8 Ways to Naturally Increase Testosterone: Exercise, Diet, Sleep

8 Ways to Naturally Increase Testosterone: Exercise, Diet, Sleep

Boosting testosterone naturally doesn’t have to be complicated. By focusing on a diet for boosting testosterone, staying physically active, and incorporating simple lifestyle changes for higher testosterone, you can improve your hormone health and overall quality of life. These steps not only support healthy testosterone levels but also reduce the risk of weight-related issues and enhance your energy and vitality. Alcohol has been found to have a negative effect on testosterone levels as well as raising estrogen and cortisol levels.

Alcohol consumption can reduce the production and release of hormones that are needed for reproductive functions and interfere with hormone production in the hypothalamus. Maintaining the right level of testosterone can be challenging. Healthy women make up to 300 micrograms of testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands every day.

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Adequate amounts of key vitamins and minerals are vital for testosterone production. A provider can help you determine healthy levels of these nutrients. Physical, emotional, or mental stress can negatively affect testosterone production. This is because stress disrupts the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis, or how the male body signals the testicles to produce testosterone.

For example, exercise has been shown to increase testosterone in elderly males, as well as well-trained young men (3). Reducing toxin exposure, drug use, and alcohol can also increase testosterone, as well as addressing nutrient deficiencies like zinc and vitamin D (4,5). Proper hydration is essential for overall health and hormone balance. Aim to drink plenty of water throughout the day to support metabolic processes and maintain healthy testosterone levels. If you think your testosterone levels may be low, it’s helpful to know the signs as well as possible ways to increase testosterone, including natural methods. It’s also important to know the risks and side effects of both testosterone therapy and supplements claiming to help boost testosterone. Zinc is an important nutrient for hormonal health, and it plays an important role in hormone production by increasing testosterone naturally.

After the initial assessment, the participants were randomly divided into 2 groups using a random table generator. The control group was advised to walk for 30 min three times a week on alternate days for 16 weeks along with a standard dietary plan. Exposure to chemicals that mimic estrogen in the body, such as BPA and certain plastics, can interfere with hormone balance.

To maintain healthy testosterone levels, it’s important to consume good-quality protein sources. Studies indicate that protein restriction or a protein-energy deficiency affects testosterone biosynthesis. Eating enough protein can help you maintain healthy testosterone levels and can aid in fat loss, which may be beneficial, too.

You should also eat plenty of healthy fats such as avocados, nuts, and seeds — low-fat diets can decrease testosterone. Pomegranate juice, olive oil, and onion may also boost the hormone. This is the running total of how much sleep you owe your body, which we measure over the last 14 nights. If you find your sleep debt is high, this could be the reason for some of your symptoms. It could also be the cause of low testosterone, too, as sleep is essential to testosterone production.

Excess body fat, especially around the abdomen, can lead to lower testosterone levels. By maintaining a healthy weight through a balanced diet and regular exercise, you can support hormone production. So, « if you’re not getting enough dietary fat, your body has less of the building blocks it needs to produce testosterone, » he says. In fact, one 2021 review in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology found that men who switched from a high-fat to low-fat diet saw a drop in testosterone levels. Although females have lower testosterone levels than males, testosterone plays a crucial role in maintaining bone metabolism, cognition, and sexual function. The findings indicate that total testosterone levels transiently increase immediately after exercise but decline below baseline within 24 h during recovery.

Magnesium can be found in leafy green vegetables, nuts, and whole grains. Taking a ZMA supplement (zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6) before bed is a good way of potentially elevating your testosterone. Chronic stress elevates cortisol, a hormone that negatively affects testosterone levels. Cortisol and testosterone have an inverse relationship; when cortisol levels are does high testosterone cause ed, testosterone levels tend to be low. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism demonstrated that stress management techniques could help reduce cortisol levels and, in turn, increase testosterone. Stress management techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, and yoga can help lower cortisol levels. Regularly practicing these techniques not only helps in stress reduction but also supports overall hormonal balance.