We’ve been talking about how men age their testosterone levels naturally decrease. You can check out our article here — What Is Male Menopause? And, there are lots of reasons why decreasing testosterone levels should concern you.

Now, let’s look at the top 10 ways you can improve your testosterone naturally, to help combat the aging process. Because no one wants to let aging win without a fight!

10 Ways to Increase Your Testosterone Naturally

1. Lose Weight – As men age, and testosterone levels drop, the battle against the “dad bod” becomes harder and harder. Muscle mass also deteriorates, which lowers your metabolism. So, it’s not a big surprise that after the age of 30, men have an increased incidence of being overweight.
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2. Add Short, Intense Cardio – High intensity exercise, in short bursts, has been shown to have a positive effect on testosterone. (Long periods of moderate exercise has been shown to have little to no effect.) A short, intense cardio routine looks like this:
   – 3-minute warm up
   – 30 seconds exercising as hard and fast as you possibly can. By the end of this 30 seconds, you should feel like you are not able to keep up the pace at all.
   – 90 seconds of recovery at a slow to moderate pace
   – Repeat the high intensity and recovery steps 7 more times.
   – 3 minute cool down
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3. Add Strength Training – As mentioned, naturally, men lose muscle mass as they age, which reduces testosterone production. Adding strength training to your routine, to maintain and build muscle mass can counter this effect.
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4. Get Some Sun – Vitamin D deficiency, even in developed countries, like the United States, is a significant problem, despite additives in milk. Vitamin D is needed to maintain semen quantity and sperm quality.
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5. Make Sure to Get Your Zinc – Proper zinc levels are critical for testosterone production. Sadly, because of the modern farming processes, including the use chemical fertilizers and pesticides, much of our produce and livestock are nutrient deficient – including being deficient in zinc. Organic meats and fish, raw milk, cheese, yogurt, and beans can be good sources of zinc. (Clonazepam) If you take a supplement, be sure to not take more than 40mg a day, as more can negatively affect your ability to absorb other minerals.
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6. Reduce Stress – When you’re stressed, your body produces the hormone cortisol – the fight or flight hormone. Cortisol interferes with testosterone, as your body prioritizes cortisol as a means of survival. Breathing exercises, yoga, simply going for a leisurely walk in nature, can all be great ways to destress.
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7. Ditch the Sugar – When you consume sugar, your insulin levels rise and high levels of insulin lower testosterone. Kicking a sugar addiction is one of the most difficult things a person can do, but it can have the biggest, positive effect on your overall health, including your testosterone levels.
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8. Eat Healthy Fats –  Not all fats are created equal, especially when it comes to boosting testosterone levels. And, despite the carb-heavy, low-fat diet touted in the 90s that has led to the obesity epidemic in America, your daily diet should consist of about 40% healthy fats, for healthy testosterone production. Healthy fats include:
   – Olive oil & olives
   – Butter, produced from organic milk, made from grass-fed cows
   – Raw almonds and pecans
   – Avocados
   – Coconut & coconut oil
   – Egg yolks from organic, free range (not just cage free) chickens
   – Grass-fed meat
   – Palm oil
   – Unheated nut oils from organic sources
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9. Increase Your Leucine Intake Naturally – Branch chain amino acids have been shown to improve testosterone levels. However, supplements are not the best source. Instead, look to a high quality whey protein, like Isagenix protein shakes made from organic, grass-fed cows, They have a superior branch chain amino acid profile, thanks to the fact that their whey protein is undenatured – meaning it still has the enzymes needed to make it highly digestible. Other when protein shakes often lack this, meaning your body doesn’t absorb these amino acids – so they aren’t useful.
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10. Get a Good Night’s Sleep – Sleep is critical to your health, including improving your testosterone levels. Men who slept only 5 hours of sleep per night see a 15% reduction in their testosterone levels. Although everyone is unique, the recommendation is you should get 7 to 10 hours of sleep per night.

Menopause.

It’s probably one of the most dreaded words in the female language, but guess what, guys, it’s something you should be watching for as well.

Male menopause is a real thing.

What is Male Menopause?

Known as andropause, male menopause may not be as severe as female menopause, but these natural hormonal changes men go through as they age is just as important to understand as their female counterparts.

When younger, men make a lot of androgens, including testosterone. Take a look at this range of testosterone, by age.

When young, men naturally produce a high amount of androgens (like testosterone) from the adrenal glands in the testicles and a minimal amount of estrogen. The high testosterone levels combined with the low estrogen levels means younger men typically have a high ratio of testosterone to estrogen (T/E ratio – E = estrogen NOT epitestosterone as used in artificial steroid testing).  This high T/E ratio means these younger males have a more efficient metabolism, more muscle mass, and less body fat. Typically, a higher T/E ratio leads to more energy and higher libidos.

Note that starting around age 30, men typically lose 1 percent per year, on average. So, if you were at 900 ng/dL – the high end of the “optimal” testosterone range (700 to 900) – when you were 30, chances are the next year your level would fall about 9 points, to 891. At this rate, by the time you were 50 you’d be down to 737. Still in the optimal level, but if you were at the lower end of optimal, in this same 20 years, you’d be out of it.

It is this decrease in testosterone and increase in estrogen that leads to male menopause AKA andropause.

So, why does this happen?

Why Do Men Lose Testosterone as They Age?

As men age, the enzyme aromatase starts to be significantly more active and begins to convert testosterone into estradiol (a form of estrogen). So, aromatase starts decreasing your testosterone and increasing your estrogen, simultaneously, giving a double whammy to your T/E ratio.

It’s this conversion that leads to male menopause AKA andropause.

What is the Optimal T/E (Testosterone to Estrogen) Ratio?

As mentioned, the optimal testosterone (optimal, not average) is between 700 and 900 ng/dL. For estradiol, the optimal range is between 20 and 30 pg/ml. Although there’s no optimal T/E ratio per se, being within both of those sets of numbers would put you in the optimal range.

You can’t say the optimal ratio is say, 35 to 1 ratio, because it’s not necessarily correct. This ratio could be a 700 testosterone/ 20 estradiol (both in the optimal range – good).  However, it could also be a 350 testosterone/10 estradiol (both below optimal – bad).

What are the Symptoms of Male Menopause or Andropause?

There are several symptoms of male menopause. These include:

• Increased fatigue
• Muscle weakness
• Increased fat
• Depression
• Reduction of erection quality
• Erectile dysfunction

Why Should I Care About Male Menopause AKA Andropause?

As your body lowers testosterone and increases estrogen, lean muscle tissue decreases and body fat naturally increases. This results in a snowball effect making the situation even worse, as increased body fat increases estrogen production, which further skews the ratio.

This decrease in muscle mass and increase in fat is often most noticeable in aging men in their waistline, as belly fat is the first to show accumulation. Other than this being traditionally less aesthetically attractive, increased belly fat is dangerous when it comes to your cerebrovascular and cardiovascular health.

According to the American Heart Association, more belly fat increases the chance of brain and heart circulation disorders.

The lowered testrogen, increased estrogen levels can also increase your risk of prostate cancer.  Dr. Abraham Morgentaler, a medical doctor and researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), has been studying testosterone, testosterone replacement, and prostate cancer risk for several years. His research has shown that low testosterone levels, not high, are associated with prostate cancer.

Possible Factors that Can Exacerbate Male Menopause/Andropause

In addition to the natural aging process, there are several factors that can exacerbate male menopause. These include:

• Smoking
• Genetic conditions
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune disease
• Pituitary tumors
• Chemotherapy

What Should I Do if I Think I’m Experiencing Male Menopause?

If you suspect you may be experiencing andropause (male menopause) talk to your physician. Be sure you aren’t just tested for testosterone levels though. Your physician should also test for your estrogen levels. It’s absolutely possible for your testosterone to be in the normal, or even optimal, range, but your estrogen levels to be higher than optimal.

Your doctor may prescribe androgen replacement treatment. Additionally, changes to your diet and increased exercise can help counter the effects of andropause and naturally increase your testosterone levels.

References:

1. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/WeightManagement/Obesity/ Obesity-Information_UCM_307908_Article.jsp. Accessed 12/16/2014.
2. http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/HeartAttackToolsResources/Heart-Attack-Risk-Assessment_UCM_303944_Article.jsp. Accessed 12/16/2014.
3. JAMA. 1996 Dec 18;276(23):1904-6.
4. Morgentaler, Abraham. “Destroying the myth about testosterone replacement and prostate cancer.” Life Extension. December 2008. Online version available at http://www.lef.org/Magazine/2008/12/Destroying-the-Myth-about-Testosterone-Replacement-Prostate-Cancer/Page-01.

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