. To figure out your own needs, multiply your bodyweight in kilograms by 40 - 44 calories (or bodyweight in pounds by 18 - 20 calories). For example, a bodybuilder who weighs 82 kg (180-pounder) will need to ingest about 3,250 - 3,600 calories per day. For the 90-kg person (200-pounder), it jumps up to 3,600 - 4,000 calories. Sounds a lot, and it is, but you are not on a lean cutting diet either. You want anabolism, more Testosterone, supreme muscle growth, right?

Still, try not to gorge on everything in sight either. It is impossible to pack on lean mass quickly and gaining too much weight too soon will surely translate into bigger fat deposits. Fat tissue does a wonderful job in producing Estrogens. With excessive body fat, aromatase activity in fat cells increases, which means that more of T is converted into an Estrogen called Estradiol. This decreases corresponding T levels. What do you do? Since you want anabolic amounts of calories, all you need to do is just limit your fuel to less than 1000 calories above what you need. Now comes the most important part. A calorie is not a calorie in any healthy meal plan, but in Testosterone Diet this statement is the foundation. What you eat can positively or negatively affect how much T your body can make and how much is actually used.

Testosterone and Fat (30% - 40%)

The first macronutrient to be concerned about is fat. Generally, you would want to keep your fat under the 20% of total caloric mark. On a Testosterone-boosting diet this number may go up to 30% - 40%. This is definitely something you wouldn't hear from your doctor – eat more fat and choke up on cholesterol for better health. Most experts still agree that we need some fat – it makes up part of our brains, it protects some of our joints and it provides reserves for when we're sick. If the main foods you eat have virtually no fat in them, you've been lost and stuck in the old school of fat-free living which has fortunately outlived itself. The claims such as “Eat less fat – lose more weight and get more health” have misled me and millions of others. It is known that certain fat components impart numerous benefits which can enhance tissue growth, limit inflammation and spare joints from wear and tear. Those who stayed on a low-fat diet have disturbed their metabolism. These people don’t produce the Testosterone needed for muscle building. Their recovery from workouts takes forever and their immunity can't deal even with the smallest bug. The fat-deficient amateurs get a leaky gut and food allergies and if they stay on a low-fat diet for long enough then they also suffer with the hair falling out, become sterile, get knee pains, arthritis-like conditions, heart rhythm disturbances and have low energy levels. In addition, getting 30 - 35% of daily calories from fat has also been shown to significantly reduce Cortisol levels which, in moderation, has potent muscle catabolic effects.

Indeed, we have been told for decades that certain foods high in fat can harm your heart because they encourage the liver to make more cholesterol, which chokes arteries, causing heart attacks and strokes, Diabetes and high blood pressure. However, several studies have indicated that as cholesterol and fats increase in the diet, so do Testosterone levels in the body. Men's Health magazine reported, “Despite the anti-fat message we're bombarded with, it turns out that diets too low in dietary fat are actually harmful to healthy T levels".

A 1987 study put men on a diet high in fat (about 50% of calories from fat) for 2 weeks, then had them switch to a low-fat diet (about 10 % fat) for 2 weeks. Again, the levels of the most valuable free Testosterone dropped by 21% on the low-fat diet. Eleven years later, similar results were demonstrated in a 2005 study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 39 middle-aged white, healthy men (50 to 60 years of age) ate either a high-fat, low-fiber diet. After 8 weeks they switched to a low-fat, high-fiber diet with the same amount of calories. The results of the dietary change were a reduction in total Testosterone, free T and some of the T-precursors. The researchers concluded, "Metabolic clearance rates of T were not changed and production rates of T showed a downward trend while on low fat diet modulation. We conclude that reduction in dietary fat intake (and increase in fiber) results in 12% consistent lowering of circulating androgens levels without changing the clearance". The researchers called their study “Low Fat High Fiber Diet Decreased Serum and Urine Androgens in Men." This didn't sound too good at the time when Low-Fat Diets were a hit. More to the story, not all fats are equal in the T play.

Saturated Fats and Testosterone

Despite of what you heard before, Saturated Fat is essential and when you eat it in small amounts. Not only it is the best Testosterone booster known, fats from animal sources will help you shed some kilos. This is the stuff vegetarian bodybuilders could really thrive on if they didn't 'love' the animals so much. That's right – no other fat can get the manly hormone to the sky-rocketing levels. Research has found that vegetarians, whose diets are particularly low in dietary cholesterol and Saturated Fats typically have low Testosterone levels. There is much speculation as to why this is so. It may be either from the lack of Saturated Fats and cholesterol in their diets or from their high intake of grains, legumes, beans, fruit and vegetables which have a lot of fiber.

Fiber is a non-starch polysaccharide which has may benefits and has shown to reduce body's ability to absorb cholesterol by binding to it and excreting efficiently, but such an effect also limits the potential to make Testosterone. Plus, studies have demonstrated that the levels of free Testosterone dropped by 22% among low-fat dieters who didn't eat more that 7% fat. And that's not all. The highest Testosterone elevation was achieved when Saturated Fat predominated the Unsaturated.

Back in 1984 researchers suspected that the source of fat may play a huge role in the rate of production of natural steroid hormones. "The possible effect of dietary fat content and the ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids (P/S-ratio) on serum sex hormones was studied in 30 healthy male volunteers. The customary diet of the subjects, which supplied 40% of energy as fat (mainly from animal sources, P/S-ratio 0.15) was replaced for a 6 weeks period by a practically iso-caloric experimental diet containing significantly less fat (25% of energy) with a higher P/S-ratio (1.22) and other environmental factors were stabilized." As a result of the dietary change, there was a 15% drop in total T, with corresponding drops in free T and Androstenedione. The researchers concluded, "Our results indicate that in men a decrease in dietary fat content and an increase in the degree of unsaturation of fatty acids reduces the serum concentrations of androstenedione, testosterone and free testosterone". Put simply, Saturated Fats are best for Testosterone production.

The notion that Saturated Fats per se cause heart disease, as well as cancer is not only facile, it is just plain wrong. While previous research said that the fat you eat is the primary nutrient that knows a short-cut to your double-chin, second-belly, love handles, hips and thighs, breakthrough experiments suggest that Saturated Fatty acids are used by the body as a source of immediate energy and are absorbed directly and rapidly into the blood, delivered to the liver where they are quickly metabolized. Your body burns some of these fats before it has a chance to store them if you eat your fats with muscle meat. The reason is that Saturated Fat is mostly found in red meat and dairy, as if the nature knew long before we did how to put certain things together. So, meat and milk are authentically fatty, and these foods also another component, Carnitine which serves as a shuttle for the fatty acid oxidation and actually facilitates the use of fats by the body. The most interesting phenomena is that supplementing with L-carnitine has proved to be worthless for fat loss by a majority of studies. The speculation is that supplemental L-carnitine doesn't behave like a natural thing produced by your body. On the other hand, consuming it from foods is thought to be the only proven way to actually deliver Carnitine to the needed tissues, or it may be due to other synergistic compounds found in meat and dairy which help the transport. I guess that only if you gulp the Carnitine-free animal fat you may havoc your arteries.

Several studies indicated that Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) do not raise, and may actually lower T levels. As such, restricting total fat intake and replacing Saturated Fat with Polyunsaturated fat (exactly what the experts are telling you to do) would appear to be the perfect prescription for lowering your Testosterone levels! Turns out that the best fats to eat on a T diet are Saturated Fatty Acids. Plant oils are healthy for your heart, brain, immunity, but keep their intake low, and focus on Monounsaturated Fats which are often sold as anabolic bodybuilding supplements for a good reason. Research suggests that Monounsaturated Fats aren't as fattening and offer the advantage of helping to keep Testosterone spiking.

Monounsaturated Fats and Testosterone

Monounsaturated Fats (MUFAs) caught the attention of research scientists after they first noticed that people who eat a traditional Mediterranean diet have a lower risk of developing cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. Now we know that Monounsaturated Fats can do a lot more – they lower inflammation, reduce muscle soreness, speed up recovery, stimulate the immune cell production, and help maintain proper hormonal output and are intimately involved in synthesis of Testosterone.

Adding Monounsaturated Fats to your healthy bodybuilding eating plan reduces inflammation by interfering with leukotrienes (naturally produced molecules that contribute to inflammation). This is particularly beneficial in times of recovery from a workout when you want the muscle soreness to settle as soon as it is physiologically possible. Arthritis sufferers use Monounsaturated Fats to reduce the pain and stiffness associated with this condition. MUFAs can also help normalize blood sugar level and lessen cravings for sugary foods and other carbohydrates by up to 81%, according to research. When intake of MUFA's is increased, the body produces more Adiponectin, a hormone found in fatty tissue. Adiponectin triggers an internal switch that tells the body to stop breaking down muscles for energy and start burning fat stores for fuel. There is evidence that a meal containing MUFA's significantly boosts fat burn for 5 hours straight.

There are many sources of MUFAs. Avocado, olive and peanut oil are some of the best sources most commonly used in cooking. They have the "heart smart" benefit of being rich in antioxidant polyphenols and are considered to be good replacement for most vegetable oils. All-natural peanut butter has become a popular food for bodybuilders - despite its high fat content, it has a high concentration of Monounsaturated fats. Sunflower, hazelnut and safflower oil have high amounts of MUFAs. You can enjoy avocados and olives in your salads, add them to your favorite meals. While nutritionists used to warn against eating nuts due to their high fat content, all nuts have a decent dose of protein and the healthy fats found in these can enhance your hormonal profile, general health and even help you lose fat.

Testosterone and Cholesterol

Remember that Testosterone is a chemical that can be made from cholesterol through a process called steroidogenesis. So, a diet that enhances Testosterone levels should be higher in cholesterol and fats. And this piece of animal lard is just the appetizer. The greasy meal continues with the update on your triglyceride count. Dangerous triglycerides in the blood do not come from animal fats or from cholesterol, but are made in the liver from any excess sugars that have not been used for energy. The source of these excess sugars is any food containing carbohydrates, particularly refined sugar and white flour. Meat is a 'sugar free low-carb high-protein all natural' diet knockout.

More than 170 studies on over 3,500 people have shown that taking in 100 milligrams of cholesterol from food increases blood cholesterol by only 2.3 milligrams, which is very insignificant. Recently researchers found that subjects who lifted weights (as you do in bodybuilding) and followed a higher cholesterol diet had better muscle mass and strength gains than those who followed a lower cholesterol diet. Research about muscle-building benefits of cholesterol comes from the scientists at Kent State University in Ohio. They put 47 older adults (ages 60 - 69) on a diet that was moderate in protein and made them participate in a resistance training program for a period of 12 weeks. The subjects were divided into 2 groups – the only difference was that one group consumed a low-cholesterol diet (1.6 mg per pound of bodyweight or about 150 - 250 mg per day) while the other group consumed a high-cholesterol diet (2.6 mg per pound of bodyweight or about 250 - 450 mg per day). During weight training, the lower-cholesterol group did not increase muscle mass and increased strength by only about 35%. The higher-cholesterol group, on the other hand, saw an increase in muscle mass of about 5 pounds and increased strength by about 90%. Although the Kent research team isn't sure exactly why cholesterol influences muscle and strength gains, they speculate that it may be due to cholesterol's role in Testosterone production as well as maintaining the integrity of muscle cell membranes.

Another study conducted by researchers at Texas A&M University found that the most impressive gains in muscle strength were achieved by study participants who had the highest cholesterol levels, rather than the lowest. Another possible explanation is through cholesterol's important role in the inflammation process: “As you exercise, your muscles can become sore because they are rebuilding muscle mass. More cholesterol may result in a more robust inflammatory response. We know that inflammation in some areas, such as near the heart, is not good, but for building muscles it may be beneficial, and cholesterol appears to aid in this process," said the study's lead investigator Steven Riechman, an assistant professor of health and kinesiology.

The take-home lesson is this: If you want maximum drug-free gains in muscle and strength, forget about sticking to a low-fat / low-cholesterol diet. It just doesn't work. The fats to limit most are the Trans Fats hidden in processed foods like pastries, snack bars, and crumbed and coated foods as these often contain almost no beneficial nutrients. Keep your consumption of fat - preferably in the form of Monounsaturated and Omega-3s-up around 30 %, and another 10% of total calories should come from Saturated Fats. This is the amount research shows to be optimal for robust T levels.

With all this in mind, remember that eating too much fat or lard is not healthy. Keeping Saturated Fat and cholesterol on your daily menu in reasonable proportions is not difficult, and there are several things you can do to limit the fat without avoiding it all together.

Spread out your fat consumption throughout the day and avoid high-fat meals, which can actually decrease Testosterone levels momentarily. Don't get in too many Polyunsaturated Fats either, such as those found in different types of vegetable oil and fish. Sure, they're healthy, but as unorthodox as this advice may be, research suggests that Polyunsaturated Fats lower Testosterone levels. Instead, concentrate on choosing Monounsaturated Fats found in nuts, olives, olive oil and avocados, and Saturated Fats from red meat and egg yolks. Still concerned about the bad rep of “artery-clogging” fats and cholesterol? Remember, that diet contributes only to 20% of how much cholesterol you carry in the blood and 80% is manufactured naturally by your liver. In fact, if you don't eat enough cholesterol, you may end up forcing your liver to work over-time to attempt maintain optimal levels. To balance out the potential shortcomings from this fat- and cholesterol-laden menu, eat foods high in healthy Omega-3s Fatty Acids. These come from fatty fish like mackerel, herrings, sardines, tuna, sturgeon, and salmon and would also be good sources of T-raising fat. Moreover, Omega-3 fats can provide an excellent hedge against worries about elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, clotting, immune response, Insulin Resistance. Even in cases where dietary cholesterol is increased, Omega-3s may aid in actually lowering blood levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides.

Testosterone and Carbohydrates (40% - 50%)

In a world where going low-carb is a mainstay for shedding body fat everybody knows you need protein, but you also need carbohydrates. Not just one or the other, but a good anabolic-sized portions of both. Carbs fuel your training, allowing you to push yourself harder and longer, and set off a hormonal mechanism in the body that drives amino acids from protein into muscle tissue to aid in repair and recovery. If you follow a low-carb diet, chances are you won't be able to train hard enough to stimulate hypertrophy. Not only your energy balance will fall, but you won't be able to train with even half of the intensity needed to raise Testosterone levels. What happens when you really jack up your carb intake at every meal? You get huge - in a muscular way. The catch is that you also don't want to overeat simple carbs as in excess at any one time they may shoot Insulin levels to the stratosphere with a subsequent crush. Constant blood sugar highs and lows will decrease muscle cells' sensitivity to the incoming nutrients, or more specifically to the vehicle Insulin which drives them there and you will end up not only gaining body fat, but getting Insulin Resistance. Fat cells make a lot of enzyme aromatase which converts Testosterone to Estrogen leading to even more adipose reserves. Plus, most of the sugars you will eat will not be used as energy from Insulin Resistance.

On the other hand, when you eat more carbs than you need, your body stores the excess in your muscles as glycogen. This is where the second catch comes in - you need to continue lifting hard (as described in the T-boosting Workout) because inactivity could lead to that stored glycogen converting to fat.

An interesting study popped up recently which investigated Testosterone response to dietary changes. When 7 men (23 - 43 years of age) consumed a high protein diet (44% protein, 35% carbohydrate, and 21% fat), their T levels were 28% lower than when they consumed a high carbohydrate diet (10% protein, 70% carbs, 20% fat). Both diets supplied between 2400 and 2500 kilocalories per day. You can easily repeat the experiment by adjusting the macronutrients you eat to the following: 1) Protein diet: 215 g of carbohydrates, 270 g of protein, and 58 g of fat; 2) Carbohydrate diet: 429 g of carbs, 62 g protein, and 55 g fat. While eating twice as many carbohydrates and 4 times less protein promoted a better T response, however, there was also a corresponding increase in Sex Hormone Binding-Globulin (SHBG). This is important because about 44% of total T is bound to SHBG which is biologically non-active because it is unavailable to bind to muscle and other tissues receptors. If T increases more than the hormone bound to SHBG, then the actions of T will be greater because more of it will be left for muscles to uptake. It is difficult to interpret the results because we don't know exactly how much free Testosterone was left in both groups and whether this would translate into potential strength or muscle gains. All we know is that too much protein and too little carbs lowers Test.

Another study of 30 men demonstrated something completely different. In two diets protein intake was fairly consistent, while the portion of carbohydrates was increased from 45% to 56% of calories with a corresponding decrease in fat consumption from 40% down to 25%. After 6 weeks the diet was changed decreasing carbohydrates to 47% and increasing fat up to 37% of total calories for another 6 weeks. During the higher carbohydrate period, total and free Testosterone decreased significantly. However, this study was difficult to interpret because the researchers also changed the fatty acid ratios of the diets. There is a possibility that types of fats were more important for T production than the amounts, and may even override the effect of carbohydrates. Reviewers speculate that maybe it is not the amount of carbohydrates or the ratio of carbs to protein that influences T production, but the presence of particular fatty acids, or some other nutrient interaction.

So, what and how much should you eat on a good Testosterone Diet which gives you enough carbs to support muscle growth and Testosterone levels without adding body fat? Currently it is recommended to get around 50 - 55% of carbs from all fuel you take in. Start by consuming 1 gram of carbohydrates per kilogram of body-weight (2 grams per pound) each day, especially if fat loss is your concern. Better yet, double that amount if you are keen to gain lean mass. And while the majority of your carbs should come from complex sources such as yams, potatoes, whole-wheat breads and pastas, cereals and legumes, such carbohydrate choices are typically high in fiber which, as noted earlier, will flush a lot of nutrients out of the system and block some of cholesterols benefits. The consequence of both incidents is decreased Testosterone production.

Choose slower-digesting carbs such as sweet potatoes, oatmeal and wholegrain breads at most meals (except those around workouts). Consider eating slightly more cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, arugula, watercress, bok choy, turnip greens, collard greens, rutabaga, radishes, daikon, kohlrabi and kale. These have vitamins, anti-oxidants and phytochemicals that can lower bad Estrogens and potentially lessen their negative impact on Testosterone levels. A recent study showed these veggies to be rich in indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phyto-chemical known to turn "bad" estrogens which shut down Testosterone production into good ones which help to restore it's production. Beans are terrific in their ability to increase T. They are not only high in protein and complex carbs, but have a high Zinc content which is needed to promote optimal hormonal stimulus. One drawback of beans is that these foods have too much fiber which may decrease your ability to produce the anabolic hormone. You need roughly 35 grams of fiber per day to keep Testosterone levels maxed and digestive system regular.

Testosterone and Protein (15% - 20%)

Last but not least addition to your Test-driving diet is protein. Surprised it is at the bottom of your macronutrient list? While protein is necessary for higher Testosterone levels, too much can have a negative effect. Research suggests that eating a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet can cramp your Testosterone levels and eventually lower the amount of Testosterone produced in your testes by increasing the rate of excretion, or the loss of T through urination. This relationship was observed in the previously mentioned research and in another study.

A 2001 study was conducted that looked at the relationship of protein intake to SHBG Using data from the Massachusetts Male Aging Study we examined cross-sectional relationships between dietary components and SHBG levels in 1552 men (aged 40-70 yr) for whom these factors were known." The study found that the higher the protein intake - the lower the levels of SHBG. The researchers concluded, "Thus, diets low in protein in elderly men may lead to elevated SHBG levels and decreased testosterone bioactivity. The decrease in bioavailable testosterone can then result in declines in sexual function and muscle and red cell mass, and contribute to the loss of bone density".

Of course, healthy bodybuilders and elderly men don't brew their T identically. But have a look at something more relevant. Researchers at Penn State University had 12 men perform bench presses (5 sets x 10-RM to failure) and jump squats (5 sets x 10 repetitions at 30% of 1-RM) with a 2 minute rest between sets. They found that after doing jump squats, Testosterone levels increased by 15% while the bench press exercise produced a 7% increase. With intense training you would expect Cortisol levels to rise as well, but this is not what happened. In both protocols Cortisol did not change. And this may all have to do with diet. Those who tended to eat more fat, Monounsaturated or Saturated variety in particular, tended to have higher levels of resting Testosterone than those whose protein consumption (as a percentage of caloric intake) was higher and in those who ate a greater relative proportion of Polyunsaturated Fat. I know, such a small study can't tell it all, but there are plenty of other research to support this.

What can I say? Just because certain males on a low-carb diet couldn't make their reproductive organs to make enough T doesn't mean you should cut out protein and expect the reverse. A high protein intake lowers total T levels, but it also lowers SHBG and increases GH secretion. These are both beneficial effects.

There is still so much we don't know about the overall effect of macronutrients on hormonal interactions. I actually don't know what could be worse for muscles than lack of protein. The catch is getting just enough of protein from the right foods and not eating too much. Lack of protein is a 'green light' to atrophy, shortage of dietary fat will not get your hormonal surges going and lack of carbs in the diet depletes the most valuable fuel for all cells – glycogen.

On a Testosterone Diet plan you'll want to get about 15% - 20% of total daily calories from protein. You may also calculate this as having 1, maximum 2 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight (0.5 - 1 gram of protein per pound) each day. Any more may bring in additional calories and will not help you gain muscles or elevate your Test. Any less may not be enough to do just that.

Muscle Meat

All types of animal protein help ensure higher Testosterone, but red meat is especially good for this purpose.

Researchers compared the effects of 2 diets differing only in the source of protein in male athletes. Results showed that when men ate protein derived mainly from vegetable sources, their resting and post-exercise T concentrations were lower compared with a diet rich in animal protein. Nineteen overweight, sedentary men ages 51 - 69 were split into 2 groups: 9 of the men ate a diet in which half of the protein came from meat and other animal sources; the other 10 men ate a vegetarian meat-free diet that included dairy and eggs. Both groups were put on the same weight-lifting program. After 12 weeks meat-eaters gained 3.74 lb of muscle mass and lost 2.86 lb of fat; vegetarians actually lost muscle (1.76 lb), despite hours of gym work. What's even worse, they gained fat, although the amount was not significant, just 0.22 lb.

The purpose of another 1989 study was to determine the levels of steroids as well as Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) among normal adult men (25 – 35 years of age) who were either omnivorous or vegetarians. The levels of total T, DHEA, and other T-precursors were similar in the two groups. However, "Vegetarian group showed a higher levels of Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) while the free androgen index or FAI (calculated by the ratio Testosterone/SHBG) was lower in this group”. The conclusion from authors of the study was that “in a vegetarian group, less testosterone is available for androgenic action." What was surprising was how significant the difference was: The meat-eaters actually had 36 % more T than the guys who chewed the veggies. Hence, it was confirmed that a diet loaded with fat, especially Saturated Fat, cholesterol, and limited in fiber elevated Testosterone by 31% more than a 'healthy' vegetarian chow. I guess a piece of nice juicy steak is a better choice than a bowl of soy mash.

Thus, not only the percent energy derived from protein in the diet but also the source of protein may influence T homeostasis. This makes sense – all animal proteins naturally have cholesterol, which is the building block of Testosterone. This leads us to the only conclusion: a meaty diet with cholesterol would yield more of the big T that a vegetarian diet would. Another problem with a vegetarian diet is that generally it is low in protein and usually high in carbs, which would not only damage the T-raising pathway, but also lead to depressed Growth Hormone and Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 levels, the two anabolic hormones which are essential for growth and healthy proliferation of all cells and tissues.

Now, there is something special about meat when it come to Testosterone. Dutch research shows that athletes had higher testosterone levels when eating meat-based protein, compared with other sources, such as dairy and eggs. This is intriguing, because both dairy and eggs have protein, Saturated Fat and cholesterol, but their inclusion did not correct the problem.

From all protein-rich foods, red meat such as steak and lean ground beef tend to build muscle better than even the leanest white meat from chicken or turkey, fish or seafood. Talk to a dieting bodybuilder and he'll tell you how difficult it would be to hold on to muscle mass if he didn't eat enough of red meat. The guy named Arnold has build his amazing award-winning physique on a Puritan-like work and lots of muscle-building protein. For the Austrian Oak red meat was the top-notch protein pick. Some say that it could be that a diet rich in red meat tends to provide adequate dietary fat, especially the Saturated form, and cholesterol which also support Testosterone production in the body. But there is more to red meat.

Meat on a plate builds meat on the body by suppling energy for pumping iron – not just from complete protein, but from a huge stack of endogenous muscle-building nutrients. When you next think of meat, remember the two most important bodybuilding acronyms “ZIP” (for Zinc, Iron, Protein) and three C's (for Creatine, Carnitine and CLA). Red meat is the richest source of these chemicals which are sold as individual supplements with claims, such as “Build Mass Overnight”. These claims are not all that wrong, after all. Zinc, Iron, Creatine, Carnitine and Conjugated Linoleic Acid have been tested for their potential effects on Testosterone and androgen receptors in muscle with positive results. While there are some differences between the meats, in general lean red meat is low in fat (less than 7 %), and a particularly good source of protein, Niacin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, Phosphorus, Zinc and Iron, with 100g providing more than 25% of the the micro-nutrients needed by the body every day. Red meats also provide more than 10% of recommended amounts of Riboflavin, Pantothenic Acid, and an immune-boosting Selenium.

Bombarded with all this information, I still can't give any sort of advice how to train, what to eat, and whether it has any effect on either Testosterone or muscle growth. Honestly, the more I learn, the more I realize how little we know about why the human body acts in a certain way. Jose Antonio, PhD, a well-known authority in the field of Sports Nutrition, had pointed in his on-line article “Diet and Testosterone”:

“If you compare the actual levels of Testosterone between the men in one study versus the men in the other study, the men in one study still had higher levels of testosterone AFTER they consumed a low fat diet in comparison to men in the second study who were consuming a high fat diet!... Also, increases in Testosterone with exercise may seem impressive. But keep this in mind, elderly men (~70 yrs) who bicycled for 60 minutes showed a 39% increase in blood levels of Testosterone (Metabolism. 45:935, 1996). This is a much higher increase than the ~15% increase seen with the bench press and jump squat exercises done in this study! Does that mean it’s better to bike for 60 minutes than it is to do jump squats or bench presses? I doubt it... Although diet and exercise does affect levels of steroid hormones, at this point it is not clear how significant this is. I certainly would not start riding a bike for one hour, eat lots of Saturated and Monounsaturated fat, and decrease my protein consumption all in the hopes of getting a measly increase in Testosterone levels.” (www.joseantoniophd.com) - Thanks, Jose.

Well, it still feels good to think that somehow we can control whether we lose or gain weight, feel energized or exhausted, age sooner or later. At the very least, from all the research collected, this is what you should be eating to spike the anabolic environment.

Testosterone Diet Plan

A sample Testosterone-boosting Diet would have roughly the following calorie breakdown:

45% - 55% carbohydrates, 10% - 20% protein, 30% - 40% fat.

If you are a bodybuilder who weighs 90kg (200 pounds), you many need around 4,000 calories a day. This includes at least 200 g of protein, about 500 g of carbohydrates and approximately 133 g of fat.

Lastly, watch the drinking. Alcohol does have its health benefits, but too much can lead to lower Testosterone levels by increasing the conversion of Test to Estrogen. Keep alcohol consumption at a few glasses per week or less.

While this plan is relatively healthy, you don't want to eat too much Saturated Fats, cholesterol, simple sugars and avoid complex unrefined carbs, fiber, and Polyunsaturated Fats for too long. All of these offer too many health benefits to shun for too long. If you notice good results in mass and strength on this Testosterone Diet, try it for 6 weeks, then witch to your traditional fare and come back to it in a few months.

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