Best natural ways to boost testosterone for men over 50

The body’s ability to produce testosterone naturally deteriorates with age, but lifestyle and health factors can exacerbate the natural decline.

Having low testosterone at any age can seriously undermine your quality of life. The condition often manifests itself in these common symptoms:

Living with these symptoms can be an ordeal for you and those around you. It can put a strain on a relationship, damage career prospects, and result in a sense of hopelessness and failure. This is why so many men look for a solution.

Unfortunately, many men look for a solution in steroids, despite the fact that it is now common knowledge that using steroids to increase testosterone levels, unless prescribed by a doctor to treat a specific condition, is a dangerous and, ultimately, an extremely unhealthy thing to do.

Thankfully, there are natural ways to boost testosterone that don’t threaten your overall health or have dangerous side effects. In fact, the natural ways to boost testosterone will make you healthier, stronger, and, quite possibly, happier too.

Supplements derived from plants and other natural sources are a popular way of treating various ailments. What’s more, there is mounting scientific evidence showing that certain supplements can be effective testosterone boosters

As such, there are now many natural testosterone boosting supplement products available. The best testosterone boosters will include vitamin D, vitamin K2, fenugreek, D-aspartic acid, ashwagandha root, and ginseng.

Each one of these supplements is backed by scientific studies demonstrating its testosterone boosting abilities. One study, exploring fenugreek, showed a remarkable 98.7% increase in testosterone levels among men who took a fenugreek supplement in combination with resistance training [1].

Good supplement mixes also contain black pepper—often called BioPerine on ingredients lists—which enhances the effectiveness of the formula by increasing your body’s ability to absorb the extracts. 

Other supplements can also be useful, even taken individually, to restore depleted testosterone levels caused by vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

For example, a common cause of low testosterone is a magnesium or zinc deficiency. Taking these minerals as a supplement will lead to a restoration of testosterone levels in just a few weeks.

Testosterone is often called the male hormone, even though female bodies also produce it (although a lot less). So it might not come as much of a surprise that weight lifting, a traditionally male-dominated activity, actually boosts testosterone.

Studies have shown that weight lifting and other forms of physical activity are more effective at increasing testosterone in overweight men than a weight loss programme [2, 3]. if you're not sure about where to start, here's a great starting workout plan aimed at men over 50

While weight training is the most optimal exercise for boosting testosterone, almost any form of exercise can help, including high-intensity interval training (HIIT), resistance band training, and even running, cycling, and swimming.

Find a type of physical exercise you enjoy and do it regularly. The benefits will extend far beyond boosting your testosterone levels.

When you’re stressed the body releases a hormone called cortisol. If the body is continuously releasing cortisol because you are stressed at work or at home your health will suffer in a number of ways. In particular, your testosterone production will dramatically decrease as the body switches to producing cortisol [4].

On top of the biochemical changes brought on by stress, being stressed often leads to excessive eating resulting in weight gain. Having excess fat means you also have excess oestrogen and your testosterone production will decrease.

In addition, stress often leads to poor-quality sleep, which, as we shall see, is also a major factor contributing to low testosterone.

To maintain healthy hormone levels - both cortisol and testosterone - it is necessary to avoid constant stress. Take time for yourself, don’t overwork, do something you enjoy, or spend time with someone who makes you laugh. Incredibly, all these things will help you boost your low testosterone levels.

A lack of proper, regular sleep can have enormous consequences for your health in a myriad of ways. Chronic lack of sleep has been associated with diabetes, heart attack, stroke, depression, poor immune system functioning, lower sex drive, and low testosterone.

Experts propose an average of seven to nine hours of sleep per night. This might seem like a lot, but studies have shown that having only five hours a night can cause a 15% decrease in testosterone levels [5].

A good night’s sleep, on the other hand, is linked to adequate levels of testosterone, with every extra hour increasing testosterone by 15%.

If you want to turn your testosterone levels around, find a way to get enough quality sleep. If you’re getting disturbed during the night find a solution: get earplugs, put up light-blocking curtains, buy a comfier mattress. Whatever it is you need to do to get a good night’s sleep.

Maintaining a healthy diet will go a long way to improving your testosterone levels. Some foods have been shown to boost testosterone production, while others are known to reduce it.

Foods you should eat regularly:

Foods to avoid:

Sugar has been shown to be particularly bad for testosterone levels. Studies show that consuming sugar causes an immediate and substantial drop in testosterone levels among men [6].

It is also important to keep an eye on your macronutrient ratios. This means balancing the amount of carbs, proteins, fats, and fibres you consume.

Be sure to eat plenty of proteins, and don’t be afraid of healthy fats, your body needs them too. Your diet should also include a healthy amount of carbs, supported by fibre, which slows the release of energy from carbs, ensuring they do not get converted into sugar by the body.

You should also aim to eat carbs with a low glucose index (GI). The lower the index for a particular food is the less impact it has on your blood sugar levels. There is no need to avoid high GI carbs altogether, but go easy on white bread, white rice, and potatoes. Try balancing these with low GI carbs like oats, beans, and chickpeas.

If you have trouble maintaining a healthy diet, then you can seek help from a nutritionist or dietician, or try creating your own food plan.

Creating a food plan can be an excellent way to organise your diet and ensure you’re eating healthy at every meal. Having a plan to refer to will help you stay focused and keep you eating right.

Following the five recommendations listed above - supplements, weight training, plenty of sleep, a low-stress lifestyle, and a healthy diet - will ensure your testosterone levels are adequate for your age.

By doing so, you will avoid suffering from the symptoms of low testosterone and, what’s more, you will improve your overall health, lowing the risk of a whole heap of illnesses common among men over 50.