People assigned female at birth produce testosterone but in lower quantities and have higher levels of estrogen, another hormone. She specializes in mental health, sleep, and women's health content, blending evidence-based health reporting with person-first storytelling. That’s because your body needs a steady supply of nutrients to produce and regulate hormones, says Lakshman. But "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. This hormone also influences mood regulation and overall well-being. We only recommend products we genuinely like, and purchases made through our links support our mission and the free content we publish here on AoM. Get the basics right and your body will usually handle the rest. None of these are exotic interventions for boosting T-levels. I think managing stress is particularly important for guys in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who are running hard and wondering why they feel depleted. Cold showers, taking testosterone-boosting supplements, and even exposing your balls to red light. I’ve been writing about testosterone on this site for over a decade because testosterone is an important part of a man’s overall health and wellness. Heavy drinkers can have shrunken testes, thin chest and beard hair, and higher levels of the female hormone estrogen. Alcohol may throw off many parts of your body's hormone system. Testosterone is a steroid hormone that the body mainly produces in the testicles and ovaries. She has served as a health editor at Livestrong.com and currently works as a freelance content strategist for health brands including Peloton, Everyday Health, and Verywell Health. She has been featured on the Physician to Physician Plant-Based Nutrition podcast and given many presentations on lifestyle interventions in endocrine disorders. She is passionate about incorporating lifestyle medicine and plant-based nutrition into endocrinology, particularly for diabetes and obesity management. 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. Following a nutritious diet and healthy lifestyle using some of the tips outlined above can help optimize testosterone levels and promote overall health. 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. Natural methods include supplementing with ingredients such as ashwagandha, fenugreek, zinc, and vitamin D while also optimizing lifestyle factors like regular exercise, quality sleep, and stress management. Beyond supplementation, several lifestyle factors play a crucial role in boosting testosterone levels naturally. For men seeking to increase vitality and muscle strength naturally, natural testosterone boosters have become a popular solution. Research suggests that about 20% to 40% of your calories should come from fat for healthy testosterone levels. As these changes become more apparent, especially in middle-aged and older men, the need for natural methods to support testosterone production has grown. Whether you’re an athlete, aging man, or simply looking for a way to support overall hormonal health, exploring science-backed supplements and lifestyle adjustments can be a game changer. When researchers at the University of Chicago restricted young men to five hours of sleep a night for one week, their testosterone levels fell 10-15%. You’ll find a lot of information out there on the interwebs about how to increase your testosterone naturally. But daytime testosterone levels can drop up to 15% when you get only 5 hours of sleep. 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. Other research suggests that several herbal supplements could also help support healthy testosterone levels, including saw palmetto, ginger, and ashwagandha. Although the potential benefits of multivitamins are hotly debated, certain supplements may be useful for supporting healthy testosterone levels. Consuming healthy fats may also help support testosterone levels and hormone balance. 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. "When you're under chronic stress, your body produces more cortisol, a hormone that suppresses testosterone," says Lakshman. 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). Are there any side effects of taking natural testosterone boosters? Men who combine resistance training with a nutrient-dense diet typically enjoy not only improved testosterone levels but also enhanced overall vitality. When compared to synthetic testosterone therapies, Tongkat Ali offers a natural alternative that helps the body manage stress more effectively. DHEA is a hormone produced naturally by the adrenal glands and serves as a precursor to testosterone. Studies have observed improvements in free testosterone levels, although changes in total testosterone are sometimes less pronounced than with ashwagandha. Fenugreek has been traditionally used to enhance libido and support testosterone levels. Research indicates that a daily supplementation of about 600 mg can produce up to a 15% increase in testosterone levels. Ashwagandha is a well-known adaptogen that may reduce cortisol (a stress hormone that can inhibit testosterone production) while promoting overall vitality. Additionally, natural methods—when combined with lifestyle modifications—foster overall improvements in energy levels, mental clarity, and body composition.
