How to Boost Testosterone—Both Naturally and Not

Understanding what it means to “boost testosterone” isn’t always easy. The hormone is something we’re all probably aware of but not entirely sure about. Aside from being responsible for facial hair and general feelings during puberty, we know testosterone helps us lift weights and pack on muscle. And isn’t there something about bald men having an abundance?

Beyond that, the knowledge can get a little shaky. But it certainly seems like men want to learn, judging by the hundreds of millions of TikTok searches for phrases like “increasing testosterone” and “supplements for testosterone.”

Clearly, there’s a whole legion of men out there looking to boost testosterone levels, either through natural methods or supplements. But what does the science say? What does testosterone actually do for us? Which supplements and perscriptions can help? And is there a danger in overdoing it?

Why testosterone is so important

“Testosterone plays a crucial role in building muscle,” explains Ali Malik, founder of Fit Labs Kensington. “When men have low testosterone levels, muscles can become weak. Studies show that increasing testosterone helps build a leaner body mass and helps fight age-related muscle deterioration.”

That’s a pretty well-known effect of testosterone, but there’s much more to the hormone than upping your jacked levels. Low testosterone—or male hypogonadism—is linked to depleted energy, low sex drive and decreased mood. With around 40 per cent of men over 45 affected, it’s a problem to keep an eye on.

Everything else it does for our bodies

Testosterone plays a key role beyond sexual function and growth, including boosting brain function, improving cardiac health, and protecting your prostate and liver.

“Testosterone contributes to cognitive function, enhancing concentration, focus and mental clarity,” says Dr. Kerry Aston, founder of The Movement Medic. “It also influences factors such as vascular reactivity and lipid profiles, and helps reduce abdominal fat, which in turn reduces your risk of metabolic disease and poor cardiovascular health.”

In other words, it’s a super hormone, one that keeps you big, strong and virile—and may well extend your life.

The main benefits of boosting testosterone

As Dr. Amy Wells, senior lecturer in exercise physiology at the U.K.’s University of Hertfordshire explains, most of the studies into boosting testosterone look at deficient men and find that boosting testosterone might lead to improvement—things like “libido and sexual function, bone density, muscle mass, body composition and mood,” she says.

It’s difficult to say what a testosterone boost might do to someone who isn’t experiencing a decline, but with experts agreeing that we start losing our ability to produce as much between the ages of 25-30, it stands to reason that the vast majority of us do fall into the declining category.

8 foods that help boost testosterone

Before we look at supplements, it’s worth considering the natural alternatives. Many can be found in your diet—or not as the case may be. Wells points to the below as great sources of vitamin D, zinc and betaine—all of which help boost testosterone: