Learn About Increasing Testosterone

Testosterone is an extremely important hormone for men of all ages. Contrary to popular opinion, testosterone's uses go beyond the stereo typical "aggressive hormone." In actuality, low testosterone can create symptoms such as decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, depressed mood, forgetfulness, and trouble with concentration.

There are a number of ways you can approach increasing testosterone production. For men with truly low levels, a visit to the doctor might be required. A doctor can provide a prescription and assist with monitoring testosterone levels to ensure that you have and maintain the correct amount of testosterone levels in your body.

However, if you would prefer a natural course of action, or if you are looking at increasing testosterone production to give yourself a boost in the bedroom, then a more natural course of action might be for you.

Increasing Testosterone Production Naturally

1. Lose Weight. Studies have shown that men who are overweight are more likely to have low testosterone levels verse men who maintain a healthy weight.
2. High Intensity Exercise. Short but intense exercise has been shown to boost testosterone levels. These workouts should include a short warm up, interval training and a short cool down. Total exercise time should not exceed 30 minutes. Studies have shown that more prolonged and/or less intense exercises will either lead to no change in testosterone levels or a negative impact to testosterone levels.
3. Intermittent fasting. By fasting a couple times each week for 24-hour periods and combining fasting with high intensity exercise, you can increase testosterone levels in your body.
4. Zinc. This little miracle mineral does a lot for sex drive. In addition to increasing testosterone levels, studies have associated increased zinc consumption with increased sperm production. The best source of zinc comes from oysters, but red meat and poultry are also good sources of zinc. With that said, it can be hard for your body to absorb zinc, so a supplement may be in order - especially if you're not a big fan of oysters on the half shell every night.
5. Get stronger. Increasing muscle mass will go a long way to increasing testosterone production. As a side benefit, by increasing your muscle mass, you will increase your metabolism which will help you lose weight. Another side benefit is sex appeal. Less fat and more muscle equals more time spent between the sheets.
6. Get enough Vitamin D. Increasing testosterone levels is not the only benefit from Vitamin D. Studies show that it is also important for maintaining semen quality, sperm count, and increased libido. The best way to get Vitamin D comes from the sun, so do your exercises outdoors and soak up the rays.
7. Watch your stress. Increased and prolonged stress results in the production of a hormone called cortisol. This hormone is thought to actually counter the effects of testosterone. This makes sense from a biological perspective. If caveman is having trouble surviving (thus the stress), mating might not be ideal for staying alive.
8. Watch the Sugar Intake. Studies have also shown that sugar can decrease the amount of testosterone in your body. To increase testosterone, work on consuming natural (as opposed to processed) foods. Focus especially on lean meats and fresh fruits and vegetables.

Obviously diet and exercise will go a long way in increasing testosterone levels naturally. Even better, these activities will also give you more self-confidence and more sex-appeal. Imagine sitting by the pool with a pasty complexion rocking the beer gut and out of breath just from walking up the stairs to the pool. Even if you are lucky enough to score a date, will your lack of sex appeal even get you into the bedroom, and will a lack of testosterone keep you from sealing the deal? Now imagine sitting poolside exuding self-confidence. Lean and tan while you break your intermittent fast with a protein shake - soaking up the sun to get your Vitamin D after your High Intensity workout.

While we have covered eight ways to naturally increase your testosterone, life can be more complicated. We don't all get to be 20 and hang out by the pool waiting for action. Jobs, kids, mortgages, and the million other issues we deal with make it hard to follow these regimens. I personally don't have the time to break away at lunch to eat oysters on the half shell and hit the weights.

So, if you are interested in increasing your testosterone levels, consider natural supplements. To learn more about supplements that will work to increase your testosterone levels, click here.