Does Growing a Beard Increase Your Testosterone?

 It’s common to hear that your beard has a direct effect on increasing the level of your testosterone. While I get why people believe it, it’s actually the other way around.

Your testosterone level has a direct effect on growing your beard. The more testosterone you have, the fuller your beard gets.

As a matter of fact, your beard will not increase your testosterone but your testosterone level may increase or decrease the amount of beard you grow.

Though just a warning, it will still grow in the same patches, just a lot thicker. It can’t miraculously heal a bald spot. 

The relationship between your beard and testosterone level

There is evidence that suggests the amount of dihydrotestosterone you have determines how fast your beard grows.

DHT, which is a byproduct of testosterone, is triggered by an enzyme that can be found in your hair follicle’s oil glands.

Beard growth still varies from person to person, you have your own pattern and it will grow according to it. And your testosterone level will only help how frequently it grows.

Of course, genetic factors should still be considered. If you have high testosterone levels but your beard doesn’t look full enough then try looking at your genes.

What does a beard do, if it doesn’t aid with testosterone levels?

A beard has many uses for people, may it be practical or aesthetic purposes. And no, it doesn’t really help with acne either.

Beards can protect you from the sun

Your beard can protect you from the harsh UV rays whenever you go out. Though, it will depend on how dense and thick your beard is.

While some light goes through your beard, it is scattered and few, like how the sunlight shines through the leaves of a tree.

Beards can make you look more mature

Age is always associated with having a beard. A lot of people believe that bearded men look more mature and masculine.

This is probably because beards have been around for a long, long time and it’s become a part of the human race.

It provides insulation

This is more for people who live in colder countries. Beards can warm you up and add a layer of protection for your chin or even your neck if it reaches there.

If you want more insulation, then you should grow your beard longer. That way, your face will be better insulated and you won’t have to worry about your face being ice cold that much.

Makes people look good and feel good

Beards are trendy these days and it helps with the overall look of a person. In some cases, beards may even cover up scars and improve the overall confidence of a person.

It is not a shallow purpose especially since people struggle with their self-esteem and confidence every day. If growing a beard is what makes you less nervous about being noticed then go for it!

Beards increase a person’s cleanliness

While it may not increase testosterone, it surely helps in keeping a person clean. The beard doesn’t directly protect a person from bacteria, it’s the habits that come with it.

An article proves that those who shave are three times more likely to carry bacteria associated with MRSA than bearded people.

There is no proven reason why but theory suggests that it may be because of the small cuts, ones small enough to not bleed, that you get from shaving.

It can help with allergies

According to an expert named Dr. Michael Moore from Texas ENT, beards can be a barrier to bacteria or dirt that may otherwise stick to your face.

This includes dust particles or anything that may trigger an allergic reaction. It helps prevent it from entering your mouth or nose if you also have a mustache.

So, one way to battle allergies is to grow a beard. Though, it would only work if you cleanse/clean it regularly.

Slows Skin Ageing

The harmful UV rays aid in aging the skin. This is because it destroys the skin’s elasticity and allows it to wrinkle even when you’re not in that age range yet.

Beards provide a shade for your skin and allow it to rest easily even under the harsh rays of sunlight. It’s much better to grow a beard if you get exposed all the time, especially if you have less melanin, a natural skin pigment that also protects your skin from UV rays.

Prevents skin from drying out

Well, how do I even grow a beard in the first place?

You might’ve been tempted to grow one after hearing the benefits but it’s not an easy task. Growing a beard includes changing your lifestyle and habits!

While genetics has a hand in the makeup of your gene, and it can’t really be altered, it’s still possible to grow a beard entirely from a lifestyle.

Diet

Your health dictates everything in your body. You can’t expect to grow a healthy beard when all you do is pop junk food and drink sodas.

As said before, testosterone can increase beard growth, and one way to increase it is by changing your diet and weight.

Obesity can reduce testosterone so it’s much better to keep up a healthy weight to ensure that your beard will grow in the best condition possible.

You can also increase your level by ingesting nutrients such as Zinc. That being said, here are some suggested foods for you to incorporate into your diet:

• Liver for iron
• Chicken or salmon for lean protein
• Nuts and oysters for zinc
• Whole grains for healthy carbohydrates
• Avocados for healthy fats
• And fruits and vegetables specifically ones with vitamins A, C, D, and E. And also, B Vitamins.

Of course, you’re welcome to choose alternatives. Just remember not to go overboard and always keep it balanced.

Exercise

It’s better to pair that diet with a little bit of exercise. By doing so, you can increase your blood flow which will then stimulate hair follicle growth.

You can try temporarily boosting your testosterone by weight lifting or doing any form of strength training.

Vitamins and supplements

If you’re not really into changing your diet, or you can’t change it for health reasons then you are welcome to take vitamin supplements to increase your testosterone.

Sleep

When you sleep, your testosterone level will be released. Not getting enough sleep will disrupt the process and hinder beard growth.

Studies also suggest that lessening your usual number of hours can lower testosterone levels, even for healthy and young men.

Things that may lower your testosterone level

It is quite concerning that in the last 50 years, testosterone levels of people have been decreasing. If you want to increase your testosterone, you must first stay away from what decreases it.

Phthalates

(try saying that 3 times fast…)
According to a result of a study, exposure to phthalates, an endocrine-disrupting chemical, has an effect on decreasing one’s testosterone.

It can be seen in numerous items such as PVC Pipes, personal care products, and even food packaging. One way to battle this is to stay away from the items listed above.

Alcohol

Continuously drinking high amounts of alcohol will lower your testosterone level and cause problems with your fertility.

A study showed that when you drink one pint of whiskey a day, your testosterone will start to decrease by the third day.

Certain foods

Soy or soy-based products

Soy has a high level of phytoestrogens, it recreates the effects of estrogen. By that, it means that it will alter your hormone levels and potentially reduce testosterone.

Flaxseed

Flaxseeds are high in lignans, and lignans are plant compounds that will bind to your testosterone and force it to be released from your body.

Moreover, it is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids and it is also linked to having a possibility of decreasing your testosterones.

Processed food

Foods like these contain trans fats. It is an unhealthy type of fat and continuously getting trans fat from processed food could decrease testosterone.

Nuts

Nuts have a protein called SHGB which also binds to your testosterone. It is also high in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Both of these can lead to a decrease in the level of testosterone.

Maintaining your beard

After growing one, you’ll need to maintain it for your health. As explained before, beards can catch or act as a shield to things such as dust particles.

If you don’t clean it, there’s a chance that the bacteria will spread, even more so if you often touch your beard.

Conclusion

It’s easy to get confused about which is being affected by which. While beards may not increase your testosterone, there are other ways to do it by changing your habits and diet.

With this, it’s important to keep in mind to go slowly. Downing multiple supplements while tragically changing your diet and exercise may overwhelm your body and cause it to stress out.

The important thing is to balance it out and know what’s best for your beard and body. If your body gets stressed, it would also lead to a decrease in testosterone level which would just be unproductive.