Several studies have shown that the risk of dying at a young age increases when a man’s testosterone level drops below 213 ng / dL, especially due to heart disease and other dangerous physical problems. Many people are unfamiliar with or unconcerned about this, but its effects can be life-threatening. But the good news is, you can now naturally increase your testosterone level.
Hormone deficiency isn’t just a problem for older people. About 20% of men between the ages of 15-49 suffer from testosterone deficiency. This means that one in five men is at risk for testosterone deficiency, often below 350 ng / dL. Just imagine how bad this lack of energy can be if it happens when you’re at the most active and energetic period of life.
Testosterone isn’t just a muscle or sex hormone. It controls our confidence, mood, focus, energy, and overall masculinity. Our life becomes colorless when we suffer from its deficiency. Fatigue, depression, weight gain, loss of muscle mass, anger, or frustration in even small things.
And the most terrible part is that the amount of this essential hormone is decreasing by 1.6% every year on average, even without being based on age. That means even if you are 25-30 years old now, you are not out of danger.
This article will help you learn how to stay away from this risk and build an enjoyable life for yourself now and in the future. We’ll show you how to raise testosterone to its peak level in a very natural way. Without any drugs, injections, or any artificial therapies, just by making a few changes in your regular routine.
And we’ve divided this whole solution process into three key levels:
1. Adding Exercise
2. Dietary changes
3. Lifestyle Adjustment
So, let’s start this journey – first of all, let’s see
Best Exercises to Increase Testosterone Naturally
While exercise is essential for increasing testosterone levels, it is also important to exercise correctly if you want to see real results. Because how your body responds depends on how you train. In this part, we will discuss some proven and effective exercise tips that can maximize your body’s natural testosterone production.
Compound movement
Compound movements are the best way to get the “multiplier effect” from the exercises. You are actually using more than one joint or muscle group while performing any compound movement like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, pull-ups, rows, shoulder presses, and more.
The bigger muscles work together during compound workouts, which burn a lot of energy. As a result, the brain releases more growth hormone and testosterone. And these two are essential for our body to boost energy and muscular growth.
Moreover, after a compound session, an effect called “Hormonal Afterburn Effect” starts working. Through this process, our metabolism rate remains high for a longer period of time. Also, our body starts to burn more calories and increases the production of other essential hormones on its own because of this action.
Strength training with compound motions also triggers an anabolic response, which increases GH synthesis, ATP, and muscle hypertrophy.
So, it’s always better to replace some isolation movement with compound, if your ultimate goal is to increase the T level.
Don’t Skip Leg Day
Some People take it lightly, and some of them totally ignore training their legs, but “leg day” should never be missed.
The main organs that produce testosterone (testes and adrenal glands) are mainly located in the lower part. Since we sit and work all day long, and hardly ever get up to move around. This area is usually not very active during our everyday activities. As a result, blood and oxygen are also supplied in a very small amount.
In simple terms, lower body training means not only strengthening the legs, but also “strengthening the ground” for the T production. So, there is no way to underestimate leg training.
High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
With HIIT, you give your body a “hormonal shock” by using all of your energy in a short amount of time.
Research has found that doing HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) speeds up the release of testosterone, which increases the body’s energy and stamina. This kind of activity also makes the body more sensitive to insulin and lowers the stress hormone cortisol. Moreover, it lets your body use the effects of other hormones more effectively.
On the other hand, another interesting factor of HIIT is, “EPOC effect”, or excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. which means the body keeps doing metabolic tasks like producing testosterone even after the workout is over.
For example, if you sprint at high speed for 20 seconds, then take 40 seconds of rest, and so on for 15 minutes, the effect can be much longer.
Proper form and sufficient recovery are essential for HIIT. The reason for this is that HIIT can raise your cortisol levels and stop your body from making testosterone if you do it too much or without proper control.
Dietary Adjustment
Working out alone is not enough to increase your T level to its peak. But your diet should also be equally planned and nutritious. What you eat on a regular basis affects your hormonal system. A healthy diet gives your body the nutrients it needs to produce more testosterone naturally and keep other hormones in balance.
Creating a Balanced Diet to Increase Testosterone Naturally
A healthy diet is not about eating less. It’s about creating a diet that meets your body’s needs for macros and micros. Especially, vitamins and minerals play an important role in increasing testosterone. But the process can slow down if we don’t get enough of them from our food.
For this reason, our diet should be designed with foods that provide important micronutrients that help in the production of testosterone.
Micronutrient-rich foods
Calories, carbohydrates, fats, and proteins make up a large portion of our diet. But the silent stewards of the complex processes that go on inside the body are some invisible yet powerful elements are micronutrients. If the process of making testosterone in your body is like a factory, then these micronutrients are the hard-working factory workers.
Here are some of the important micronutrients and their sources:
• Magnesium (Spinach, Almonds, Dark Chocolate, Banana)
• Zinc (Red Meat, Pumpkin seeds, Dairy foods)
• Vitamin D3 (Morning sunshine, eggs, fatty fish)
• Omega-3 fatty acids (Seafood, Chia Seeds, Walnuts)
• Selenium (Brazil nuts, fish, eggs)
• Vitamin B6 (Banana, Potato, Tuna, Chicken)
Fats to Increase Your Testosterone Naturally
Testosterone is mainly made from cholesterol. The sources of this cholesterol are fats, especially saturated fats, but mono / polyunsaturated fats also have an important role in the production process. Many people avoid fats simply because they think it will make them obese. But in reality, to boost the T production, we need a balanced intake of these fats.
You must eat more than just olive oil or palm fat to keep your hormones in check. Along with them, you also need saturated fats like ghee, egg yolk, and red meat. Studies have shown that those who follow a fat-rich diet have a much higher level of testosterone than other men.
But keep in mind that not all fats are equal. As much as possible, stay away from foods that are deep-fried or contain trans fats or hydrogenated oils like mayonnaise. This is because they make the body more inflamed and throw off the balance of hormones.
What is the daily requirement of fat?
In a healthy adult man, 25 to 35 percent of his calories should come from fat. Let’s say someone eats 2,500 calories a day. That person needs around 70 to 90 grammes of fat. Seven to fifteen grammes of these fats should be saturated fats at most. Then all the other fat should ideally come from monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Some examples of fats are,
• Saturated fats: Egg yolks, ghee, mutton, beef
• Monounsaturated fats: Olive oil, almonds, avocado
• Omega-3 (polyunsaturated fats): sea fish, chia seeds, flax seeds
Cut Down on Sugar and Junk Food
Sugar and processed foods are not only excess calories, but also a big threat to our hormonal balance. When we consume sugar, our insulin levels rise, which makes our testosterone levels drop by a lot. One study found that men’s testosterone levels dropped by about 25% after taking 75 grams of glucose, and this effect lasted for up to two hours.
Consuming too much sugar causes insulin resistance. This makes you more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and lowers your testosterone levels even more. That’s why you should stay away from processed foods like soft drinks, sweets, candy, and baked goods as much as possible. Instead, eat natural foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats. These foods help to keep your hormones in order.
No Alcohol
A lot of people believe that drinking isn’t always bad for you. But the fact is, alcohol is a silent killer of testosterone. Studies have shown that testosterone levels drop within 30 minutes of drinking alcohol. And if you consume this on a regular basis, it can throw off your hormone balance completely.
Some enzymes in the liver get affected when you drink alcohol, which stops the production of testosterone right away. Also, it spikes the stress hormone, and too much cortisol weakens the normal function of testosterone. Alcohol can also negatively impact the quality of sleep, and remember, deep sleep is the time when testosterone is produced the most.
Multiple studies have even shown that people who regularly drink 5-7 units of alcohol a week can reduce testosterone release by an average of 7% to 15%. People who drink a lot may have an even worse rate.
So, the only real way to get your body and mind back to normal, build up strength, increase muscle mass, and maintain your natural testosterone levels steady is to stop drinking.
Herbal Supplements to Increase Testosterone Naturally
Some herbal ingredients are a gift from God for people who want to boost their testosterone naturally without taking any pharmaceutical supplements. For example, ingredients such as ginger, ashwagandha, fenugreek, shilajit, basil, etc, are called “natural supplements” because they work in the same way in the body, maintain hormonal balance, reduce stress hormones, and in many cases, directly increase testosterone levels.
These herbs have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds of years, and today’s research has also proven their effectiveness. They can be consumed in the form of supplements, cooked with them, or put in tea. The best part is that they are natural, have a low risk of side effects, and heal the body from the inside out in the long run.
Drink Plenty of Water
Cortisol level increases when the body does not get enough water. Also, water helps to flush out toxins from the body and make sure the body cells work properly, which helps in the production of hormones.
When you’re thirsty, inflammation can get worse, and it throws off your hormone balance. Besides, water effectively helps the kidneys and liver to remove toxins and extra soluble substances from the body. Water does more than just help in testosterone production. It also helps the body get rid of toxins, brings more oxygen to cells, and makes the body healthier generally.
But there is a question: How much water do you need? A good rule of thumb is to drink between two and three litres of water daily for an average person. However, this amount can vary from person to person, depending on his or her physical activity, weather, and health conditions. So, one liter of water for every 20 kg of body weight can be an ideal size to meet your daily water needs.
Tips for drinking water:
• Drink a glass of water in the morning.
• Drink a glass of water before each meal.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after exercise.
• Drink plenty of water throughout the day.
Lifestyle Adjustment
A healthy lifestyle is the key to maintaining the natural balance of your T level. Mostly, we focus on diet and exercise, but some simple daily habits can be a big obstacle or a big help for the essential hormones.
Sleep Well Every Night to Increase Testosterone Naturally
A good night’s sleep it’s not just about relaxing. It’s essential to keep running the factory for the production of testosterone. The amount of testosterone in men can drop a lot if they don’t get 7 to 9 hours of deep sleep every night.
A study from the University of Chicago found that people who slept just 5 hours a night for a week reduced their testosterone levels by about 10-15%. Surprisingly, these kinds of drops only happen by 1% per year because of getting older. That means that if you cut back on sleep, you’ll make up for years of lost time in just one week!
During sleep, our body releases a lot of hormones during the rapid eye movement (REM). Especially in the middle of the night. So if you go for sleep at 2 a.m. and wake up at 6 a.m., you’ll fall asleep before you get to that vital point, and your body won’t make testosterone as it should. Excessive screen time, irregular sleep time, and too much caffeine or alcohol – all disrupt deep sleep.
More surprisingly, people who slept less than 7 hours every night had significantly lower morning testosterone peaks. This had a direct effect on their ability to focus, perform, and have sexual health.
Keep Your Stress Under Control
Chronic stress is a silent enemy for the body, which is directly linked to a decrease in testosterone levels. When we feel stressed, our body produces more cortisol. And high levels of cortisol suppress the production of testosterone and, over time, negatively affect men’s sexual health, energy, and mental stability. Long-term stress gradually lowers our T levels, and if it is not controlled, the hormonal balance can be completely disrupted.
Regular meditation, practicing deep breathing, spending some time with nature daily, or doing something that calms the mind can boost the hormonal production. A good night’s sleep and rest can also help reduce stress. Remember, a healthy brain is the foundation of healthy hormone production.
Maintain A Healthy Weight
When excess fat accumulates in the body, especially around the abdomen, it activates an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estrogen. In this way, female hormones rise and signs of masculinity disappear in the body of men.
Researchers have found that men who are overweight have less testosterone in their bodies than men who are underweight. Even multiple studies have shown that a 10% weight loss can raise a man’s testosterone levels around 75-120 ng / dL. And trust me, it’s a huge improvement.
Also, being overweight leads to insulin resistance and inflammation, which throws off the balance of hormones. Balancing daily calories, eating protein and fiber-rich foods, and exercising regularly – all these habits keep weight under control and testosterone normal.
Get Sunlight and Try Cold Showers
Sunlight needs to be done at the right time and place. In general, the time to get sunlight or UVB rays from the sun after 12 pm helps our skin to produce most vitamin D. Vitamin D supports our bone health and also regulates many hormonal processes.
However, if the sunlight is too hot or harmful at this time, there is no need to stay outside for too long. 10-15 minutes is enough so that your skin can get enough to start the process of making vitamin D. Or you can use a vitamin D supplement.
Another option is a cold shower. Taking a bath in cold water makes the blood flow faster. And most importantly, cold baths keep the brain fresh and reduce stress, which naturally supports the T production.
Avoid Harmful Chemicals in Daily Life to Increase Testosterone Naturally
We are unknowingly using some chemicals that are disturbing our natural hormone production. Chemicals like phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and parabens are often found in plastics, cosmetics, food packaging, and even some cleaning items for the home. Studies have shown that these substances have a negative effect on our hormonal system and reduce T production.
Moreover, pesticides and herbicides used in agriculture can also affect your hormonal balance. Our bodies carry these chemicals around, which puts stress on the endocrine system.
But there are some easy things you can do to stay away from these harms. Instead of plastic containers, you can try to buy natural and healthy foods and containers made of glass or stainless steel. Also, stay away from perfumes and makeup that contain parabens or phthalates.
Always choose natural ingredients and safe food, and stay away from foods that contain preservatives or chemicals. If you follow these things, you can help maintain normal levels of hormones in the body, and testosterone production will also increase.
The Bottom Line
Testosterone doesn’t just control muscle or sexual energy. It’s also a key driver of confidence, energy, focus, and mental health. That’s why it becomes very important to increase testosterone naturally. But due to modern lifestyle, unhealthy food habits, unconventional exercise methods, and stress, the level of this hormone in our body is slowly going down.
Fortunately, you can increase this hormone naturally without relying on drugs or injections. Change the habits of your life today. Whether it’s a little walk every day, a glass of milk every day, or a deep sleep by turning off the mobile, everything will be useful. Because testosterone means a lively, active, and cheerful life.
