Testosterone is the most important male sex hormone in the human body. Making sure your testosterone levels are where they should be is vital for your overall health, and you can run into a number of complications if your T levels drop too low.

While low testosterone can affect women as well, it is a particular issue for men. This is especially true as you get older, as low t levels can develop quickly and bring a number of health problems with them, such as weight gain, heart problems, and loss of sexual function (which is something of an issue if you’d like more children).

It goes beyond that, it’s incredibly important for fathers to look after their health and set a positive example for their children. Parental eating habits for example have been shown time and time again to have a large impact on their children as they grow up and the same applies for physical activity and looking after yourself as a whole.

Luckily, there are a number of simple steps you can take to prevent low testosterone or restore your testosterone levels if they have already dipped. The following are the 10 best ways dads can boost their testosterone levels, to ensure they stay fit and healthy for years to come.

Take Part In High Intensity Interval Training

High intensity interval training (HIIT) is a workout regimen where users perform an exercise at near maximal intensity in short bursts, then take an even shorter break before repeating. A common HIIT routine will see you training for 40 seconds, followed by 20 seconds of rest.

Studies have shown that HIIT workouts have the ability to increase free testosterone levels, particularly in older men, making them a great way to keep your overall testosterone levels from dipping (1).

Use Testosterone Boosters To Raise Testosterone Levels

Testosterone boosters are supplements specifically designed to boost testosterone naturally. They can be made of a wide range of ingredients and are a great way to stimulate testosterone production naturally, before you have to turn to things like testosterone replacement therapy.

When selecting a supplement to boost testosterone levels, be careful which you select though, as there are many ineffective options out there. Stick to products which are proven and effective for boosting testosterone levels, like Testofuel, Center TRT has a great list of what to look for in a testosterone booster. (2).

Ensure You Get Enough Quality Sleep

Studies have shown that testosterone production is at its highest while you are sleeping, with the number of hours of sleep you get, as well as the quality of your sleep both playing a role on the exact level of your testosterone production.

Low testosterone levels can also cause conditions like sleep apnea, which makes sleeping even harder and can start a vicious cycle. Studies show at least 6 hours of quality sleep per night is required for optimal testosterone levels, while 8 to 10 hours is the optimal amount (3).

Keep Your Vitamin D Levels Up

Vitamin d isn't able to boost testosterone itself, but a vitamin d deficiency will make it very difficult for your body to produce testosterone (4). This means it is vital that you keep your vitamin d levels up if you want to avoid developing a testosterone deficiency.

The best way to naturally keep your levels up is by consuming foods rich in vitamin d, such as oily fish, red meat, liver. and eggs. There are also some drinks fortified with additional vitamin d, such as milk and orange juice.

Vitamin d supplementation is another great way to keep your levels up. If you choose to go this route, you should look for a supplement that gives you between 4,000 and 5,000 mcg of vitamin d each day.

Maintain A Healthy Amount Of Muscle Mass

It is well known that healthy testosterone levels are required to build muscles and promote lean weight gain. However, what is less well known is that when you build more muscle mass it will increase testosterone levels naturally as well.

What's more, strength training, one of the very best ways to build muscle, is known to boost your testosterone production too (5).

This means by engaging in weight lifting for at least an hour three time per week, you can lose weight, keep your body looking good, and your natural testosterone levels as high as possible.

Make Sure To Keep Your Body Fat Percentage Down

While healthy testosterone levels are linked to increases in lean mass, low testosterone levels are proven to cause fat storage and weight gain, and can lead to obesity. Similarly, more body fat cells will further decrease testosterone levels, exacerbating the problem (6).

Men of a healthy weight should make sure they don't gain weight to keep their testosterone naturally high as they age. Overweight men, on the other hand, should endeavour to lose weight as soon as possible.

Losing weight will not just restore healthy testosterone levels naturally but it will also improve your overall health, preventing conditions that could lower testosterone levels even further.

Eat A Balanced Diet

Eating a healthy diet is one of the quickest and easiest ways to increase testosterone naturally, as there are many t boosting foods and it can also stimulate weight loss. However, there are also some foods that lower testosterone levels as well (7).

Healthy fats like oily fish and olive oil, leafy green vegetables, ginger, pomegranate, and red meat are among the top foods to increase testosterone. Foods high in magnesium are also very beneficial, as a magnesium deficiency can reduce both your overall and free testosterone levels. It's worth supplementing for any areas you're missing out on nutrients, whether that's a multivitamin or a greens powder there's a lot of options here.

Conversely, soy, alcohol, processed carbohydrates, and saturated fats are all likely to reduce testosterone levels. Some studies also suggest soy converts testosterone into oestrogen, which will cause your t levels to drop even further.

Set Aside Plenty Of Time For Relaxation

Making sure you have plenty of time for relaxation is important to avoid low testosterone levels, as stress can play havoc with your body's hormone system. This is because during periods of stress your adrenal glands produce a stress hormone called cortisol.

During periods of chronic stress, cortisol levels can skyrocket and cause issues like reduced sexual function and libido, fat gain, and low t levels (8).

By making sure you set aside enough time for relaxation, you will prevent cortisol production, keeping your sexual function, body composition, and total testosterone levels where they should be.

Check Your Cholesterol Levels Don't Rise

High cholesterol is strongly linked to cardiovascular disease, but studies are now finding it can also cause low testosterone levels as well (9).

Eating fewer trans and saturated fats, while increasing your intake of soluble fiber, protein, and omega 3 fatty acids is a great way to lower cholesterol levels. This means, for anyone with high cholesterol, it is a great way to combat low t levels as well.

Speak To A Doctor About Any Potential Underlying Medical Conditions

If you have tried everything to increase your total testosterone levels naturally but are still suffering from low testosterone, it is very possible you may be suffering from one or more underlying health conditions (10).

Hypogonadism, autoimmune diseases, lung, liver, and kidney diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and things that inflame the pituitary gland and stop luteinizing hormone being made can reduce testosterone production and lead to low testosterone levels.

If you think you may be suffering from any of these, have already been diagnosed with one, or have poor heart health, speak to a doctor to see what can be done to increase testosterone production and help you return to your normal range.

Final Thoughts On How To Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels Naturally

Poor testosterone levels can have a severe impact on the health of an aging man but, by making a few healthy lifestyle changes, you can stop this from becoming an issue.

Simple things like weight loss, diet, exercise, relaxation, and supplements can quickly and easily boost your production of this vital male sex hormone and keep your testosterone levels right where they need to be.

Resources:

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5551442/

2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5870326/

3. https://thesleepdoctor.com/physical-health/testosterone-and-sleep/

4. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154195/

5. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21058750/

6. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3955331/

7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6266690/

8. https://www.hcplive.com/view/testosterone-vs-cortisol-winner-determines-fight-or-flight

9. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2666971/

10. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/male-hypogonadism/symptoms-causes/syc-20354881#:~:text=Certain%20inflammatory%20diseases%2C%20such%20as,the%20pituitary%20and%20the%20testes