What Are Considered Healthy Testosterone Levels?

As men age, their bodies become less efficient at producing testosterone. When the body becomes less efficient at making this vital hormone, its levels begin to decline. A decline in testosterone can lead to health issues such as lower libido, loss of muscle mass, and erectile dysfunction. Testosterone plays a crucial role in puberty early on in a man’s life. As you age, testosterone becomes responsible for a variety of critical bodily functions, which often makes low levels of testosterone noticeable due to the various symptoms.

Surprisingly, testosterone begins to develop in your testes well before you’re born. Levels increase throughout your childhood and peak around your early twenties. From here, your testosterone levels will gradually decline for the rest of your life. Fortunately, this decline isn’t as steep as most people might expect. A study of over 50,000 male blood samples found that there was only a very gradual decline in testosterone levels after 30. The decline only became significantly noticeable after 80. Even with this fact known, many men still face low testosterone levels in their 40s and 50s due to external health factors sometimes missed in an everyday health exam.

Natural Ways to Maintain Healthy Testosterone Levels

While there are effective medical treatments for low testosterone, most men like to treat it naturally first by making simple lifestyle changes. If you’re looking for ways to boost your testosterone levels naturally, see our tips below:

1. Improve Your Diet

Adopting a healthy diet improves testosterone levels in two main ways. First, it promotes weight loss, which is linked with healthier testosterone levels, and second, it reduces the chance of blood sugar spikes, which have been shown to affect testosterone levels negatively. In general, obese men are far more likely to have low testosterone levels compared with fit men. Excess abdominal fat is a primary culprit of this discrepancy. More of this type of fat results in higher production of an enzyme called aromatase, which converts testosterone into estradiol and lowers a man’s free testosterone levels.

Mix Cardio and Strength Training

First, we know that exercising can help you lose weight, which in turn can improve your testosterone levels. But why should you mix both cardio and strength training? Cardio is a great way to burn a lot of calories, while muscle built from strength training can boost your metabolism so that you burn calories even when you aren’t exercising. Plus, both exercises, especially strength training, can help to rebuild some of the muscle mass you may have lost from low testosterone. Everyone’s fitness journey is different, but look to incorporate some cardio, which can be a run or even a brisk walk, into your daily workout plan, along with some body or weight training.

Reduce Stress

When you experience stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol, a completely normal bodily process aimed at helping you respond to danger. However, if your cortisol levels are constantly elevated due to chronic stress, this can pose challenges for your testosterone levels. Studies show that circulating cortisol in the bloodstream reduces free testosterone. Take steps to reduce the stress in your life by taking some time each day to meditate or practice breathing exercises.

Learn More: The Relationship Between Cortisol and Testosterone

Get More Sleep

Sleep is essential for nearly every process in the human body, meaning men need their beauty sleep, too. Getting adequate sleep every night is vital to maintaining overall good health and testosterone levels. More testosterone is released when you sleep, so the extra time you spend dosing can significantly increase your testosterone levels. Data shows that getting less than eight hours of sleep at night can lower your testosterone levels by as much as 15% the next day. Put down the phone a little earlier at night and get some much-needed shut-eye.

Address Any Underlying Medical Conditions

Low testosterone is very rarely caused by one single issue alone. More often than not, it is a combination of underlying health issues that are contributing to your low testosterone. Some common health conditions that can cause low testosterone are type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, and metabolic syndrome. Low testosterone is also caused by medications you are taking to treat chronic medical conditions. Seeing a doctor who specializes in men’s health can help you find the root cause of your low testosterone levels.

Have Your Testosterone Levels Evaluated at Lowcountry Male

At Lowcountry Male, we specialize in diagnosing and treating low testosterone in men. Through our Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT), we help our patients feel like men again. TRT is an excellent option for men looking to lower their symptoms of low testosterone and also positively impact their mental, physical, and sexual health. Take our Low-T Quiz below to see if you have levels that could be improved.

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