There are natural ways to increase testosterone, according to Sasha Hakman, MD, a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility Beverly Hills and West Los Angeles. “Lifestyle interventions like resistance training, good sleep hygiene, managing chronic stress, and optimizing dietary choices can modestly increase testosterone levels, especially in men with borderline low levels,” she says. But the degree of improvement varies, she adds.
“There’s no magic bullet to boost testosterone overnight,” says Kishore Lakshman, MD, MPH, an endocrinologist and the director of the center for sexual health at Prima-CARE in Fall River, Massachusetts.
What’s more, natural approaches can have their limitations, and lifestyle changes may not fully reverse the natural decline of testosterone, says Dr. Hakman. Conditions such as hypogonadism may require medical treatments instead to bring testosterone levels back into balance.
That said, the following doctor-recommended strategies can help naturally counter low testosterone for many men.
1. Maintain a Healthy Weight
“Excess weight, especially around the belly, is known to lower testosterone levels,” says Dr. Lakshman. “Fat tissue converts testosterone into estrogen, so losing weight, especially trimming your waistline, can help reverse this process.”
2. Eat a Balanced Diet
What you eat (or don’t) can also affect your testosterone levels. “Maintaining a healthy weight is key, and diet plays a central role in that,” says Alexander Kotlyar, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at Genesis Fertility in New York City.
There’s no single magic testosterone-boosting food. But a balanced diet that supports overall health also helps maintain healthy testosterone levels. That’s because your body needs a steady supply of nutrients to produce and regulate hormones, says Lakshman.
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Whole grains like brown rice and whole-wheat bread
- Healthy fats like nuts and avocado
- Lean proteins like chicken and fish
For these nutrients, here are examples of specific foods that are good sources:
- Zinc Oysters, beef, pork, turkey, pumpkin seeds, and cheddar cheese
- Magnesium Legumes, seeds, nuts, and soy products like tofu
- Vitamin D Fish liver oil, beef liver, egg yolks, mushrooms, and fatty fish like trout and salmon
3. Strength Train Regularly
Experts say that adherence to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services exercise guidelines is enough to deliver both short- and long-term health benefits, assuming you don’t have any underlying medical conditions that affect your testosterone levels. These guidelines call for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (or 75 minutes of vigorous cardio) plus at least two strength-training sessions per week.
When it comes to the best exercises to boost testosterone naturally, Hakman recommends compound weight lifting (exercises that engage several muscles at once, like squats and deadlifts). She also suggests pairing these types of moves with progressive overload, a type of training where you gradually increase intensity from one workout to the next by adding more weight, reps, or sets.
4. Get Enough Sleep
In fact, your body generates most of its daily testosterone supply during deep sleep, which is why levels tend to peak in the morning.
Sleep apnea, a common condition in people with overweight or obesity, can also disturb your sleep and reduce the time your body spends in those critical hormone-producing stages, says Dr. Kotlyar.
5. Reduce Stress
“When you’re under chronic stress, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone that suppresses testosterone,” says Lakshman. “Over time, this hormonal imbalance can lead to low testosterone.”
In the meantime, activities like mindfulness meditation, time in nature, and strong social connections certainly can’t hurt, says Lakshman. Most importantly, lifestyle habits like regular exercise, good sleep, a nutritious diet, and limiting alcohol can help you regulate stress — and support healthy testosterone levels — in the long term, says Kotlyar.
6. Consider Herbal Supplements
Herbs like ashwagandha and tongkat ali are marketed as the best supplements for testosterone, and some evidence supports their potential as effective herbs for male hormone health.
In one study, men who took 300 milligrams (mg) of ashwagandha root extract twice daily for two months had higher testosterone levels than those taking a placebo. This was a small study with only healthy volunteers, though, and it was partially funded by a pharmaceutical company.
A separate review found that tongkat ali, a medicinal herb native to Southeast Asia, may function as an herbal testosterone booster. The authors cautioned that because the studies were limited and small-scale, more rigorous research is needed before tongkat ali can be recommended in clinical settings.
Lakshman agrees. “[Ashwagandha and tongkat ali] might offer modest benefits, especially if someone is deficient in those nutrients. But overall, the science is still mixed, and their effects are likely mild at best.”
Ultimately, using herbs to boost testosterone levels shouldn’t be a first-line strategy. Supplements, if used, should complement — not replace — core habits like regular exercise, good sleep, and a nutritious diet, says Lakshman.
If you’re considering natural testosterone supplements, be sure to consult with your doctor first to see if it makes sense for you. For instance, experts don’t recommend taking ashwagandha if you have hormone-sensitive prostate cancer.
For any supplements you add, make sure to buy only high-quality products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t approve supplements for safety or effectiveness, and not every supplement on the shelf is equal. To choose a quality supplement, check the label for USP, NSF, or ConsumerLabs Approved. This means the product has undergone third-party testing for quality and purity.
7. Limit Exposure to Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals
One major offender is bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical often found in food packaging, canned-good linings, and some plastics. Animal studies have linked it to decreased testosterone levels, though more human research is needed to verify this, says Lakshman.
To reduce your exposure, Lakshman recommends lifestyle changes for testosterone health, like using glass or stainless steel containers instead of plastic and opting for organic produce when possible to limit pesticide intake. While you can’t avoid all environmental toxins, you can take small steps to limit contact and support healthier hormone levels in the long run.
The Takeaway
- You can naturally boost testosterone with lifestyle habits like regular exercise, good-quality sleep, a nutritious diet, stress management, and a healthy weight. While these changes may not completely reverse the usual age-related decline in testosterone levels, they can provide a modest increase.
- Research is limited on the potential benefits — and risks — of herbal supplements that claim to increase testosterone, including ashwagandha and tongkat ali. Talk to your doctor before trying natural herbs for testosterone, especially if you have hormone-related health issues.
- Though the research is still emerging, it’s a good idea to limit your exposure to potentially hormone-disrupting chemicals (like BPA) to preserve testosterone levels.
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