Testosterone plays an important role in every human’s life. It is the male sex hormone and usually found in men, but female also produces testosterone in a small amount.
Testosterone plays an important role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate. It also promotes sexual characteristics such as increased muscle mass, bone density and also promotes the growth of body hair.
When boys come at the age of puberty, testosterone is one of the main drivers of physical changes like increased muscle mass, deeper voice, and hair growth.
But as the man gets older, their testosterone level starts to decline 1 percent per year after the age of 30.
Below is the chart which shows the normal level of testosterone by age and gender:
What Happens When Testosterone Levels Decline
In men, low testosterone levels cause a decrease in sexual function, such as
- Low libido and sperm count
- Infertility
- Erectile dysfunction
- Change in sleep pattern
- Low testosterone causes mood swings, emotional changes like low confidence and lack of motivation
- Physical changes- reduce in muscle mass, increase in body fat and decrease in bone density
Low Testosterone in Female Can Cause
- Loss of hair
- Infertility
- Acne
- Growth of facial hair
- Weak bones
- Increase in body fat
- Loss of muscle mass
7 Ways to Increase Testosterone Naturally
1. Exercise and lifting weight
The first thing comes first. Exercise and lifting weights in the gym increase the level of testosterone in your body naturally.
A study found that the people who exercise regularly have a higher testosterone level in comparison to those who don’t exercise. In adult male and female, exercise increases testosterone level, increase muscle mass, boost up their confidence level and help improve their concentration.
If you are an obese man or woman, then exercise is more important for you, than a weight loss diet. Lifting weights in a gym will produce testosterone in your body naturally. Testosterone works in building muscle and losing body fat.
Studies found that resistance training like weight lifting is one of the best ways to boost testosterone levels for the short as well as for the long term.
Consuming caffeine, creatine monohydrate and whey protein may boost up your testosterone level when combined with a good training program.
2. Eat protein, healthy fat, and carbohydrate
Once a wise man said- “you are what you eat” and it implies on everyone. What you eat has a major role in your health. Clean eating increases testosterone naturally as well as other hormone levels.
To boost your testosterone level, you strictly need to follow a clean diet strategy and calorie intake. Constantly eating may decrease your testosterone level and loss of muscle mass.
Eat a good amount of protein food which helps in building muscle, boost testosterone level, and aids in fat loss.
Fat plays an important role in increasing testosterone levels one should definitely include monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat like olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, etc in your diet. Fat contains cholesterol, which your body converts into a steroid hormone. Healthy fats help in building testosterone and other hormones in your body. So, try not to eat a diet loaded with saturated fat, instead of that, include healthy fat in your diet and maintain your hormone level.
Carbohydrate also plays an important role in increasing testosterone naturally in your body. Bodybuilders and athletes consume a good amount of carbs to repair and build their muscles and maintain their hormone levels.
A well-balanced diet that consists of protein, healthy fats and carbohydrate is beneficial for overall health. This can optimize testosterone and other hormone levels for the long term.
3. Consume Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the most popular vitamins. It has many health benefits and is also very helpful in increasing testosterone naturally.
In the US, nearly half of the population is in the deficit of vitamin D. A study shows that eating 3000IU of vitamin D per day increases testosterone level around 25-30%.
In elders, vitamin D helps prevent the decrease of testosterone levels.
To increase testosterone level and other health benefits, consume vitamin D from the given sources:
- Sunlight
- Cod liver oil
- Sardines
- Salmon
- Tuna
- Eggs
- Mushrooms
- Liquid Vitamin D3
- increase testosterone naturally
- Liquid Vitamin D3 Mixed Berry
4. Getting quality sleep
Quality sleep is as important for your health as your diet and exercise. Sleeping for about 7-8 hours per night increases the level of testosterone and solves other health issues.
One study shows that the person who sleeps for about only 5 hours per night has a reduction of 15% in testosterone level.
Another study found that those who sleep 7-8 hours for the long term have increased their testosterone level naturally by 15-20% higher on average.
5. Take some natural testosterone boosters
The scientist researches some herbs and found that Ashwagandha, a natural testosterone booster works well to increase the level of testosterone.
One study shows that the effect of ashwagandha on infertile men and found a 17% increase in testosterone level and a 167% increase in sperm count.
Another study found that the men who consume ashwagandha decrease their cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that breaks down muscles. Ashwagandha decreases cortisol by 25%. It also helps in increasing testosterone levels.
Other herbs found in both animals and humans include horny goat weed, mucuna prurient, shilajit, etc also aids in increasing testosterone levels.
6. Avoid alcohol
If you are looking to increase testosterone naturally, then you should seriously stop drinking alcohol.
Consuming alcohol affects the production of testosterone. First of all, alcohol increases the cortisol level in your body. Cortisol is a stress hormone and it decreases the testosterone level.
Second thing is that, when you sleep, your body produces testosterone. When you consume alcohol, you won’t be going to get quality sleep.
7. Have sex
Sex is one of the easiest and natural ways to increase testosterone levels. When you do sex, your body feels the need for more testosterone. It directly sends a message to your brain to produce more testosterone and other hormones. Sex also reduces the level of cortisol by relaxing you and it is also one of the most beneficial exercises for your body.
You can also add these healthy foods into your diet if you want to increase your testosterone naturally.
Foods that increase testosterone naturally:
- Macadamia nuts
- Beef gelatin
- Coffee
- Brazil nut
- Raisins
- Eggs
- Salmon
I hope you like this article on the best ways to increase testosterone naturally. Share this article on social media to spread awareness.