Naturally boost testosterone
Testosterone is the major sex hormone in males, though it is also present in small amounts in females. The levels of testosterone decline naturally as you become older but you can take certain steps to slow and even reverse this process.
Testosterone is important for the maintenance of your general well-being and health. Low testosterone levels may unfavourably affect the composition of your body, and as you age its reduced levels may also lead to weight gain.
Low testosterone levels may also affect your sexual function, leading to fewer erections, decreased sex drive, and even infertility.
Ways to naturally boost testosterone
- Get an adequate amount of sleep
Not getting enough sleep may negatively affect the blood levels of many chemicals and hormones that your body requires for optimum function, including testosterone. Studies indicate that levels of testosterone may drop in males who are not getting enough sleep. Hence, to maintain optimum levels of testosterone, you should get enough sleep- at least seven to eight hours every night.
- Exercise including lifting weights
Exercise is one of the natural ways to boost your levels of testosterone. Various studies have found that individuals who do regular exercise have higher levels of testosterone. Though any type of exercise is good to boost testosterone levels, resistance training including lifting weights and high-intensity interval training are among the best types of exercise that increase testosterone levels in both the long- and short-term.
Studies indicate that staying active is more beneficial in comparison to weight loss in improving your levels of testosterone. However, you should not overdo exercise, as overdoing physical activity may have an opposite effect on the testosterone levels.
Taking creatine monohydrate and caffeine as supplements can further help in boosting the levels of testosterone when you combine them with an exercise program.
- Eat a nutritious and well-balanced diet
According to research eating a nutritious and well-balanced diet is vital in maintaining optimal levels of testosterone and general health. Both constant dieting and overeating may disrupt your hormonal levels, an effect most evident in highly active people and athletes. A diet that comprises whole foods with a balanced amount of fats, proteins, and
carbohydrates is the best diet to optimize both levels of hormones and overall health in the long-term.
- Lose excess weight
According to research, overweight men have lower testosterone levels; they can have up to 50% less testosterone in comparison to males who have normal weight. Hence, losing weight is another natural way to boost your testosterone levels.
- Reduce your stress levels
Chronic and long-term stress is harmful to the body and may elevate the levels of the cortisol hormone. The latter helps in managing numerous different processes in the body including metabolism and immune response. Elevated cortisol levels may cause a quick reduction in the levels of testosterone. These two hormones have a seesaw-like relationship, as one of them increases, the other decreases, and vice versa.
Furthermore, stress and the resulting high cortisol levels may also increase your intake of food, cause weight gain, and storage of body fat in excess around the organs. All these changes in turn may adversely impact the levels of testosterone.
Hence to maintain optimal hormonal levels and overall health, you must try and reduce chronic and repetitive stress in your life. Eat a healthy and well-balanced diet that comprises of whole foods, get adequate sleep, engage in regular physical activity, have a hearty laugh, and lead a balanced lifestyle. All of these may help in reducing stress and improving your testosterone levels and general health.
- Take supplements and vitamins
According to research, vitamin D may act as a natural booster of testosterone levels. According to a study, supplementing with about 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 every day raised levels of testosterone by about 25 percent.
Furthermore, in the elderly population, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements optimised levels of testosterone; thereby, reducing their risk of falling.
Get regular sunlight exposure (of at least 15 minutes each day) or take a vitamin D3 supplement containing 3,000 IU of the vitamin daily. Some of the foods that are a rich source of vitamin D are fatty fishes such as salmon or fortified cereal products or milk.
DHEA is a hormone, which helps in producing testosterone, and its levels also drop as you age. DHEA supplementation may help to produce positive effects in the body.
If the low testosterone levels are due to deficiency of magnesium or zinc, then supplementation with these minerals may help in increasing the testosterone levels. You may also correct the deficiency of these minerals through diet. Foods rich in magnesium are dark leafy green veggies and whole grains, whereas those rich in zinc are pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and dark greens.
Creatine may also cause a small, though a reliable increase in levels of testosterone. The natural food sources of creatine are beef, tuna, and salmon.
- Take some of the natural ingredients to boost testosterone
Some of the natural substances that may help in boosting testosterone and backed by scientific evidence include ashwagandha, ginger extract, horny goat weed, shilajit, Mucuna pruriens, and Tongkat Ali. However, for these natural ingredients majority of the research has been done in mice or people with infertility or with low levels of testosterone.
- Review your medicines
Some of the medicines are among the common reasons to reduce the levels of testosterone. For instance, statins (medicine that help in lowering cholesterol) may operate partially by decreasing testosterone. Hence, if you suspect that your low testosterone level may be due to any prescription drug, you should talk to your doctor.
- Avoid exposure to compounds similar to estrogen
High exposure to chemicals that are similar to estrogen may affect the levels of testosterone adversely; hence, try and minimize your exposure to parabens, BPA, and various other chemicals that are present in some kinds of plastic. Furthermore, excess use of drugs or alcohol whether recreational or medical may also reduce your testosterone levels. On the contrary, happiness, success, and laughter may help in boosting your levels of testosterone and overall health; hence, ensure to include them in your life.
