You’ve likely added nuts to your diet for a variety of reasons, but you may never have had Brazil nut. It turns out, they are a true superfood for your testosterone levels, and also possesses numerous other benefits. Of particular interest to us is how this seemingly innocuous nut can yield such massive benefit, and even from eating just a handful a day.
Ready to nourish your nuts with more… nuts? Let’s go!
Here’s where it gets interesting: no actual studies have been done on Brazil nuts proving that they are good for your testosterone levels. What has been done is research on the actual content of the nuts themselves, proving their efficacy. Brazil nuts are so loaded with testosterone precursors that an increase in levels is almost guaranteed. Of particular interest were the following observations of the nuts content:
Brazil Nuts Are Loaded with Selenium
Selenium is a trace mineral not given much thought, but which really should be placed on the front burner when it comes to men’s health. In fact, the big three nutrients for men are zinc, vitamin D and selenium.
Know where you can find the highest natural source of selenium known to man? In the Brazil nut. Though you may take your selenium intake for granted, studies have confirmed that selenium is an extremely important nutrient for maintaining the quality of your sperm, as well as improving testosterone levels.1
Selenium also plays a role in maintaining optimal thyroid function, which is important to keep your metabolism high and help maintain homeostasis in the body.
Brazil Nuts Contain Potent Antioxidants
Nuts in general contain high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which promote oxidation and are considered undesirable for good health. However, Brazil nuts are different, as they contain lower than average PUFA levels, and higher levels of Vitamin E antioxidants (such as tocopherol).
PUFAs accelerate oxidative damage to testosterone, but Brazil nuts can help modulate this process, thanks to presence of sufficient Vitamin E (higher levels of PUFAs in the diet mandate consumption of increased Vitamin E). There is even evidence that more Vitamin E contributes to healthy testosterone levels2 as it shuts down the PUFA-mediated testosterone reduction.
Brazil Nuts Improve Sperm Quality
Many men are afflicted by low sperm counts, typically precipitated by a faltering testosterone level. The good news? The selenium found in Brazil nuts is effective in remedying both!
It was confirmed by studies that selenium supplementation improves semen quality,3 and can be used as part of a treatment for low sperm counts. As it happens, men with the highest sperm counts also possess higher than average serum testosterone levels, indicating a definite link between the two.
Brazil Nuts Are High In L-Arginine Content
L-Arginine is the most important vasodilator in the body, being converted into Nitric oxide in the blood vessels. Though this doesn’t directly raise testosterone, L-arginine is essential for improving blood flow throughout the body, ensuring bio-active nutrients go where they are needed, and also contributing to libido and penile erectile strength.
You should definitely include Brazil nuts in your diet if you are a serious athlete, or trying to maximize your testosterone levels. It just takes a few a day, and the tradeoff is remarkable!
More micronutrients for optimized testosterone production:
What Boron Has to Do With Your Testosterone Levels
References:
1. Oluboyo, A. O., R. U. Adijeh, C. C. Onyenekwe, B. O. Oluboyo, T. C. Mbaeri, C. N. Odiegwu, G. O. Chukwuma, and U. F. Onwuasoanya. “Relationship between serum levels of testosterone, zinc and selenium in infertile males attending fertility clinic in Nnewi, south east Nigeria.” African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences 41 (2012): 51-54.
2. Valk, and Gerard Hornstra. “Relationship between vitamin E requirement and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake in man: a review.” International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research 70, no. 2 (2000): 31-42.
3. Safarinejad, Mohammad Reza, and Shiva Safarinejad. “Efficacy of selenium and/or N-acetyl-cysteine for improving semen parameters in infertile men: a double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized study.” The Journal of Urology 181, no. 2 (2009): 741-751.
