Introduction – Why testosterone is important? Testosterone might be classed as a sex hormone, but it is crucial to the health and maintenance of your body, especially if you’re man (although women have this hormone too but in smaller amounts).
It is one of the main drivers for physical development when boys hit puberty, encouraging increased muscle mass, hair growth and deeper voices.
Yet this is not all it can do…
Testosterone can improve your general health (red blood cell production, immune and nervous system, etc.), sexual function (libido, sperm quality/production, etc.) and body composition (bone density, fat distribution and muscle growth), so it makes sense that should natural testosterone drop, your entire body will be affected.
Now, don’t get us wrong – it is inevitable that your testosterone levels will start to fall once you hit 30. It’s a natural part of aging.
However, when you know that low testosterone is linked to obesity, muscle loss, erectile dysfunction, infertility, reduced sex drive and increased risk of disease; then it’s only natural for you to want to do something about it.
And it is not only men who are at risk. Women are too!
Testosterone drops have been linked to estrogen falls, fertility problems and menstrual issues, as well as changes in health and sexual well-being.
So what can you do? What steps can you take? Below we will show you how to increase testosterone levels quickly and naturally.
How to boost Testosterone Levels
The problem with testosterone is knowing what your normal level is. For instance, during a recent study on 9,054 men aged 19-39 who were a healthy weight, their normal testosterone levels ranged from 264-917 nanograms per deciliter.
And this is a massive gap – so how can you tell if you’re lacking?
We suggest getting yourself officially tested by a doctor as they will consider your age, gender, body mass, physical activity, etc. and will be able to determine where your testosterone levels should be.
Once you know that, you can start taking steps to boosting natural testosterone production – and we’re not talking about resorting to steroids or drugs.
True, some may be able to give you an instant boost. But what these companies fail to tell you is that the very same products they are selling to mimic testosterone will also suppress your natural testosterone production. That’s right – they’ll REDUCE the amount of natural testosterone available, meaning you’ll be in an even worse deficient than you were to begin with.
PLUS – and here’s the real kicker – they come with a whole host of nasty side effects. Thanks, but no thanks…
That is why we are dedicating this article to natural methods for increasing testosterone, as the best way to increase testosterone is through healthy lifestyle choices.
- Exercise and Lift Weights
Does working out increase testosterone? Yes!
Testosterone is influenced by your body’s needs. Meaning, if you’re physically inactive and spend a lot of the day sitting down on the couch/at a desk; your brain will receive the message that you don’t need as much testosterone to bolster your muscles and bones.
However, if you’re on the other end of the scale and are very physically active; then your brain will signal for more testosterone to be produced.
Add this info together and what it suggests is – if you want to boost testosterone you need to do more exercise.
Now if you don’t do a lot already, we recommend starting off small and going for a brisk walk for 10-20 minutes every day. Similarly, we suggest adding some weights, resistance training or elastic band sessions to your workouts each week to help build up your strength. Lifting weights and high intensity interval training are both good for boosting testosterone in the short and long term.
The key is to get the balance right, as strenuous exercise i.e. the kind that athletes do, can have the opposite effect and will lower your testosterone in a bid to increase your endurance. During a study on long-distance runners, researchers noted that they had lower testosterone (which they believed was down to the runners having inadequate energy levels and poor nutrition).
The Science:
Study One: A study in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that the more active participants were i.e. the more they exercised; the more testosterone they produced in comparison to those who didn’t.
Study Two: Elderly participants experienced increases in testosterone levels, fitness and reaction times when they exercised.
Study Three: a study on obese men discovered that increased physical activity was better for raising testosterone levels than weight loss.
- Proper diet
What you eat can have a massive impact on your testosterone and hormone levels. That is why you need to think carefully about your calorie intake, as constant dieting or overeating can disrupt your testosterone levels.
– Make sure to eat plenty of protein to encourage protein synthesis, muscle growth and fat loss.
– Introduce carbs into your diet as they can help to optimize your testosterone levels when resistance training (or doing other forms of strenuous exercise).
– Base your diet on whole foods e.g. a healthy balance of good fats, protein and carbs. This will ensure that you benefit from optimal hormone levels and improved long term health.
The Science:
Study One: a study published in the Journal of Neuroinflammation, discovered that low testosterone levels and obesity may contribute to a range of inflammatory conditions as well as impaired neurological function.
Study Two: research has revealed that overeating and yo-yo dieting can negatively affect your hormone levels, (as seen in athletes and those who are very active).
- Lose Weight
This tip ties in closely into the one above, as losing weight is often part and parcel of eating right. Yet, it is still an important tip as research suggests men who carry extra weight tend to have lower testosterone levels. Similarly, a study published in Clinical Endocrinology revealed that in a group of 14-20 year old males – who were obese – they had 50% less testosterone than those who weren’t overweight.
This means losing weight can help to raise your testosterone levels.
NOTE: even losing weight has limitations, so don’t be tempted to lose too much. Should you become underweight you will experience similar testosterone drops.
- Minimize stress
We appreciate that avoiding stress isn’t always entirely possible. However, learning how to manage it can help to boost your testosterone levels.
This is because long term stress can elevate the presence of cortisol (a hormone) which is responsible for managing immune responses and your metabolism.
Unnatural elevations in this hormone can cause your testosterone levels to drop, whilst also increasing your appetite; triggering weight gain, and encouraging the storage of harmful body fats around your internal organs.
The Science:
Study One: Elevated, cortisol can have a negative impact on your body, as seen in a 2016 study on 58 male and female medical students (2 months before their final exams). Aside from filling in questionnaires, the students gave saliva whilst under exam stress. The men in the group showed significant increases in salivary testosterone (when stressed), whilst the women proved to have suffered from substantial drops in testosterone.
This research suggests that under stress, the male participant’s primary stress response was aggression, emotional inhibition and rumination.
To avoid stress and keep your testosterone levels normalized, you should try to avoid stressful situations, especially repetitive ones. Similarly, you should exercise regularly, get plenty of sleep, eat whole foods and simply follow a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
You can also try:
– Reducing long working hours/days.
– Spend two hours a day on activities that aren’t related to work or exercise e.g. reading or listening to music.
- Get Enough Sleep
According to researchers at George Washington University Medical Center, poor sleep is one of the biggest contributing factors to low testosterone levels in men. Lack of sleep can impact on a variety of hormones and chemicals within your body, including testosterone.
You should aim to get 7-8 hours (10 if possible) of sleep a night even if it means adjusting your schedule or recording a late night show instead of watching it live.
The Science:
Study One: during a study by the University of Chicago on 10 healthy men aged around 24 years old; they discovered that testosterone levels will drop in those who don’t get enough sleep. The participants first spent a week sleeping 8 hours a night at home, before spending the next 11 nights in the lab.
At the lab they slept 10 hours a night for 3 nights, followed by 8 nights of restricted sleep where they were only allowed to sleep for 5 hours. During their last night of sleeping 10 hours, their blood was checked every 15-30 minutes. This was repeated on the last night of them only sleeping 5 hours a night.
By the end of 1 week of restricted sleep, their daytime testosterone levels had dropped by 15%.
NOTE: testosterone normally only drops by 1-2% per year as a result of normal aging.
Study Two: a long term study on participants, noted that those who slept only 4 hours a night had borderline deficient levels of testosterone and various other hormones.
Study Three: a separate long term study found that for every additional hour of sleep you got, your testosterone levels will rise 15% (on average).
- Avoid Estrogen-like Compounds
There are various external factors that can affect your hormone levels. A healthy sex life can help regulate testosterone and boost your libido – yes please!! Whilst high exposure to estrogen-like chemicals can do the opposite. For this reason try to minimize your daily exposure to BPA, parabens and other chemicals found in plastics.
- Avoid Drugs and Alcohol Abuse
Similar to estrogen-like compounds, you should avoid drugs and alcohol like the plague (especially if you’ve got the habit of abusing it) as these can lower your testosterone levels.
The Science:
Study One: according to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol can affect the glands and hormones involved in the male reproductive system. Similarly, it can lower your testosterone levels based on how it affects your body. For instance, it can cause hormonal reactions and cell damage.
- Supplement with Vitamin D
Vitamin D is fast becoming one of the most important vitamins on the market due to its ability to improve your health and act as a natural testosterone booster.
The problem with Vitamin D is that we don’t naturally produce it, but do receive it either from our diet or from sun exposure. Maybe that is why nearly half of the US population is Vitamin D deficient, with an even higher percentage living with sub-optimal levels.
To boost your Vitamin D levels – and in turn your testosterone – aim to get at least 15 minutes of direct sun a day, and try eating salmon, fatty fish, fortified milk and cereal (which are all high in Vitamin D).
The Science:
Study One: during a 12 month study where participants with Vitamin D deficiency received 3000 IU of Vitamin D3 a day; their testosterone levels rose by 25%.
Study Two: elderly participants given a combo of Vitamin D and calcium experienced optimized testosterone levels which helped to reduce their risk of falling.
- Other Vitamins and Supplements
Vitamin D is not the only nutrient which can help to naturally boost testosterone production. For instance, both zinc and Vitamin B supplements can increase sperm quality by 74%, whilst each of the following vitamins and supplements can help to support your body with the following:
– Vitamins: vitamins A, C and E have all been found to play key roles in sex hormone and testosterone levels.
– DHEA: this hormone can help you to produce testosterone and other hormones which are responsible for your body’s composition. TIP: eat healthy fats found in fish and flaxseed.
– Magnesium supplement: magnesium can improve the absorption of zinc and calcium which are essential for boosting testosterone production. In fact, magnesium has been found to return testosterone levels to normal in instances of deficiency. During one study published in Biological Trace Element Research; participants given magnesium supplements for a month saw an increase in testosterone. You can also correct your magnesium levels by consuming whole grains and dark leafy greens.
– Zinc: zinc deficiency is often linked to drops in testosterone. During a 4 week study in 2007, they noted that zinc supplementation could prevent falls in testosterone in men who exercised. Alongside supplementation, you can also increase your zinc levels by eating dark greens, flax seeds and pumpkin seeds.
– Creatine: this substance can offer your body small but reliable amounts of increased testosterone. During a 2006 study, college football players were found to have higher levels of testosterone after receiving creatine supplements for over 10 weeks. For a natural source of creatine you can eat salmon, tuna and beef.
- Use Natural Testosterone Boosters
When most people think about ‘how to increase testosterone naturally?’ the first thing that springs to mind is natural testosterone boosters. And who can blame you?! With the right one, you can discover how to increase testosterone levels quickly and safely because they are formulated from 100% natural and proven ingredients.
Take the following:
– Ashwagandha: this herb was found during a study on infertile men to increase their testosterone levels by 17% and their sperm count by 167%. Even if you’re healthy, it can raise your levels by 15%. Whilst another study found that Ashwagandha can lower cortisol by 25% which is really beneficial for testosterone production.
– Ginger extract: during a study on infertile men, this extract helped to boost testosterone by 17% whilst raising the levels of other key sex hormones.
– Horny goat weed: enriched in lacariin, this compound can heighten sexual function, boost testosterone and increase blood flow (preventing erectile dysfunction).
And these are when they are acting on their own…
You can also harness complex formulations, such as Testo-Max, which have taken all the best parts of natural testosterone boosters and have blended them together to offer you a natural, safer and legal alternative to steroids – with none of the negative side effects.
Testo-Max for example contains a complex formulation of numerous natural testosterone boosters – boron, magnesium, Fenugreek, zinc, Vitamins D, B6 and F1 (to name a few) – that have been specially chosen for their ability to increase lean muscle mass, cut fat, improve muscle recovery and maximize your endurance, stamina and strength.
Combine this with healthy living, regular exercise and plenty of sleep, and you have got the recipe for a fitter, healthier, stronger body that is free from testosterone deficiency.
For more information on Testo-Max click here.
Conclusion
What all the above points prove is that there is more than one natural way to boost testosterone.
In fact, you can skip steroids altogether and take a completely natural, safe and legal route to boosting your testosterone levels without EVER having to endure any side effects.
And who can say no to that? No one!
From healthy lifestyle choices (diet and weight loss) to alleviating stress; sleeping more, and taking vitamins, minerals and other natural testosterone boosters – all of these can offer your body the support it deserves.
So why consider anything else? Blend all of the above together and you have got the formula for long term success.
