6 Ways to Increase Testosterone

To increase testosterone, you have to lead a healthy lifestyle, eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, and maintain a balanced mood. Drug therapies can also prove effective.

Testosterone is a sex hormone found in mammals, reptiles, and birds. In the case of humans, the testicles produce it in men, while the ovaries produce it in women. For their part, the adrenal glands secrete small amounts of this substance. There are natural ways to increase testosterone.

This is the main male hormone. One of its main functions is to promote testicle and prostate development. It maintains the male’s secondary sex characteristics, such as facial hair, muscle and bone mass, and deep voice.

The effects of testosterone

From a physiological standpoint, testosterone has two main effects: anabolic and androgynous. Its anabolic effects are:

• Increased muscle mass and strength
• Increased bone density
• Bone maturation
• Longitudinal growth. In other words, increased height

The androgenic effects are related to the maturation of the sexual organs, such as the penis and scrotum, during the prenatal stage. This development increases during puberty. This leads to body hair growth, especially in the beard and armpits. The latter are known as secondary sex characteristics.

Testosterone is responsible for keeping your bones and muscles healthy. It determines hair growth and the location of fat on the body. It’s responsible for sperm production, maintaining sex drive, and bringing on erections. Also, it plays a role in red blood cell production, helps boost energy, and even influences mood.

When testosterone levels decrease, whether due to natural causes such as age or the side effects of medical treatments, it’s important to find the right ways to increase them to restore balance.

Six ways to increase testosterone

Although there are several ways to increase testosterone, experts mostly recommend natural ones due to their ability to promote an overall healthy lifestyle. You can exercise, lose weight, eat specific foods, reduce your daily stress levels, and seek certain sexual stimuli. Below, we explain this in more detail.

1. Hormone therapy

After a medical consultation and a blood test, the medical professional may recommend hormone therapy. In these cases, the doctor prescribes synthetic forms of testosterone. They can be administered by injection, patches, implants, or gels.

Although hormone therapies improve bone health and other health issues involving testosterone, they may also cause side effects. They can lead to infertility, scattered blood clots, an enlarged prostate, trouble sleeping, increased cholesterol, and heart conditions.

2. Exercises to increase testosterone

You can increase your testosterone levels by exercising. High-intensity exercises and strength training are the most effective ways to naturally increase this hormone. Weight lifting has many positive benefits, even for older men.

High-intensity interval training is highly recommended. It consists of increasing the weight you lift, instead of doing more repetitions and exercises that work more muscles. Thus, it consists of alternating short periods of intense anaerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods.

3. Peak fitness

Peak fitness is also advisable. This is a high-intensity exercise program that consists of short exercises and pauses between one series and another. It has become popular because it allows you to work all your muscles in a few minutes.

In this case, you do the exercises with as much weight as you can bear at the highest possible speed, in 30 seconds. After that, you rest for another 90 seconds, making sure to take deep breaths. Then, you start the exercises again.

4. Proteins, fats, and carbohydrates

Food has a significant impact on hormone levels and is a way to increase testosterone. In principle, it’s best not to overeat but also to avoid spending too much time not eating, since both factors alter the balance.

Experts recommend following a diet that includes proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. You should eat the last two foods in moderation and in reasonable proportions to protein.

5. The sun and vitamin D

According to available data, vitamin D is a natural stimulant that can help increase testosterone. In addition, there’s evidence that vitamin D supplements can also increase this hormone.

You must expose your body to sunlight to properly assimilate vitamin D. In fact, you should expose yourself to the sun for 15 to 30 minutes a day. You must try to do it in the early hours of the morning or late afternoon.

6. Reduce your stress levels

The body produces more cortisol under stress, which has been associated with decreased testosterone levels. Therefore, avoiding stressful situations is also a way to increase the production of this male hormone.

When a person is calmer, their testosterone levels tend to increase. To achieve this state, you need to modify your lifestyle.

Increase your testosterone levels for a better quality of life

These recommendations to increase testosterone aren’t intended to increase secondary sex characteristics. Instead, they seek to boost all the positive effects of the hormone. Remember that this hormone doesn’t only influence masculinizing effects but also cardiovascular risk.

You can put the recommendations we shared here into practice, as they’re easy to apply. Nevertheless, if you have any questions, consult a health professional for advice.