Zinc and Testosterone – Does Zinc Support Testosterone Levels?

There are certain compounds that are essential for our health. Let’s not get into too much detail, you want to get to the low-down, but it’s enough to say that zinc is one of them. We’re here to talk about zinc and its relevance to testosterone levels, so we’ll talk about testosterone first.

Testosterone is often referred to as ‘the male hormone’. It is, of course, vital in sperm production, and in many other areas of male health too. The simple fact is that, as we grow older, so our testosterone production levels slow down. We’re not talking ‘old’ here; testosterone production can slow dramatically in men in their 30’s, which may be a problem.

If you work out, and it’s a great way of keeping in trim, then testosterone levels are absolutely vital. It helps with muscle strength and endurance, and low testosterone can lead to a number of problems. So, back to zinc; why are we focusing on this element? It’s time to talk a bit more about zinc!

Why Zinc is Important

If you go down to your health supplement store, or browse online, you’ll find numerous examples of testosterone-boosting supplements. Many of these are very good products, and they do the job they claim to do. Pick one up and look at the ingredients, and there it will be: zinc. If you find a booster without zinc, it’s not worth looking at!

To begin with, it is known that zinc deficiency has many results. Low muscle gain, a lack of sex drive, weight gain and poor strength are all symptoms of low zinc. Why is this? Because, primarily, a lack of zinc means lower testosterone levels. There are scientific studies that have proven this.

For example, one clinical trial involved a group of footballers, some of whom were given controlled zinc and magnesium supplements – magnesium is another compound important in male health terms – while others were given a placebo. Those who took the supplement displayed improved free testosterone levels and muscle torque over those who took the placebo.

If you want to go into more detail there is plenty of in-depth information about zinc and testosterone in this impressive article, and it’s well worth reading if you’re still on the fence!

More About Zinc and Testosterone

As you will see from the information in that article, there is plenty of evidence that zinc in supplements is a great help in terms of testosterone boosting, so before we finish, a little bit more about zinc and how to take it.

If you’re using one of the more popular supplements, you’ll find it easy as they will have formulated the contents to the right levels. You may also find that zinc is accompanied by magnesium, and possibly selenium in these supplements, as they are also aids to testosterone, and will help you build muscle strength and produce more testosterone.

You can also get zinc from oyster extract. This is, in fact, the most prevalent source of zinc in the natural world. However, it is sensible to make sure you take only safe levels of zinc, as it is entirely possible to ingest too much – and this can lead to serious problems.

The rule of thumb is never to take more than 40mg of zinc per day. Doing so can result in zinc poisoning, which can lead to headaches and nausea. Stick to 30mg, or better still use one of the recommended supplements, and you will be able to take sensible amounts of zinc and build up that testosterone production to the level you want it to be.