Natural vs. Synthetic Testosterone: Which One is Better for Muscle Gain?

Testosterone is an important hormone that influences the development of secondary male sexual characteristics during puberty and adulthood. It is vital for enhancing and maintaining men’s emotional, physical, and mental health.

Let’s learn more about this below. 

Understanding Testosterone and Its Role in Muscle Gain

Testosterone enhances muscular growth by increasing the rate of muscle protein synthesis or the creation of protein in the body. This process contributes to the growth and repair of muscles in the following manner:

Additionally, testosterone also: 

• Reduces your body fat, by enhancing lipid catalysis which improves the definition of your muscles
• Increases your bone density, letting you lift heavier weights 

 Let’s now take a look at some of the visible effects of decreased testosterone below.

Decreased Testosterone: Causes and Effects

A decrease in testosterone levels can lead to a lot of side effects for men. Let’s take a deeper look at the reasons behind the same.

What Causes Low Testosterone?

As you age, you begin to experience a 1-2% decrease in testosterone levels every year. This is particularly true after you turn 40. However, this isn’t the sole reason. The other reasons are:

• Undeveloped testicles, wherein the testicles don’t descend to their place in the scrotum before birth. 
• Testicle-linked mumps
• Consuming too much iron as part of your diet 
• Undergoing chemotherapy.  The radiation during the therapy affects the rate of sperm and testosterone production
• Increased obesity. The presence of fat cells leads to aromatization 
• Human Immuno-deficiency Virus or AIDS
• Consuming opioid or barbiturate drugs
• Diabetes, etc. 

What Are the Effects of Low Testosterone?

Low testosterone has a detrimental effect on men since it leads to the following:

• Reduced confidence and poor self-image
• Enhanced irritability 
• Reduced libido
• Mood swings 
• Water retention 
• Loss of muscles 
• Reduced strength 
• Depression
• Erectile Dysfunction
• Reduced focus and brain fog
• Weakened bones 
• Sleep Apnea
• Gynecomastia or growth of breast tissues in men
• Reduced growth of facial hair, etc.

If you are experiencing the above, consult your doctor. These are also low testosterone symptoms. 

Natural Ways to Increase Testosterone

However, not all hope is lost. That’s because you can regain and increase your testosterone levels with the help of a proper diet and exercise.

Diet and Nutrients Supporting Testosterone Levels

You’ll need to invest in a diet that has a rich mixture of nutrients like magnesium, boron, zinc, vitamin B, etc. This will help you boost your testosterone levels. To ensure that you can ingest these nutrients, you’ll have to opt for the following types of food:

Magnesium

• Avocados
• Vegetables like kale, broccoli, spinach
• Seed, nuts etc.

Boron

• Avocados
• Raisins, peaches
• Peanut and peanut butter, etc.

One important thing to remember is that you should avoid consuming boron supplements without consulting your doctor.

Zinc

• Beans
• Shellfish
• Chickpeas and lentils, etc.

Vitamin B

• Meat like beef and pork, etc. 
• Whole grains
• Citrus fruits, etc.

You can consult your dietician to better understand how you can incorporate all of the above into your daily routine. Do stick to the plan provided by her or him. 

Now, one thing to note is that just eating right won’t do. You’ll have to also perform the following exercises to regain, and enhance your testosterone levels. 

Exercises

To boost your testosterone, you should ideally opt for exercises that deal with strength and weight. These exercises will stimulate your body to build more mass since they will cause a significant amount of muscular tear.

So, you should opt for the following:

Resistance Training

It refers to exercises wherein you engage your body weight against a given force or additional source of weight. This means using machines like bench presses, leg presses, chest expanders, etc. However, you can also opt for resistance bands or free weights like kettlebells, dumbbells, etc. 

HIIT

This term stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. In simple words, it means using: 

• High-energy levels for short durations for high-demand exercises
• Lower energy levels for reduced-intensity exercises.

It is a guaranteed way to burn lots of calories at once and maintain your existing testosterone levels. For individuals with lower body mass, HIIT can also help you boost your body mass, and bulk up, due to increased production of testosterone. 

Leg Exercises 

These exercises lead to the release of Human Growth Hormone, Cortisol, and testosterone. 

This leads to enhanced fat-burning and muscular growth.

Push-ups, Pull-ups, Sit-ups

These exercises will stimulate muscular growth across your abdominal regions, upper body, etc. 

Synthetic Testosterone Options

These are human-made testosterone derivatives that mimic its properties.  They are also known as Androgenic- Anabolic Steroids and are popular with bodybuilders. 

When Are Synthetic Options Considered?

People choose testosterone injections or pills to:

• Supplement the low level of naturally occurring testosterone in the body
• Boost the process of muscular growth
• Enhance their mood
• Improve their sleep 
• Increase the strength of their bones.

Let’s take a look at these injections below.

Note: Do consult your doctor regarding which testosterone injections you need to take before starting your cycle 

Anabolic Steroids and Muscle Gain 

These are a class of drugs that are human-made derivatives which mimic the properties of testosterone. Generally, these drugs are preferred by: 

• Bodybuilders to enhance their muscle growth and physique
• Normal people looking to boost their low testosterone levels 
• Doctors treating conditions like breast cancer, etc.

As mentioned previously, they are also known as AAS or Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids. This means that they have cell, molecule, and tissue-building properties. These steroids work by binding to and activating the testosterone receptors in your body while restricting the effects of estrogen. This ensures that you do not experience estrogen-related side effects like male breasts, water retention, mood swings, etc.  

Their androgenic effects include the development and maintenance of secondary male sexual characteristics, like:

• Facial and body hair
• A deeper voice
• Muscular growth

Their anabolic effects include:

• Enhance the rate of tissue repair 
• Increase the production of RBC
• Boost the oxygen retention capacity of your body 
• Enhance stamina
• Allow them to work out for longer hours 
• Improve their mood, self-confidence 

Let us now understand the difference between naturally occurring and human-made testosterone below.

Comparing Natural and Synthetic Testosterone for Muscle Gain

However, there’s a critical difference. The levels of natural testosterone in the body depend on factors like nutrition, exercise, etc. On the other hand, synthetic testosterone or human-made testosterone is available in various dosages, depending upon the manufacturer. 

Let’s take a deeper look at them below.

Benefits and Drawbacks of Natural Testosterone Boosting for Muscle Gain

Benefits and Drawbacks of Synthetic Testosterone for Muscle Gain

Which Option is Safer and More Sustainable?

Now, both naturally occurring and synthetic testosterone injections have their benefits, side effects and uses. For instance, some of the benefits of natural testosterone include enhanced libido, RBC production, strength, etc. 

However, some of its drawbacks include a tendency to reduce due to diet or exercise, cause depression, erectile dysfunction, etc.

On the other hand, synthetic testosterone is available in different dosages, promotes a lean physique, improves bone density, etc. 

It can also lead to sleep apnea, acne, increased aggression, etc. if abused. 

So, you should choose your desired mode type of steroid based on your needs. 

Wrapping Up

Hence, as you can see, both synthetic and natural testosterone have their own set of advantages, disadvantages, and uses. So you should opt for a path that is best suited to your needs. 

Additionally, you should consult a doctor before you do so to avoid unwanted complications in the future. We wish you the best in your body-building journey.