How to Increase Testosterone Naturally: What the Research Supports, and What Is Just Marketing

Scroll any fitness feed and someone is telling young men their testosterone is collapsing and selling the fix: a capsule, a cold plunge, a 'protocol'. Gym supplement shops sell 'T boosters' next to the whey. Some of the worry is real — testosterone does fall with poor sleep, obesity and age — but most of what is sold to fix it is not. Here is what the studies actually show.

What testosterone does, and what 'low' means

Testosterone drives muscle and bone, sex drive, energy and mood. It peaks in the early twenties and declines slowly with age, and it swings through the day — highest in the morning. That is why the Endocrine Society's 2018 guideline says low testosterone should only be diagnosed when a man has symptoms and at least two early-morning, fasting blood tests below the normal range. A single afternoon test, a saliva kit or a symptom quiz is not a diagnosis.

What actually raises it

Vitamin D deserves a note for Pakistan, where most adults are deficient (see our micronutrients guide). A blood test costs little and tells you whether you are one of the men for whom supplementing might help. Taking high doses without a test is not a testosterone plan.

What lowers it

• Short sleep and shift work — the fastest way to lower it.
• Carrying a lot of body fat, especially around the belly; type 2 diabetes goes with low testosterone too.
• Long, aggressive diets and very low body fat — bodybuilders' testosterone falls sharply before competitions.
• Heavy drinking, opioid painkillers and some other medicines.
• Previous anabolic steroid use, which can suppress natural production for a long time afterwards.
• Long-term stress, mainly through what it does to sleep, eating and weight.

Supplements: what the evidence says

On ashwagandha's safety: a 2020 case series in Liver International described five people who developed jaundice from ashwagandha supplements; none developed liver failure, and liver tests returned to normal within months in those who were followed up. It is rare, but if you take it and notice yellow eyes, dark urine or itching, stop and see a doctor.

Myths

• "Soy lowers testosterone." A 2021 meta-analysis of 41 clinical studies found no effect of soy protein or soy isoflavones on testosterone, free testosterone or oestrogen in men.
• "Squats and deadlifts boost testosterone." They raise it for a few minutes. Train them because they build muscle and strength, not for hormones.
• "Eggs, red meat or desi ghee are testosterone food." No single food raises testosterone in a healthy man; a diet with enough calories, protein and some fat does.
• "Farm chicken is full of hormones." Growth hormones are not how broiler or laying chickens are raised; it will not lower your testosterone.
• "Cold showers and semen retention raise testosterone." There is no good evidence either raises resting testosterone in a way that matters.

TRT, steroids and online 'clinics'

Testosterone replacement therapy is a treatment for men with properly diagnosed low testosterone, not a performance shortcut. Taking testosterone from outside tells your body to stop making its own, and it lowers sperm production — the Endocrine Society advises against it for men who are planning to have children. Steroids and SARMs do the same at higher doses, with more side effects (see our guide to the first year of lifting). Be wary of anyone offering testosterone without two morning blood tests, a physical examination and a discussion of fertility.

When to see a doctor

See a doctor if you have several of these for weeks: low sex drive, erection problems, loss of morning erections, constant tiredness, low mood, losing muscle or strength despite training, or reduced body hair. Ask for an early-morning, fasting testosterone test repeated on another day, and expect the doctor to check other causes too — thyroid, diabetes, prolactin and the hormones that control the testes. Sleep, weight and alcohol are usually looked at first.

This article is general information, not medical advice. Do not start testosterone, steroids or hormone-affecting supplements without a doctor's assessment, and see a doctor about symptoms of low testosterone rather than treating yourself.