- Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting has been shown to increase testosterone by nearly 200 percent or even up to 400 percent. (1) A study by the University of Virginia Medical School noted that growth hormone levels increased 2,000 percent over the baseline in men who ate no calories for 24 hours, and growth hormone levels are correlated with testosterone. (2)
Intermittent fasting involves skipping breakfast, and eating your meals closer together. You’ll eat three meals per day: one at noon, one at 3 p.m. and your last meal around 6 p.m.
- Weight Training
Researchers at Ball State University found that “strength training can induce growth hormone and testosterone release.” (3) Another study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center researched the acute effects of weight lifting on serum testosterone levels. (4) The results concluded that even moderate weight lifting and light weightlifting increased serum testosterone levels in participants.
For best results, combine weight training with interval training like burst training is the best overall combo to increase HGH. Burst training has been proven to not only boost T-levels, it helps keeps your testosterone elevated and can prevent its decline. Burst training involves exercising at 90–100 percent of your maximum effort for a short interval in order to burn your body’s stored sugar (glycogen), followed by a period of low impact for recovery.
This causes your body to burn fat for the next 36 hours to replace your body’s vital energy stores. It addition to increasing your T-levels, it can help burn between 3–9 times more fat, lower your resting heart rate, lower blood pressure, keep your brain young by increasing circulation, and aids in detoxification by stimulating the lymphatic system.
- Healthy Fats
Most men with low testosterone consume too much junk food and too many carbohydrates. A study published in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry studied the effects of diet on serum sex hormones in healthy men. Results showed that when men decreased their healthy fat intake, serum concentrations of androstenedione, testosterone and free testosterone also decreased. (5)
There are three categories of healthy fat;
- Saturated fat.
- Healthy saturated fat is found in coconut oil and raw, fermented dairy products like goat milk kefir, yogurt, or raw goat or sheep milk cheese.
- Avoid conventional dairy because it will actually damper your testosterone.
- Omega 3 fatty acids.
- Consuming benefit-rich salmon a couple times a week or adding a quality fish oil supplement is great.
- Flaxseeds, chia seeds and walnuts are also great for low testosterone as they are high in omega 3 fatty acids.
- Monounsaturated fats
- Consuming an avocado a day or some olive oil and almonds really helps get those healthy fats that can help you naturally boost your testosterone levels.
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Vitamin D
One of the most important nutrients that can help boost testosterone levels is vitamin D3. In 2011, the results of a study published in the journal Hormone and Metabolic Researchannounced that vitamin D supplementation boosts testosterone naturally in overweight men by up to 30 percent. (6)
Daily vitamin D dosing involves full body sun exposure for half the amount of time it takes for your skin to turn pink.
Any day that you don’t get 20 minutes of direct sunlight on your skin, you want to supplement with 5,000 IUs of vitamin D3.
- Zinc
Zinc is an important mineral in testosterone production. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey found that about 45 percent of adults over 60 have low zinc levels due to insufficient intake. Regardless of supplementation, 20 to 25 percent of older adults still had inadequate levels.
It was found that supplementing with zinc for as little as six weeks has been shown to improve testosterone in men with low levels. On the other hand, restricting zinc dietary sources yielded to a drop in the production of the male hormone.
The best food sources of zinc include:
- Oysters
- Protein-rich foods like meats and fish
- Raw milk and raw cheese
- Beans
- Fermented foods, like yogurt and kefir
You may also take a zinc supplement to raise your levels. Just stick to a dosage of less than 40 milligrams a day. Overdosing on zinc may cause nausea or inhibit the absorption of essential minerals in your body, like copper.
- Ensure Quality Sleep
According to an article from the journal Current Opinion of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, getting enough sleep and at the right times are two of the most effective natural ways to raise testosterone. (7)
Most people require around 7 hours of sleep every night, and it’s critical to take advantage of the10 p.m. – 2 a.m. window.
Your body’s circadian rhythm resets itself every night and releases chemicals like cortisol, which contribute to the overall hormone balance that can prevent low T-levels.
- Herbal Supplements
The majority of supplements marketed to boost testosterone have no research supporting the claims. Often, marketing companies focus on hype to push the newest herb/supplement/vitamin. If research has been done, then the company itself often completes it. Biased research needs be examined critically.
Below, I present the most research-supported herbs/supplements that have been shown to increase testosterone:
- Vitamin E (Tocotrienol form)
Vitamin E is a potent estrogen blocker, suppressing the aromatase enzyme that converts testosterone to estrogen.
I recommend taking 1000-2000 iu/day.
- Ashwagandha or Rhodiola
Ashwagandha is commonly used in ayurvedic medicine to promote physical and mental health. Ashwagandha has shown to offer an improvement in anxiety and stress measurements.
Two studies used 5g/day of the basic root powder for 90 days. Both showed significant increases in total testosterone. Another study used 675mg/day of KSM-66 (a form of ashwagandha) for three months showed a 17% boost in testosterone with a ~36% increase in luteinizing hormone (LH), suggesting that ashwagandha stimulates testosterone production.
Rhodiola is also known as roseroot, golden root, or arctic root has been used for many years in both Europe and Asia. There have been over 11 clinical trials examining Rhodiola’s efficacy. Of the 11 trials, 8 trials found Rhodiola to be beneficial for physical performance or fatigue and mental performance or fatigue.