Testosterone plays a vital role in your overall health and wellness. As you age,  testosterone levels will naturally start to decline. Men and women will peak in their natural testosterone production in their late twenties, and start to gradually decline 1-2% thereafter.

A natural decline in testosterone levels creates imbalances between testosterone and estrogen, which can have a dramatic effect on your overall health and well-being. Low testosterone can cause symptoms such as increased weight gain, chronic fatigue, low sexual desire, moodiness, and loss of muscle mass. If you're experiencing any of these symptoms, don't worry just keep reading to find out how you can increase testosterone naturally. 

What Is Testosterone 

Testosterone is a primary androgenic and anabolic steroid naturally produced by your body. Testosterone plays a critical role in the development of muscle mass and contributes to the activation of the nervous system, resulting in more power and strength, better mood, and improved libido [R].

Symptoms Of Low Testosterone

Testosterone deficiency affects 10-40% of the world population and is known to increase with age, exponentially rising after age 30. Increasing testosterone levels has been shown to improve strength, reduce body fat, and increase muscle mass. No wonder we’re obsessed. The more testosterone, the more pronounced these effects become.

Low testosterone levels can have a dramatic impact on sex drive, physical appearance, and body composition. Some of the most common symptoms of low testosterone are

• Increased Body Fat
• Loss of Muscle Mass
• Hair Loss
• Reduced Sex Drive
• Chronic Fatigue
• Difficulty with Erection

Several factors can have a negative impact and lower testosterone levels such as sleep quality, alcohol consumption, micronutrient deficiencies, increased stress, and refined sugar.

Optimizing testosterone levels by first correcting these factors, and supplementing with a natural testosterone booster increase testosterone production and also improve symptoms of low t.      

RELATED ARTICLE Symptoms Of Low Testosterone In Men

It’s important to note, that despite the banality that testosterone is primarily a male dominant hormone, the truth is, it’s not.  

Testosterone plays a pivotal role in women’s health and can affect mood and libido much the same as it does in men. Imbalances of testosterone, both high and low in women, can have serious and often damaging effects on a woman's overall health, including the ability to produce new blood cells, sex drive, athletic performance, muscle building, mood, and more. Testosterone is also a key component in the balance of estrogen.

Women who suffer from testosterone deficiency, are commonly misdiagnosed since the symptoms resemble those associated with stress, anxiety, and depression. Low testosterone is also associated with muscle weakness, especially in more athletically inclined women.

The number of estimated women with decreased libido and testosterone deficiency is between 10 and 15 million in the United States alone. 

There are no clear guidelines for diagnosing women who might have low t, and only recently has there been an acknowledgment of the need for clear guidelines. However, women who suffer from a low-sexual desire or sexual appetite, may have normal estrogen levels, but decreased androgen levels and could benefit greatly from an increase in testosterone to create an optimized hormonal balance.

RELATED ARTICLE Symptoms Of Low Testosterone In Women

How To Increase Testosterone Naturally

1. Reduce Alcohol Consumption 

Alcohol can have detrimental effects on your testosterone levels. The quickest and easiest way to naturally increase your testosterone is to cut back on the boozing. Don't get me wrong, a beer every once in a while and in moderation isn't a bad thing. But turning it into a habitual routine is. In recent studies, when alcohol is consumed high ethanol levels actually decrease the level of testosterone that the body produces.

Furthermore, ethanol not only inhibits testosterone but also increases cortisol levels – two functions that you don’t want when you’re trying to trend on muscle hypertrophy achievement. Reduced levels of blood testosterone mean reduced protein synthesis ultimately leading to atrophy [R] While this may not affect the lay athlete as much as elite athletes, findings on the implications from the consumption of alcohol are no bueno for your athletic performance and goals.

2.  Resistance Training

Resistance training is perhaps one of the best ways to naturally increase testosterone levels. Lifting will incite the release of human growth hormone and facilitate testosterone production [R] Resistance training also increases fat loss, which increases natural levels of testosterone production. [R] Testosterone levels are increased during bouts of resistance training, but it is encouraged to train regularly as well as eat and supplement the appropriate minerals to maintain elevated levels and take maximum advantage of them.

Keep your body on its toes and make sure to mix up your workouts. Working the same muscles over and over, your body will literally get bored, and the bounds of your testosterone production won’t be challenged. Plus, who likes getting bored during their workouts? Females can also naturally boost testosterone levels by lifting heavier weights. Check out the article, written by Genevieve Gyulavary, DPT about how you should be lifting heavier weights. 

RELATED ARTICLE 5 Reasons Why Women Should Be Lifting Heavier Weights 

3. More Quality Sleep

Getting 8 hours of sleep each night without noises or distractions is important to boost your natural testosterone production. Most testosterone is actually produced when you sleep, which is why minerals from your nutrition and supplements to increase testosterone can help. Zinc, Magnesium Aspartate, and Vitamin B6 (ZMT) work synergistically together, to help you get deeper quality sleep and are essential for muscle recovery and growth. By increasing the quality and duration of your sleep, you'll naturally increase your natural testosterone production and with a boost in testosterone, you'll have more stamina, enhance mood, and create a better quality of life.

RECOMMENDED PRODUCT ZMT, 30 Servings $35.99 

RELATED ARTICLE How To Get Better Quality Sleep

4. Eat A Well Rounded Diet

While there are a thousand articles out there focusing on specific foods that help increase natural testosterone levels within the human body, our recommendation is to simply take a well-rounded approach to your diet and nutrition. Too much of one thing is always bad, so just take it in stride.

Including high quality lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats, will help increase valuable micronutrients to naturally increase testosterone levels. Increase foods rich in zinc, magnesium, fenugreek, and B vitamins such as (Protein, Leafy Greens, Legumes, Nuts) Be good to your body and your body will be good to you. A diet rich in lean quality proteins, quality carbohydrates, and good fats will help increase natural testosterone levels and help your body shed extra body fat. 

RELATED ARTICLE How To Create An Amazing Nutrition Plan 

If you've been trying to eat cleaner, but just don't know how to get started or what to do, check out custom nutrition programs at THESWOLEKITCHEN. Take a brief survey, so we can find out how to create the best nutrition program for you and your goals. Then, get connected with your personal nutrition coach, and start getting the results you've been waiting for. 

5. Reduce Stress Levels

This one might be a no-brainer, but you may be surprised to know that high cortisol levels actually inhibit testosterone production [R] Yeah, the stress hormone that your body releases when you’re under pressure and overworked actually blocks testosterone’s effects on the body. Maybe the key here though isn’t to focus on stress and your testosterone levels, but focusing on the root of your stress and reducing it from there.

Not only is stress not good for your sex-hormone, but it’s not very good for other bodily functions either. In all honesty, adding in a test-booster in this case when you’re completely stressed day-in and day-out probably isn’t a good idea because the body still won’t focus on the testosterone production, it will want to give energy to the stress hormone. Do your body good – decrease stress, improve testosterone.

RELATED ARTICLE How To Control Your Stress Levels 

6. Reduce Refined Sugar 

Ditching the sweets is a quick and easy way to keep off unwanted belly fat and decreased hormone production levels. High blood sugar levels have a significant effect on quantitative insulin sensitivity and trend towards decreased testosterone production and levels within the body [R].

Not to mention, sugar consumption can lead to gaining excess body fat and increased levels of estrogen, which not only presents a low sex drive but also keeps you from other important functions, such as building muscle mass and recovery on rest days. Kick sugar to the curb and welcome back your libido, ladies, and gents.

7. Increase Vitamin D Intake

The benefits of Vitamin D on testosterone production are quite profound. Vitamin D ironically is actually not even a vitamin, it’s a steroid hormone, which regulates more than 1,000 bodily functions. Therefore, if you’re part of the estimated 1 billion people or 50% of the world population that has a Vitamin D deficiency, then that means 1,000 or more of your bodily functions are impaired. 

RELATED ARTICLE Do I Need Vitamin D3? Benefits Of Vitamin D

Several studies have shown a positive correlation between vitamin D levels and total and free testosterone levels. Most studies have found, that individuals with low vitamin d levels are much more likely to have low testosterone levels when compared to those with an adequate amount of vitamin d. Studies have also shown that supplementing with a low dose vitamin d, can increase free and total testosterone up to 25%.

8. Lose Some Body Fat

Added visceral abdominal fat, is a sure sign that your testosterone production is out of whack. Especially, if it's not normal for you. Research studies have found correlations between abdominal fat increases with age and decreasing testosterone concentrations which are the same metabolic characteristics that are found in the abdominal adipose tissue [R].

Abdominal Adipose Tissue fuels the aromatase enzyme which naturally increases the conversion of testosterone to estrogen, thus, lowering testosterone levels. By implementing a healthful diet and regular exercise, fat loss is allowed and aromatase enzyme activity is decreased. If you want to increase testosterone levels, then get back on the air assault, and start lifting some weights. 

RELATED ARTICLE How To Burn Body Fat In 5 Simple Steps 

9. Supplement A High-Quality Testosterone Booster

What are the best supplements to naturally increase testosterone production? Well, there's a few. Diindolylmethane [DIM], Fenugreek, and Rhodiola Rosea, and Tongkat Ali are some of the most well-researched ingredients to help increase natural testosterone production, increase strength and vitality, as well as improve sex drive. 

The best supplement, with the most clinical evidence to support increased testosterone levels, is Fenugreek. Several studies have shown that 500mg of Fenugreek supplementation, can induce further gains in strength, and increase free natural testosterone levels. 

RELATED ARTICLE The Benefits Of Fenugreek On Testosterone 

RECOMMENDED PRODUCT ZMT, 30 Servings $64.99