Athletic Majority

For those who have been into bodybuilding for a while or even those who have been working to improve their physical health, you know that it can sometimes be hard to separate fact from fiction. Anecdotal evidence is all over health forums and offered up by shredded dudes at the gym. This isn’t a new trend. Myths have been a part of the fitness world for as long as humans have participated in sports. For instance, the Roman gladiators would scrape the sweat off their bodies and sell it to their fans, purportedly to help them improve their strength.

These myths can lead people astray, however, and in some cases, even cause them harm. That’s why at Axis Labs, we don’t mix words or sugar coat any of our product descriptions or blog posts. It’s also why we like to explore some of these myths so you can make better decisions about your health and wellness. So today, let’s take a look at four of the most common myths about testosterone.

Tales of Testosterone

Many of the myths that surround testosterone have some basis in scientific study. But it’s important to remember that there are always new studies being conducted on testosterone and the effects on the human body.

Some accepted knowledge from the scientific community, however, is that your testosterone levels play a role in regulating your energy levels, determining the health of your heart, your ability to exercise, and even manage your mood and emotions.

Only Old Guys Have Issues With Testosterone

Well, yes and no. It’s true that your testosterone levels decline naturally with age, but that doesn’t mean it’s a problem that should only concern your grandfather. In reality, low levels of testosterone can affect men at nearly any age.

In fact, it’s suggested that one in four men over the age of 30 suffers from low T-levels. Without adequate levels of testosterone, you might experience a variety of health effects like decreased sex drive, osteoporosis, sleep disturbances, and depression. All of these health concerns can impact your ability to live the life you want.

And while there should be some natural decline in your testosterone levels, a dramatic drop in these levels can also affect your health. You might first recognize the signs of a sharp drop in your testosterone levels in the gym. Physical symptoms present as chronic fatigue, a loss of muscle mass, and a decrease in your endurance.

In either case, it’s a good idea to meet with a doctor to have your testosterone levels checked out.

Testosterone Boosters Lead to Baldness

While not everyone wants to rock the manly mane of Fabio, it’s probably safe to say that we’d all like to keep the hair on our heads for as long as we can. That’s why some men are hesitant to try testosterone boosters for fear of losing their hair.

A receding hairline is often falsely attributed to increased or high levels of testosterone. This isn't the case. The reality is that your genetic makeup will determine whether you’re going to bald or not. Until Axis Labs figures out how to offer some sort of gene-modifying hair formula, there’s not much you can do about that.

But what you can do is help regulate your testosterone levels to help slow balding. You see, baldness is linked to the androgen hormone DHT, or dihydrotestosterone. Basically, this is the "anti-testosterone." DHT makes your hair follicles more sensitive, meaning they’re more likely to stop growing hair. Lucky for you, many of the ingredients that can be found in testosterone boosters can actually help to inhibit DHT, which helps to slow your balding. Taking a testosterone supplement won’t make you bald.

Testosterone Boosting Can Lead to Prostate Cancer

This myth has a deadly edge to it. It’s estimated that one in nine men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lives, meaning it’s a health problem that affects more people than you might realize. Given the gravity of a cancer diagnosis, anything said to increase your chances of developing it should be avoided.

But the jury is out on whether testosterone boosting actually leads to prostate cancer. This idea was originally suggested back in 1941, and since then, it has been the focus of much research. The initial study found that men with prostate cancer saw a reduction in the growth of the cancer once they were castrated, effectively cutting off their supply of testosterone. Other research suggests that hormone therapy could slow cancer growth by lowering T-levels.

But the opposite has also been found. A study from 2015 found that the opposite of the 1941 study was true. That men with lower levels of testosterone were actually at greater risk of developing cancer or of the cancer spreading more aggressively. A 2016 analysis of the body of research surrounding testosterone levels and prostate cancer largely corroborated the findings of the 2015 study.

Take Testosterone Supplements Can Lead to Aggression

We all want to bench like the Hulk, but that doesn’t mean we want to act like him. A common myth that permeates gyms and board rooms alike is that taking testosterone boosters can cause you to feel and behave more aggressively.

It’s been long assumed that higher levels of testosterone meant more aggression, but this isn’t always the case. Testosterone can affect your disposition, but it’s not always consistent. For some, when their testosterone levels are boosted, they might begin to display antisocial behavior. But in other men, when they boost their low levels of testosterone, they are actually found to be more giving, polite, and generally nicer to be around. In fact, some studies suggest that having low testosterone levels is the reason for someone’s irritability and anger.

So maintaining the right levels of testosterone in your body won’t turn you into an angry green giant, but it might help you make more friends at the gym.

Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels With Axis Labs

Now that you’ve separated fact from fiction with these common myths, it’s time to take your health and wellness seriously. Axis Labs has designed a series of testosterone boosters that are formulated with your healthy lifestyle in mind.

By incorporating these testosterone supplements into your existing diet and exercise plan, you could experience gains in muscle mass, reduce the presence of DHT, and regain your youthful sense of strength and vitality. For those looking to try a variety of products all at once, check out our excellent testosterone stacks. Packed with leading products like HYPERTEST XTR and MYODEX. Try them today!

 

Look, we all wish we could spend every day in the gym, passing hours working on form, upping our reps, and crushing our goals. But the reality is that your body needs to rest so that you can better maintain your muscles. That doesn’t mean that your rest days have to be spent crashed on the couch. Instead, you can practice active recovery to better promote your health and wellness and to keep your body ready for your next intense workout. The sports nutrition experts at Axis Labs will explore the value of active recovery.

The Traditional Rest Day

When we say recovery, many instantly think of taking an entire day off, abstaining from any form of exercise. Common wisdom like “muscles grow at rest,” and “take a day or two off from your routine” has created this sense that you need to avoid exercising occasionally to keep yourself from straining your muscles, or wearing out your body. These lines of thought are valuable, as rest is part of building a better body, but they can also keep you from making your recovery days valuable. These thoughts separate recovery and activity but they don’t have to be if you take advantage of an active recovery day.

Active Recovery And You

For those who subscribe to the traditional understanding of a rest day, the concept of an active recovery day may seem counterintuitive or even oxymoronic. Active recovery doesn’t mean that you’re repeating the intense workout you did yesterday, but it does mean that you’re still exercising in some way. Basically, your active recovery is done on your off days, is less intense, and for a shorter period of time than your regular exercise regimens.

What constitutes “active recovery” is really dependant on the athlete. For instance, for marathon runners, a short run at a slower pace can help them sustain their efforts, without impacting their ability to carry out a longer training session. A good rule of thumb to keep in mind for active recovery is that if you feel better after exercising a bit than before the exercise, you are actively recovering.

 

 

Why Does Active Recovery Work?

Active recovery has several advantages over passive recovery, where an athlete doesn’t exercise at all. By working out at a lower intensity, your helping your body to recover by increasing the blood flow to your muscles and tissues. This improved circulation moves valuable nutrients, like amino acids and more oxygen, to your stressed muscles so that they can repair themselves faster. Light exercise also forces waste products that accumulate on your muscles, like lactic acid, out of your system, and prevents your muscles from becoming damaged.

Active recovery also aids in the mental aspect of intense periods of training. When athletes are focused on a goal, like increasing their bench weight, or an event like a marathon, they might balk at the idea of taking a rest day. To them, the rest day symbolizes a step away from their goal. Active recovery days allows athletes to still feel like they’re making progress without straining their bodies or sustaining an injury during a more intense workout. By making a few days of their workout schedule active recovery days, athletes can continue to build strength, even if they aren’t going after it at their hardest.

Active Recovery Ideas

If you’re training for a specialized sport, field, or event, you might work with your coach to develop an active recovery regimen that best supports your existing training schedule. However, if you’re simply working to improve your health, lose weight, and live a healthier life, you can enjoy a variety of different active recovery options.

Yoga

Yoga can help you to improve your flexibility and mobility. Each part and joint in your body is moved through motions that are low impact and low stress. While yoga can be more, or less intense, based on your preferences, it’s a great way to stretch out tight muscles and improve blood flow to these areas. Additionally, yoga teaches you valuable breathing techniques and body control skills that can help you with your other exercises.

Walking

Perhaps the most obvious form of active recovery there is, but valuable nonetheless. Walking throughout your active recovery day helps you to burn calories, stretch your tired muscles, and allows you to get outside into the sunshine. Simply spending time outside walking can help you improve your mental health, alleviating feelings of depression and loneliness, which in turn helps you better focus on your future training endeavors.

Self-Myofascial Release

SMR is a form of massage that works the connective tissues that are around your muscles and bones. Using a foam roller, massage ball, or massage stick, you can alleviate the strain your muscles are under after a workout. It has been found that consistently using these massagers can help to improve the range of motion in your extremities and decrease muscle strain, limiting stiffness later.

Swimming

Going for a swim is a great form of active recovery. It’s a low-impact exercise that allows your body to be essentially weightless, relaxing your joints, and stretching your body in ways that aren’t possible on dry land. It has also been found that the pressure the water applies to your body helps to stimulate and improve the circulation in your muscles, blood vessels, and heart, which aids in muscle recovery.

Take Advantage Of Recovery Supplements

While light exercise is an effective part of an active recovery process, some athletes choose to utilize supplements that help in the recovery process. Those might include products that boost your amino acids, and allow for rapid muscle repair. Others utilize muscle protein powders like whey protein, which provide your muscles with the nutrients they crave during their recovery.

 

 

Order Your Recovery Products From Axis Labs

As a leading sports nutrition supplement developer, Axis Labs has the high-quality recovery products you need to help you make the most of your active recovery days. Our N’ERGIZED AMINO Blue Snow Cone supplement. Order your recovery products from Axis Labs today!

Whether you’re trying to smash through your next set of high weight reps, or you’re just trying to live a healthier lifestyle, many people recognize that the hormone, testosterone, plays a large part in these efforts. It’s a pivotal hormone in the growth and development of males and is one of the most important hormones in building and maintaining a strong body. But for those who may not be aware of these benefits of this hormone, they might question why they would need higher levels of testosterone in their body. So why is it important to keep your T-levels in balance throughout your life, and how can you do it? Stick around as Axis Labs delves into this topic.

The Benefits of Testosterone

In some ways, testosterone is a sort of "wonder hormone" that affects your body in a myriad of positive ways when it’s in balance. With adequate, or even temporarily raised T-levels, you’ll feel better, perform better, and maybe even look better.

Testosterone is Linked to Healthy Body Weight

If you’re like most Americans, it’s likely that you’re carrying around a few extra pounds. But when you’ve broken your bad eating habits, you’re better being active, and you’re still not seeing weight loss results, it might be due to your testosterone levels. You see, it’s a sort of vicious cycle. As your body’s testosterone levels begin to decrease, the ability to manage our insulin, glucose, and fast metabolism also changes. This leads to the collection of fat in our bodies. But the negative feedback loop doesn’t stop there. With a higher concentration of fat in our bodies, our T-levels begin to drop even further. It’s one of the reasons that men who struggle with obesity also struggle with managing their testosterone levels. Only by breaking one of these cycles can you begin to start losing that excess weight.

Testosterone Could Play a Role in Heart Health

The research community is still split on how your T-levels affect your heart, but some studies have suggested that it can affect this vital organ in a variety of ways. Reports from 2010 argued that increasing your T-levels can actually lead to heart disease later. Grim news, undoubtedly. But a study just one year later in 2011 found the opposite. That men with low T-levels were more prone to heart disease and health complications related to it. While these studies might offer conflicting evidence, what it does tell us is that the testosterone hormone’s effects on the functions of your body is pronounced.

Testosterone Can Help You Build a Better Body

When it comes to working out regularly, crushing reps, and building your best body, testosterone plays a critical role. That’s because studies have linked testosterone directly to your body’s ability to develop muscle mass through increasing muscle protein synthesis. A study from 1985that the subjects with higher T-levels increased their muscle protein synthesis, meaning greater gains faster. While we’re all looking for stronger, more defined muscles, it’s important to keep your bone health in mind as well. Despite being closely connected to women’s health, osteoporosis has been found in men as well. This disease weakens your bones, making them prone to breaks and fractures that can put you out of commission for weeks, if not months. Fortunately, testosterone has been shown to improve bone health. A 1999 study determined that testosterone stimulated bone mineralization while simultaneously decreasing bone resorption. This means strong, healthy bones even into old age.

Your Mental Health Benefits From Testosterone Too

Physical health has been a priority for most people for years, but recently, more study has been poured into the effects of mental health on long-term wellness, and even it’s role in your physical wellbeing. Depression is a devastating mental health condition that affects many. Perhaps not surprisingly, low concentrations of free testosterone has been linked to depression in older men. Not unlike weight gain, researchers have found some connection between T-levels and depression and their cyclical relationship. But research has found that, in some cases, increase testosterone levels in subjects can help to alleviate symptoms of depression. More than just depression, testosterone plays a role in long-term mental health. Alzheimer’s can severely limit the cognitive ability of an individual. Memory loss, brain tissue decay, and mental "fogginess" can all make daily living a challenge. In several studies, researchers have made the connection between low T-levels and a decline in cognitive abilities, leading to issues like Alzheimer’s and dementia. Fortunately, increased levels of testosterone have been shown to.

Testosterone Helps With Sexual Health

Given that testosterone is the male sex hormone, it seems natural that it would aid in your sexual health as well. Men of all ages and in different levels of physical health can experience sexual health concerns like low libido and erectile dysfunction. Indeed, these concerns are often the first symptoms of low T-levels men notice. Maintaining your T-levels then means that you can also maintain your sexual performance. But your testosterone levels do more than just affect your game in bed. It also affects how you interact with potential sexual partners as well. Research suggests that both males and females with high levels of testosterone found their more feminine or masculine counterparts more attractive.

Ways That Could Help Boost Your Testosterone Right Now

So the reasons why you should boost or maintain levels of testosterone are obvious, but the ways to do so might be less clear. Fortunately, you can start boosting your testosterone levels right now, and it’s through the habits, diets, and exercises you might already be doing.

Make Good Sleep a Priority

The fact of the matter is, getting good rest does more than just help boost your testosterone levels. But how much sleep you get might have a bigger impact on your T-levels than you might realize. A study found that for every hour of sleep you gain, there could be up to a 15 percent increase in testosterone. So how much sleep do you need? 7-10 hours of sleep is optimal. Just make sure that you get more than five, as less than that has been linked to dramatic decreases in T-levels.

Focus On Your Diet

You are what you eat, and clearly, your testosterone levels are a part of that. Research has shown for a long time that your T-levels are closely linked to your diet and overall health. One report found that an unbalanced diet, or constantly getting on and off fad diets, can disrupt your hormone levels. So what should you be eating to maintain your T-levels? The answer to this one is easy: the same balanced diet you should already be eating. Whether that’s a ketogenic diet or a balanced diet, getting enough fruits and vegetables as well as healthy carbs and fats ensures long-term health and balanced testosterone levels.

Hit The Gym More

Exercise is great for you for a million different reasons, but if you’re looking for just one, it’s good for your testosterone production. A study in Europe found that individuals who are more physically active will have higher testosterone levels than those who are not. In fact, exercise has such a pronounced effect on T-levels, that some studies even suggest that it’s more effective than weight loss in boosting your testosterone levels. That said, don’t push yourself too hard and make sure you take your rest days seriously. Overexercising can actually lower your testosterone.

More Relaxation and Less Stress

We should all strive to live stress-free lives, but this is especially true for those looking to improve their testosterone levels. Living with stress for long periods of time can have a marked impact on your overall health, and has been linked to changes in levels of testosterone. Finding ways to reduce stress (see our types above) is an easy way to make sure your testosterone levels are fluctuating.

Utilizing a Testosterone Boosting Supplement

If you’re doing all of the above, but want to make the most of your efforts, a great way to do so is through the use of testosterone-boosting supplements. These boosters utilize proven vitamins and minerals that help to balance your testosterone, build muscle mass, enhance muscle appearance, and sustain your gains. Moreover, these boosters can help you lose weight, improve your sex drive, and even help you feel better mentally and physically.

Get Your Testosterone Boosters Now

As a leader in the sports and nutrition supplements field, Axis Labs is known for producing some of the best testo supplements available. Thanks to our tireless research and development process, as well as our rigorous testing process, we’ve created products that enhance your already healthy lifestyle. We provide testosterone boosting products like MYODEX Advanced Testosterone Modulator and the Ultimate Testosterone Stack Series. Order yours today and experience the Axis Labs difference for yourself.

 

 

 

Welcome back to Axis Labs’ two-part series on the keto diet plan for beginners. If you missed part one, you can find it here. To get you caught up, we covered what ketosis is and how it works to help you lose weight. We also explored why the diet is so popular and even offered four fast ways you can get your body to enter ketosis. In part two, we’ll explore some of the more technical sides of the ketogenic diet, as well as offer you some guiding principles on what to eat and how to maintain your health while on the ketogenic diet. Of course, you can always make your ketogenic diet journey easier by using our line of keto supplements, products that are designed to help you enter and maintain ketosis so you can burn fat faster and longer.

What does a Ketogenic Diet Look Like?

When it comes to following a ketogenic diet, it’s all about limiting carbs and increasing your fat intake. Ultimately, you want to lower your blood sugar and insulin levels, while focusing your body’s metabolism on the fats and ketones it has stored instead.

Low-Carb, High-Fat Diet

So what does a low-carb, high-fat diet look like? It’s actually pretty simple and doesn’t limit your culinary options all that much. You can readily divide it up into an "eat this, not that" type chart:

Foods That Fuel It

Your body craves healthy fats during ketosis, so you’ll want to offer it plenty of those. You should be consuming foods like:

• Vegetables with low-carb concentrations, like tomatoes, onions, peppers, and other green vegetables
• Butters and creams
• Unprocessed cheeses
• Eggs
• Red and white meats like beef, chicken, and turkey
• Salmon, trout, tuna, and mackerel
• Nuts and seeds
• Avocadoes

These foods offer your body the fats it needs to shift away from carbohydrates.

Foods to Avoid

Of course, while you’re offering your body all those delicious foods above, you’ll want to stay away from these equally delicious, but carb-rich foods:

• Sugar laden foods like soda, fruit juice, cake, ice cream, candy, etc.
• Most fruits, except for small portions of berries
• Beans and legumes
• Diet products and low-fat options, as these are often high in sugars
• Alcohol
• Vegetable oils, mayonnaise, and other processed oils
• Grains and starches, like breads, rice, pasta, and cereal
• Potatoes, carrots, and other root vegetables

These foods are all high in carbohydrates, and even small portions of them have the potential to knock your body’s metabolism out of ketosis and rely again on carbohydrates for energy. This can undo your careful work and keep you from losing weight as quickly as you want.

What You Need to Know

So after all of this, what do you really need to know about the ketogenic diet? Basically, the ketogenic diet requires some changes in your lifestyle, and your experience may differ from your friends and family who are also on the ketogenic diet.

What are the Downsides?

The ketogenic diet has a lot of promise for helping you reach your health and wellness goals, but that doesn’t mean that it is free of downsides or issues. Some people who are new to the diet, or aren’t offering their bodies enough healthy fats will experience something colloquially called "keto flu." Keto flu can leave you feeling nauseous, dizzy, and with stomach pains. It can make it difficult for some people to stay on the diet when they start to feel bad just a few days after starting the diet. Fortunately, the cure for keto flu is fairly easy. By following the ketogenic diet carefully, and offering your body the micronutrients it needs, you’ll transition smoothly from processing carbs for energy to fats. There’s also a process called "ketoacidosis" that occurs when your body takes ketosis too far. Essentially, ketones build up in your blood and they become acidic. Those with diabetes are vulnerable to developing ketoacidosis if they aren’t taking enough insulin while on a ketogenic diet. If left unchecked, ketoacidosis can lead to a coma or even death. This can be avoided, of course, by following your diet closely and working with your doctor to make sure that you’re taking your medications as directed and testing your blood sugar levels.

Keto Necessitates a Lifestyle Change

Like most diets, the ketogenic diet does require you to reevaluate your lifestyle a little bit. If you’re coming off a diet that’s rich in carbohydrates from fast food, junk food, snacks, and extra helpings of dessert, the "restricted" food choices in a ketogenic diet may come as a shock. Unlike other diets, keto requires a little more dedication and concentration than others. You can’t simply hop on and off the ketogenic diet when you feel like it, as it can actually confuse your metabolism, leading to increased weight gain. The ketogenic diet requires you to be diligent about what your eating and when.

Keto Takes Time and Your Experience May Vary

We all want to watch excess weight melt off our bodies, but until the researchers at Axis Labs develop the perfect formula for this process, you’ll have to stay patient and stay on the ketogenic diet. Don’t expect to start seeing dramatic weight loss right away. Not everyone is going to find weight loss success following the ketogenic diet, and they might have different levels of weight loss. That’s no reason to be discouraged, of course. In some cases, individuals may experience more pronounced weight loss when they first start the diet, but that is likely because they have more weight to lose. It’s also important to keep in mind that "slow and steady wins the race." Measured weight loss is more effective than rapid weight loss and is more likely to result in a permanent change in weight.

Keto Affects Your Workouts

As a leading researcher and provider of sports nutrition supplements, Axis Labs is focused on providing you products that help you make the most of your workout. However, the ketogenic diet can have an immediate impact on your workouts, and not always in a good way. When you first start the ketogenic diet, your body is still used to burning carbs for energy. When you take those away, your body has to scramble to find new sources of energy. Suddenly, the sets you used to rip through or the long runs you used to take are a little harder. Studies have found that new adopters of a keto diet experience a decline in their high-intensity workout performance. However, once you’re adjusted to the ketogenic diet, it can actually help improve your strength, endurance, and focus. One study found that utilizing exogenous ketones in your diet not only limits your body’s need for carbs, but also "increase post-exercise glycogen replenishment, decrease proteolysis, and act as metabolic modulators and signaling metabolites," which basically means that you can push your body harder, longer.

Axis Labs is Here to Support Your Ketogenic Lifestyle

Whether you’re a long-time follower of the ketogenic diet, or you’re just starting today, you can help your body enter and stay in ketosis with keto supplements and products available from Axis Labs. The result of careful research and development, our products, like KETORUSH and Fat Bomb, are uniquely designed to fit into your healthy lifestyle. Order your Axis Labs products today and start seeing results!