This one article is not about spinach, pomegranate, or other natural testosterone boosters. You can read about them right here, in our guide to Testosterone boosting foods. Spoiler: some are EXTREMELY effective.
This article is about the ways you can increase your T levels as naturally as possible – with slight (or not so slight) lifestyle changes.
But first – a bit of theory so we get to the common ground.
What Is Testosterone
It’s human biology 101, so just a little reminder:
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone. It’s produced in your gonads (in your balls) and in the adrenal glands. You get it naturally throughout your whole life. Testosterone levels define the majority of your life aspects:
- Muscle mass;
- Body and facial hair;
- Fat levels;
- Strength;
- Facial structure;
- Libido and sex drive;
- Stress resistance;
- Temper (at least partially);
- Overall attitude at life (whether you’re a positive guy or tend to get depressed quickly).
You’re either a high testosterone alpha male with a jaw that can cut through stones and a sex drive of a maniac or a blobby depressed and constantly stressed out, walking piece of erectile dysfunction. Or something in between.
What Defines Testosterone Levels
Even though you CAN try to boost your Testosterone, or, at least, keep it in the normal range, there are some key moments and limitations to understand:
- You may already have high Testosterone and don’t need to worry about it. Sounds good? Here we have a guide on how to check your Testosterone levels at home. Not a 100% guaranteed result, definitely not a real alternative to a medical test, but hey – it’s something you can do without even leaving your house.
- You may have lower Testosterone naturally, and it’s OK. «Normal» here is not a precise point – it’s more of a part of the spectrum. You can be at the upper side of the normal range, or you can be at the lower end – and feel fine. It’s all individual, and your basic testosterone levels form when you can’t control them – when you’re still in the womb.
- You may be too young to care. Your Testosterone levels rise naturally until you’re 27, and it’s some good news. Until you come to the point of a natural Testosterone decline because of age, you can just forget about it if you have no low testosterone signs. At a young age, both TRT and anabolic steroid cycles are pointless. Besides, they’re plain dangerous, but it’s a whole different story.
Natural Testosterone Boosters – All Kinds
So, you’re not a teenager, not a natural high Testosterone winner of the genetic lottery, and have legit reasons to worry about your T? Here are the kinds of Testosterone boosters that you will probably see in every Web search:
Natural Testosterone Boosting Foods aka Superfoods
That’s one hell of a tempting marketing strategy for people who want to sell another useless piece of cheap «wonder-berry».
Even though there ARE real foods that boost your Testosterone – not all of them are equal, and not all are effective. Forget the term «Superfood».
The real testosterone boosters are mostly your good-ol’ boring healthy options:
- Spinach;
- Tuna;
- Pomegranate;
- Porridge;
- Ginger;
- Lemons;
- Bananas;
- Oyster.
You get the concept. There are plenty of foods that, in sufficient doses, will contribute to your Free and Overall testosterone levels.
Natural Testosterone Booster Supplements
The global dietary supplements market is over 170 billion USD in size now, and a vast portion of it is devoted to Testosterone boosters. There are dozens – if not hundreds – of compounds that contain:
- D-Aspartic Acid;
- DHEA;
- Zinc;
- Vitamins B6, D;
- Magnesium.
I won’t even try to name them all here – it’s an enormous list. Here you can check out a comprehensive study that dives into the 100 most popular components of the so-called Testosterone Boosting Supplements and highlights possible real benefits – along with the risks.
One important thing to understand here: There are no 100% effective Testosterone Boosters on the market. If there were any – everyone would know, and most likely – no one would be able to afford them.
Call it TestoCrazyGrowth or MaxoTest – it won’t raise anything since the active components are – most likely – insufficient, just mixed with Caffeine to give you a «feeling» of a high Testosterone. Here we have an extensive guide on how NOT to try to raise your Testosterone. These mixtures may look edgy and “scientific” enough to persuade you into trying, but in reality – it just won’t work.
Real Natural Testosterone Boosters – Step By Step Guide
Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions – real Natural Testosterone Boosters are boring, demanding, and not so trendy. In return, though, they are genuinely effective.
So what do you need to do to raise your Testosterone naturally? Here’s an easy guide.
Step 1: Don’t be fat
Yup, it’s the first step in the easy guide. I understand that weight loss – especially for people with severe obesity – is anything but easy. It’s a journey that can take years and years of hard work. However, if you’re a fatty, nothing will save your Testosterone.
Just a few facts and studies to demonstrate how crucial it is not to be fat (sorry, fighting fat and body shaming is not on my priorities list):
- Obesity is proven to decreases Testosterone due to insulin resistance-associated reductions in sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG). Basically, with junk food, beer, and little to no exercising, you trade your manliness for fat.
- All aspects of obesity matter. For example, here, Harvard Health states that each one-point increase in BMI is associated with a 2% decrease in Testosterone. Besides, a four-inch increase in waist size increased a man’s odds of having a low testosterone level by 75%
- Age and natural rise in Testosterone levels in young men won’t save you this time – ALL ages and ALL men can get low Testosterone because of obesity. It’s all just due to fat itself. We can exclude other lifestyle factors since fat-reducing surgical operations give men a rapid Testosterone increase.
So, you want a Natural Testosterone booster? Lose some fat. It’s more effective than any dietary change or supplement.
Step 2: Chill more and avoid stress
Constant exposure to stress is terrible for your health in general, but it also messes with your Testosterone levels. There is one tricky aspect: we can’t just blatantly say, «Meditate, and your Testosterone will skyrocket». We have multiple controversial studies that show that stress increases your Testosterone levels. For instance:
- Here’s a study that shows an increase in Testosterone levels in medical students that get nervous because of an exam;
- And here’s another one, it shows that things like PTSD don’t affect the overall increase in Testosterone levels under stress.
So, stress is a natural Testosterone booster? Nope, in no way it is.
These studies are all focused on short bursts of Testosterone. Once you overcome the shock or fear – Test gets back to «normal». They also don’t mention the prolonged effects of constant stress on testosterone levels. The ones that matter the most.
Here’s a study by the University of Texas that shows how cortisol – the stress hormone – can block the effects of Testosterone, regardless of your natural level.
Even though we all face short, stressful situations, continuous exposure stress (illnesses, family stuff, problems at work, money issues, etc.) is more damaging.
Stress might trigger short, useless Testosterone bursts, but a basic chill and more relaxed lifestyle is the real testosterone booster.
Step 3: Sleep Well
Probably the easiest step in the whole guide, especially for those who live in big cities with long working hours and all the commuting time, right? Still, sleep is crucial to get the Testosterone boost.
The reason is simple: your body produces most of your Testosterone during the night and wastes it in the day. Not to turn it into a lecture on circadian rhythms (which are just questionably related to Test production), let’s just put it that way:
The healthier your sleep is – the more Testosterone you have.
Just to bring some basis to my words:
- In this study, healthy young men (imagine what happens to guys in their 40s) experienced a severe drop in Testosterone levels caused by sleep restriction;
- Another study from 2011 for the students, workaholics and those who like to binge-watch TV series all night: «skipping sleep reduces a young man’s testosterone levels by the same amount as aging 10 to 15 years». Yup, it’s a quote. I’m not exaggerating anything.
- And finally, this study shows a direct correlation between the time you’re awake and the decrease in Testosterone.
Sleep more, and you’ll just give your body more time to produce Testosterone. If it’s not a natural booster – I don’t know what is.
Conclusion
Testosterone is one crucial hormone and the market kind of parasitizes on your awareness of this fact. «Natural Testosterone Boosters» are everywhere – from the food markets to the pharmacy shelves. You can waste all your money on some unique, high-end, cutting-edge, and science-driven superfoods, supplements, and compounds… Which are (not all, but the majority) nothing but pure BS.
To keep it REALLY natural (and free), all you need is:
- Good sleep;
- Healthy body fat %;
- Less stress.
That’s it! These factors are often downplayed (because you can put a price on a can with vitamins, but you can’t sell sleep), but there’s nothing more important to get a natural testosterone boost.
P.S. On a side note: exercising definitely increases your Testosterone, but it’s a whole different story, and let’s be honest – sleeping tight is a way more natural behavior for a human than running around with no prey or a predator in sight, carrying heavy stuff and lifting pieces of metal repeatedly. Here you can read our complete guide to Testosterone boosting exercises. Spoiler: not all of them are equally effective, but guys who try to sell you special ones are BS actors.
