Testosterone, one of the body’s most essential sexual hormones, I’m sure requires no introduction. Whether used as a marketing buzzword to make monster truck racing and wrestling sound strong and masculine or simply encountered through sexual education in school, we’re all very aware of what it is.

This being the case you’d imagine we’re all equally aware of the functions it plays in our day to day, right?

Well whether you’re clued up and are reading this hoping for greater insight or completely unaware and curious, we’re going to explore all the fascinating and important functions testosterone serves in the body, how to tell if you’re deficient and of course, as the title suggests, natural ways to increase your testosterone levels to counter these deficiency symptoms.

That covers everything from testosterone booster supplements to weight loss, working out and even some more surprising ways to impact your body’s natural hormone production.

Let’s get into it.

Testosterone’s Function

Testosterone (T) is commonly known as the “male” hormone, as its role in the body typically produces more masculine traits in people, such as the Deepening of the voice, the growth of facial hair, growing muscles etc. but it also plays a vital role in women’s wellbeing.

In fact, estrogen (commonly known as the “female” hormone) is created in our bodies by converting testosterone, as well as helping to regulate mood and menstrual cycles, and even having an effect on libido.

Signs of Low Testosterone Levels

Low testosterone can be hard to spot, with it having effects you might expect as well as many you might not. If you identify with any of these symptoms it very well may be worth contacting your local GP to get a blood test so you can be properly medically advised.

We will be talking about “total” testosterone and free testosterone. Total testosterone is (as the word suggests) the total amount of the hormone in our bloodstream, which is bound by different chemical receptors, while when referring to it as “free” testosterone we will be referring to the 2% of testosterone level which is not bounded by any chemical receptor so when talking about testosterone deficiency, it’s likely we’re talking about free testosterone as it is a more accurate predictor.

That being said, there’s no harm in simply trying some of the natural remedies we will explore later in the article in the meantime as you may see some improvement!

– Lack of motivation

Now, this is possibly contentious, as there are often many contributing factors to fatigue, but it’s undeniable that lower than normal testosterone levels would have this effect.

Testosterone has been directly linked to energy levels and vitality and as much as diet and sleep may affect this more, it’s important to remember the direct link sleep and diet has on testosterone production.

– Decreased muscle mass

Higher testosterone levels have a direct causation effect on muscle growth, which can be a sign of how steroids typically mimic the structure of testosterone in the body to boost performance.

If you’re trying to gain muscle and it’s just not going your way, or you notice your friends experiencing growth much faster than you then it’s likely your levels are lower than the average and may be worth looking at increasing these levels to help achieve your muscle mass goals.

– Decreased sex drive

If you’re finding that maybe you or your partner has lost interest in particular bedroom activities, it’s possible that low testosterone is to blame.

It’s been found time and time again that testosterone has a direct link to libido, meaning that when the levels go up, so does libido, and when they go down… you get the idea.

– Erectile dysfunction/Vaginal dryness

Carrying on from our previous point we can see that testosterone is very much an androgen, having a great amount of cause and effect on our sexual behaviors.

Erectile dysfunction is often treated with testosterone replacement therapy (or simply testosterone therapy) and women going through menopause are oftentimes prescribed the same to help combat vaginal dryness.

5 Natural Ways to Increase Testosterone Production

We are both a product of our genetics and our environments, with each having limited effects on our biology and because of this, we all have varying levels of testosterone as standard.

That being the case, we are not simply beholden to our DNA, as there are many changes we can make in both our behavior and environment that will impact these levels either positively or negatively, and we’ll explore what changes we can make and how to have a positive impact on our testosterone levels, as well as how to avoid reducing these levels.

#1: Lose Weight To Boost Testosterone Levels

It turns out weight loss has a significant effect on our bodies testosterone levels, having a direct causation relationship. In effect, when we gain weight our levels are reduced (due to the change in our body composition) and vice versa.

This is because of a phenomenon known as aromatase (not the scented candles your mum makes), which is increased alongside the increase of fat cells within the body. Aromatase has the job of converting testosterone into estrogen, reducing overall testosterone levels.

– Diet

It is really a vicious “circle”: obesity reduces testosterone levels by creating high levels of estrogen which consequently influences the brain to not produce said testosterone anymore.

This has an impact on your brain’s function to generate motivation and energy, which fuels obesity in the first place, and as this process is then all triggered by weight gain, then how can we help our metabolism to boost testosterone naturally? A healthy diet full of protein and carbs is a clear and obvious answer.

In effect, losing weight through a generally healthy lifestyle can affect testosterone levels greatly and positively.

– Exercise

Lower testosterone levels can affect your sexual function, your muscle mass and your overall energy and motivation. As we have just aforementioned there are certain healthy lifestyle changes that are considered testosterone boosters and exercising can be one of them.

Weight lifting or strength training is a great example: the more muscle mass there is in your body weight, the more testosterone needs to be produced, and you might get bonus points when covering larger muscle groups such as the quadriceps, back and chest.

High intensity interval training is also known as an effective way to boost your muscles, help with low testosterone and help regulate your cardio resistance, however, it has been proven to work mainly and specifically for men.

#2: Reduce Stress to Increase Your Testosterone Naturally

Generally speaking, people who suffer from chronic stress are more likely to have a low testosterone level. Stress has been shown to directly affect testosterone levels, as when you’re stressed, your body releases the hormone cortisol, which is also known as the “stress hormone”

Further research has found a clear and tight relation between high cortisol levels and testosterone deficiency, so consequently, a good way to make sure that your testosterone increases is through weight loss and exercise, in order to ultimately reduce stress

Healthy living and weight loss positively influence people suffering from chronic stress as well. With losing weight, you will experience a change and a boost in your mood, meaning again that the stress will be reduced and your testosterone levels will be boosted. Sounds like a good compromise, doesn’t it?

This might also be an obvious one, but if you have low testosterone levels due to stress, with enough cardiovascular exercise your body will release endorphins, meaning your stress levels will be reduced and your levels of testosterone will boost.

#3: Get Healthy Sleep

Did you know that the majority of testosterone release occurs during your sleep? Sleeping healthily can also be a natural testosterone booster. At least for men, it has been noticed that testosterone decreases when there are episodes of restricted sleep (or more commonly sleep deprivation) as well as an irregular sleeping pattern such as a low amount of hours of sleep and sleep apnea, which has been associated with testosterone decrease as well.

A more regular sleeping pattern, with sleep cycles of 8 to 10 hours, and more careful attention to sleep apnea (might be worth checking with a doctor if you suffer from chronic obstructive sleep apnea) can seriously help your testosterone levels. There are a few ways to help you get better sleep from supplements, to diet and practicing good sleep hygiene.

#4: Cover Your Vitamin Deficiencies

We all saw this one coming. As we mentioned before, a healthy diet boosts your testosterone, and when you’re considering taking a further step into your new lifestyle habits, making sure that you cover all your vitamin deficiencies can be a great factor to take into consideration.

Vitamin D can generally help boost your testosterone level, however, it is controversial due to the amount of research being conducted on the connection between vitamin D and testosterone, so don’t eat an orange and expect to have changed your life forever.

This is due to the fact that the relationship between testosterone levels and vitamin d is still not understood as clearly: studies have shown that vitamin D supplements can help with your testosterone levels, especially in the presence of a vitamin D deficiency, since the vitamin has the job of boosting your immune system and helps with the production of certain hormones in our bodies, including testosterone.

So to answer the question: does vitamin D help boost your testosterone levels? very likely if you choose a vitamin supplement or if you have a rich vitamin D diet, which includes foods such as salmon, milk, and mushrooms.

– Vitamin B

The B group of vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12) can be a great booster for your testosterone levels and it can be taken via food or as a supplement.

There is a high number of foods that include vitamin B9, which is also known as Folic Acid, essential for our body, particularly in younger men due to the effects it has on fertility and prevention of erectile dysfunction as well as sperm health.

The foods more commonly used in our day-to-day life that contain B9 include beetroot and citrus fruits, whole grains, beans, and green leafy vegetables.

Vitamin B3 is also a booster for your testosterone levels as it helps your body reduce fatigue and tiredness and as we mentioned previously, living a less stressful lifestyle can increase testosterone levels.

It also has a very significant impact on energy and libido and as testosterone is known as the male sex hormone, a higher libido can help you boost your testosterone levels.

#5: Use Testosterone Boosting Supplements

If you’re in need to follow a particular diet, or maybe you’re just a picky eater, how can you help your body in case of low testosterone levels?

Testosterone supplements are formulated with ingredients that are known to help raise testosterone levels and they mainly contain herbal extracts and nutrients that improve the balancing of your general hormone levels.

Before we start talking about how to increase testosterone levels through the use of supplements, it is important to mention that each body is different, and testosterone treatment (also known as testosterone therapy in extreme cases) can be discussed with wellness professionals to find the best combination for you.

Now let’s cut to the chase: can supplements help low testosterone levels naturally? We suggest that they can.

– Vitamin D supplementation

As we mentioned before, this vitamin can play a part when it comes to testosterone levels. Specifically, vitamin D3 contributes to the creation of testosterone in the first place, therefore there are a number of D3 supplements that can help your testosterone levels.

– ZINC supplements

Zinc is a fundamentally important mineral that cells in your body use to metabolize nutrients. Your protein production, your immune system functions and many factors in the production of DNA are related to the level of zinc in your body. When it comes to low testosterone, there are a number of supplements that can help boost your T levels and (for men specifically) help your sperm count.

Supplementing your diet with zinc has shown significant increases in testosterone levels and also decreased aromatization, to say the process by which testosterone, through aromatase, rapidly converts to the female hormone known as estrogen as we mentioned before. Foods rich in zinc include oysters, nuts, meat, and dairy.

– Magnesium supplements

Magnesium supplements can help boost your muscles and your strength, so they come in handy if you decide to boost your testosterone through exercise and strength training. Magnesium supplementation has increased free testosterone also in sedentary individuals.

Learn more:

Can Something as Simple as Magnesium Send Your Testosterone Through The Roof?

Magnesium-Testosterone Study #1: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20352370/

Magnesium-Testosterone Study #2: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1619184

– Herbal supplements

There are a number of herbal supplements that can help boost your T levels. For example, Ashwagandha is a good naturally sourced balancer for your T levels. Its roots and fruit have medicinal properties and it can be used to help with several side effects of low testosterone such as sexual dysfunction and infertility. Generally speaking if you’re looking for a one size fits all, then Testogen is a good place to start.

We also recommend:

– TestoFuel (Best For Muscle Growth)

– Prime Male (Best For Low T)

Pine bark extract is also a great option: Several studies have shown that pine bark extract when combined with L-arginine, is very effective in increasing low testosterone and improving sexual health in men.

We also recommend Tongkat Ali Extract as it is one of the most potent testosterone boosters for men. Learn more about it in our complete guide here.

Conclusion

To conclude this journey through the ups and downs of what T can do, we can confidently come to the conclusion that there are many natural ways to improve levels of your testosterone. These include a healthy weight, a good amount of sleep, some exercise and why not, even the help of some supplements such as several vitamins (B, D) and minerals (Zinc and Magnesium) and herbs that can create health benefits for other areas of our metabolisms.

Thanks for reading guys – If you know of any natural ways to increase testosterone the weren’t listed here then let us know in the comments below!