Testosterone is a very important hormone for the human body.
Besides its role in reproduction, it also plays an important part in maintaining red blood cell levels, bone density, and other important factors for a person’s general well-being.
For this reason, a lot of people wonder how to get testosterone naturally without supplements or steroids.
Fortunately, there are a number of natural methods to increase both testosterone for men and testosterone for women.
High Zinc Levels
Knowing how to increase testosterone naturally usually begins with a popular supplement called ZMA.
One of the key ingredients in this supplement is zinc. The production of testosterone for women and men is greatly aided by an abundance of zinc.
Supplementing a diet with zinc can begin to raise testosterone levels after several weeks, while not having enough zinc has been known to lower the hormone levels.
There are a number of common and healthy choices to get zinc into a diet; foods high in protein, such as fish or meat, often have good zinc levels, and milk, cheese, and beans (as well as foods made from these ingredients, such as yogurt) contain zinc as well.
It is also good to know that the more zinc is cooked, the further it becomes depleted. Raw milk and cheese are some of the best places to find zinc in a meal because of this factor.
Zinc is also available as a supplement in most nutrition and health stores, including drug stores. If you choose to use a supplement, the best choice is an amino acid chelate, which provides better absorption.
Keep in mind that this is also the most expensive form of zinc, so if you want something more affordable, try zinc gluconate, instead. Per a study published in the Journal of Exercise Physiology in 2000, men who added 30mg zinc supplements had measurable increases in their free testosterone levels.
Maintain a Healthy Body Weight
Fat cells are able to significantly slow testosterone production, and losing weight is therefore a strong asset for understanding how to get testosterone. Despite this, being underweight can also be a detriment to testosterone production.
Because of this, it is often worth it to be checked out by a physician every once in a while to compare ideal body weight with current body weight levels. Exercise, healthy eating, and staying active are small things that can go a long way towards planning how to get testosterone.
Being physically active generally results in increased testosterone levels as well. Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise when planning how to get testosterone levels increased.
When learning how to boost testosterone naturally, it’s also vital that you follow a healthy diet plan. This should be a lifestyle change rather than a temporary change in eating habits.
First, find your ideal weight, then use a calculator to determine how many calories you should consume to lose weight, if necessary, or to maintain your current weight if it is ideal. Once you’ve done this, make sure you get the right macronutrients; plenty of protein facilitates muscle growth, and muscles boost your metabolism.
Make sure most of your carbs are complex carbohydrates, which provide a more stable source of energy, and consume mostly healthy fats like olive oil, avocadoes, and fatty fish. Your diet is the best thing you can change when learning how to naturally increase testosterone.
Consume the Right Fats
Healthy, saturated fats are, not too unlike zinc, crucial for the creation of testosterone. Polyunsaturated, monounsaturated, and saturated fats are important parts of any diet, and are especially important in testosterone-building diets.
Raw nuts, olives, coconut, organic milk, avocado, and animal meats are all good examples of foods that contain healthy fats that are easy to add into a daily intake of food.
Eating less sugar and more of these healthy fats means adding extra nutrients that the body can use to create testosterone, and it means adopting a healthier lifestyle overall. Consuming these fats will bring cholesterol levels to a point that will be a strong asset to testosterone creation.
When to Consider Exogenous Testosterone
After you’ve learned how to increase testosterone naturally and applied these guidelines to your everyday life for a period of three to six months, you may find that your testosterone levels still aren’t where you would like them to be.
This is a good time to consider using exogenous testosterone, which is available via a prescription when you demonstrate the symptoms of low testosterone, and when low testosterone can be confirmed via a blood test.
If your testosterone falls below 280 nanograms per deciliter, you may be a candidate for male hormone replacement therapy.
In the United States, Andriol, also known as testosterone undecanoate, is the most commonly-prescribed testosterone ester for HRT.
It is generally regarded as mild, and it comes in oral as well as injectable form. Your doctor will likely start you on a high dose of testosterone to build it up in your bloodstream, but then back it down to a “maintenance” dose that you will take daily. Most men use HRT for the rest of their lives, so be sure to consider this lifestyle change.
Exogenous testosterone is also common in bodybuilding and other sports because it provides an advantage to athletes. It helps them become stronger, gain muscle, and simply feel better, and in this case, learning how to increase testosterone naturally is not enough to provide those results.
Some of the most popular forms of testosterone in sports include enanthate, propionate, and cypionate, as well as a testosterone blend known as Sustanon.
These are illegal in the US without a prescription, though, so obtaining them can present risks. Below, you’ll discover a variety of testosterone esters and their recommended dosage for performance enhancement.
| Testosterone Ester | Average Weekly Dose | Ester Length | Cycle Length in Weeks |
|---|---|---|---|
Those wondering how to increase testosterone naturally don’t need to look any further than adopting a healthy lifestyle.
There is little need for steroids when the natural methods work so well: an active lifestyle, a healthy body weight, and consuming the right nutrients are what lead to high testosterone levels in the human body in a natural, safe way. Though learning how to get testosterone naturally is important, sometimes medical intervention is required, so don’t be afraid to talk to your physician.