Testosterone is vitally important for men. Enough testosterone is imperative for muscle growth, energy levels, libido, fat metabolism, heart health, and strong bones. It is also critical for brain health as well. Cognitive function, positive mood, inhibition of anger, rage, depression, and anxiety depend on appropriate levels of testosterone.
Improving our testosterone levels naturally not only keeps us men healthy physically, but it also helps us keep and maintain our cool.
Despite the bad rep that testosterone gets in the misandrist circles online, it is essential for masculinity. Masculinity is a good thing. It is the opposite of the "toxic male" portrayed in popular culture.
As we get older, our testosterone levels begin to decline. The good news, it is not simply age that affects our testosterone, but primarily our lifestyle and diet.
This is good news because if we lose our testosterone levels, we have control over improving them, naturally, without drugs or surgeries. Always consult with your healthcare professional before starting or stopping any medications, but here are a few things you can do to help naturally boost testosterone levels. It’s not too late.
1. Avoid Stress & Anxiety
Getting stress under control is good advice for anyone, but particularly for a man suffering from low testosterone levels. Our anxious and stress-filled lives can inhibit the body from producing adequate levels of testosterone.
Being anxious, angry, stressed out, and afraid will also increase the production of cortisol, the stress hormone that regulates the flight or fight instinct in situations of actual emergencies.
The problem with cortisol is that chronic stress leads to the persistent production of cortisol, which will block the effects of testosterone on the body.
It is a vicious cycle. The more cortisol, the less testosterone. Getting the stress under control will give your body the upper hand in balancing out the two hormones.
A few quick ways to help alleviate stress:
- Avoid getting angry - walk away
- Aim to get better sleep at night
- Meditation and diaphragmatic breathing
- Walks in the sun
- Laughing and smiling (even if you don't feel like it)
- Eat healthier and avoid processed sugars
- Send the brain messages of safety, relaxation, and comfort
- Unplug from television and social media - read instead.
2. Avoid Foods That Lower Testosterone
You can begin to slowly increase testosterone levels simply by changing your diet. Further down the list, we will cover some good foods to incorporate into your diet, but it is also important to avoid certain foods as well.
It is remarkable how fast the body can heal itself if given the proper terrain for healing.
Imagine if you injured your leg and the doctor told you that you need to rest so that it can heal. Instead, you get up three times a day and bang it against the coffee table. That is our diet in action. The body is prepared to heal but we keep interfering with it.
There are complete lists of foods that will lower testosterone available online, but here are some of the top foods that you should consider avoiding:
- Highly processed fast food and boxed foods
- Highly processed sugars like cakes, donuts, candy
- Deep-fried foods like onion rings and fries
- Soy-based products like tofu and "fake meats"
- Dairy from cow's milk
- Vegetable oils
3. Go Easy on the Booze
There is nothing wrong with alcohol if we keep it in moderation and drink like gentlemen. However, habitual drinking, daily intoxication, and benders will decrease testosterone levels in the blood.
Not only will it lower testosterone, but it will also increase anxiety and stress hormones during periods of withdrawal. Chronic over-indulgence in alcohol has been linked to anxiety disorders and panic attacks, which will force the body to make more testosterone-blocking cortisol.
What’s more, habitual and heavy intoxication will prevent most of us from eating properly, exercising, and sticking to a healthy routine, which is vital for testosterone production.
So if you go out to party once in a while, make sure to balance it out with proper diet and exercise!
Also, I love IPAs, but I keep the consumption of all craft beer to a minimum. There is indication of highly potent phytoestrogen in hops, which are used in large quantities as a bittering agent in IPAs (Indian Pale Ales). While not all craft beer uses hops, many of the recipes will include them. While there is controversy around this topic, it is something to consider when selecting your beverage of the evening.
4. Get More Sunlight Exposure
Taking walks outside in the sun is a fantastic way to improve your mood. The more sun that can connect with our skin tissue, the better. Vitamin D is not a vitamin, but actually, a hormone that is made in the body when it encounters sunlight.
Secosteroid hormone D (Vitamin D) is another crucial hormone responsible for good health. Increased levels of vitamin d will naturally raise testosterone, so get out on a walk today if you can!
5. Do Cardio or Play Sports
Another way to raise testosterone levels naturally is to get the heart rate going. Running, jump rope, jogging, and jumping jacks routinely performed throughout the week will help rid the body of built-up stress hormones and help tip the scale in favor of your testosterone.
If you find cardio as excruciatingly boring as I do, try cycling, skateboarding, basketball, baseball, tennis, or any other aerobic activity. Once you are comfortable with that level of fitness, try high-intensity interval training, which is shown to vastly increase testosterone both short and long-term. Regular cardiovascular exercise will help your testosterone levels excel.
6. Lift Weights
Resistance training is the zenith of testosterone-building techniques. Lifting the heaviest weights that you can safely lift will boost testosterone significantly. Regular lifting will help you build muscle, metabolize fat easier, and lower cortisol levels.
There is an assortment of health benefits to lifting weights that you cannot get from any other source. With proper diet, exercise, and lifting, you have the best chances of overcoming low testosterone. Incorporating these lifestyle changes and making them a permanent fixture in your life will prevent testosterone levels from dipping in the future as well.
A few tips when lifting weights:
- Don't overdo it
- Gradually increase to maximum capacity
- Gradually increase Time Under Tension
- Eat 30 minutes after your workout
- Alternate muscle groups throughout the week
- Switch up workouts frequently for each muscle group
7. Take Ashwagandha
Ashwagandha is an evergreen shrub native to Asia and Africa that has been used in ancient herbal medicine for thousands of years. Its health benefits are significant and numerous.
It is one herbal remedy that should be included in the diet while lifting weights, especially if you are suffering from a lowered testosterone level.
Ashwagandha has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety and promote mental calmness. It has also been proven to help the body’s muscles recover more quickly from weight training, preventing doms (delayed onset muscle soreness).
While there are other reported medicinal purposes, it is most suitable for tackling the problems of low testosterone because it reduces stress and improves muscle growth. Ashwagandha in combination with weight training is ideal.
8. Eat Foods That Increase Testosterone
We covered foods to avoid while naturally correcting a low testosterone problem, now it is also important to learn of foods that will help aid the process.
Diet is the foundation of all health. You can lift as much as you want, and exercise all day, but a bad diet will catch up with you in the end. Here are some healthy foods that will help increase your testosterone:
- Salmon and Sardines
- Bananas and Blueberries
- Kale, Collard Greens, Watercress
- Cocoa & Dark Chocolate (without sugar)
- Avocados
- Pasture Raised Eggs
- Brazil Nuts
- Oysters and Clams
- Kidney Beans, Black Beans, Lentils
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
9. Increase the Frequency of Sexual Intercourse
While it is true that you can boost your testosterone by kicking someone’s ass, we are Libertarians who believe in non-aggression. While it may take a while for someone to pick a fight with you for no reason, in which case you would be perfectly within your rights to dominate them, we have another suggestion. Make love, not war.
If you discover that you are less interested in your wife or girlfriend, you may already have a decreasing testosterone level. While it is normal to reach a point of homeostasis with your lover, you should not be disinterested in regular intercourse.
Before you run off to find another girl, you may want to try everything else we recommended before this chapter.
Once your libido recovers, get back to the bedroom with your ever-faithful and show her the man you are. If you're still turned on by her, make time for her. Don't let everything else get in the way of your intimacy. Regular intercourse will help you boost and maintain your testosterone for every other function that relies on it. It's a win-win.
If you enjoy this article, check out 6 Reasons Why You Should Eat Kiwi Fruit Every Day.
