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Top 5 natural ways to increase testosterone

Top 5 natural ways to increase testosterone

Written by

Susan Carter, MD: Endocrinologist & Longevity expert

in

Top 5 natural ways to increase testosterone

Weight loss, better sleep, stress control, smart training, and targeted urologic care can lift testosterone without full dependence on medication. The best results often come from combining lifestyle change with medical care.

“Start with the basics. Lose excess weight, protect your sleep, train your muscles, and fix any medical drivers like sleep apnea or diabetes. These steps often move testosterone in the right direction before you add a prescription.”

Susan Carter, MD — Endocrinologist and longevity expert focused on hormone balance, metabolism, and aging.

The relationship

Testosterone is a sex hormone that supports energy, mood, libido, muscle, and red blood cells. In men, the testes make it under control of brain signals from the hypothalamus and pituitary. When weight rises, sleep breaks, or stress builds, these signals can slip and levels can fall [2,3].

Body weight is the strongest lifestyle lever. A 2013 systematic review showed that men who lost meaningful weight increased total and free testosterone, with the largest jumps after major weight loss from bariatric surgery [1]. New evidence from 2025 confirms that clinically significant weight loss can reverse obesity-related low testosterone in many men [8].

Sleep also matters. One week of sleeping about 5 hours per night lowered daytime testosterone in healthy men in a controlled study in 2011. Levels fell by 10 to 15 percent within days [2,5].

How it works

Weight, insulin, and the brain–testis signal

Insulin resistance is when cells do not respond well to insulin. In men with obesity, insulin resistance and excess visceral fat raise SHBG (a binding protein) changes and blunt the hypothalamic–pituitary–testicular signal, lowering bioavailable testosterone. Systematic reviews show weight loss raises total and free testosterone, especially with larger losses [1,8].

Sleep and circadian timing

Circadian rhythm is your 24-hour body clock. Most daily testosterone release occurs during the first 3 hours of solid sleep. Restricting sleep for one week cut daytime testosterone in healthy men in a 2011 trial [2,5]. Obstructive sleep apnea is linked to lower testosterone, yet continuous positive airway pressure does not reliably raise levels on its own, so weight loss and risk factor control remain key [0,4,5].

Stress and the HPA axis

HPA axis means hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal stress pathway. High cortisol can suppress testicular testosterone production. Classic human studies show that raising cortisol lowers serum testosterone quickly, even without a drop in luteinizing hormone [1,5]. Modern studies confirm that prolonged stress can inhibit the reproductive axis, while short stressors show mixed effects [10,12].

Exercise, body composition, and acute vs resting levels

Resistance training is lifting exercises that build muscle. Exercise can cause a short bump in testosterone during and after sessions, but effects on resting levels are modest or mixed in healthy men. Meta-analyses suggest little average change overall, though resistance training may help in some groups and supports fat loss and lean mass, which help testosterone indirectly [0,12]. High-intensity interval training may improve the testosterone to cortisol balance in some men, but findings vary by protocol and baseline status [1,3].

Diagnostic thresholds to guide care. Meta analyses and guidelines indicate that symptomatic men with total testosterone below 350 ng/dL (about 12 nmol/L) are most likely to benefit from therapy. If total is borderline, measure free testosterone; values below 100 pg/mL (about 10 ng/dL) support hypogonadism. In practice, use 350 ng/dL for total or 100 pg/mL for free as decision thresholds when symptoms persist [2,3,10,11].

Conditions linked to it

  • Obesity and type 2 diabetes. Linked to lower total and free testosterone; weight loss often reverses this trend [1,8].
  • Obstructive sleep apnea. Associated with lower testosterone; CPAP alone usually does not raise testosterone, so treat weight and metabolic risk as well [0,2,4].
  • Chronic stress and depressive symptoms. Long stress can suppress the reproductive axis; mood care and stress skills can help the pathway recover [10,12].
  • Medications. Long-term opioids and high glucocorticoids may suppress testosterone; review doses with a clinician [3].

Limitations: Many sleep apnea and exercise studies are small, short, or include mixed populations. Effects vary by baseline weight, insulin resistance, and adherence [4,12].

Symptoms and signals

  • Low morning energy and motivation that lasts weeks.
  • Lower sex drive or weaker morning erections.
  • Loss of strength or slower muscle gain despite training.
  • More body fat, especially around the waist.
  • Mood changes, irritability, or brain fog.
  • Sleep problems or loud snoring with pauses in breathing.

What to do about it

  1. Test right. Get two morning total testosterone tests, fasting, at least 24 hours apart. If total is 300 to 400 ng/dL and symptoms persist, add free testosterone and SHBG. Check LH, FSH, prolactin, CBC, A1C, and lipids. Use 350 ng/dL total or 100 pg/mL free as action thresholds when symptoms persist, per current guideline ranges and expert reviews [2,3,10,11,14].
  2. Change the inputs first. Target a 7 to 10 percent weight loss if overweight; protect 7 to 9 hours of sleep with a regular schedule; screen for sleep apnea; lift weights 2 to 3 days per week and walk most days. Keep protein steady, avoid extreme low-fat or extreme high-protein patterns that can lower testosterone in some men, and be cautious with alcohol [0,1,2,3].
  3. Pair with medical care when needed. If symptoms continue and labs confirm low levels, discuss a full plan with urology or endocrinology. Treatment can include TRT or fertility-preserving options, while you keep lifestyle work going. Monitor symptoms, labs, and safety at set intervals [2,3,11].

Myth vs Fact

  • Myth: “Exercise always raises resting testosterone.” Fact: Exercise improves health, but resting levels change little on average; the big win is fat loss and muscle gain [0,12].
  • Myth: “CPAP cures low testosterone.” Fact: CPAP helps sleep and health, but testosterone often does not rise unless weight and metabolic risks improve [4,4].
  • Myth: “Only drugs move the needle.” Fact: Weight loss and better sleep can raise levels in many men and should be first-line steps [1,8].
  • Myth: “More protein is always better.” Fact: Very high protein intakes have been linked to lower testosterone in some reports; balance matters [2].

Bottom line

The most reliable natural ways to increase testosterone are meaningful weight loss, steady high-quality sleep, stress control, and consistent training. These steps also reduce long-term health risk. If symptoms persist and labs confirm low levels, combine lifestyle work with expert care for the best results.

References

  1. Corona G, Rastrelli G, Monami M, Saad F, Luconi M, Lucchese M, et al. Body weight loss reverts obesity-associated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Endocrinol. 2013;168(6):829-843. PMID: 23482592.
  2. Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Effect of 1 week of sleep restriction on testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA. 2011;305(21):2173-2174. PMID: 21632481.
  3. Mulhall JP, Trost LW, Brannigan RE, Kurtz EG, Redmon JB, Chiles KA, et al. Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline. J Urol. 2018;200(2):423-432. PMID: 29601923.
  4. Cignarelli A, Castellana M, Castellana G, Perrini S, Brescia F, Natalicchio A, et al. Effects of CPAP on Testosterone Levels in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Meta-analysis Study. Front Endocrinol. 2019;10:551. PMID: 31379662.
  5. Cumming DC, Quigley ME, Yen SS. Acute suppression of circulating testosterone levels by cortisol in men. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1983;57(3):671-673. PMID: 6348068.
  6. Rubinow DR, Roca CA, Schmidt PJ, Danaceau MA, Putnam K, Cizza G, et al. Testosterone suppression of CRH-stimulated cortisol in men. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2005;30(10):1906-1912. PMID: 15988473.
  7. Ambroży T, Rydzik Ł, Mucha D, Mucha D, Czarny W, Mucha A, et al. The Effect of High-Intensity Interval Training Periods on the Testosterone to Cortisol Ratio. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(10):5278. PMID: 34069306.
  8. Muir CA, Handelsman DJ, Yeap BB, Grossmann M, et al. Low Testosterone Concentrations in Men With Obesity: An Endocrine Society Roadmap on Reversible Functional Hypogonadism. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2025;110(9):e3125-e3143. PMID: 40094779.
  9. Potter NJ, Brodie D, Cornwell P, et al. Effects of Exercise Training on Resting Testosterone in Eugonadal Men: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2021;51(12):2629-2646. PMID: 35134000.
  10. Dobs AS, Levine AC, et al. An Individualized Approach to Managing Testosterone Deficiency in Men. Mayo Clin Proc. 2022;97(11):2130-2146. PMID: 36202543.
  11. Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, Hayes FJ, Hodis HN, Matsumoto AM, et al. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2018;103(5):1715-1744. PMID: 29562364.
  12. Hayes LD, Sculthorpe N, Herbert P, Baker JS. Exercise training improves free testosterone in lifelong sedentary older males following high-intensity intervals. Endocr Connect. 2017;6(5):306-310. PMID: 28515185.
  13. Whittaker J, Wu K. High-protein diets and testosterone: A systematic review. Am J Mens Health. 2023;17(3):15579883221132922. PMID: 36847821.
  14. Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, Kuhn J, Dreier J, Obermayer-Pietsch B, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res. 2011;43(3):223-225. PMID: 21154195.
  15. Lerchbaum E, Trummer C, Theiler-Schwetz V, et al. Vitamin D and testosterone in healthy men: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2017;102(11):4292-4302. PMID: 28938446.
  16. Kim SD, Cho KS. Obstructive sleep apnea and testosterone deficiency. World J Mens Health. 2019;37(1):12-18. PMID: 30799530.

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