Some Ideas for Raising Your Testosterone Naturally- Updated for 2024
Testosterone is a topic I’ve studied off and on for many years. Instead of giving you a science lesson you can’t use, I’m going to keep it simple and give you practical guidance. Understand, Testosterone is the male sex hormone, it’s what makes men men. Women have it, but men have much more of it. I’m not an endocrinologist but the bottom line is that if your testosterone is low you may have problems with your health and you certainly won’t function at your best.
It’s important for:
- Energy
- Libido
- Focus
- Strength
- Memory
- Athletic Performance
- Muscle Development
- Recovery
I assume we all respond different to different stimuli, but that the law of averages holds. On average, these are the things which could help elevate your testosterone.
Test first if you are concerned or curious about your testosterone levels. Talk to your doctor. There are serious risks involved in taking testosterone. I am a sincere believer in your ability to raise it naturally, but I think it takes time.
Some Ideas for Boosting Testosterone
Hormones can be incredibly complex and difficult to manage. Though it’s virtually impossible to control and predict all of the environmental effects on our hormones, there are some simple things we as men can do to elevate and maintain our testosterone.
- Dopamine– Try increasing your dopamine, through exercise, caffeine, sunlight and competition. Increasing dopamine in healthy ways could boost testosterone. Lower dopamine levels could trigger prolactin, a hormone that lowers testosterone.
- Compete– Again, competing raises your dopamine and testosterone.
- Sex– Having sex could boost your testosterone by 70%.
- Abstinence– According to Dr. Andrew Huberman, you could raise it up to 400% by abstaining for a period of time.
- Sunlight– Sunlight, particularly in the morning for 2-10 minutes will stimulate the Pituitary Gland and increase Vitamin D production.
- Sleep– 8 hours minimum, because it’s secreted during sleep.
- HIIT– High Intensity Interval Training of 90 seconds of sprinting followed by 90 seconds of rest.
- Heavy Weight Training– Not to failure, but from 70-90% of maximum.
- Some Saturated Fat– Helps produce HDL Cholesterol, which the testes needs to make test. – Eat butter, bacon, cheese, milk, steak.
- Cortisol Control– High cortisol through high stress could lower test. Meditation, massage, chilling and relaxing, walking in the forest, taking comfortable showers, or listening to relaxing music help lower stress.
- Lowering bodyfat– Bodyfat turns testosterone into estrogen, by lowering bodyfat, testosterone could theoretically increase.
- Zinc supplementation– Zinc is found in red meat, nuts, oysters and can also be taken in supplement form.
- Power poses– Standing in a “power position” for 2 minutes per day has been shown to raise testosterone.
- Winning– accomplishing things throughout the day, small wins, could raise it through better psychology.
- Carbs– In theory, having carbohydrates available will keep cortisol lower and thus keep testosterone higher. Your body and brain need energy, when none is available cortisol goes up.
- Nose breathing– This would elevate your oxygen, which would lower your carbon dioxide, which would lower your cortisol and raise your testosterone.
- Creatine– Increases DHT- dihydrotestosterone. Take 5 gm per day.
- Xenoestrogen Detox– Environmental factors can raise testosterone. Avoid plastic containers, cups, and bottles. Sweat often to remove impurities. Get plenty of antioxidants. Eat plenty of fiber.
- Minimize Alcohol Intake– Alcohol hurts the hypothalamus which releases luteinizing hormone, theoretically lowering testosterone.
- Minimize or Eliminate Beer– Beer is made from hops, which are estrogenic, meaning it could theoretically raise estrogen. Moderation is probably fine, but definitely don’t overdo the beer. A few per week is plenty.
- Avoid Doomscrolling– Doomscrolling is a drug that spikes and then lowers your dopamine, which kills your testosterone in theory, and your energy too.
- Avoid Addiction Generally– This same concept applies to any addiction.
- Honorable Mentions:
- Boron– Helps sex hormone binding globulin to release more testosterone than normal. Greek or Turkish figs, which are raised in healthier soils than we have here, have higher Boron levels.
- Fighting– Take up a martial art, especially if you can win. Winning raises testosterone.
- Fake It Until You Make It– Act like you have high testosterone, even if you don’t. In theory, this will make you feel better and more energetic and raise it.
- Coffee– Some theorists believe that because coffee inhibits the enzyme that turns testosterone into estrogen it keeps it circulating longer. It also has a thermogenic effect and could help lower body fat.
- Hunting– This gets you outside and gets you acting like your ancestors did, as a predator of other animals. This behavior is primal and could raise it.
- Raw Garlic– All sorts of health benefits, one of which is purported to be an increase in male sex hormones.
- Vitamin C and Citrus Fruits– High in antioxidants and carbs.
- Berries– High in antioxidants and carbs.
- Green Tea– High in antioxidants, mild stimulant (again, raises dopamine), possibly beneficial to prevent cancer.
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