Testosterone is largely considered a youth hormone that keeps muscles and bones strong, maintains healthy fertility and sex drive, and maintains overall energy. Healthy levels of testosterone also help the human body resist the accumulation of excess fat. Exercise is a safe and natural way to increase your testosterone. However, not all exercise routines are as effective as others. So the question is, can a workout on an elliptical trainer effectively increase your body’s testosterone production?
Testosterone is an androgen secreted primarily by the testes of men and the ovaries of women. It is best known for its effects on increasing lean muscle mass, reducing body fat, and slowing down the aging processes. It is also important for sexual desire.
The normal level of testosterone in the bloodstream is between 350 and 1,000 nanograms per deciliter (ng / dl). After age 40, you begin to lose this hormone at a rate of about 1% per year, on average. Also, as your body weight approaches 30% of your normal healthy level, your estrogen levels will increase, which can lower your testosterone. Therefore, weight control is another important factor when trying to maintain healthy levels of this hormone.
Exercise is a way to increase testosterone and reduce body fat, making it less likely that excess weight will cause testosterone to decrease. Exercise stimulates the pituitary gland and testicles, which directly affects testosterone production. However, it is important to choose the correct type of exercise if you want to increase your testosterone levels. It may surprise you that overtraining can actually decrease this hormone because it does not allow enough time for repair and recovery and tissue damage occurs. Studies show that testosterone will increase with exercise for the first 45 to 60 minutes, then after that, cortisol levels rise, causing this important hormone to drop.
Experts say that the best exercise to increase testosterone should engage large groups of muscles simultaneously. The largest muscles in the body are found in the legs, buttocks, and back. This is why exercising on an elliptical cross trainer is such an effective way to increase your testosterone level. Elliptical trainers are a great exercise machine for targeting the muscle groups of the legs and glutes. If you have an elliptical with a moving handlebar, it will also work your back muscles. Remember, your workout should last 45 to 60 minutes, but no longer, to avoid lowering your testosterone by exercising excessively.
So jump on your new or refurbished elliptical trainers to help support healthy aging by maintaining healthy testosterone levels.
