How to Increase Testosterone Levels Naturally

Although most people have a vague understanding of testosterone, very few fully appreciate this hormone’s importance. Testosterone is a vital hormone for both men and women.

Not only does testosterone play an important role in helping people build muscle, as most people commonly know, but it plays a crucial role in several aspects of general health for both men and women.

However, numerous men and women have problems with low testosterone. According to the Cleveland Clinic, almost 40% of men over the age of 45 have low testosterone, but this health issue also affects men and women of other age ranges.

Unfortunately, low testosterone is steadily growing in our modern era as people are less physically active and eat worse diets than ever before.

This article will describe some of the signs and symptoms of low testosterone that men and women should be aware of and a few healthy ways to increase testosterone levels naturally!

Why Is Testosterone Important?

Testosterone is the primary sex hormone for men and a crucial hormone for women. In men, testosterone plays a key role in developing male reproductive organs and additional characteristics such as increased muscle and bone mass and the growth of body hair.

For women, some of the primary functions of testosterone include producing new blood cells, enhancing libido, influencing additional hormones that can affect reproduction, and supporting healthy muscle mass and bone health.

In general, testosterone regulates many functions inside the human body, such as:

• Fat Distribution
• Muscle Mass
• Production of Red Blood Cells
• Fertility
• Strength
• Mood
• Bone Density

Testosterone levels can even be associated with mortality (death) itself. According to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism,

“In an observational cohort of men with low testosterone levels, testosterone treatment was associated with decreased mortality compared with no testosterone treatment.”

Although low testosterone can affect a wide range of men and women, older men are the age group most prone to experiencing the symptoms of low testosterone.

Testosterone levels peak when you are in your 20s, and then after your 30s they begin to decline. Generally, testosterone levels will gradually decline by about .4-2% every year after you reach 30 years old.

Decreasing testosterone levels is natural, yet you can slow down the reduction of testosterone, improving your overall health.

Having low testosterone levels can cause rampant issues within the body, so it is important to know how to notice when you have decreasing testosterone levels and how to increase your testosterone levels naturally!

Causes of Low-Testosterone (Testosterone Deficiency)

Many factors contribute to testosterone deficiency, including:

• Poor Eating Habits
• Smoking
• Lack of Physical Exercise
• Not Taking Proper Vitamins and Minerals
• Eating Processed Foods
• Drinking Sugar-Sweetened Beverages

Refined Carbohydrate Consumption

Much of the food consumed in a typical Western diet is processed carbohydrates. For example, having milk with a bowl of cereal

Elevated insulin is the initial cause of diabetes and disturbs the main hormone pathway in the human body, which later extinguishes testosterone production (Hut et al., 2018).

Hormones in Meat

In the United States, exogenous hormone treatment is used to assist the growth of animals raised for meat production. However, these exogenous hormones can affect testosterone levels when consumed in higher amounts (Kolok et al., 2018).

You don’t necessarily need to avoid the consumption of meat because meat contains many beneficial vitamins, minerals, fats, and amino acids that assist testosterone production, but you should opt for grass-fed and hormone-free meat when possible.

Environmental Toxins

There are a variety of environmental toxins that can disrupt testosterone production (Krzastek et al., 2020).

Regular exposure to these endocrine-disrupting materials such as phthalates and BPA can cause a reduction in testosterone levels at all ages.

One of the best ways to avoid such circumstances is to switch to organic food and cosmetic products.

Of course, it is impossible to avoid all environmental toxins, but you can reduce your exposure as much as possible.

Estrogens in Water

There are a variety of pathways through that estrogen hormones can end up in water supplies, and this contamination of water supplies with estrogen can affect testosterone levels negatively (Gonsioroski et al., 2020).

To avoid exposure, it is recommended to opt for filtered water or install a reverse-osmosis filtering system.

Varicocele

Varicocele is a generally common condition, influencing roughly 10 percent of men amid the second or third decade of their life.

Varicocele is the enlargement of the veins within the loose bag of skin that holds the testicles, called the scrotum.

Varicocele is simply a varicose vein that appears in the scrotum.

Veins are a piece of the cardiovascular system, yet varicose veins function contrastingly.

While some veins carry oxygenated blood to the tissues, varicose veins contain one-way valves that draw de-oxygenated blood far from tissues and back to the heart.

If veins wind up damaged, blood can’t travel rapidly, forcing the vein to grow.

Varicocele can cause significant drops in testosterone production, and fixing varicocele can repair these issues.

According to the Balkan Medical Journal,

“Experience from large clinical studies in the literature suggests that varicocele repair may increase serum testosterone level in men with varicoceles and testosterone deficiency. “

Although there are surgical options for varicocele, varicocele treatment without surgery is often successful as well.

Common Symptoms of Low Testosterone in Men

A normal testosterone level typically ranges from 300 to 1000 ng/dl.

If your testosterone levels fall below this range, you will likely start to experience some symptoms of low testosterone.

The symptoms of testosterone deficiency depend on the age of the person.

For example, a younger child could see visible problems in developing the male sexual organs.

If you are in your early teenage years, you can see problems in late puberty, including:

• Poor Growth of Male Sexual Organs
• Poor Growth of Facial and Pubic Hairs
• Poor Development of Muscles
• No Deepening of the Voice
• Breast Development

If you are in your adulthood, then you might see symptoms such as:

• Low Energy Levels
• Irritability
• Poor Focus and Concentration
• Reduction in Muscle Size
• Increase in Body Fat
• Low Interest in Sexual Activities
• Not Able to Get Regular Erections
• Low Semen Volume
• Reduction in Body Hair
• Development in the Size of Male Breasts
• Decrease in Bone Density
• Premature Ejaculation

Low-T can also cause reduced bone mass, muscle mass, and energy levels. 

Lastly, if you are above 60 years of age, you can see some problems like:

• Poor Focus and Concentration
• Increase in Body Fat
• Decrease in Lean Muscle Mass
• Development of Male Breasts
• Always Feeling Tired
• Low Libido (Sexual Drive)

Here’s a deeper look at a few of the more prominent symptoms of low testosterone levels in men:

Lack of Sexual Desire

Health experts say that men’s sex drive declines as they age. This is true; however, if the desire to have sex is drastically lowered, it may be due to a lower testosterone level. A lack of sexual desire or low libido is one of the most common symptoms of low testosterone levels.

Likewise, if you experience a drop in testosterone levels, you will also have a subsequent decrease in your libido.

According to a study in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, libido and testosterone display a significant association.

Erectile Dysfunction

Testosterone not only stimulates sexual desire but also aids in achieving and maintaining an erection. Therefore, a man with low testosterone may have difficulty maintaining an erection before or during sexual intercourse.

All these issues are interrelated.

If you lack sex drive, then you will naturally find difficulty in having a proper erection.

According to a study published in Reviews in Urology,

“Erections are clearly androgen-dependent, as evidenced by the observation that men with marked hypogonadism have a marked reduction in the frequency, amplitude, and rigidity of erections. However, the level of hypogonadism required to induce this ED is debatable. It is believed that normal adult testosterone levels are not required for normal erections to occur and that when this threshold of testosterone is reached, additional amounts do not further increase the frequency, amplitude, or rigidity of erections.”

While testosterone isn’t directly responsible for erections, it stimulates receptors in the brain. After which, the brain neurons help produce nitric oxide, which is the chemical required for an erection.

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to use a medicine, delay wipes, or other techniques to improve erectile dysfunction. Instead, you can improve erectile dysfunction naturally, as suggested by the Mayo Clinic.

Medications such as Viagra are effective, but citrulline malate or L-citrulline supplements are an effective and more natural option.

According to a study published in Urology,

“Although less effective than phosphodiesterase type-5 enzyme inhibitors, at least in the short term, L-citrulline supplementation has been proven safe and psychologically well accepted by patients. Its role as an alternative treatment for mild to moderate ED, particularly in patients with a psychological fear of phosphodiesterase type-5 enzyme inhibitors, deserves further research.”

Although you may need a prescription to help erectile dysfunction, as demonstrated here, you may see significant improvements simply by improving testosterone levels.

A Decrease in Energy Level and Increased Chronic Fatigue

A man with low testosterone will likely experience significant fatigue and a significant decrease in energy. If you are always tired or lack the motivation to do physical activities, even if you are getting enough sleep, you might have low testosterone.

Decrease in Muscle Mass and Increase in Body Fat

Along with Human Growth Hormone (HGH), testosterone is the hormone most responsible for muscle development. A significant decrease in muscle mass can be due to a decrease in testosterone level.

Increasing testosterone levels can reverse these changes.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society,

“Testosterone administration was associated with dose-dependent increases in skeletal muscle mass (SMM), leg strength and power, but did not improve muscle fatigability or physical function.”

If you suddenly start noticing a slump in your physique, then it’s about time you checked your hormones.

Similarly, men with low testosterone have a greater chance of gaining body fat. As stated by a study published in the Journal of Cellular Physiology,

“Several studies have confirmed the significant inverse correlation between testosterone and obesity. Indeed after decades of intense controversy, a consensus has emerged that androgens are important regulators of fat mass and distribution in mammals and that androgen status affects cellularity in vivo. The high correlation of testosterone levels with body composition and its contribution to the balance of lipid metabolism are also suggested by the fact that testosterone lowering is associated with important clinical disorders such as dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.”

If you start experiencing a decrease in muscle mass and increased body fat, low testosterone levels could be the cause!

Hair Loss

While it is true that balding is a natural effect of aging for many men, and some inherit balding through their genes, having low T also contributes to it. Balding is related to the natural aging process, but men with low testosterone tend to experience it more than others. Some men even lose their body and facial hair.

If you notice sudden hair loss, it can be a sign of low testosterone.

Increased Mood Swings

According to a study in The Aging Male,

“Gender differences in spatial recognition, and age-related declines in cognition and mood, point towards testosterone as an important modulator of cerebral functions.”

People with low testosterone often experience mood swings such as irritability, lack of focus, and depression.

According to a study published in Psychosomatics,

“Based on limited studies, high levels of testosterone are related to increased rates of depression as well as hypomania, whereas low levels of testosterone are related to depressive disorders in certain subpopulations of patients.”

Depression also can suppress testicles’ ability to produce testosterone, which worsens the effect.

Osteoporosis

People with low testosterone can also develop osteoporosis or have weaker bones. According to a study in The Journals of Geronotology,

“Fifty-two percent of older men with low bioavailable testosterone levels had bone mineral density levels below the young adult normal range and are likely at an increased risk of fracture.”

Lack of Sleep

If you experience low testosterone levels, this might also result in a poor sleep pattern.

Similarly, researchers have pointed out that sleep apnea can sometimes lead to low testosterone levels.

How to Increase Testosterone Naturally

Regardless of whether you are a man or woman, it is important to have normal and stable testosterone levels. If you suffer from low testosterone, these tips can help you with increasing your testosterone levels naturally:

Maintain a Healthy Weight

If you are underweight, overweight, or obese, the first step you should take to increase your testosterone levels is to achieve and maintain a healthy weight.

Although being underweight can also contribute to testosterone issues, being overweight or obese is more common and affects more men and women.

Being overweight or obese is attributed to many health problems, and low testosterone is one of those issues because obesity leads to the overproduction of estrogen, which leads to reduced production of testosterone, thus causing a hormonal imbalance.

There are also other ways that maintaining a healthy weight will improve your testosterone levels. Maintaining a healthy weight likely requires the consumption of nutrient-dense testosterone-boosting foods and exercising, which will increase your testosterone.

Lift Heavy Weights

Weight lifting can increase your testosterone, and it is one of the best ways to increase your testosterone levels naturally.

Lifting weights won’t necessarily have you looking like a bodybuilder or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson immediately, but it can help you with your testosterone production.

According to the journal Sports Medicine,

“Testosterone has also been shown to acutely rise immediately following an acute resistance exercise bout. While this substantial mobilization of testosterone is brief, its effects are seen for several hours through the upregulation of the androgen receptor.”

However, if you want to increase your testosterone levels as much as possible, you should do heavy compound exercises like the back squat or deadlift.

Exercise, in general, has several benefits for increasing testosterone because it will help you maintain a healthy body weight, but lifting heavy weights provides a unique stimulus that even other forms of exercise do not.

If you want to increase testosterone, a couple of my favorite workout programs are German Volume Training and 20 Rep Squats.

Stress Management

Stress can contribute to various health issues, and it certainly can interfere with your ability to synthesize testosterone.

According to a study published in Health Psychology,

“Men in cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention showed significant increases in testosterone, whereas control participants showed significant decreases. Those participating in CBSM had significant distress reductions, whereas controls showed no such change. Alterations in free testosterone were inversely related to changes in distress states over time, independent of any changes in cortisol.”

There are many natural remedies for stress which are effective for helping you learn how to reduce stress on your own.

Daily meditation, prayer, deep breathing, a contrast shower, and practicing yoga are excellent ways to reduce stress.

If you are interested in trying yoga but have never practiced it before I suggest trying the online yoga videos at YogaDownload.com or try the 21-day Yoga Shred Program.

Consume Testosterone Boosting Foods

Consuming a healthy diet is one of the most important factors for naturally increasing testosterone levels because many testosterone-boosting foods will improve your overall health and increase your testosterone levels.

Although you don’t have to stick to a specific diet, the Ketogenic Diet is a great option for increasing testosterone because the Ketogenic Diet has been proven to increase testosterone levels due to containing a variety of food options high in healthy dietary fat and cholesterol, which stimulate testosterone production.

Here are a few specific testosterone-boosting foods that you should add to your diet regularly.

Dietary Fat

In general, foods high in dietary fats are great testosterone-boosting foods. According to a study published in The Journal of Urology,

“Men adhering to low fat diets had lower serum testosterone levels even when controlling for comorbidities, age, body mass index and activity levels.”

However, you should try to consume unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats because there are still health risks of consuming too much saturated fat in your diet.

Examples of healthy dietary fats are:

• Avocado
• Olive Oil
• Fatty Fish
• Nuts and Seeds

Eggs

Eggs are among the best foods for increasing testosterone levels because they are rich in Vitamin D, healthy dietary fats, and protein.

Research has indicated that the egg yolk assists with increasing testosterone levels, so you should consume whole eggs, not just egg whites.

Oats

Oats are one of the healthiest carbohydrates. They are loaded with nutrients that increase serotonin- a chemical that helps largely decrease the level of stress and anxiety within your body.

Stress and anxiety are directly proportional to poor testosterone production.

Garlic

Garlic is a well-known testosterone booster. Garlic may be a fast way to get bad breath, but it can easily be added to your foods in more nondescript ways.

Garlic can be taken in supplement form with great effectiveness, although you should still look to add whole garlic to your foods as well. For example, pasta sauces, salads, soups, and many other meals can be made healthier by adding a little bit of garlic to them!

Use Testosterone Boosting Supplements

There are many testosterone-boosting supplements, such as dna Lean Test-FX, but these supplements often have complicated ingredient lists that are hard to understand.

Outside of these types of testosterone boosting supplements, several more well-known supplements have been shown to increase testosterone levels naturally and can improve your health in a variety of other ways as well!

Here are a few of the best testosterone boosting supplements:

Fish Oil

Fish oil is one of the best supplements to take because research has indicated it is great for your health in various ways.

Although most fish oil supplements can be helpful, you should look for fish oil supplements with a high amount of DHA to get the best effect. DHA-enriched fish oil supplementation has been shown to increase testosterone levels in overweight and obese men.

If you would like to try a fish oil supplement to increase your testosterone, I suggest

Probiotic Supplements

Having a healthy gut and healthy gut bacteria is crucial for having healthy hormonal levels and various other aspects of health. Unfortunately, most people do not have a healthy gut due to toxins in our environment and poor food and diet quality.

According to the International Society of Sports Nutrition, preclinical and early human research has shown potential probiotic benefits for normalizing age-related declines in testosterone levels.

Most fermented foods are rich in probiotics, including:

• Kombucha Tea
• Kefir
• Saurkraut
• Yogurt
• Kimchi

Drink More Coffee

Drinking coffee is good for your health in many ways, and research has indicated it can also increase testosterone levels.

Not only is drinking coffee good for weight loss and helping you be more active each day, but the antioxidants and other compounds in coffee fight against oxidative stress and other causes of poor health.

If you are already a coffee drinker, you might find better results by switching to a better coffee brand. I suggest you try Puroast Low Acid Coffee:

Another great option is to make bulletproof coffee because bulletproof coffee contains large amounts of healthy dietary fat, which we have already stated is beneficial for increasing testosterone levels.

Limit the Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages

Alcohol is one of the major long-term killers of testosterone levels. Though alcohol may stimulate you sexually, it drains your energy and causes significant issues over time. According to a study published in Alcoholism – Clinical & Experimental Research,

“Heavy acute alcohol drinking decreases blood testosterone in men due to an effect on the testicular level.”

However, the same study also concluded that testosterone increased after low doses of alcohol intake (0.5 g/kg, 10% w/v).

Learn how to boost testosterone by learning how to drink responsibly. Switch from binge drinking to limited-social drinking, and you will experience the change.

Try drinking only a moderate amount of red wine before bed.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is one of the most vital components of a healthy testosterone level. Many studies have shown the importance of sleep for increasing or stabilizing testosterone. For example, a study published in The Journal of Endocrinology & Metabolism concluded that,

“In conclusion, testosterone increased during sleep and fell during waking, whereas circadian effects seemed marginal. Individual differences were pronounced.”

Furthermore, a short study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association concluded,

“Daytime testosterone levels were decreased by 10% to 15% in this small convenience sample of young healthy men who underwent 1 week of sleep restriction to 5 hours per night, a condition experienced by at least 15% of the US working population. By comparison, normal aging is associated with a decrease of testosterone levels by 1% to 2% per year. This testosterone decline was associated with lower vigor scores but not with increased levels of cortisol, a stress-responsive hormone that can inhibit gonadal function”

Taking a melatonin supplement and zinc before bed can help to improve your sleep quality and testosterone levels.

Investing in a quality mattress and a memory foam pillow can also rapidly improve your sleep quality.

Getting enough sleep and getting proper sleep is vital to increasing your testosterone level.

Concluding Thoughts – Increasing Testosterone Naturally

Suppose the tips for increasing testosterone naturally that I have described in this article do not work for you.

In that case, another option that people with significant testosterone issues can use is to undergo testosterone therapy to boost testosterone levels.

However, although testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is a common therapy, the benefits and side effects are still debated. According to a recent study published in Current Pharmaceutical Design,

“T therapy is not effective in increasing BMD in older men. In addition, it has limited effects on prostate-specific antigen (PSA), the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), body mass index (BMI), fat mass, parathyroid hormone (PTH), 25-VitD and lipid metabolism, although it can increase prostate size, lean mass, and sex hormone levels, and reduce glucose levels and HDL concentrations.”

On the other hand, according to a study published in the International Journal of Impotence Research,

“Body fat percentage, Hb, and HbA1c were significantly improved in the TRT group. In addition, sexual ability and frequency, and sexual desire showed a significant improvement in the TRT group after 1 year TRT. On the other hand, any parameters including glycemic control and sexual functions were not significantly improved in non-TRT groups. One-year TRT can improve sexual function and glycemic control among hypogonadal men with T2DM.”

So, before using testosterone replacement therapy, you should speak with a TRT medical center and get as much information as possible.

It is advisable to go through testosterone therapy only if low testosterone levels significantly affect your daily life because there are multiple side effects and long-term risks of TRT.

If you think you might need TRT, places such as Testosterone Replacement Therapy San Diego offer a free test to know your testosterone level. Then, if you are qualified for treatment, the team will offer the highest quality testosterone replacement therapy based on your health needs and goals under the care of a licensed individual in a relaxing environment.

TRT appears useful for certain issues, although there are various side effects. The best choice is to consult your doctor and other medical specialists to fully understand your situation before proceeding.

If you can, the best solution is to increase your testosterone levels naturally!

Source: Nexel Medical