Testosterone is vital to a person’s overall health and well-being. Low levels of testosterone can affect body composition unfavorably, and as people age, reduced testosterone levels can also cause weight gain.
Low levels of testosterone also affect sexual function, causing reduced sex drive, fewer erections, and infertility.
Natural ways to maintain testosterone
According to a recent study of 9,054 men aged between 19 and 39 who were of a healthy weight, normal testosterone levels range from between 264 and 916 nanograms over deciliters (ng/dL).
Drug companies promote products that are supposed to increase testosterone, and while these might help some people, they may also slow down the body’s ability to naturally produce testosterone.
Also, these medications are not without risks.
A 2016 study noted that the benefits and safety of long-term use of testosterone replacement products are not known.
The best way to improve testosterone levels is by adopting some lifestyle habits that can improve overall health and well-being.
1. Getting enough sleep
Lack of sleep can adversely affect the levels of hormones and chemicals that the body needs to function correctly, including testosterone.
One study from the University of Chicago found that testosterone levels can drop in men who do not get enough sleep.
Ten healthy men aged around 24 years old spent 1 week sleeping for 8 hours per night at home, they then spent the next 11 nights in a lab. They slept for 10 hours per night for 3 nights, followed by 8 nights of restricted sleep, when they slept for only 5 hours. Doctors checked their blood every 15 to 30 minutes during the last night that they slept 10 hours, as well as on the sleep-restricted session.
The researchers found that after only 1 week of restricted sleep, daytime testosterone levels dropped by up to 15 percent. By contrast, normal aging sees testosterone decreases of just 1 to 2 percent per year.
Making sleep a priority may help maintain testosterone levels. People should aim to sleep at least 7 to 8 hours each night. Anyone having problems getting good quality sleep on a regular basis should talk to their doctor.
Long-term and chronic stress is dangerous and can lead to many issues in the body.
Stress elevates the hormone cortisol, which is responsible for managing a variety of processes, including immune response and metabolism.
Elevated cortisol negatively impacts testosterone. One 2016 study found that stressful events contributed to erratic changes to testosterone levels in males.
In the 2 months before their final exams, 58 male and female medical students filled in questionnaires and gave saliva samples while under exam stress.
The men in the study showed significant increases in salivary testosterone under exam stress, while the women had substantially decreased testosterone levels.
The researchers suggest the stress response in the male study participants resulted in aggression, emotional inhibition, and rumination and this could explain the differences in the sexes.
According to a report in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, there is little evidence to prove that testosterone therapy or marketed testosterone supplements can help men with age-related testosterone problems.
Testosterone therapy may, however, be helpful when the body cannot produce testosterone on its own.
Because testosterone therapy is not suitable for everyone, the best way to increase testosterone levels is naturally.
Anyone concerned about their testosterone levels should see their doctor for a testosterone test but also to discuss lifestyle changes and whether testosterone therapy or supplementation may help.
Takeaway
Testosterone development starts before birth and assists in the development of the male sex organs.
Testosterone drives libido, production of sperm, distribution of body fat, muscle strength, and creation of red blood cells in males. Women also produce testosterone in their ovaries and adrenal glands, but they produce significantly lower levels than men.
People can boost testosterone naturally through diet and exercise, or in some cases, through supplementation.
However, there is no evidence to prove that testosterone therapy raises testosterone in healthy males.
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