The month of June has been allocated to men and their health, so let’s talk about testosterone.

Men and women both produce the hormone testosterone, but women produce it in much smaller amounts than men, and it is typically regarded as a male hormone.

Testosterone is most often associated with sex drive, and it also plays a vital role in sperm production and is important for male fertility.

However, the role of testosterone within a man’s body and its relevance to male health extends well beyond this.

Testosterone builds bone and muscle mass, controls the storage of body fat, is involved in the production of red blood cells, helps maintain a healthy cardiovascular system, and regulates drive, stamina, and energy.

Testosterone crosses the blood brain barrier and exerts a positive influence on both mood and memory.

Produced within the testicles, boys start producing testosterone during puberty and the amount produced peaks at around 30 years. It gradually declines thereafter.

Men often start to feel the symptoms of a declining testosterone level from the age of 50 onwards.

Symptoms may include a low libido, low mood, brain fog and memory loss, an increased tendency to put on body weight, and a loss of muscle mass and bone density.

Cardiovascular issues may arise, often an increase in blood pressure, and problems associated with the prostate gland may become an issue.

The decline in testosterone in men is less dramatic and more gradual than the corresponding decline in oestrogen in women. It happens nonetheless, and ‘andropause’, or male menopause, does exist.

It is important for their overall health that men try to maintain good testosterone levels for as long as they can. There are nutritional and lifestyle steps that men can take towards helping achieve this.

Testosterone is made from good cholesterol, so men are well advised to include good Omegas in their diet.

A diet rich in fresh, oily fish, nuts, seeds and cold pressed oils ensures good Omega content.

If your diet does not regularly include these, then consider supplementing daily with an Omega 3, 6 and 9 supplement (dominant in Omega 3).

Zinc is a key nutrient used in the production of testosterone and is often lacking in our diet.

Many of us are zinc-deficient, and this deficiency has been associated with both male fertility issues and prostate enlargement.

Pumpkin seeds are naturally rich in zinc, so incorporating a handful of these into your daily diet should help boost levels. Alternatively, supplement with Zinc 15mg daily.

Vitamin D has been shown to increase both testosterone blood levels and to help with erectile dysfunction.

For men, this adds further to the list of benefits that we now know the sunshine vitamin has to offer. Supplement with 4000iu daily.

Cortisol is a hormone released by our adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol and testosterone have a see-saw balancing effect on each other.

When blood cortisol levels increase, blood testosterone levels decrease, and vice versa.

We know that stress has a detrimental effect on many aspects of our health, but a decline in testosterone levels is another reason for men to keep a check on stressful living.

Natural health has much to offer when it comes to treating stress, especially its adaptogenic herbs which work directly in supporting our adrenal glands and their response to stress.

Rhodiola is a particularly useful adaptogenic herb for helping balance both physical and mental stress.

The herb increases serotonin production in the brain to help create a positive and happy outlook, while also supporting the adrenal glands respond to stress so that they release less cortisol.

Rhodiola is a herb well suited to men, providing energy, focus and concentration. It helps with fatigue and a low mood and in supporting lower cortisol levels, and it helps keep testosterone levels up in the blood.

Rhodiola has been demonstrated to both increase libido and increase performance in exercise.

Exercise also helps maintain testosterone levels and men are advised to remain active as they age.

A combination of weightlifting and cardiovascular exercise achieves the best result in terms of testosterone flow.

Maintaining a healthy sleep pattern is also beneficial to testosterone production. Five hours sleep per night has been shown to produce a 15 per cent drop in testosterone production.

Seven hours sleep or more per night maintains optimum testosterone levels.

It is vital that men and women both pay attention to their hormonal health as they age and the same rules apply to both.

A healthy and balanced diet, supplementation, a good night’s sleep and an active lifestyle seem to produce the best results in both genders.