We’ve been talking about how men age their testosterone levels naturally decrease. You can check out our article here — What Is Male Menopause? And, there are lots of reasons why decreasing testosterone levels should concern you.

Now, let’s look at the top 10 ways you can improve your testosterone naturally, to help combat the aging process. Because no one wants to let aging win without a fight!

10 Ways to Increase Your Testosterone Naturally

1. Lose Weight – As men age, and testosterone levels drop, the battle against the “dad bod” becomes harder and harder. Muscle mass also deteriorates, which lowers your metabolism. So, it’s not a big surprise that after the age of 30, men have an increased incidence of being overweight.
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2. Add Short, Intense Cardio – High intensity exercise, in short bursts, has been shown to have a positive effect on testosterone. (Long periods of moderate exercise has been shown to have little to no effect.) A short, intense cardio routine looks like this:
   – 3-minute warm up
   – 30 seconds exercising as hard and fast as you possibly can. By the end of this 30 seconds, you should feel like you are not able to keep up the pace at all.
   – 90 seconds of recovery at a slow to moderate pace
   – Repeat the high intensity and recovery steps 7 more times.
   – 3 minute cool down
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3. Add Strength Training – As mentioned, naturally, men lose muscle mass as they age, which reduces testosterone production. Adding strength training to your routine, to maintain and build muscle mass can counter this effect.
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4. Get Some Sun – Vitamin D deficiency, even in developed countries, like the United States, is a significant problem, despite additives in milk. Vitamin D is needed to maintain semen quantity and sperm quality.
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5. Make Sure to Get Your Zinc – Proper zinc levels are critical for testosterone production. Sadly, because of the modern farming processes, including the use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, much of our produce and livestock are nutrient deficient – including being deficient in zinc. Organic meats and fish, raw milk, cheese, yogurt, and beans can be good sources of zinc. If you take a supplement, be sure to not take more than 40mg a day, as more can negatively affect your ability to absorb other minerals.
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6. Reduce Stress – When you’re stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol – the fight or flight hormone. Cortisol interferes with testosterone, as your body prioritizes cortisol as a means of survival. Breathing exercises, yoga, simply going for a leisurely walk in nature, can all be great ways to destress.
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7. Ditch the Sugar – When you consume sugar, your insulin levels rise and high levels of insulin lower testosterone. Kicking a sugar addiction is one of the most difficult things a person can do, but it can have the biggest, positive effect on your overall health, including your testosterone levels.
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8. Eat Healthy Fats –  Not all fats are created equal, especially when it comes to boosting testosterone levels. And, despite the carb-heavy, low-fat diet touted in the 90s that has led to the obesity epidemic in America, your daily diet should consist of about 40% healthy fats, for healthy testosterone production. Healthy fats include:
   – Olive oil & olives
   – Butter, produced from organic milk, made from grass-fed cows
   – Raw almonds and pecans
   – Avocados
   – Coconut & coconut oil
   – Egg yolks from organic, free range (not just cage free) chickens
   – Grass-fed meat
   – Palm oil
   – Unheated nut oils from organic sources
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9. Increase Your Leucine Intake Naturally – Branch chain amino acids have been shown to improve testosterone levels. However, supplements are not the best source. Instead, look to a high quality whey protein, like Isagenix protein shakes made from organic, grass-fed cows, They have a superior branch chain amino acid profile, thanks to the fact that their whey protein is undenatured – meaning it still has the enzymes needed to make it highly digestible. Other when protein shakes often lack this, meaning your body doesn’t absorb these amino acids – so they aren’t useful.
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10. Get a Good Night’s Sleep – Sleep is critical to your health, including improving your testosterone levels. Men who slept only 5 hours of sleep per night see a 15% reduction in their testosterone levels. Although everyone is unique, the recommendation is you should get 7 to 10 hours of sleep per night.