Beards have made a serious comeback in recent years and it looks like they’re here to stay. Getting in on the beard game isn’t for the faint-of-heart though, and it requires discipline, commitment and consistency. Coincidentally, something else that requires the same attributes is working out, and as it turns out, beards and body-building share a symbiotic relationship and can even be argued as being essential for the modern (Kave)man.

Testosterone
First, we have the most obvious point which is boosting the manliest of hormones, testosterone. It is something that not everyone is blessed equally with. While some men are winners of the testosterone lottery and are able to have a steady flow regularly, there are others who have to put some effort into maintaining their testosterone levels. These habits and activities become very useful earlier than you might think because natural testosterone levels begin to dwindle by around 1% each year after the age of 30.
There are two main attributes of beard growth that are affected by testosterone levels and these are growth-rate, and beard fullness. Evidence suggests that optimal beard growth is a result of testosterone and DHT, Dihydrotestosterone, working together. The latter is a by-product of testosterone and is responsible for linear beard growth and beard fullness. You might think…wait a minute, isn’t that more or less everything to do with having an impeccable beard? Does testosterone even do anything with facial hair? Well yes…it still does. More than the hair itself, testosterone is responsible for hair follicles. During our early years, hair follicles are maintained by stem cells. As we get older, stem cell production slows down, and hair follicles grow weaker. That is when testosterone begins to play a role in ensuring facial hair follicles are primed and performing at full capacity.
There are several ways to stimulate testosterone levels but the healthiest way to do so is through exercise.

Circulation
As Dracula once said, “the blood is the life”. This is especially true when it comes to one’s facial hair follicles since blood flow is crucial to their longevity. Back in 2001, researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital conducted an experiment that proved larger blood vessels not only maintain the functioning of facial hair follicles at a maximum but can also cure baldness. PRP treatments have proven that our blood alone has magical properties when it comes to hair growth.
Long story short, PRP treatments involve extracting a small amount of blood from a subject or patient, placing said blood in a centrifuge to separate the plasma, and then injecting the subject’s own plasma back into specific areas of their body that require regeneration. In the modern-day, such treatments are at the forefront of remedies to cure baldness.
You might be thinking…what does this have to do with working out? Well, that’s where circulation comes in. During exercises, especially those that are cardio-intensive, blood circulation increases exponentially. Constant exercise goes a long way in maintaining hair follicles and preventing their deterioration. This leads to fuller and faster beard growth. I suppose at the end of the day, if you want to grow a beard glorious enough to make a Viking blush, you’ll need a workout routine to match. By maintaining a balance of strength training and cardio workouts you will seriously boost not only the rate but quality of your beard growth too. The increase of muscle mass will boost testosterone and the cardio workouts will keep your hair follicles healthy and working at full capacity.

Diet
Any serious fitness freak would stress the importance of nutrition when it comes to maintaining a disciplined workout routine. Without the right ingredients, the exercise will likely result in more harm than good. Interestingly enough, a lot of the foods that one might consume as a result of a fitness routine are the same foods that help out with facial hair growth. Lean proteins such as salmon and chicken can boost testosterone levels. Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins contribute to increasing the quality of your beard, as well as foods high in Zinc such as meats, eggs, nuts and even dairy products. Pretty much all of these are staples in the kinds of diets gym rats and fitness freaks adhere to. Even Keto diets contain a lot of foods that help beard growth, especially items such as Avocados which are rich in healthy fats.
An absolute necessity when it comes to working out is staying hydrated, and this too…you guessed it…contributes to a healthy beard. If you’re not drinking enough water, your facial hair will become dry and splintery, instead of the luscious face mane that you need. Drinking lots of water helps out with a lot of the body’s functions and increases your overall holistic health to a great degree.

Stress
Believe it or not, stress is one of the biggest adversaries when it comes to maintaining a badass beard. Stress increases cortisol levels and throws your hormones off balance. This means low testosterone, low-DHT, and low-quality beard growth. Incredibly, stress also reduces the flow of vitamins and nutrients to vital areas of the body…and yes, these include facial hair follicles. Regular exercise maintains a decent flow of endorphins which are great mood boosters and help us stay relaxed throughout the day. Exercise is also a great way to channel stress into something so much more constructive and beneficial, and as the saying goes…turning pain into power.

Conclusion
Well, there you have it! Exercise is probably your beard’s best friend now that you think about it. Working out regularly will also obviously result in you looking your best self, and a handsome physique always looks better with a beard…and the other way around. If you’re serious about your beard game, then you better be serious about your workout routine.