This post is a comprehensive guide for young men who want to naturally increase their testosterone.
There is nothing new or ground-breaking about this post. My goal is to make it as easy as possible for you to take action and start becoming a better version of yourself.
Why Should You Want To Increase Your Testosterone?
Do you suffer from any of the following?
- Low Energy
- Low Sex Drive
- Difficulty building muscle mass
- Difficulty losing fat
- Depression
- Anxiety
These are all symptoms of low testosterone.
Every man – especially men in their twenties – should feel consistently vigorous, energetic, and virile. If you don’t, this is a problem that you can solve. If you want to have more energy, lose fat, increase muscle, become more socially dominant, and be a more masculine man, increasing your testosterone will help you achieve your goals.
The proven benefits of higher testosterone include:
- Higher energy level
- Stronger mental focus
- More physical strength and power
- More natural social dominance
- Higher sex drive and better sexual performance
- Better mood and less anxiety
There is an epidemic of low testosterone in young men – average levels have dropped 20% in the past 20 years – and it is going unrecognized, untreated, and unreported. Many doctors will label you ‘normal and healthy’ even if you have the hormone profile of an average 80-year old man.
There are many possible explanations for this epidemic. Some of the most plausible are environmental contaminants; regular binge drinking; the spirit-sucking cultural war on men; and a completely broken food and agriculture industry which produces low-quality meat and pushes a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.
We could spend a lot of time going through the possible causes of the problem, but this post will focus on just one question: What is the solution?
Testosterone Replacement Therapy
This post will not address Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT).
The most effective way to increase your testosterone levels is through TRT. Lifestyle changes (i.e. the information in this post) will give you an edge, but actual TRT will be far more powerful.
If hormone therapy is something you’re considering, don’t learn about it from me. Read everything in the Danger and Play on Testosterone Replacement Therapy category and then speak to an open-minded doctor.
I have never used TRT. I’m still in my twenties, my testosterone levels are naturally high (~950 ng/dL). If I suffered from any of the symptoms of low testosterone, or if my natural levels were below 700, I would probably make a different decision.
How To Naturally Increase Your Testosterone
There are a variety of lifestyle interventions that will increase your testosterone levels and make you a more masculine man. Even if you generally feel healthy and virile, these recommendations will make you a stronger, better version of yourself.
None of this is rocket science, and you probably won’t be surprised by any of my advice. Taking action and implementing each one of these suggestions will take about one hour per day, and cost less than $100/month.
So without further ado, here are the five most important steps you can take to increase your testosterone and become a better version of yourself:
1) Lift Heavy Weights
Lift heavy weights, build muscle, and lose fat. This is the single most important action you can take to start improving your life.
If you want to build a great physique as quickly and efficiently as possible, the best resource you can get is Victor Pride’s Body Of A Spartan Program. Don’t be fooled by the sales-y language, Victor has been helping men and publishing great training advice for years, and this book is a great value:
Body Of A Spartan is a complete guide to introductory weight training for natural bodybuilders. It is over one hundred pages of specific instructions and high-quality pictures for the most important barbell exercises that every man should make a part of his routine. It also includes several introductory programs and dietary guidelines. It has everything you need to get started, and get started the right way.
2) Eat Meat, Eggs and Butter
You’ve probably been given a lot of bad advice about diet and nutrition. If you want proof, just look at anyone who follows the standard advice of eating a lot of grains and avoiding saturated fat.
To increase your testosterone and maintain comprehensive good health, you should eat a meat-heavy diet with lots of saturated fat, while avoiding sugar and grains. If you want to learn more about the Paleo/Ancestral Health movement (and you should) I highly recommend you read The Paleo Manifesto, by John Durant, one of the most interesting and prolific contemporary evolutionary biologists. He also likes to make fun of social justice warriors on Twitter, so you can feel good about spending money on his book.
3) Sleep A Lot And Avoid Alcohol
Go to bed early and sleep in a pitch-black room. Melatonin is a useful supplement that promotes deeper sleep.
Alcohol is poison. Worse, it is poison that makes your body produce estrogen. Moderate alcohol consumption won’t have much of an effect (6.8% decrease in testosterone for men who had three drinks/day for three weeks, and you’re probably not going out every night – Sierksma et al, 2004) but binge drinking will definitely sabotage your efforts to increase your testosterone.
4) Take The Right Supplements
Several over-the-counter supplements will naturally boost your testosterone, especially if you’re taking them as part of a healthy and testosterone-friendly lifestyle.
Protein, Creatine and BCAAs will support your heavy weight training and allow you to put on muscle and lose fat, which will promote healthy testosterone levels.
Vitamin D and Zinc increase testosterone in men who have deficiencies. If you have dark skin and live in a northern climate, it’s more likely you are deficient in Vitamin D.
Fish Oil is an important supplement for overall health, and it has been shown to lower Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) and increase Lutenizing Hormone (LH), which will likely increase your testosterone.
These supplements will not have a dramatic effect on your testosterone levels (and don’t ever fall for anyone trying to sell you a ‘natural’ testosterone enhancer that promised to transform your life) but they will definitely give you an edge.
5) Reduce Stress
Meditation, daily mindfulness practice, keeping a journal, and staying organized will reduce your cortisol levels and promote testosterone production.
Taking Action
If you want to commit to a heavy and hardcore weightlifting routine, the best resource to help you get started is Victor Pride’s Body Of A Spartan. It’s simple, easy to understand, and it tells you exactly what you need to know.
You can use Amazon to get the best price on the supplements that will help you naturally increase your testosterone: Protein, Creatine, BCAAs, Vitamin D, Zinc and Fish Oil.
(Full disclosure, these are affiliate links so I’ll make a few bucks off the sale.)
If you’re looking for a comprehensive plan for masculine self-development, The Thumotic Lifestyle Guide is a collection of all the information you need to embrace the Red Pill, and start becoming the best possible version of yourself.
Further Reading
Nothing in this post is new or ground-breaking. If you want to learn more about testosterone and male health, I recommend the following sources:
Danger and Play
Bold and Determined
Art of Manliness
Rogue Health and Fitness
Pill Scout
