Natural treatments for low testosterone – sun shine and ashwagandha

Testosterone is a hormone that is known as a male sex hormone, but also females have it in small amounts. This is a steroid hormone that is produced in the men’s testicles and women’s ovaries. Also, the adrenal glands produce small amounts of this hormone.

It is known that during puberty, this hormone is one of the main drivers of physical changes like increased hair growth, deeper voice, and muscle growth. Also, it is very important to have optimal levels of testosterone throughout adulthood and even during old age.

In adult men, healthy levels of testosterone are important for sexual function, body composition, disease risk, general health, and just about everything else. When you are increasing your testosterone levels, then this can cause rapid gain in muscle mass and vitality in only a matter of weeks.

Also, this hormone plays an important role in female health and sexual well–being. Low testosterone is affecting at most people that are around age 30. But there are some males who can experience declining testosterone at a younger age.

This condition can cause many symptoms, such as balding, erectile dysfunction, fat gain, infertility, and muscle mass loss. Talk with your doctor if you have low testosterone levels because he or she can help you to increase the testosterone levels in your body. Always consult your doctor before you start taking some of the below-mentioned home remedies. [1]

7 Low testosterone natural treatments

Follow a healthy lifestyle and avoid estrogen-like compounds

There are many factors that can affect your hormone levels. When you are having a healthy sex life, then it plays an important role in regulating the sex hormones and testosterone levels. Also, when you have high exposure to estrogen-like chemicals, then they can affect your testosterone levels, so you should try to minimize the daily exposure to parabens, BPA, and other chemicals which are found in some types of plastic. It is not a surprising fact that drug or alcohol use, whether it is recreational or medical, can decrease testosterone levels [2]. In opposite, success, happiness, and laughter can help to boost your health and testosterone levels, so you should be sure that they will take a part of your daily life.

Take some of these natural boosters

There are some scientific studies in which are supported only a few natural testosterone boosters. Ashwagandha is the herb that has the most research about its effect on testosterone levels. There was one study in which was tested the effects of this herb on infertile men, and it was found that it can help to increase 17% in testosterone levels and 167% increase sperm count [3].

Also, it was found that in healthy men that this natural cure can help to increase testosterone levels by 15% [4]. There was another study in which was found that this natural cure can help to lower cortisol by around 25%, which can also aid testosterone [5]. There are other studies which are said that ginger extract can boost your testosterone levels.

This is a delicious herb that can give you many health benefits. Most of the studies which were done about ginger have been done on animals. There was one study that was done on infertile humans, and it was found that ginger can help to boost testosterone levels by 17%, and it can increase levels of other key sex hormones [6]. There are other studies that are supported in both animals and humans, and in them was said that other popular herbs are Tongkat Ali, shilajit, Mucuna pruriens, and horny goat weed. But it is very important to inform you that most of the positive studies were done in mice or infertile humans who have low testosterone levels. When people have healthy testosterone function and normal levels, then it is not clear whether they will benefit much from the mentioned supplements.

Minimize stress and cortisol levels

There are many studies which are said that the long–term stress can elevate the levels of the hormone cortisol. The unnatural elevations in cortisol can quickly reduce the testosterone in the body. It is a known fact that these hormones work in a seesaw–like a manner, which means when one goes up, then the other comes down [7]. It is a known fact that high cortisol and stress can increase weight gain, food intake, and the storage of harmful body fat around the organs. This can negatively impact your testosterone levels. You should try to reduce repetitive stressful situations in your life because this can help you to have optimal health and hormone levels. You should focus on a diet that is based on a balanced lifestyle, laughter, good sleep, regular exercise, and whole foods all of these factors can reduce stress, and it can improve your testosterone levels and health.

Get plenty of restful, high–quality sleep

It is very important to get good sleep for your health as well as diet and exercise. Also, sleep can have a major effect on your testosterone levels. The ideal amount of sleep varies from one person to another, but there was one study in which was found that sleeping 5 hours per night can reduce testosterone levels by 15% [8]. There was one long–term study in which was observed that people who slept only 4 hours per night had borderline deficient levels [9]. There is another long–term study that is supported by the previous study [10]. There was another study in which was calculated that for every additional hour of sleep that you get, testosterone levels rise 15% higher, on average [11]. There are some people who say that they can function well with less than 7 hours of sleep, but in many studies is said that people should sleep around 7 – 10 hours every night because this can help their long–term health and testosterone levels.

Take vitamin and mineral supplements

The health benefits of multivitamins are widely debated, but there are some minerals and vitamins which can be beneficial for low testosterone levels. There was one study in which was said that Vitamin B and zinc supplements can help to increase sperm quality by 74% [12]. Zinc can boost the testosterone levels in athletes and people who are zinc deficiency. There are other studies in which is said that Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Vitamin E can play an important role in the sex hormone and testosterone levels, but there should be a lot more studies in the future about it [13,14]. You can find all vitamins easily on markets, and in the studies that are done is said that zinc and Vitamin D can be the best supplements for low testosterone levels.

Get some sun or take a Vitamin D supplement

One of the most popular vitamins all around the world is Vitamin D. There are many studies which are shown that Vitamin D has many health benefits, and this vitamin works as a natural testosterone booster. This is a very important vitamin, but nearly half of the US population is deficient in this vitamin, and a higher percentage has sub-optimal levels. There was a 12–month study in which was found that supplementing with around 3.000 IU of Vitamin D3 per day can increase testosterone levels by around 25% [15]. In older people, calcium and Vitamin D also optimize testosterone levels which reduce the risk of falling.  If you want to boost your testosterone levels and reap the other benefits of Vitamin D, then you should try to get regular exposure to sunlight, or you should take around 3,000 IU of Vitamin D3 supplement on daily basis.

Eat protein, fat, and carbs

It is very important to know what you eat because this can have a great impact on testosterone and other hormone levels. This is a reason why should pay attention to your diet strategy and long–term calorie intake. Overeating or constant dieting can disrupt your testosterone levels.

When you eat enough protein, then it can help you to maintain healthy levels, and it can aid in fat loss which is also associated with testosterone. Also, the carb intake plays a role in it. There are some studies which are shown that carbs can help to optimize testosterone levels during resistance training [16,17]. Many studies are said that sufficient healthy fats are very beneficial for health and testosterone [18]. A diet that is based mainly on whole foods is best, with a healthy balance of carbs, protein, and fat. This will optimize both long–term health and hormone levels.

References

[1] Tyagi V, Scordo M, Yoon RS, et al. Revisiting the role of testosterone: Are we missing something? Reviews in Urology. 2017;19(1):16-24.

[2] Jensen TK, Gottschau M, Madsen JOB, et al. Habitual alcohol consumption associated with reduced semen quality and changes in reproductive hormones; a cross-sectional study among 1221 young Danish men. BMJ Open. 2014;4(9):e005462.

[3] Ambiye VR, Langade D, Dongre S, et al. Clinical evaluation of the spermatogenic activity of the root extract of ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in oligospermic males: A pilot study. Evidence-based Complementary & Alternative Medicine. 2013;2013:571420.

[4] Wankhede S, Langade D, Joshi K, et al. Examining the effect of Withania somnifera supplementation on muscle strength and recovery: a randomized controlled trial. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. 2015;12:43.

[5] Chandrasekhar K, Kapoor J, Anishetty S. A prospective, randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled study of safety and efficacy of a high-concentration full-spectrum extract of ashwagandha root in reducing stress and anxiety in adults. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2012;34(3):255-62.

[6] Mares A-K, Abid W, Najam WS. The effect of Ginger on semen parameters and serum FSH, LH & testosterone of infertile men. Tikrit Medical Journal. 2012;18(2):322.

[7] McEwen BS. Stress, adaptation, and disease. Allostasis and allostatic load. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. 1998;840:33-44.

[8] Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. 2011;305(21):2173-4.

[9] Penev PD. Association between sleep and morning testosterone levels in older men. Sleep. 2007;30(4):427-32.

[10] Granata AR, Rochira V, Lerchl A, et al. Relationship between sleep-related erections and testosterone levels in men. Journal of Andrology. 1997;18(5):522-7.

[11] Goh VH, Tong TY. Sleep, sex steroid hormones, sexual activities, and aging in Asian men. Journal of Andrology. 2010;31(2):131-7.

[12] Wong WY, Merkus HM, Thomas CM, et al. Effects of folic acid and zinc sulfate on male factor subfertility: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Fertility and Sterility. 2002;77(3):491-8.

[13] Akmal M, Qadri JQ, Al-Waili NS, et al. Improvement in human semen quality after oral supplementation of vitamin C. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2006;9(3):440-2.

[14] Vani K, Kurakula M, Syed R, Alharbi K. Clinical relevance of vitamin C among lead-exposed infertile men. Genetic Testing and Molecular Biomarkers. 2012;16(9):1001-6.

[15] Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Hormone and Metabolic Research. 2011;43(3):223-5.

[16] Volek JS, Kraemer WJ, Bush JA, et al. Testosterone and cortisol in relationship to dietary nutrients and resistance exercise. Journal of Applied Physiology. 1997;82(1):49-54.

[17] Roland AV, Moenter SM. Regulation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons by glucose. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism. 2011;22(11):443-9.

[18] Hämäläinen E, Adlercreutz H, Puska P, Pietinen P. Diet and serum sex hormones in healthy men. Journal of Steroid Biochemistry. 1984;20(1):459-64.