Low-Hanging Fruit: Easy Ways to Naturally Increase Testosterone Levels in Men

By Justin English

 9/25/2024

Unfortunately, there has been a noticeable decline in testosterone levels among men, with studies showing a significant drop in average levels over the past few decades. Some estimates suggest that the average testosterone level of men today is much lower than it was just a few generations ago. (Travison et. al, 2007) This decline has almost certainly affected men’s physical performance, mood, energy levels, and overall health today.  Despite these alarming trends, there are simple, natural ways to boost testosterone. This article will discuss three powerful methods: ensuring high-quality sleep, optimizing your diet, and incorporating heavy resistance training. These strategies are often considered “low-hanging fruit” because they are accessible, easy to implement, and often have the highest return on investment.

Sleep

High-quality sleep is crucial to maintaining optimal testosterone levels. According to Rachel Leproult and Eve Can Cauter, “the majority of daily testosterone release in men occurs during sleep” (2011). Sleep is the body’s natural restoration process, and a unique phase of sleep known as the rapid eye movement (REM) phase plays an outsized role in testosterone production. Gary Wittert writes, “Plasma testosterone levels begin to increase with the onset of sleep, and in young men peak at the first REM sleep episode and remain at that level until waking” (2014). Therefore, it can be inferred that poor sleep patterns, especially those that disrupt REM sleep, can drastically reduce testosterone production. Rubin Naiman writes that our society suffers “a silent epidemic of REM sleep deprivation” (2017). He goes on to write that this silent issue is associated with “commonly used medications, endemic substance use disorders, rampant sleep disorders, and behavioral and lifestyle factors” (2017). So, we know that REM sleep plays a significant role in testosterone production, and we know that many humans are missing out on it. But how can we fix our poor sleep quality to build back our testosterone levels?

A study by Monika Sejbuk and colleagues shows that proper nutrition from relatively unprocessed foods, high protein content, and carbohydrates with low glycemic indexes and high fiber contents (i.e., most fruit) can produce higher sleep quality. In this same study, Sejbuk and colleagues write that regular exercise is essential for maintaining high sleep quality. (2022). Practical, real-life tools like an intentional diet of unprocessed high-protein foods and fruit in conjunction with resistance training can move the needle on sleep-related testosterone output. However, there is more we can do! Sleep hygiene techniques before bed can also influence sleep quality and impact nighttime testosterone output.  Sleep hygiene techniques include exercising regularly, sleeping in a cool, dark place, establishing a regular bedtime routine, staying away from blue light right before bed, and restricting caffeine in the hours leading up to bedtime.

Diet

The diet also plays a critical role in hormonal health. One can focus on consuming micronutrient-rich and toxin-free red meats to boost testosterone naturally. Along with healthy saturated fats like those found in avocados, eggs, and grass-fed butter. As well as fruit-derived carbohydrates and glyphosate-free honey.

Why these foods and not something else?  These foods provide the building blocks for testosterone synthesis. Red meats are rich in zinc and vitamin D, essential for hormone production. Healthy fats create the building blocks for hormone transportation and support overall hormone balance. Carbohydrates from fruit with abundant micronutrient supply aid in balancing the body's energy systems and clearing toxins.

It is reasonably well understood that some critical micronutrients found in red meat, such as zinc, magnesium, iron, and vitamin D, are essential for testosterone production. But why fat? A study published in Nature by Miika Wynne-Ellis and colleagues showed that “higher saturated fat intake was associated with higher serum total and free testosterone and sex hormone binding globulin concentrations” (2023). So saturated fat foods like butter, cuts of meat, and cheese are not to be feared when the goal is to raise testosterone levels naturally.

And fruit? Fruit contains carbohydrates, which provide energy and signal abundance to the body. Furthermore, some fruits contain miraculous testosterone-boosting micronutrients as well. For example, Kaveh Khazaeel and colleagues clearly showed that bromelain, a compound readily found in bananas, can attenuate the adverse endocrine-disrupting effects of BPA (2022). This means that bananas can protect you from the harm that some plastic does to your testosterone levels. In summary, a diet rich in well-sourced red meat, healthy fats, and plenty of fruit-derived carbohydrates ensures your body has the nutrients it needs to support testosterone and general well-being.

Resistance Training

Heavy resistance training is one of the most effective ways to stimulate testosterone production naturally. Compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and bent-over rows engage multiple muscle groups, placing significant stress on the body and signals for growth. This type of training signals to your body that it needs to produce more testosterone to repair and grow stronger. When one practices heavy resistance training, the body goes into a catabolic response. This response occurs during intense exercise and causes humans to feel muscle breakdown, fatigue, and exercise-related stress. However, this catabolic event also stimulates an incredible anabolic response afterward.  While one recovers from an intense workout, their body upregulates muscle protein synthesis and creates new musculature. Fun fact: this upregulation of muscle protein synthesis also occurs similarly when eating protein.

Furthermore, this anabolic process also changes how our bodies produce specific hormones. A study done by Hassane Zouhal and colleagues shows that not only does resistance training increase testosterone, it also increases insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), sex hormone binding globulin (SBHG), human growth hormone (hGH), and other precious health-promoting hormones. In this study, the effect size was massive. This means that the strength of the relationship between the two variables is very high. That means heavy resistance training drastically changes output in the abovementioned hormones, not just a little bit.

So, what does it mean to do ‘heavy resistance training’? This can look like progressive overload over time on sets of squats, deadlifts, bench presses, shoulder presses, and other similar compound movements. Progressive overload means that one gradually increases the stimulus on the body over time to ensure that the body continues to feel the demand to induce change. For testosterone production, one would want to increase weight over time and keep repetitions relatively constant at three to five reps with upwards of three minutes rest between each set. For a weekly program, one would want to target all muscle groups most days so that as many muscles as possible can generate anabolic signals to the systems in the brain that control hormone response. In general, any resistance training program would benefit testosterone production, and one that gradually gets more challenging over time would be even more valuable.

A sample daily plan and conclusion

How do you put all these strategies into a cohesive daily plan? Here’s a sample for someone looking to boost testosterone levels naturally:

- Morning: Wake up at the same time each day to establish a regular circadian rhythm. After a compound lift-focused training in the morning, eat a nutrient-dense breakfast with plenty of protein and carbohydrates.

- Afternoon: Have a lunch rich in red meat, healthy fats, and carbohydrates from fruits. Avoid processed foods and prioritize whole, micronutrient-rich options.

- Evening: Wind down after dinner by reading or doing another relaxing activity, avoiding screens and stressful tasks. Aim to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep in a dark, cool room, free of disruptions.

If you’re already thriving and feeling energized and strong, there’s no need to overhaul your actions. However, if you feel your energy lagging or your performance slipping, incorporating these natural testosterone-boosting strategies into your routine could significantly boost your vitality and well-being. Remember, sometimes, the most straightforward changes yield the most potent results.

Works Cited

Khazaeel K, Rad OR, Jamshidian J, Tabandeh MR, Mohammadi G, Atashfaraz A. Effect of bromelain on sperm quality, testicular oxidative stress, and expression of estrogen receptors in bisphenol-A treated male mice. Andrologia. December 2022

Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. June 2011

Naiman R. Dreamless: the silent epidemic of REM sleep loss. Ann N Y Acad Sci. October 2017

Sejbuk M, Mirończuk-Chodakowska I, Witkowska AM. Sleep Quality: A Narrative Review on Nutrition, Stimulants, and Physical Activity as Important Factors. Nutrients. May 2022

Thomas G. Travison, Andre B. Araujo, Amy B. O’Donnell, Varant Kupelian, John B. McKinlay, A Population-Level Decline in Serum Testosterone Levels in American Men, The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, Volume 92, Issue 1, January 2007

Wynne-Ellis, M.M., Mursu, J.J., Tuomainen, TP. et al. Dietary fat quality and serum androgen concentrations in middle-aged men. Eur J Clin Nutr October 2023

Zouhal H, Jayavel A, Parasuraman K, Hayes LD, Tourny C, Rhibi F, Laher I, Abderrahman AB, Hackney AC. Effects of Exercise Training on Anabolic and Catabolic Hormones with Advanced Age: A Systematic Review. Sports Med June 2022