Testosterone makes everything better in life, especially for men. It plays a key role in the development of male tissues for increasing muscle and bone mass and increasing the growth of body hair. Having higher levels of testosterone is essential for men but as we age there are tons of things that can cause our T levels to drop. Below we have listed five daily natural tips to raise your testosterone levels.
Strength Training
Strength training is helpful for normalizing hormones and boosting testosterone in men. When it comes to exercise the main type of strength training that raises your T levels the most is heavy resistance training. The more muscles you use the more growth hormone (and as a result testosterone) that gets produced.
A study looking at how hormones adapt to resistance training examined hormonal adaptations to acute resistance exercise. They had both men and women perform the squat, leg press, and knee extension twice a week for maximal dynamic 1 RM strength testing. Blood samples were taken before, during, and after training to determine blood concentrations of whole-blood lactate, serum total testosterone, sex-hormone binding globulin, cortisol, and growth hormone. They found that total testosterone concentrations were much higher for men at all time points measured (1). This goes to show that resistance training increases testosterone levels in both men & women.
Spend time in the gym in the strength/power zone by doing compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, lunges, and bench pressing. Do them with low reps and heavier weight. Of course, make sure to use good form. If you want more on how to move properly check out the work of Kelly Starrett.
Rest (Deep Sleep)
Most people think sleeping is for the weak or for “when I’m dead”. What they fail to realize is that life is catabolic (breaks down tissue) and sleep is anabolic (muscle building). We can only go so long without sleep before our bodies start to completely break down. Most people know that if they work out or play sports after little sleep they are more likely to injure themselves. So, it makes sense that if we sleep more we can have higher hormone levels, because we are more recovered and have more energy built up. But many people sleep and still wake up feeling unrested because they didn’t get enough deep sleep. In order to get to your REM sleep (which is restorative), make sure to black out your room so that you sleep in pitch black room, use blue blockers to black blue light (which wakes you up), and don’t drink caffeine or alcohol too late.
A cross-sectional study was done on 531 Chinese men (between 29 and 72 years old) to examine the different associations of age and sleep duration with sex hormones and sexual activities. Aside from age it showed that sleep duration was associated with androgen concentrations in men, so paying attention to sleep hygiene “may be beneficial in the management of men with low androgen concentrations” (2).
Get Sunlight (Vitamin D)
Sunlight is key to so many bodily processes including increasing the intestinal absorption of calcium, magnesium, and phosphate, and it has many other beneficial biological effects. With all the buildings and artificial light, it’s rare that we get enough sunlight in our day and age. Without it our bones would grow weaker and in a way- that means we grow weaker. So it makes sense that Vitamin D is associated with being strong and vital, especially in its effects on our hormones like testosterone.
A study aimed at looking for the association of Vitamin D levels with testosterone, free androgen index and sex-hormone binding globulin. They consistently found that men with sufficient Vitamin D levels had significantly higher levels of testosterone and FAI and significantly lower levels of SHBG when compared to men with lower Vitamin D levels. They noticed that there was a seasonal pattern where levels were at their highest between March and August (August being the peak), which are summer months when the sun is out the most (3).
So, if you need a natural boost in your T levels then get some sun as much as possible. Go outside during lunch and eat under the hot sun. Yes, I know it’s hot and you might sweat- but don’t sweat it because higher T is worth it!
Lower Stress (Cortisol)
We all know that stress kills. Stress has been known to make men less interested in sex because, well, their brain thinks a lion is attacking them! Most stress is really just perceived stress and isn’t really going to kill us, but it can kill our hormones, especially Testosterone.
A study examining the effect of acute activation of the Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH-adrenal axis) on circulating testosterone levels. They found that high circulating cortisol (from insulin-induced hypoglycemia or the administration of hydrocortisone) caused serum T levels to drop rapidly after. “These findings suggest that hypercortisolism of endogenous or exogenous sources suppresses T secretion by a direct action on the testis” (4). So, stress can cause a rapid lowering of testosterone levels which means to manage your stress.
You can manage your stress by spending time in nature, especially the forest. Shinrin-Yoku also known as forest bathing has been shown to decrease anxiety and anger when compared to walking in the city. You can also spend time doing whatever it is you love to do like painting, exercising, walking, or hanging with your buddies. A daily tip for increasing testosterone is to get some you time and find moments whether in a park on the way to work or under a tree during lunch to just sit and be.
Avoid Estrogen-like Compounds (Particularly BPA)
Your plastic water bottles could be destroying your testosterone levels. According to this article by the Environmental Defense Fund, “Bisphenol-A – better known as BPA – is an industrial chemical that's used in many household plastics and food packages. It's capable of interfering with the body's hormones, particularly estrogen, and scientists have linked BPA exposure to diseases, such as cancer and diabetes.” BPA is found in many more products than you think. It’s best to avoid plastic as much as possible.
A study to examine the effect of occupational exposure to bisphenol-A (BPA) on the risk of male sexual dysfunction was done by taking current workers from BPA-exposed and control factories. They found that exposed workers had a significantly increased risk of reduced sexual desire, erectile difficulty, ejaculation difficulty, and reduced satisfaction with sex life. “A dose-response relationship was observed with an increasing level of cumulative BPA exposure associated with a higher risk of sexual dysfunction.” The more these workers were exposed to BPA the more sexual problems they had (5). So, it’s best to avoid this compound if you want to boost testosterone naturally. Think about it though, most plastic is made from crude oil...do you think drinking water out of crude oil containers (plastic) is good for your health? Probably not.
Instead of drinking from a water bottle try to drink from stainless steel or glass containers so you don’t overexpose yourself to too much estrogen like compounds on a daily basis.
Now you have five natural tips to raise your testosterone levels naturally! This means that before you go spending money on herbs, supplements, and other ways of boosting your T you can try these natural lifestyle modifications to get your main male sex hormone to where it's supposed to be! Once you have tried these natural ways of boosting your testosterone and if you still haven’t found any changes in how you feel then book an appointment with our office at Dynamic Wellness to see if you are a good candidate for our Testosterone Replacement Therapy!
Hormone replacement can be the ideal way for you to optimize your hormone levels. Dynamic Wellness in Miami, FL, provides hormone replacement therapy to help you find wellness and work against the effects of aging. We recognize that hormone replacement is beneficial for some individuals with a variety of different symptoms. Consult with a health professional to determine whether hormone replacement is right for you.
Resources
Kraemer, W J. “The Effects of Short-Term Resistance Training on Endocrine Function in Men and Women.” European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 1998.
Goh, Victor H-H, and Terry Y-Y Tong. “Sleep, Sex Steroid Hormones, Sexual Activities, and Aging in Asian Men.” Journal of Andrology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, 2010.
Wehr, E. “Association of Vitamin D Status with Serum Androgen Levels in Men.” Clinical Endocrinology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Aug. 2010.
Cumming, D C. “Acute Suppression of Circulating Testosterone Levels by Cortisol in Men.” The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Sept. 1983.
Li, D. “Occupational Exposure to Bisphenol-A (BPA) and the Risk of Self-Reported Male Sexual Dysfunction.” Human Reproduction (Oxford, England), U.S. National Library of Medicine, Feb. 2010.
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