6 Simple Ways To Increase Testosterone Naturally In Men

In this article, we’ll discuss some easy to implement changes that you can make to increase testosterone naturally.

What Is Testosterone?

Testosterone is a sex hormone especially crucial in males. The production of this hormone typically boosts during puberty and leads to a deeper voice, increased muscle mass, and heightened sex drive. Though a low testosterone production rate is a common result of aging in men, a drastic drop at a young age can mean underlying issues.

Many factors can cause low testosterone levels in the body. These factors include excessive stress, lack of sleep, substance abuse, among many others. However, it is not an incurable disease.

Tips To Increase Testosterone Naturally

Where many people opt for medications or supplements to fix this issue, there are many natural ways that can help. Following are some of the most common and effective natural ways to increase testosterone in the body.

1. Exercise Regularly

Exercising regularly is one of the most effective ways of increasing testosterone levels in the body. Moreover, regular exercise is recommended to keep many lifestyle-related diseases at bay.

One of the best parts is that even older people can benefit hugely from regular exercise. It has shown to boost their Testosterone levels as well, while also improving their fitness and reaction time.

Though weight management diets work effectively, experts suggest that physical activity is a lot more beneficial when it comes to boosting testosterone levels. If working out for this purpose, it is considered ideal to focus more on muscle workouts.

This not only increases muscle mass but also reduces fat tissue in the body which is responsible for converting testosterone into estrogen. Therefore, the lesser the fat, the more testosterone.

Resistance training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) has gained quick fame as a testosterone boosting workouts. The former increases testosterone levels post 15-30 minutes of the workout while also enhancing body composition and lowering insulin resistance in the body. HIIT improves metabolism rate and boosts muscle strength.

2. Avoid Overtraining

We understand how training too much and pushing the limits might seem like a good idea but it really isn’t. Exhausting the body too much actually beats the purpose of increasing testosterone levels. Overtraining can in fact lower Testosterone levels.

The best example would be long-distance runners. Experts have found that long-distance runners often run low on Testosterone levels due to inadequate energy and possibly even improper nutrition.

Besides that, it can cause excessive fatigue and tiredness. Thus is it crucial to give your body some time to rest and recover from all the workout stress. Depending on the intensity of workouts, at least keep two days in a week where you either rest or go on light walks, jogs, or hikes.

3. Avoid Too Much Stress

Just like too much exercise is not good for the body, too much stress is harmful as well. When in stress, the adrenal gland in our body secretes a hormone called cortisol. This hormone has an inverse relationship with testosterone.

Moderate levels of cortisol are good, and in fact, recommended. But too much cortisol in the bloodstream indicates chronic psychological stress and has shown to drastically reduce testosterone levels.

Too much stress and cortisol can also lead to a rise in food intake, weight gain, accumulation of harmful body fat, and an increased risk of heart diseases. Thus, for a healthier lifestyle overall as well, it is suggested to keep your stress levels in check. Practicing meditation, deep breathing exercises, and taking long walks can help manage stress.

4. Get Better Sleep

Getting better quality and timely sleep does not only help testosterone levels in the body but also promotes better health overall. It also reduces psychological stress which in turn again helps testosterone levels.

As per research done by the University of Chicago, people who slept for 5 hours or less experienced a 10 – 15% drop in testosterone levels. This drop was concerning since normal aging causes the human body to drop testosterone levels by 1- 2% a year.

Our body makes the maximum amount of testosterone while we sleep. Therefore, it is important to get enough hours of sleep a night and also avoid an erratic schedule. Since the required amount of sleep can be subjective for each individual, experts recommend a minimum of 7 – 8 hours of quality sleep every night.

5. Balance Your Diet

There are certain foods that increase testosterone levels and there are certain foods that reduce testosterone levels. What’s in your diet?

A balanced diet ideally includes all nutrients that your body might require for excellent functioning. It helps boost testosterone levels while also helping with weight maintenance. Some foods and nutrients to add to your diet that can improve testosterone in the body are:

5.1. Healthy fats

Though some kinds of fats accumulate around the organs and cause problems and thus should be avoided, other healthy fats actually help in better functioning. Completely cutting fats off from a diet can have a negative effect on the production of testosterone as well.

Certain foods like flaxseeds, chia seeds, tuna, sardine, walnuts, among many others contain healthy fats that can promote better testosterone production.

5.2. Proteins

Adequate amounts of protein in the body can facilitate testosterone production while also helping with weight loss. Protein prevents the production of a substance that can bind with testosterone, rendering it useless.

Foods like chicken, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, among others, can be added to your diet to fulfill the protein requirement.

5.3. Onions and garlic

Besides being great additions to many recipes in the kitchen, onions and garlic have also proven to increase testosterone levels in males. They help boost a hormone that facilitates testosterone production.

Onions and garlic also have flavonoids. These chemical compounds are known to protect sperms against harm.

5.4. Leafy Green Vegetables

Green leafy vegetables are a great source of magnesium. A magnesium deficiency in the body can cause lower testosterone levels. This is often found in people who stay physically active, like athletes., since magnesium is often lost through sweat.

It also plays an important role in converting vitamin D to its active form. Thus, it is important to intake adequate amounts of magnesium.

Magnesium-rich foods include spinach, kale, almonds, cashews, seeds, lentils, and many more.

5.5. Others

Other food items that can help boost testosterone in the body are:

• Oyster
• Pomegranate
• Ginger

6. Increase Vitamin D levels

Vitamin D has time and again proven to boost testosterone levels in the body. It acts as a building block for the production of the hormone. Though it is highly important, over half of the U.S. population remains deficient.

Sun is ideally the best source of vitamin D. Even a 15-minute exposure can add an adequate amount of this vitamin into our bodies. However, if you live away from the equator, have a darker complexion, or like staying inside, you might want to consider consuming foods rich in vitamin D. These include:

• Fatty fishes like salmon, tuna, and mackerel
• Fortified food products
• Plant milk like almond, soy, hemp, and flax

Increase Testosterone Without Drugs: Conclusion

Since the above-mentioned ways are completely natural and will not adversely affect you in any way, you can always try them out before consulting a professional. Experts also recommend avoiding smoking and abusing substances such as alcohol and drugs.

Though the normal levels of testosterone can vary from person to person, the minimum amount is 300 – 350 nanograms per deciliter. If you are worried about having low testosterone levels, consider consulting a health professional before taking any drastic steps.