How To Raise Testosterone Levels Naturally

Ensuring adequate testosterone levels is becoming more important as we’ve seen a significant decrease in testosterone in the last 35 years. (1) With average male testosterone levels decreasing about 20% in the last 20 years and free testosterone (testosterone that’s not bound to proteins) decreasing by 45%. (1, 2)

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Testosterone is a very important male sex hormone. It’s what makes men masculine. It allows them to gain muscle and strength easier than women, keep body fat low, causes a deeper voice, causes body hair growth, increases bone mass, it regulates male fertility, reproductive health, sperm production, and sex drive.

Without adequate levels of testosterone, all of these functions suffer. It’s no wonder we’ve seen a 59% decrease in sperm counts correlating with the recent decrease in testosterone. (2)

So How Do You Get/Maintain High Levels Of Testosterone?

1) Avoid Xenoestrogens-

Xenoestrogens are synthetic or natural chemical compounds that mimic the action of estrogen in the body by binding to estrogen binding sites and creating an estrogenic response. This increases estrogen levels and decreases testosterone levels.

A study of “35 men showed that men drinking soy isolate [soy contains a type of xenoestrogen called a phytoestrogen] when exercising led to a drop in testosterone levels. Exercise usually increases testosterone, illustrating how much soy damages men’s testosterone production.” (2)

A study on male frogs exposed to the herbicide Atrazine (which contains xenoestrogens) showed that these male frogs, were “demasculinized (chemically castrated) and completely feminized as adults. Ten percent of the exposed genetic males developed into functional females that copulated with unexposed males and produced viable eggs. Atrazine-exposed males suffered from depressed testosterone, decreased breeding gland size, demasculinized/feminized laryngeal development, suppressed mating behavior, reduced spermatogenesis [sperm production], and decreased fertility.” (3) While this example of pesticides turning male frogs into female frogs is extreme, it illustrates the very real hormonal consequences of xenoestrogens.

Xenoestrogens are found in plastic, tap water, soy, peanuts, flax seeds, sesame seeds, wheat, receipts, nonstick cookware, pesticides, silicon, beauty products, cleaners and more. Avoiding these is very important for optimizing testosterone levels.

Eating raw carrots is also helpful because they detoxify the body of excess estrogen and xenoestrogens. (4) (For more info see my post on xenoestrogens)

2) Eat Cholesterol-

Cholesterol is a precursor to sex hormones meaning your body needs cholesterol to make testosterone. Although you do make some cholesterol, most people need to get cholesterol from their diets as well for adequate hormone function. Not surprisingly, studies have shown low fat (therefore low cholesterol) diets to be associated with lower testosterone levels. (5) (6)

Good sources of cholesterol are fatty animal products like fatty meat, butter, eggs, dairy, and animal fats. If you’re worried about potential health consequences from cholesterol check out this article on lies you are told about cholesterol and fat.

3) Lose Excess Body Fat-

Estrogen and body fat are related (that’s why women naturally have more body fat than men). Higher body fat increases aromatase, the key enzyme responsible for synthesizing estrogen. One study found “that obesity increases aromatase activity, and converts testosterone to estrogen.” (2) A 2007 study of 1,667 men found “that each one-point increase in BMI was associated with a 2% decrease in testosterone.” (7)

In addition to higher body fat increasing estrogen, higher estrogen increases body fat. When either of these are out of balance it can be easy to fall into a vicious cycle of weight gain and high estrogen. Therefore by keeping body fat lower (ideally between 6% and 18% for men) and avoiding xenoestrogens, as mentioned earlier, you can decrease estrogen and therefore increase testosterone. (2, 8)

4) Lift Weights-

Studies show that lifting weights increases testosterone. This is likely because breaking down muscle signals your body to produce more testosterone and mobilize amino acids in order to build more muscle.

One 12 week study of 41 overweight and obese men found that physical activity increased testosterone even more than losing body fat. (8) The results based on activity level can be seen in the chart below.

5) Get Adequate Nutrients-

Low nutrient intake is a common reason for low testosterone. Particularly low intake of choline, zinc, magnesium, selenium, iodine, calcium, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin D, protein, vitamin C, and/or vitamin E. All of which play a crucial role in increasing testosterone and male fertility. (9, 10) (Good sources of these nutrients are pictured below.)

Choline regulates your liver and the liver is where your hormones are metabolized. The liver also regulates the balance of sex hormones, thyroid hormones, cortisone and other adrenal hormones. Therefore adequate choline is needed for adequate testosterone production. Choline deficiency is also very common, with about 92% of Americans being deficient. (10)

Zinc improves sperm quality, count, morphology (sperm shape), motility, and increases testosterone. Zinc is also important for thyroid health and thyroid hormone production, both of which are crucial for male fertility and testosterone levels. (9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)

Magnesium increases testosterone, sperm production and function, and protein synthesis. (9, 11, 12, 14)

Selenium increases testosterone, sperm count, sperm quality, sperm motility, DNA quality and fertilization, and promotes normal sperm morphology. (9, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18)

Iodine is necessary for thyroid hormone production and thyroid health. Without adequate iodine, thyroid hormone deficiency or hypothyroidism often sets in. Both of which have been linked to hypogonadism, decreased free testosterone concentrations, and decreased function of the testes. (15)

Calcium is crucial for maximum motility of sperm cells, capacitation, hyperactivation, acrosome reaction (the reaction that occurs in the acrosome of the sperm as it approaches the egg), sperm production, chemotaxis and fertilization processes. Calcium also helps increases testosterone. (10, 13, 14) Studies show that calcium deficiency leads to a decrease in male fertility and all the previously mentioned functions. (14)

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Sodium is an essential nutrient for semen production, hormone production, acrosome reactions, and maintaining adequate testosterone. (14)

Potassium is an essential nutrient for semen production, acrosome reactions, and maintaining adequate testosterone. (14)

Retinol Vitamin A (the form found in animal products) is crucial for testosterone and sperm production. (12, 19) Studies show that rats deficient in Vitamin A have decreased testosterone production. (12) In one of these studies, “when the rodents diets were cut off from all vitamin A, testosterone production rapidly decreased (up to the point of where sexual organs literally atrophied), and estrogen exposure inside the testes rose rapidly (as humans share nearly identical testicular systems with Wistar rats, this becomes very interesting).” (19)

B Vitamins (particularly B3, B6, B9, and B12) increase testosterone, sperm quality, sperm motility, sperm quantity, and DNA quality. (9, 13) In fact a combination of zinc and folate (vitamin B9) was found to increase 75% the normal amount of sperm in sub-fertile men. (9)

Vitamin D improves sperm quality, sperm motility, sperm morphology, and male fertility. It also increases calcium absorption and calcium improves testosterone and fertility. (13, 20) In a study of men with idiopathic infertility (infertility without a known cause) supplementation of 5000 IU of vitamin D a day for 2 months increased sperm motility, concentration, and morphology. (20) The results can be seen in the table below.

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While vitamin D3 supplements definitely work, remember that the sun is the best source of vitamin D.

Protein is essential for increasing muscle, strength and tesosterone. Complete bioavailable protein from meat and other animal foods is best since an adequate supply of amino acids is needed to build muscle. And when building muscle, testosterone will naturally be higher. (12) Meat and animal products are not only high in protein, but they’re high in CoQ10 and L-carnitine which also increase testosterone and male fertility. (9, 13)

Vitamin C is “a natural protector for sperm from free radical damages that also prevents sperm sticking together in clumps, resulting in increased sperm motility and fertility.” (9) It also increases testosterone and sperm count. An in-vitro (test tube) study found that vitamin C can regenerate damaged testosterone molecules by up to 58%. (21) And in another “in-vitro study, vitamin C was able to increase testosterone levels in testicular Leydig cells due to enzyme upregulation.” (21)

Vitamin E is essential for sperm count, motility, adequate testosterone levels, DNA quality and the process of fertilization. Like vitamin C, vitamin E also protects sperm from free radical damage. (9, 22)

6) Reduce Stress-

Stress causes cortisol production to take priority over testosterone production. Therefore the more stressed you are the less testosterone your body will make. (12)

7) Eat Animal Testicles-

Our ancestors had a principal called “like heals like.” Meaning whatever body part you eat is good for your corresponding body part. This is because it’s rich in the nutrients needed for the same part. Testicles for example are high in B vitamins, selenium, zinc, and protein. They also have some cholesterol, potassium, and sodium. (23, 24) All of which are important nutrients for testosterone.

8) Get Enough Quality Sleep-

Studies show that testosterone increases with adequate quality sleep with adequate REM sleep being an important factor. Adequate sleep also decreases stress which also helps increase testosterone. (12, 25) A study of 10 healthy young men found that when their sleep was reduced from from 8 hours 55 minutes to 4 hours 48 minutes for 1 week, daytime testosterone levels decreased by 10% to 15%. (26)

9) Abstain From Or Limit Alcohol

Alcohol consumption is generally associated with a decrease in testosterone, especially in the case of chronic alcoholism. This is believed to be because alcohol impedes testosterone synthesis in your testes, hypothalamus, and anterior pituitary gland. (2, 8, 27) One study showed that 2 to 3 drinks a day decreased testosterone levels by 6.8% in men over 3 weeks. (28) Alcohol also decreases male fertility. Around 19% of sperm in healthy men is morphologically defective. In chronic alcoholics this number rises to 75%. (29) While an occassional drink likely won’t have a major effect, frequent drinking appears to decrease testosterone.

10) Cut Out Vegetable/Seed Oils

Studies suggest that vegetable oil consumption decreases testosterone and male fertility. (12) Vegetable oils are high in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAS) and omega 6 fatty acids. PUFAS are very unstable fats prone to oxidiation and the creation of free radicals. This leads to decreased fertility, decreased sperm motility, tissue damage, chronic inflammation, atherosclerosis (clogged arteries), and cardio vascular disease. (22, 30)

Omega 6s are a type of PUFAS responcible for inflammation. In small quantites they’re important since acute inflammation is critical for wound healing and injury recovery. However most people get too many omega 6s and that often leads to chronic inflammation. High omega 6 intake has also been linked to lower testosterone. (31)

Vegetable oils include:

• Canola Oil
• Corn Oil
• Cottonseed Oil
• Soy Oil
• Sunflower Oil
• Safflower Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Ricebran Oil
• And other oils derived from seeds, nuts, legumes, vegetables, or grains.

The exceptions are olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, and palm oil. These 4 oils are the only plant derived oils I would eat, I recommend you avoid the rest. For more info on vegetable oils check out my article The Real Bad Fats.

Recap Of How To Optimize Testosterone Levels:

• Avoid xenoestrogens
• Eat cholesterol
• Lose excess body fat
• Lift weights
• Get adequate choline, zinc, magnesium, selenium, iodine, calcium, sodium, potassium, vitamin A, B vitamins, vitamin D, protein, vitamin C, and vitamin E.
• Reduce stress
• Eat animal testicles
• Get enough quality sleep
• Abstain from or limit alcohol
• Cut out vegetable/seed oils

Works Cited

1. Travison, Thomas G, Araujo, Andre B, O’Donnell, Amy B, Kupelian, Varant, & McKinlay, John B. (2007). A Population-Level Decline in Serum Testosterone Levels in American Men. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, 92(1), 196–202. https://doi.org/10.1210/jc.2006-1375

2. “9 Testosterone Killers (They’re Hidden & Everywhere).” Carnivore Aurelius. 4 May 2020. https://carnivoreaurelius.com/testosterone-killers/

3. Hayes TB, Khoury V, Narayan A, Nazir M, Park A, Brown T, Adame L, Chan E, Buchholz D, Stueve T, Gallipeau S. Atrazine induces complete feminization and chemical castration in male African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis). Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 9;107(10):4612-7. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0909519107. Epub 2010 Mar 1. PMID: 20194757; PMCID: PMC2842049.

4. “Estrogen Dominance and Raw Carrots.” Julia’s Wellness Tips. 19 November 2020. https://www.instagram.com/p/CHxFFwSAGxNNRj3bbfwGDHMFU6xPG8MstGt56Q0/

5. Fantus, Richard, et al. “The Association between Popular Diets and Serum Testosterone among Men in the United States.” The Journal of Urology. Volume 203, Issue 2. Pages 398-404. 1 February 2020. https://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000000482

6. Volek, J S et al. “Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise.” Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985) vol. 82,1 (1997): 49-54. doi:10.1152/jappl.1997.82.1.49

7. Travison TG, Araujo AB, Kupelian V, O’Donnell AB, McKinlay JB. The relative contributions of aging, health, and lifestyle factors to serum testosterone decline in men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2007 Feb;92(2):549-55. doi: 10.1210/jc.2006-1859. Epub 2006 Dec 5. PMID: 17148559.

8. Kumagai, Hiroshi et al. “Increased physical activity has a greater effect than reduced energy intake on lifestyle modification-induced increases in testosterone.” Journal of clinical biochemistry and nutrition vol. 58,1 (2016): 84-9. doi:10.3164/jcbn.15-48

9. “Top Nutrients For Male Fertility.” Julia’s Wellness Tips. 27 December 2020. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJTcrlgArIbipklXzC6cs4yHh91w75L4byNzps0/

10. “Healing and Raising Testosterone Levels Naturally.” Julia’s Wellness Tips. 13 January 2021. https://www.instagram.com/p/CJ_w_EVAAvg4sK3SZmGDpU_dEhWon_ZzSr4cFY0/

11. L.R. Brilla and Victor Conte. “Effects of a Novel Zinc-Magnesium Formulation on Hormones and Strength.” SNAC Research. 3 March 2011. https://snac.com/blogs/research/effects-of-a-novel-zinc-magnesium-formulation-on-hormones-and-strength

12. “The Ultimate Guide to Increasing Your Testosterone.” Carnivore Aurelius. 16 February 2021. https://carnivoreaurelius.com/increase-your-testosterone/

13. Kubala, Jillian. “Try These 12 Vitamins and Supplements to Boost Your Fertility.” Healthline. 22 April 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health/fertility/fertility-vitamins

14. Beigi Harchegani, Asghar et al. “Possible Mechanisms for The Effects of Calcium Deficiency on Male Infertility.” International journal of fertility & sterility vol. 12,4 (2019): 267-272. doi:10.22074/ijfs.2019.5420

15. Meikle, A Wayne. “The interrelationships between thyroid dysfunction and hypogonadism in men and boys.” Thyroid : official journal of the American Thyroid Association vol. 14 Suppl 1 (2004): S17-25. doi:10.1089/105072504323024552

16. Scott R, MacPherson A, Yates RW, Hussain B, Dixon J. The effect of oral selenium supplementation on human sperm motility. Br J Urol. 1998 Jul;82(1):76-80. doi: 10.1046/j.1464-410x.1998.00683.x. PMID: 9698665.

17. Vézina D, Mauffette F, Roberts KD, Bleau G. Selenium-vitamin E supplementation in infertile men. Effects on semen parameters and micronutrient levels and distribution. Biol Trace Elem Res. 1996 Summer;53(1-3):65-83. doi: 10.1007/BF02784546. PMID: 8862739.

18. Domosławska A, Zduńczyk S, Janowski T. Improvement of Sperm Motility Within One Month Under Selenium and Vitamin E Supplementation in Four Infertile Dogs with Low Selenium Status. J Vet Res. 2019 Jun 12;63(2):293-297. doi: 10.2478/jvetres-2019-0025. PMID: 31276070; PMCID: PMC6598180.

19. Kuoppala, Ali. “Vitamin A and Testosterone: Retinoids, Carotenoids, & Hormones.” Anabolic Men. 25 September 2018. https://anabolicmen.com/vitamin-a-testosterone/

20. Alzoubi, A et al. “NORMALIZATION OF SERUM VITAMIN D IMPROVES SEMEN MOTILITY PARAMETERS IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC MALE INFERTILITY.” Acta endocrinologica (Bucharest, Romania : 2005) vol. 13,2 (2017): 180-187. doi:10.4183/aeb.2017.180

21. Kuoppala, Ali. “Vitamin C and Testosterone: The Protective Antioxidant.” Anabolic Men. 25 September 2018. https://anabolicmen.com/vitamin-c-testosterone/

22. Ahmadi, Sedigheh et al. “Antioxidant supplements and semen parameters: An evidence based review.” International journal of reproductive biomedicine vol. 14,12 (2016): 729-736.

23. “Lamb, raw, testes, imported, New Zealand.” Nutrition Value. Accessed 15 April 2021. https://www.nutritionvalue.org/Lamb%2C_raw%2C_testes%2C_imported%2C_New_Zealand_nutritional_value.html

24. Nathan. “Bull Testicle Health Benefits.” Beam Zen. 25 May 2020. https://beamzen.com/bull-testicle-health-benefits/

25. Contreras Nuñez, P, Moya Santibañez, P, Carrillo, J, Godoy Fernandez, J, and Santin Martinez, J. “Improvement on Serum Testosterone Levels with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) Treatment. Preliminary Analysis.” Journal of the Neurological Sciences 357 (2015): E96. Web.

26. Leproult, Rachel, and Van Cauter, Eve. “Effect of 1 Week of Sleep Restriction on Testosterone Levels in Young Healthy Men.” JAMA : The Journal of the American Medical Association 305.21 (2011): 2173-174. Web.

27. Yetman, Daniel. “How Alcohol Affects Testosterone.” Healthline. 4 September 2020. https://www.healthline.com/health/how-alcohol-affects-testosterone#effect-on-sperm

28. Sierksma, Aafje et al. “Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, and estradiol levels in middle-aged men and postmenopausal women: a diet-controlled intervention study.” Alcoholism, clinical and experimental research vol. 28,5 (2004): 780-5. doi:10.1097/01.alc.0000125356.70824.81

29. Price, Weston. “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration.” California: Price-Pottenger Nutritional Foundation. 2014. Print. Pg 316

30. Shanahan, Catherine. Deep Nutrition. New York: Flat Iron Books. 2016. Print.

31. MInguez-Alarcón, Lidia et al. “Fatty acid intake in relation to reproductive hormones and testicular volume among young healthy men.” Asian journal of andrology vol. 19,2 (2017): 184-190. doi:10.4103/1008-682X.190323