The Top 25 Foods to Boost Testosterone Naturally
"Let food by thy medicine" - Hippocrates
If you subscribe to the philosophy that food is medicine and you're hoping to increase your testosterone levels at the grocery store, then focus on these 25 foods that are known to increase testosterone! If you're looking for a supplement that gives the best nutrients out of the foods below with the convenience of a capsule, try Testro-X today!
Testosterone is the principle male sex-hormone and is responsible for regulating sex drive, bone density, fat distribution, muscle mass, red blood cell production, among a myriad of other roles. Both men and women can benefit from increased testosterone levels at different stages of life, however without proper nutrition increasing testosterone levels naturally becomes almost impossible.
In this article you will learn about 25 foods that can boost testosterone levels.
This is the ultimate testosterone boosting food list:
1. Potatoes
Everyone knows that carbohydrates are extremely important for testosterone production, but instead of reaching for grains during your next meal, stack your plate high with potatoes.
Research reveals that grains have inflammatory properties, but the testosterone-friendly starches in potatoes will have the bodybuilder in your life smiling at dinnertime! Many people don't know that the protein content in potatoes is one of the most high quality proteins there is. So pile these testosterone boosting roots high on your plate!
2. Yogurt
Yogurt has been a source of probiotics and gut-friendly enzymes before bacteria was even cool. But just take care to consume yogurt without the extra sugar and flavoring, both of which can have the opposite effect on gut health.
For example, in a 2014 study, a group of researchers tested multiple diets with added lactobacillus reuteri on male rodents. What they discovered was that the addition of L-reuteri to the rodents' diets increased their testosterone levels, as well as the size and weight of their testes.
Pro tip: Probiotics like lactobacillus reuteri have been shown to increase testosterone.
A second study involving rodents found that increased exposure to healthy gut microbiomes lead to elevated testosterone levels. Probiotics are incredible bacteria that can have a significant effect on testosterone production.
3. Beef Gelatin
Beef gelatin is a good source of both proline and glycine — two amino acids that also act as neurotransmitters and help increase LH (lutenizing-hormone) production, which leads to more testosterone production down the line. Proline and glycine are also known to help improve sleep quality.
4. Coffee
Coffee has been shown to increase cyclic AMP levels, which can lead to an increase in testosterone. However, just be careful that you don’t drink too much coffee because it can stress your body out and lead to an increase in cortisol.
Pro Tip: The lighter the beans, the higher the caffeine content in the coffee.
Many coffee drinkers think the darker roasts have more caffeine, but it’s actually the lighter roasts that have more caffeine in them.
5. Olive Oil
Olive oil is beneficial for testosterone production because olives are high in monounsaturated fats. One study claims that men who changed their main source of fat to the monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, increased their testosterone levels by 17 percent in 14 days.
Pro Tip: Look for organic extra virgin olive oil.
The fat profile of olive oil is both heavily monounsaturated and saturated, but its polyunsaturated fat content is low. Olive oil is also anti-inflammatory oil, so you will get a couple added benefits on top of boosting your testosterone levels when using olive oil.
6. Raisins
Raisins are awesome not just for the fructose content, but they also contain resveratrol, which has been linked to an increase in testosterone and a decrease in estrogen in both men and women.
Pro Tip: Raisins are high in both resveratrol and boron.
Also, raisins contain a good amount of boron. If you are not supplementing with boron, but you want to sneak it into your diet, then add raisins to your grocery list!
Testro-X has the exact dose of boron, as well as several other key herbs and minerals shown in clinical research to lower estrogen levels and boost testosterone levels.
7. Parsley
Parsley contains a compound called apigenin that increases the amount of steroid-acute regulatory hormones and proteins inside the Leydig cells of the testes.
Pro Tip: Parsley is rich in apigenin and helps convert cholesterol into testosterone.
Apigenin-rich parsley delivers the cholesterol molecule into mitochondria that is found inside the testicles, which is then converted into testosterone. If you’re going to choose anything to season your food, parsley is one of the best things you can use.
9. Raw Cacao
You don’t have to twist arms to convince people to eat chocolate. Not only does chocolate taste great, it's loaded with other benefits. Chocolate is rich in antioxidants, friendly gut bacteria and enzymes to help with digestion.
Pro Tip: There is research that links cacao to an increase in cardiovascular health and lower blood pressure, as well as lower blood glucose levels.
Make sure that you’re getting the raw versions of these cacao products to enjoy these health benefits. Cacao is also a rich source of minerals like magnesium, zinc, manganese and iron.
11. Sea Salt
We’re talking real salt here, not table salt. High quality sea salt contains over 50 testosterone-boosting minerals including magnesium, calcium, potassium and iodine.
Pro Tip: Sea salt is incredible for your metabolism.
Sea salt is also important for your diet because sodium aids in cellular signaling.
12. Argan Oil
Argan oil is pressed from the argan tree kernel. It’s basically a stable in the Mediterranean diet, and it's a good source of monounsaturated fat.
Study: Men who used argan oil as their main source of fat for two weeks, increased their testosterone by 20 percent.
If you’re looking for a variety of oil options in your kitchen, consider stocking your cabinet with argan oil.
13. Avocados
Avocados are among our favorite fruits. Yes, they're a fruit and not a vegetable!
Pro tip: Over 70 percent of the calories in avocados come from monounsaturated fat, which is crucial for testosterone production.
You don’t have to eat massive amounts of avocados to reap the benefits. Try adding 2-3 avocados to your diet each week, and you'll be on your way to improved health!
14. White Button Mushrooms
Not only are they delicious, but white button mushrooms are also known for their testosterone-boosting properties.
Study: Several studies1 show the anti-estrogenic effects of the polysaccharides in white button mushrooms. Essentially, these compounds block aroma and taste enzymes from converting testosterone into estrogen.
Whether you pile them high on a pizza, or stack them on your next salad — white button mushrooms may be your secret weapon in the battle for testosterone.
15. Baking Soda
Baking soda is basically the Swiss Army knife of every American household. Not only is this multipurpose powerhouse used in baking and cleaning, but baking soda, it turns out, may be an effective pre-workout nutrient as well.
Study: Research has shown a correlation with baking soda consumption and an increase in testosterone.
Baking soda increases the body's cyclic adenosine monophosphate, also known as cyclic AMP. Cyclic AMP both activates protein kinase A and serves as a secondary messenger between cells and hormones — two processes vital to testosterone production. If you're considering adding baking soda to your testosterone-boosting diet, be sure to reach for organic and natural sources to avoid the additional ingredients conventional manufacturers add to their products.
17. Ground Beef
Red meat is often frowned upon in the health and nutrition community because of well-deserved association with heart disease. However, for active people who are seeking dietary options to boost testosterone levels, ground beef has been shown2 to positively increase testosterone production.
Pro tip: The source of the ground beef matters! Make sure to get organic, grass-fed ground beef to avoid antibiotics and artificial hormones found in conventional beef.
18. Pomegranates
When men drank pomegranates for two weeks it was shown to increase salivary testosterone levels by 24 percent, while also dropping diastolic and systolic blood pressure. Pomegranates are rich in the amino acid L-arginine and vitamin C which act as vasodilators in the body, opening up our blood vessels to allow for increased blood flow.
Study: In test tube studies, the extract from pomegranates have been found to be anti-estrogenic.
In a second human study, participants who regularly drank pomegranate juice experienced a 35 percent reduction in arterial plaque.
20. Dark Berries and Cherries
Why dark berries? Dark berries contain a massive amount of antioxidants, and they are known to aid men with testosterone and semen production. Dark berries and cherries also contain a fiber called calcium D-glucarate, which can potentially help your body remove excess estrogen.
21. Grass-Fed Butter
Not only is this a staple in kitchens everywhere, butter is also rich in vitamins A, E, K2 and D.
Pro tip: The vitamins found in butter are all linked to healthy testosterone levels in men, and it also contains a good amount of T-boosting saturated fat.
Be sure to reach for grass-fed varieties of butter to avoid any impurities and sugars often found in conventional butters.
22. Coconut Oil
There are many benefits to using coconut oil as your main fat source. It has been show to increase cognitive abilities, increase testosterone production, increase thyroid hormones and boost metabolic rate.
Pro tip: Since it’s mostly saturated fat, coconut oil is awesome for optimizing the testosterone levels in your body.
23. Onions
Onions are great to throw in to sauté with some steak or a bowl, burrito bowl, that kind of thing. They have a lot of anti inflammatory phytochemicals. In studies conducted on rodents, onions have been shown to increase testosterone. One study found an average increase of 300 percent in testosterone levels when they put onion juice into the rodents' feed. Again, these are rodent studies, but we can assume that while it might not be as profound of an effect on humans probably going to be a similar effect.
24. Garlic
Supplementing your diet with garlic has been shown to significantly increase testosterone levels in clinical trials, especially when taken in combination with vitamin C.
Pro tip: Garlic is most potent in its uncooked form.
Garlic also contain allicin, which is a compound that is credited with lowering cortisol levels. Because cortisol is also a hormone, it competes with testosterone for the same locations within your muscles. By reducing cortisol levels, you allow testosterone to become more widely available to your body.
Signs of Low Testosterone in Men
Low testosterone can wreak havoc on your health, especially if you are a male. Some of the side effects of low testosterone may include:
Before You Hit the Grocery Store... One More Thing!
The best source of micronutrients that will help support the production of natural testosterone will always be through whole foods, but this isn't an option for everyone - and a lot of the foods above can get expensive when you're buying top quality (recommended!).
That's why we made Testro-X - a natural blend of the vitamins, minerals and herbs that make the above foods so good at stimulating T production.