Testosterone is most often associated with sex, but low testosterone can affect more than your sex drive and performance. Testosterone also plays an important role in the body's pain response, the production of red blood cells, optimal muscle mass and bone density, regular sleep patterns, and higher energy levels.
Testosterone is crucial for brain function, according to Harvard University, which points out that higher levels of testosterone are associated with better cognitive performance, including visual and verbal memory and a reduced risk of dementia.
Testosterone replacement therapy is just one option for men with low testosterone, but hormone replacement therapies can increase your risk of prostate diseases, liver disease, sleep apnea, and acne. The good news is that there are a number of ways to increase testosterone levels naturally. Here are eight of them.
1. Cut sugar from your diet
The average American consumes 12 teaspoons of sugar each day, but the maximum recommended daily intake for men is just nine teaspoons. A diet that's low in added sugar reduces your risk of diabetes, which, according to the American Diabetes Association, doubles your risk of low testosterone.
2. Reduce your stress
Stress hormones like cortisol cause testosterone levels to take a nose dive. Chronic stress is an important culprit for low testosterone in some men. Reducing your stress by addressing stressors, exercising, engaging in deep breathing exercises, and meditating can naturally increase your testosterone levels.
3. Fast
Fasting is becoming more popular as research continues to tout its benefits, one of which is increasing testosterone levels. In fact, one study found that fasting increased testosterone production by 180 percent, and a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation found that growth hormone levels, which are related to testosterone, increased 2000 percent in men who fasted for 24 hours.
4. Get adequate sleep
If you have problems sleeping, such as trouble falling or staying asleep, it could be interrupting your testosterone production. According to an article in the journal Current Opinion of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Obesity, your body balances hormone levels and increases testosterone production while you sleep. Strive for seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
5. Combine HIIT with weight lifting
High-intensity interval training, which involves alternating high-intensity exercise like running with low-intensity exercise like walking, can boost testosterone levels more effectively than a standard cardio workout. Combine HIIT with weight training, and you've got a one-two punch that'll increase testosterone production even more, according to a study published in the journal Mechanisms of Ageing and Development, which found that working the major muscle groups at ten reps per set increased testosterone and growth hormone production in both young and aging men.
6. Eat healthy fats
Healthy fats like those in nuts, avocados, yogurt, and olive and coconut oil can promote healthy testosterone levels, according to a study published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry. The study found that when men reduce their intake of healthy fats, serum concentrations of testosterone and free testosterone are also decreased.
7. Get your vitamin D
A study published in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Research found that vitamin D supplementation boosted testosterone production by up to 30 percent in overweight men. You can increase your vitamin D intake in three ways: By eating more salmon, tuna, fortified dairy, sardines, and egg yolks; by getting outside in the sunshine for at least 10 minutes a day; and by taking a vitamin D supplement.
If low testosterone is leaving you feeling sluggish or uninspired in the bedroom and mentally cloudy elsewhere, try some of these testosterone-boosting tips. If it continues to be a problem for you, visit with your doctor about other ways to combat low testosterone levels.
8. Take a supplement
A number of natural herbs and other substances have been shown through research to increase testosterone production in a variety of ways. Predoxen's Testo Boost promotes higher testosterone levels with proven ingredients like saw palmetto, muira puama, L-Arginine HCL, and maca root powder.
Sources:
https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Pituitary-testicular+axis+in+obese+men+during+short-term+fasting.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2796409
