As a man, the strength of your muscles, your bones, and even your mind are dependent on keeping your testosterone levels elevated over time. Sure, testosterone levels naturally decrease with age, but with these 17 simple science-based tips, you can start improving your testosterone levels naturally, regardless of how old you are. In fact, you can start today!
1. Getting and Staying Lean
Maintaining a lean body fat percentage is beneficial because research shows that the more fat you carry, the lower your testosterone tends to be. This is due to a number of different reasons, including the fact that excess body fat triggers the aromatization process, which converts testosterone into the “female hormone” estrogen. Note: you don’t want to be too lean (under 8% body fat) because that’s also not optimal for your testosterone levels. The ideal range for testosterone optimization seems to be a body fat percentage between 8-12%.
2. Good Posture
In a study from Harvard, researchers looked at the ways that making postural changes impacted the participant’s levels of stress hormones and testosterone. Specifically they wanted to learn the effects of having the participants do a series of “high-power poses.” These included things like standing tall, taking up more space, putting their hands on their hips, and other power poses. They also had them take on “low-power poses”. These included postural adjustments like taking up less space and insecure closed-off positions. And the results were pretty amazing. In just two minutes, the power poses increased testosterone levels by 20%. Meanwhile, the low-power poses reduced testosterone levels. On top of that, the power poses reduced cortisol (the stress hormone) by 25%, while the low-power poses led to increased cortisol levels.
3. Lift Weights
It’s actually one of the best things you can do for your testosterone levels. For example, researchers recruited male university students that had no previous experience with lifting weights and had them follow a weight training routine three times per week. Thanks to this, the students boosted their testosterone levels by 40% in four weeks, and they also lowered their resting cortisol levels by 24%. We have other research that supports this by showing that resistance training up-regulates testosterone receptors. This means your body can use testosterone more effectively when you consistently incorporate resistance training.
4. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep has a significant impact on testosterone levels. For example, one study found that after a week of participants sleeping five hours a night instead of eight hours a night their testosterone levels dropped by around 15%. Another study that recruited over 500 men also found a link between sleep duration and testosterone. The scientists found that each extra hour of sleep raised testosterone by roughly 15%. So, try your best to get enough sleep which for most people is going to be somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep per day.
5. Decrease Stress as Much as Possible
Short-term, acute stress like having a deadline or even being excited when trying something new (ex: like kayaking), may actually even be beneficial for your health. However, chronic stress like ongoing financial troubles, being trapped in a job you don’t like, or an unhappy marriage can really mess with your testosterone levels. This is because chronically high levels of the “stress hormone”, cortisol, impair testosterone production inside the body.
Cortisol requires pregnenolone for its creation, which is the same building block required for testosterone creation. That’s why cortisol can rob the “raw materials” your body needs to make testosterone. So, try to control your stress levels with some proven techniques like exposing yourself to nature, meditating, and developing a more flexible mindset. Oh, and don’t forget to take magnesium. Click here to learn why you need more magnesium when stressed out.
6. Have Sex
Now everyone knows that increasing testosterone is one of the best things you can do for your sex life. But did you know that it also works the other way around?
For example, there’s a study that shows that testosterone levels rise on the days that couples have sex and they decline on days that they don’t. And another study found that it could increase testosterone by as much as 72%. The bottom line is that the more sexually active you are, the more you create a positive feedback loop leading to improved testosterone levels.
7. Reduce Your Exposure to Man-Made Chemicals
What do we mean by “man-made chemicals”? We’re talking about things like: BPA (bisphenol A), parabens, phthalates, and benzophenones. Here’s the truth, today, the environment is filled with antiandrogens which are compounds that lower testosterone and prevent testosterone from binding to its receptors. For example: plastic water bottles and plastic sealed containers are loaded with BPA–which is a compound used to harden plastic. Studies show that BPA lowers testosterone and can even cause ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION. It’s especially problematic to heat plastic because that’s what causes the antiandrogen compounds to leak into your meal or beverage. Other examples of products with high levels of antiandrogens are air fresheners, certain shampoos, soaps, shaving creams, moisturizers, and even deodorant. Fortunately, with a small amount of research, you can easily replace these with natural alternative products.
8. Optimize Your Dietary Fat Intake
As far as your diet goes you definitely want to optimize your dietary fat intake. Low fat diet or bad for your testosterone levels. For example one study moved participants from a diet where 40% of their calories came from fat, to a diet where 25% of the calories from fat. The results showed that testosterone increased when fats were above 40% but plummeted when they were below 25%. So, make sure that You’re eating enough dietary fat, but keep in mind but not all fats are created equal. The ones that have the most beneficial effects for your testosterone or saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, meanwhile, trans fat has a negative effect.
9. Excessive Alcohol Consumption
Research shows that light drinking doesn’t necessarily have an adverse affect on testosterone, But, heavy drinking can highly decrease your testosterone levels. So, Try to drink in only moderation And don’t drink too much in one sitting. Also, remember that it’s better to opt for liquor or wine instead of beer because the hops found in beer can impair testosterone on their own as they are estrogenic.
10. Drugs you’re taking
Take a hard look at the prescription drugs are taking. Of course, this should be Done with the supervision of your doctor. Note: we are not recommending that you stop taking all of your prescribed medications. However, there is no doubt that eating a healthier diet and consistently exercising can help you reduce your need for certain prescription medications that have negative effects on your testosterone levels. These include statins, beta-blockers, heart burn medicine, anti-depressants, and pain killers (just to list a few). So, if you suffer from low testosterone symptoms, you may want to talk to your doctor about whether they might be partially due to prescription drug use. Once again, a natural healthy lifestyle changes can help reduce or fully replace some of these medications.
11. Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies
Almost all vitamins and minerals impact testosterone in one way or another. That’s why micronutrient deficiencies can be so detrimental to your hormonal health. For example, vitamin D; There’s a study involving over 2000 men that found that the men with a sufficient vitamin D level had much higher testosterone than ones that were deficient in vitamin D. Scientists also found a close link between changes in plasma vitamin D concentrations and testosterone. During the months that the men had higher vitamin D levels, which happened to be the summer months When they got more sunshine, they are testosterone levels were also higher. But, During the winter months when they got less sunshine, they are testosterone levels dropped down.
Keep in mind that vitamin D isn’t the only micro nutrient that’s essential for overall health. Other crucial ones are zinc, selenium, boron, and magnesium—all of which are proven to boost testosterone. So, try to meet all of your micronutrient needs by consuming a nutritious diet and possibly supplementing with any specific micronutrients like zinc if you sweat a lot or don’t think you’re getting enough through your diet.
12. Ashwaganda
Speaking of supplements, one that you might have heard of before is ashwaganda. This is an herb that is used in ancient Indian medicine practice. There is evidence that I can have a positive affect. For example, in an eight week study, men with infertility problems found that 675 g of ashwaganda root extract increased serum testosterone levels by 17% compared to a placebo. Another study found that just 5 grams of ashwaganda a day For 90 days increased testosterone by 16 to 40% in infertile men and by an average of 15% in fertile men. To reap the benefits, it is recommended that you take 300 to 500 mg of ashwaganda root extract with a meal, ideally for breakfast.
13. Tongkat Ali
Tongkat Ali is a herbal medicine That comes from a shrub a tree native to Southeast Asia. It has a long tradition of being used for boosting male potency and research backs up that it can actually help. For example, one group of moderately stressed participants increased their testosterone levels by 37% and lowered their cortisol by 16% as a result of consuming 200 mg of this supplement for four weeks. For this to be affective, it’s recommended that you have 200 to 300 mg of a 100:1 extract concentration (which equals 20-30 grams of this herb in its dry root form.
14. Forskolin
Forskolin is another supplement That has a long history as of folk remedy for asthma. Although it won’t fix asthma, it may increase testosterone. A 12 week double blind study involving overweight and obese man found that taking a Forskolin extract twice per day raised testosterone levels by over 33%.
15. Ginger Root
There are natural foods that you can also use to help with testosterone. Ginger is a perfect example of this. Well ginger is usually appreciate it for its anti-inflammatory properties, not many people know that it can also be used to boost testosterone levels. There are a number of rodent studies that prove this and a human study that found that consuming ginger daily for 90 days was able to increase testosterone by over 17% in infertile men. Unfortunately the study doesn’t really say how much ginger the participants consumed daily, but, for most people, 1 to 3 grams per day is the recommended amount.
16. Get Checked Out by a Doctor
Something else that you should consider if you feel that you were having testosterone issues—especially out of the blue—Is to go get checked out by a doctor. Sure, you can optimize your diet, your sleep schedule, exercise routine, and take the right supplements, but if things aren’t working right on a deeper level, then your testosterone can still be taking a beating. This is because the Leydig cells of your testicles produce about 95% of the testosterone in your body. So, if you suffer from low testosterone symptoms Even though you’re doing everything right, it’s probably a good idea to get checked out by a doctor.
One of the most common issues that men have in this department is known as varicocele. This is the medical term for partially blocked veins which can lead to low sperm production, Decreased sperm quality, infertility and of course, low testosterone. In fact, according to the University of Iowa, varicoceles Are the most common for male factor infertility Accounting for up to 40% of the cases. They also stated that this condition can be found in nearly 15% of all men. In other words, it’s pretty common so don’t be hesitant or afraid to go get checked out.
17. Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT)
Something that men may consider when they get older is testosterone replacement therapy. Note: We are not advocating for this. You should definitely consult with your doctor about the pros and cons.
If none of the natural tips to boost testosterone work well enough to bring your levels back up to the level you want, you can always consider starting TRT. This isn’t something to take lightly though as it will cause your natural production of testosterone to slow down or be shut down completely and they can have adverse consequences especially when it is used irresponsibly. So, If this is something that you’re considering make sure to talk to a doctor or an endocrinologist. This can help you decide whether it’s right or wrong for you, and if it’s right for you, what the best way is to move forward.
More Articles:
8 Causes of Lower Testosterone
Are You Ruining Your Gains? Here are 3 Things That Could Be Holding You Back
Why You Need More Magnesium When Stressed Out
Article References
1. Sleeping five instead of eight hours a night for a week lowered testosterone by around 15%. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4445839/
2. Study on 531 Chinese men also found a link between sleep and testosterone. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19684340
3. The more fat you carry, the lower your testosterone tends to be. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22970699https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23507475
4. Study found that testosterone levels rise on days couples have sex and decline on days without it. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1529008/
5. Having sex increased testosterone by 72%.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-010-9711-3?no-access=true
6. A study by Amy Cuddy and her colleagues at Harvard University assessed how making postural changes impacts levels of stress hormones and testosterone. High power poses were able to increase testosterone meanwhile low power poses lowered testosterone. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20855902/
7. BPA lowers testosterone and can cause erectile dysfunction. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19906654https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24945889
8. This study moved subjects from a diet containing 40% of calories from fat to a diet containing 25% of calories from fat and then back to a 40% fat diet. Results showed that the low fat diet decreased testosterone levels significantly. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6538617
9. Research indicates that while light drinking doesn’t have much (if any) adverse effect on testosterone, heavy drinking can plummet your levels of the primary male sex hormone. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12711931https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6443186http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/202/3/676
10. Study: 20 male university students with no previous resistance training experience follow a weight lifting plan three times per week. Thanks to this the students boosted their testosterone levels by 40% in four weeks, and they also lowered their resting cortisol levels by 24%. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17051372
11. Resistance training up-regulates testosterone receptors. This means your body can use testosterone more effectively. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11171591
12. Examples of medications that can lower testosterone include statins, beta-blockers, heartburn medicine, antidepressants, and painkillers https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23448151https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/4039555https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/384947https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/04/120402093750.htmhttps://www.nhs.uk/news/medication/ibuprofen-linked-testosterone-problems/
13. In a study involving 2,299 men found that those with a sufficient vitamin D level had much higher testosterone than those who were deficient in this vitamin. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20050857/
14. Eight-week study with 46-men with infertility problems found that 675-gram ashwagandha root extract increased serum testosterone levels by 17% compared to a placebo. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3863556/
15. Five grams of ashwagandha a day for 90 days increased testosterone by 16% to 40% in infertile men and by an average of 15% in fertile ones. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19501822
16. One group of “moderately stressed” participants increased their testosterone by 37% and lowered their cortisol by 16% as a result of consuming 200 mg of a tongkat ali extract for four weeks. https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-28
17. A 12-week, double-blind study involving 30 overweight and obese males found that taking a forskolin extract twice per day raised testosterone by 33.7%. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2005.162/abstract;jsessionid=ACA9D6579BE6093271D030A566E23BA8.f02t04
18. Consuming ginger daily for 90 days was able to increase testosterone by over 17 percent in infertile men. https://www.iasj.net/iasj/download/7aaaca050441ca8b
19. Varicoceles are the most common cause for male factor subfertility, accounting for up to 40 percent of cases. https://uihc.org/health-topics/varicoceles#:~:text=Varicoceles%20are%20very%20common.,always%20lead%20to%20fertility%20problems.
20. Varicoceles are found in nearly 15% of all men. https://uihc.org/health-topics/varicoceles#:~:text=Varicoceles%20are%20very%20common.,always%20lead%20to%20fertility%20problems.
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