6 Ways to increase testosterone levels naturally
Are your current lifestyle choices and daily habits affecting your masculinity? Are you losing your sex drive? Do you always feel tired and have no motivation to exercise? Do you always feel irritable and sometimes struggle with concentration? You may be struggling with low testosterone. Testosterone is a powerful sex hormone that plays a key role in your health. This hormone greatly affects a man’s appearance, mood, and general sexual health. Thanks to testosterone, you can build your body muscle and also improve your bone mass.
As men grow older, their bodies tend to produce less testosterone. Data collected by the American Urological Association showed that out of 10 men who are 60 years or older, two have lower testosterone. However, low testosterone levels are not just an old man’s problem. Younger men can also suffer from low testosterone. One study carried out on 209 American men showed that men who consumed diets high in trans fats had 15% less testosterone than those men with lower intakes. Excessive consumption of alcohol, high-stress levels, and eating highly processed foods that are very low in vitamins can also reduce your testosterone levels significantly.
By taking the best testosterone supplements and vitamins, and especially vitamin D, you will not only correct deficiency problems but also increase your testosterone levels.
Here are 6 proven ways to increase testosterone levels naturally.
1. Stock Up on Those Vitamins and Supplements
DHEA is the hormone responsible for producing testosterone and other hormones that are responsible for body composition. However, as you age the DHEA hormone drops and as a result, the testosterone levels drop too. Eating healthy fats such as those found in fish and flaxseed can help your body to effectively use the little DHEA it's producing.
If your low testosterone levels have been caused by deficiencies in your diet, zinc supplements can really work for you. According to https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17984944/, taking zinc supplements for at least 4 weeks could reduce the decline in testosterone levels for men who do not exercise.
Vitamin D also plays a key role in testosterone production. Did you know that spending at least fifteen minutes enjoying direct sunlight every day can boost your vitamin D levels? Taking vitamin D supplements and a diet rich in vitamin D such as cereal products, fortified milk, and fatty fishes can also correct vitamin D deficiency and improve your testosterone levels.
2. Get Enough Sleep
Insomnia and sleeping for very few hours every day can greatly interfere with the hormone levels and chemicals your body requires to function properly. Data collected by the University of Chicago on healthy men who slept for only five hours per night for one week showed that their daytime testosterone levels dropped by 15%.
If you want to boost your testosterone naturally, start by getting a good night's sleep every night. Ideally, you should have eight hours of restful sleep every night. If you are having problems sleeping, you should seek medical advice.
3. Eat A Healthy Balanced Diet
Eating highly nutritious food is essential in keeping you healthy and maintaining normal testosterone levels. Overindulging in junk and overly processed foods can disrupt your hormone levels including testosterone. Ensure that you eat a balanced diet rich in whole foods, fruits, and proteins. Ditch the soda, and instead grab a glass of water and this could be the much-needed step to achieving optimal health.
4. Quit Alcohol Consumption
Excessive consumption of alcohol and drug abuse coupled with a low nutrition diet has been linked to low testosterone. Research has shown that alcohol use can damage the glands and hormones that boost male reproductive health. Alcohol can also cause cell damage and hormonal reactions that can trigger your mood negatively. Try and cut alcohol and drug use. If you are having trouble quitting due to stress, you can always reach out to a professional counselor or join a support group such as alcoholics anonymous or SMART recovery.
5. Maintain Healthy Weight
Research has shown that men who are obese are more likely to have low testosterone levels. The same applies to men who are extremely underweight. Very low levels of testosterone can increase your risk of developing erectile dysfunction.
By maintaining a healthy weight, through exercise and diet, you can improve your testosterone levels and reduce the risk of getting erectile dysfunction which is a major cause of infertility in men.
6. Exercise
One of the ways of maintaining a healthy weight is by exercising. A study carried out by the European Journal of Applied Physiology showed that men who stayed active had higher levels of testosterone. Ensure that you exercise regularly to keep fit but do not overdo it as very high levels of exercise such as long-distance running can cause low testosterone.
