Tag: Testosterone

Beer, Muscle, and Testosterone

One of the tips mentioned in the Renegade Diet is minimizing the consumption of beer (or avoiding it altogether).  Turns out this “manly” drink can have some very unmanly effects on your physique.

It doesn’t take a degree in nutrition to know beer isn’t good for you.  It is a source of empty liquid calories–alcohol alone has 7 calories per gram.

The negative effects of alcohol don’t stop there.  Alcohol is a diuretic and negatively affects hormones associated with building muscle and losing fat (cortisol, growth hormone, etc).

But beer has yet another ingredient: hops.  Hops are very high in chemicals called phytoestrogens, which act like estrogen in the body.  It seems even moderate, regular drinking with beverages containing these chemicals can produce “estrogenlike effects” in humans.  Men who have abused alcohol to the point of liver disease often suffer from testicular failure and feminized physiques.1

I’m not saying a couple of beers every once in a while will ruin your physique.   But I think you should keep this information in mind when setting up your overall nutrition plan.

Reference:

1.  Alcohol Health Res World. 1998;22(3):220-7. Alcoholic beverages as a source of estrogens.

Broccoli, Bodybuilding, and Testosterone

Broccoli has been a staple in bodybuilding diets for a long time.  Some of the reasons are obvious: it’s a fibrous, vitamin-packed, lowcarb vegetable, making it ideal for fat loss.

But I also kept reading about it being good for testosterone levels.  As you can imagine, this is another perk for those of us wanting to build muscle and lose fat.

I was a little surprised when someone (a nurse) mentioned that broccoli is a good source of estrogen–not exactly what I expected to hear.  I figured this had something to do with hormone balance, so I did a little bit of research.  Here’s what I found out:

Broccoli is loaded with phytochemicals known as indoles (an indole called diindolylmethane is the one I see brought up most often).  This chemical basically helps decrease the “bad” estrogen by helping the body convert it to a “safer” form (remember–both men and women have both estrogen and testosterone).  This has some very desirable benefits, such as more free testosterone (for men) and protection against breast cancer (for women).

Cooking broccoli is quite simple:  put some in a microwave-safe container, add a little water, and cook it for a couple of minutes.  The water will steam it and soften it up a bit.

Think about adding this food as a regular part of your diet–there are too many health benefits to ignore.