40% of men over 45 experience clinically low testosterone.¹
Sounds straightforward enough, but think about what this hormone actually powers: energy, muscle, motivation, mood, and libido. That statistic means 40% of men could also be feeling drained and fatigued, struggling to stay strong, noticing a lag in sex drive, or experiencing fewer spontaneous erections.
Many men turn to prescriptions, a viable option, but there’s also a growing interest in natural ways to keep testosterone in a healthy range. From lifestyle factors such as diet, sleep, exercise, and stress management to herbs, micronutrients, and specific foods, several practical strategies can help maintain (or even modestly boost) testosterone production.
Food
What you eat ripples through nearly every body system, including the glands and pathways that regulate testosterone. A healthy diet is one of the most effective methods to maintain hormone balance. Nutrient-dense meals give your body the raw materials it needs, while restrictive or unbalanced diets can throw your whole system off-kilter.
Two minerals in particular, zinc and magnesium, play outsized roles in testosterone synthesis. Zinc is involved in both the production and secretion of luteinizing hormone (LH), the chemical messenger that signals your testes to make testosterone. It also helps convert testosterone into its more potent cousin, dihydrotestosterone (DHT). When zinc levels are low, testosterone levels tend to follow. Studies show that supplementation with zinc in zinc-deficient men can raise both total and free testosterone.²
When paired with exercise, magnesium supplementation has also been shown to increase testosterone, likely by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation (which can damage testosterone-producing Leydig cells) and by increasing the availability of more bioavailable hormone. In studies combining exercise and magnesium supplementation, testosterone (both free and total) was elevated.²
Taking a multivitamin tailored to your gender and age typically provides most of the essential minerals and vitamins you need, but additional supplementation may become necessary in some cases. Vitamin D, iron, calcium, and B vitamins are common gaps, and addressing them can make a measurable difference in how your body functions.
Most people think of vitamin D as “the bone vitamin,” and that’s true. It supports healthy skeletal bone, but it’s actually more like a hormone that influences the whole body. Receptors for vitamin D are found throughout the body, including in penile tissue, which means it can directly affect sexual health. When vitamin D binds to specific receptors, it helps regulate thousands of genes that guide how cells grow, repair, and function.³
In practical terms, being low in vitamin D doesn’t just weaken bones – it can also interfere with testosterone production and healthy erectile function. Low vitamin D often goes hand-in-hand with low testosterone, and long-term supplementation in deficient men has been shown to raise both total and free testosterone.⁴
Whole foods provide essential vitamins that support testosterone naturally, and if you need a boost, the plate is a good place to start. Here are some foods that pack hormone-friendly nutrients:
- Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, chickpeas – rich in zinc
- Spinach, almonds, dark chocolate, and avocados – sources of magnesium
- Egg yolks, salmon, fortified dairy – supply vitamin D
- Olive oil, nuts, fatty fish – provide healthy fats for hormone production
- Pomegranate, berries, and cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli) – support antioxidant balance and hormone metabolism
One last mention on diet: We often hear about the dangers of high cholesterol and being mindful of keeping it low – if your numbers are elevated, that’s generally sound advice. But if your cholesterol is already in a healthy range, going ultra-low-fat might actually backfire.
Cholesterol is the raw material from which testosterone and other steroid hormones are made. Diets too low in fat can limit cholesterol production (hence testosterone), while higher-fat approaches (including ketogenic diets) have been linked to increased testosterone, especially in men who strength train.⁴ Chronic calorie restriction or pushing your body too hard without proper nutrition can suppress LH signaling and lower hormone output.
Herbs
Certain herbs, plant extracts, and phytochemicals (naturally occurring compounds in plants) may help preserve testosterone by limiting its conversion to estrogen and gently nudging hormone pathways in the right direction.⁴
Many of these come from traditional medicine, including plants in the Araliaceae family (like ginseng) and Zingiberaceae species (such as ginger and turmeric), along with fruits like mangosteen, grape seeds, white button mushrooms, and even red wine. (Easy does it on the red wine; alcohol intake can wipe out nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.)
For example, mangosteen supplementation in one study increased free testosterone levels and improved strength outcomes compared to a placebo.⁴ Certain flavonoids – apigenin in parsley and chamomile, chrysin in honey, catechins in cocoa and prune juice, and resveratrol in red wine – also show promise in supporting testosterone by acting as natural aromatase inhibitors (substances that help prevent the conversion of testosterone into estrogen).
Other herbs often talked about for testosterone support include puncture vine (Tribulus terrestris), fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), Tongkat ali (Eurycoma longifolia), and ginseng.⁵ It’s hypothesized that they work by stimulating the glands that produce testosterone, improving responsiveness to luteinizing hormone (LH), reducing stress and inflammation, or protecting testicular cells from oxidative damage. Some men notice appreciable changes in energy, libido, or strength, while others see minimal results. Quality, dose, and individual differences like age, baseline hormone levels, and overall health all contribute to the effect of supplements and lifestyle changes.
While encouraging, most of this research is still preliminary. Many studies are done in vitro (test-tube or cell culture) or in animals rather than humans. Human studies tend to be small, and the real-world effects depend on dose, preparation quality, bioavailability, and baseline nutritional or hormonal status. These herbs show promise, particularly for men with low testosterone or stress, but they’re not guaranteed fixes. Larger, high-quality studies are needed to clarify which herbs work best and in what amounts. Most importantly, don’t start any supplementation regimen without your doctor’s oversight.
Sleep
Sleep is essential for many of the body’s mechanisms to function properly, and hormones are no exception. When we are sleep deprived, we also become hormone, nutrient, and energy deprived.
In one study, 10 healthy young men were observed sleeping 10 hours per night for three nights. Then, their sleep was restricted to only five hours per night for eight consecutive nights. Researchers observed that daytime testosterone levels dropped by 10-15% compared to when individuals were better rested, particularly in the afternoon and evening. Participants also reported feeling less energetic and motivated when experiencing reduced sleep. Interestingly, the testosterone decline occurred without a significant change in cortisol (a stress hormone), suggesting that sleep loss itself (not just stress) directly lowers testosterone.⁶ (Although cortisol does affect hormone levels, as we’ll see soon.)
Missing sleep, even a little, lowers testosterone production – if sleep is cut short, disrupted, fragmented, or of poor quality, testosterone tends to fall. Sleep disorders, like obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), can make this worse.⁷ In OSA, the airway collapses repeatedly during the night, interrupting deep sleep and reducing oxygen levels. This repeated disturbance can significantly blunt testosterone release and is often compounded by excess body weight.
Even if you’re technically “in bed” long enough, broken or shallow sleep keeps testosterone from reaching normal peaks overnight. Research also suggests that testosterone is most sensitive to the amount of deep, restorative sleep (stages 3 and 4 of non-REM).⁷ Prioritizing both sleep quantity and quality is one of the most effective ways to support testosterone and overall vitality naturally.
Exercise
How do different measures of fitness and body composition relate to total testosterone (TT) levels? Researchers explored this by looking at 87 men, measuring their body fat percentage, cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, agility, and flexibility.⁸
Here’s what they found: men with higher amounts of fat, particularly abdominal fat, tended to have lower testosterone, and those with better cardiorespiratory fitness (how efficiently the heart and lungs work) had higher testosterone.⁸
Escalating aerobic exercise with activities that improve your heart and lung capacity and lowering body fat (with emphasis on belly fat) appear to be some of the most effective natural strategies for raising testosterone, especially in men with erectile dysfunction (ED).⁸ Resistance training (lifting weights) also helps, but combined aerobic and strength training with trimming the midsection delivers a bigger testosterone boost than lifting alone.
Stress
Chronic stress takes a toll on nearly every system in the body, and over time, it can quietly chip away at testosterone levels. Animal studies show that prolonged stress causes the testosterone-producing Leydig cells in the testes to falter, shrinking in size and output. The main culprit is cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone, which interferes with the biochemical steps needed to make testosterone.⁹
Chronic stress also alters how Leydig cells respond to luteinizing hormone (LH), one of the primary signals the body uses to instruct the testes to produce testosterone. When that communication is disrupted, the cellular machinery can’t properly convert raw materials into testosterone. As this process drags on, baseline testosterone secretion decreases, resulting in consistently lower levels than they should be.
Additionally, chronic stress tends to accumulate through effects such as increased inflammation, oxidative stress (where cells are damaged by reactive molecules), and potential decreases in eating, sleep, or energy availability, all of which can further impair testosterone production.
There is a caveat worth mentioning about the difference between acute stress and chronic stress. Acute stress puts our system into action and can actually be healthy. In a study where researchers measured testosterone in participants’ saliva at baseline and during exam stress, they found that short-term psychological stress, like facing a test, might raise testosterone in men (at least temporarily). But how this happens depends on who you are, your personality, how much you dwell on things, and how well you handle your emotions.¹⁰
That said, if you’re under constant stress, your testosterone is likely to drop, not just temporarily but in a more lasting way. Managing stress through good sleep, realistic workloads, relaxation practices, therapy, or lifestyle changes can help maintain healthier, more stable testosterone levels over time.
Finding Balance
Optimizing testosterone takes seeing the big picture and creating a healthy balance in life. Diet, sleep, exercise, and stress management all work together to support hormone production, and even small, consistent changes can make a significant difference in how you feel day-to-day.
It’s important to note that natural products are not a substitute for medical advice, and they aren’t risk-free. Some can interact with prescription medications or existing health conditions in ways that may not seem obvious – don’t self-prescribe or mix therapies without guidance.
The best step you can take is to have an open conversation with your urologist. A specialist can evaluate your hormone levels, review your current medications, and help you choose safe and effective strategies—whether pharmaceutical, natural, or a combination.
For professional guidance on naturally boosting testosterone and combining lifestyle approaches with medical care, schedule an appointment with Dr. Kapadia. Together, we’ll develop a practical plan tailored to your goals.
References:
- Sizar, Omeed, et al. “Male Hypogonadism.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 25 Feb. 2024, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532933/.
- Zamir, A., Ben-Zeev, T., & Hoffman, J. R. (2021). Manipulation of Dietary Intake on Changes in Circulating Testosterone Concentrations. Nutrients, 13(10), 3375. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103375.
- Canguven, O., & Al Malki, A. H. (2021). Vitamin D and Male Erectile Function: An Updated Review. The world journal of men’s health, 39(1), 31–37. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.190151.
- Zamir, A., Ben-Zeev, T., & Hoffman, J. R. (2021). Manipulation of Dietary Intake on Changes in Circulating Testosterone Concentrations. Nutrients, 13(10), 3375. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13103375.
- Smith, S. J., Lopresti, A. L., Teo, S. Y. M., & Fairchild, T. J. (2021). Examining the Effects of Herbs on Testosterone Concentrations in Men: A Systematic Review. Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.), 12(3), 744–765. https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmaa134.
- Leproult, R., & Van Cauter, E. (2011). Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA, 305(21), 2173–2174. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2011.710.
- Wittert G. (2014). The relationship between sleep disorders and testosterone in men. Asian journal of andrology, 16(2), 262–265. https://doi.org/10.4103/1008-682X.122586.
- Yeo, J. K., Cho, S. I., Park, S. G., Jo, S., Ha, J. K., Lee, J. W., Cho, S. Y., & Park, M. G. (2018). Which Exercise Is Better for Increasing Serum Testosterone Levels in Patients with Erectile Dysfunction?. The world journal of men’s health, 36(2), 147–152. https://doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.17030.
- Xiong, X., Wu, Q., Zhang, L., Gao, S., Li, R., Han, L., Fan, M., Wang, M., Liu, L., Wang, X., Zhang, C., Xin, Y., Li, Z., Huang, C., & Yang, J. (2022). Chronic stress inhibits testosterone synthesis in Leydig cells through mitochondrial damage via Atp5a1. Journal of cellular and molecular medicine, 26(2), 354–363. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcmm.17085.
- Afrisham, R., Sadegh-Nejadi, S., SoliemaniFar, O., Kooti, W., Ashtary-Larky, D., Alamiri, F., Aberomand, M., Najjar-Asl, S., & Khaneh-Keshi, A. (2016). Salivary Testosterone Levels Under Psychological Stress and Its Relationship with Rumination and Five Personality Traits in Medical Students. Psychiatry investigation, 13(6), 637–643. https://doi.org/10.4306/pi.2016.13.6.637.