There are a number of natural, safe, and effective ways to increase free testosterone.
In a male body, testosterone exists in two ways: bound and free. “Free testosterone” is that testosterone that is not bound to proteins in the blood and is “free” or bioavailable for use. Free testosterone plays a role in everything from your ability to build lean muscle to perform sexually. Only about 2% of all of the testosterone circulating throughout your bloodstream is free testosterone. The remaining 98% is bound testosterone. Since there is so little free testosterone available in the first place, you can see why keeping it as high as possible is important.
Here are several ways that you can increase your free testosterone level.
Strength Training – Strength training like weight lifting or resistance training has been clinically proven to boost free testosterone levels. High-Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, has been found to be one of the best exercises men can do to boost free testosterone.
Getting Enough Sleep – Testosterone, like many other critical hormones, is mostly produced during your periods of deepest sleep. Not getting enough sleep can cause testosterone levels to drop. Men who wish to increase free testosterone should try to get at least 7 to 8 hours each night.
Stress Reduction – Stress can have a lot of negative impacts on a man’s health, not the least of which is lowering your level of bioavailable testosterone. You can boost your free testosterone by taking measures to reduce stress, such as yoga, tai chi, meditation, or deep breathing techniques. Exercise is also a great way to reduce stress, and it has the additional bonus of raising your free testosterone levels.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D is a necessary precursor to testosterone production, so supplementing with vitamin D daily can help raise free testosterone levels.
Avoid alcohol – Excessive alcohol consumption has been linked to low testosterone in men. Reducing your consumption of alcohol could help keep your levels of free testosterone higher.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy – If you have been diagnosed with low testosterone, your doctor may suggest prescription testosterone injections to raise your free testosterone levels back into the normal range.
For a better understanding of Testosterone and how to boost it watch Dr. Bergs’ video below.
Important Success Factors and Approaches
The most important factor in successfully raising and maintaining a healthy level of free testosterone is not to think about doing just one or two specific things on the list above to raise your testosterone but to live an overall “testosterone boosting” lifestyle that takes all of the methods into consideration. In other words, making a commitment to eating right, getting enough exercise, reducing stress, and getting a good night’s sleep will help keep your free testosterone levels high and have a lot of other health benefits as well!
How to Know Which Approach is Best for You
If you are determined to raise your free testosterone levels naturally, speak to your doctor or other healthcare professionals to see which methods or approaches to boosting testosterone would be best for you.
Determining which approach to boosting your testosterone levels is best for you should start with having your testosterone levels checked. This is done with a simple blood test. Your free testosterone level, your medical history, and if you are exhibiting any of the symptoms of low testosterone will help determine what methods of boosting testosterone are best for your particular circumstances. You may need a prescription for testosterone replacement, or you may be able to raise your free testosterone levels enough with some or all of the natural methods listed above.
Why to Work on Free Testosterone Levels
Testosterone is one of the most important male hormones. It impacts everything from your ability to burn fat and build muscle to sexual performance and fertility. But, unfortunately, as important as testosterone is, your level of free testosterone drops as you age. This is why it is so vital, especially for men over 35, to start to work on natural ways to boost free testosterone. By exploring the methods on these pages, you can go a long way to combating age-related testosterone decline.
Before you decide if you have to work on your free testosterone or not, it is important that men learn to recognize the signs of lower-than-normal free testosterone. The signs and symptoms of low testosterone in men include the following:
- Fatigue and lack of energy.
- Erectile dysfunction and other sexual health issues.
- Decreased ability to build muscle, even when working out.
- Weight gain, particularly belly fat.
- Depression and other mood swings.
- Cognitive difficulties.
- Issues with hair and nails.
- Loss of bone density.
How to increase Free Testosterone on TRT: Guidance
Remember, free testosterone is the only testosterone that is available for your organs to take up and use, so let’s recap the methods that you can take to increase free testosterone and provide some guidance for each one:
Get More Sleep – Get at least 7 to 8 hours of restful sleep each night.
Maintain a Healthy Weight – Maintain a BMI between 18.5 to 24.9.
Eat a Balanced Diet – Eat a diet rich in fruits and veggies, and whole grains, avoid junk and processed foods.
Get Rid of Stress – Reduce stress through yoga, tai chi, or other stress-relieving activities.
Do Strength Training or Resistance Exercises – High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is best for raising testosterone.
Get More Vitamin D – supplementing of at least 3,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily has been shown to raise testosterone.
More about Supplements and Low T Therapy: How do they Work
In addition to Vitamin D, there are several supplements that have shown some evidence of an ability to raise free testosterone, such as:
- Zinc – Zinc deficiencies have been associated with low testosterone. Zinc is a precursor to testosterone production.
- Ashwagandha – This is an herb that has been used in alternative medicine for centuries. It has long been associated with virality in men, and there is some evidence that it can raise testosterone.
- Garlic – Some studies have found that garlic can raise testosterone.
- DHEA supplementation – A recent “meta-analysis” concluded that “DHEA supplementation is effective for increasing testosterone levels.”
- L-Arginine – Arginine is an essential, naturally occurring amino acid. There have been studies that have found that supplementation with L-arginine could possibly raise testosterone levels.
How to Increase Free Testosterone in Males and Females: Is there a difference?
Testosterone is known as a male hormone, but a woman’s body makes and needs testosterone as well, albeit in smaller amounts. In a woman’s body, testosterone is important for building muscle and maintaining healthy bones, and it even plays a role in sexual health and fertility. This is why it is important for women to try to keep their free testosterone levels in the normal ranges as well.
The same methods discussed for men – getting enough exercise, eating right, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, etc. – can help boost or maintain free testosterone levels in women as well.
As in men, a woman’s testosterone levels drop as she ages. In fact, current research suggests that age-related testosterone loss in women could be just as responsible or even more responsible for the symptoms of female sexual dysfunction that come with menopause as estrogen loss. That is why testosterone is often included in HRT for women suffering from menopausal symptoms.
Additional Ways for Increasing Free Testosterone and Enhancing the Results
What you eat is also very important to boosting and improving free testosterone levels. Here are some known testosterone-boosting foods.
- Tuna and other oily fish, such as sardines and salmon
- Low-fat milk with vitamin D
- Egg yolks
- Fortified whole-grain cereals
- Oysters
- Shellfish
- Beef
- Beans
What About Testosterone Replacement Therapy?
Testosterone replacement therapy or TRT can also be a way to increase free testosterone, but only in men who have had their blood tested and have been diagnosed with low testosterone. You should never use testosterone on your own that has not been prescribed for you by a doctor or medical professional. However, if you have been feeling the symptoms of low testosterone and have tried the methods discussed on these pages and are still feeling tired, putting on weight, and having sexual health issues, maybe you should contact us and see if you might be a candidate for TRT.
For men who have been properly diagnosed with low testosterone, a medical condition also known as “hypogonadism,” testosterone replacement therapy can have many benefits, including:
- Increase energy.
- Improved ability to build lean muscle.
- Increased sex drive and improved sexual performance.
- Improved sleep.
- Weight loss, particularly belly fat.
- Improved memory and cognition.
But the only way to legally obtain a prescription for testosterone therapy is to have your testosterone levels checked and receive a diagnosis of low testosterone.
Summary
Free testosterone is vital to a man’s health. There are ways to boost your free testosterone naturally; however, if you have been diagnosed with low testosterone, the only legitimate medical treatment is testosterone replacement therapy. One of the commonly used brands is Testosterone Cypionate.
Frequently Asked Questions About Raising Free Testosterone
Is it possible to increase free testosterone?
Yes, it is quite possible to increase free testosterone through diet, exercise, stress reduction, and other healthy lifestyle changes.
How do you fix low free testosterone?
If you have been diagnosed with low free testosterone via a blood test or panel, the only way to “fix” it is with a prescription for testosterone replacement therapy.
Why is my free testosterone so low?
There could be many reasons why your free testosterone levels may be low. Lack of sleep, being overweight, eating a high-fat diet, smoking, and excessive consumption of alcohol can all lower your available level of testosterone. There are also some diseases or medical conditions that can lower free testosterone. However, the most common cause of low free testosterone is age-related testosterone decline.
What drug increases free testosterone?
Do not be fooled by so-called testosterone boosters or testosterone pills. The only medical drugs that can increase free testosterone are those used for prescription testosterone replacement therapy, such as DEPO-testosterone injections, or in gels such as AndroGel, or transdermal gel skin patches like Androderm.