As a 37-year-old male who’s trying to be healthy, it is only natural to be interested in my testosterone levels. Testosterone is a hormone that is super-important for muscle growth and overall mens health. So, I put my reading glasses on and I’ve spent the last three hours researching the best foods that boost testosterone levels based on scientific research.

It seems that improving testosterone levels can be as simple as eating the right foods.

Grass-fed beef is packed with vitamin D and zinc, both essential for testosterone production.
Pomegranate juice, full of antioxidants, can enhance hormone levels.
Fenugreek, a common herb, has saponins that boost testosterone.
Tuna offers omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D, which are good for hormone health.
Garlic contains compounds that can increase testosterone and reduce cortisol, a stress hormone.
Onions, rich in quercetin, help regulate hormones.
Adding extra-virgin olive oil and eggs to your diet provides healthy fats and cholesterol, crucial for making testosterone.
Shilajit and royal jelly are lesser-known options but have shown benefits in studies.
Oysters, famous for their zinc content, and spinach, high in magnesium, are also excellent choices.

Read on to learn more about these foods and how they can support your testosterone levels. Don’t forget to take the quiz to see if your testosterone level is low at the end of the article.

1. Grass Fed Beef

When you include grass-fed beef in your diet, you give your body important nutrients like healthy fats, vitamin D, and zinc, which are important for making testosterone.

Fatty Acids: Grass-fed beef has more omega-3 fatty acids, which are “good” fats. These include alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). These fats help keep your hormones balanced. They also contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which helps make and regulate testosterone. [1]
Vitamin D, which is also found in grass-fed beef, is very important for making testosterone. When you have enough vitamin D, it can help keep your testosterone levels higher. [2]
Zinc is another important nutrient in grass-fed beef. Zinc helps make testosterone by keeping the luteinizing hormone levels steady. This hormone is important because it directly helps make testosterone in the testes. [3]
Selenium: According to USDA’s Food Data Central, Grass-fed beef contains 14.2 mcg of selenium per 100 grams while the daily recommended intake is 55 mcg. Several studies have found that higher selenium intake can boost testosterone levels and improve sperm movement and quality. [4]
Amino-Acids: Additionally, it has amino acids like L-Arginine and L-Carnitine. L-Arginine helps improve blood flow, and L-Carnitine helps reduce inflammation. These amino acids help create a good environment for making testosterone, which is good for reproductive health.

2. Pomegranate juice

In addition to the benefits of eating grass-fed beef, drinking pomegranate juice can also help improve testosterone levels.

Research shows that pomegranate juice can increase testosterone levels in men’s saliva. For example, one study found that men who drank pomegranate juice every day for two weeks had a 24% increase in their daily salivary testosterone levels.

Pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants, which are substances that protect your cells from damage. These antioxidants can reduce oxidative stress and inflammation, improve mood and heart health, lower blood pressure and make arteries more flexible which can help increase testosterone levels.

To get these benefits, it’s recommended to drink about 237 ml (8 oz) of pomegranate juice each day. This amount should provide enough of the active compounds to possibly boost your testosterone levels.

3. Fenugreek

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-groecum L.) contains natural compounds called furostanolic saponins, such as protodioscin, which seem to help increase testosterone.

In one study, 120 men took 600 milligrams of fenugreek extract every day for 12 weeks. Their total testosterone levels increased from 12.3 to 13.8 nanomoles per liter, and their free testosterone levels went up from 241.0 to 264.8 picomoles per liter.

Fenugreek also appears to help with sexual health. In the same study, men reported having more frequent morning erections and intercourse. This shows that fenugreek may improve sexual function as well.

When it comes to body composition, another study looked at men who did resistance training, like weightlifting. These men took 500 milligrams of fenugreek extract every day for 8 weeks. They saw a decrease in body fat percentage and an increase in lean muscle mass, meaning they lost fat and gained muscle.

Fenugreek might also help improve exercise performance. In a different study, people who took 600 milligrams of fenugreek extract daily for 8 weeks could lift more weight on a leg press compared to those who took a placebo, which is a pill with no active ingredients. This suggests that fenugreek can help make you stronger.

Scientists think fenugreek works by stopping certain enzymes that break down testosterone. These enzymes are called aromatase and 5-alpha reductase. By blocking these enzymes, fenugreek helps keep testosterone levels higher.

4. Tuna meat

Switching to another powerful option, tuna meat contains important nutrients like vitamin D, zinc, and omega-3 fatty acids. These nutrients are proven to boost testosterone levels.

A study found that eating 100 grams of tuna meat every day for 15 days increased testosterone levels by 30-170% in 7 out of 10 people.

Additionally, tuna meat is high in protein, which can also help boost testosterone. Getting enough protein is important for keeping muscle and supporting metabolism, both of which help maintain healthy testosterone levels.

5. Garlic

– Garlic and Rosemary / Source: Good In The Simple

Garlic contains powerful compounds like allicin and diallyl disulfide, which help increase testosterone production in the testes and lower cortisol levels. [5]

For example, a study by Oi et al. showed that giving garlic to mice increased their testosterone levels by boosting a hormone called luteinizing hormone (LH), which is important for making testosterone.

Another study by McVey et al. found similar results in rats. They discovered that garlic not only increases testosterone but also protects the testes from damage and cell death. This protection also helps reduce the harm caused by exposure to lead and lowers the activity of the CYP19 gene, which is responsible for making estrogen. Because of this, garlic helps keep a good balance between testosterone and estrogen.

Garlic’s antioxidant properties also improve fertility and the process of making sperm, known as spermatogenesis. [6]

6. Shilajit

Shilajit is a natural substance used in Ayurvedic medicine, known as a rasayana, which means a rejuvenating tonic.

Studies have shown that Shilajit can increase testosterone levels in healthy people. For example, research has found that taking 250 mg of purified Shilajit twice a day for 90 days can significantly raise both total and free testosterone levels in men aged 45-55. This effect has also been seen with Natreon’s PrimaVie, a product that contains Shilajit. [7]

Shilajit works in several ways. It might help the body produce more testosterone by boosting the activity of important enzymes like 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. [8]

Additionally, Shilajit helps Leydig cells in the testes to function better. These cells are found in the testes and are directly responsible for making testosterone. [9]

Shilajit might also influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. This is a system in the body where the brain communicates with the gonads (testes in men) to control hormone levels. By affecting this system, Shilajit can help regulate the release of hormones like LH (luteinizing hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) from the pituitary gland, which in turn affects testosterone production. [9]

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7. Royal Jelly

Ys Organic Bee Farms Royal Jelly Ultra Strength / Source: Amazon

Adding to the list of foods that can help increase testosterone, Royal Jelly has shown some promising results in both people and animals.

In a study with 20 healthy men who didn’t exercise much, taking 1000 mg of Royal Jelly every day led to a noticeable rise in their testosterone levels. Their testosterone went from an average of 453.74 ng/dL to 510.25 ng/dL after just 15 days.

On the hormonal side, Royal Jelly has been found to boost testosterone production in the testicles of animals – according to Examine.

8. Eggs

Eggs are a very nutritious food that can help boost testosterone levels in men. Here are some reasons why eggs can help with this:

Cholesterol: Eggs have a lot of cholesterol, which is needed to make testosterone. Eating eggs in moderation can help keep cholesterol levels just right for making this hormone. [10]
Vitamin D: Egg yolks are full of vitamin D, which is important for making testosterone. Studies show that people who get enough vitamin D tend to have higher testosterone levels. On the other hand, not getting enough vitamin D can lead to lower testosterone. [2]
Zinc: Eggs also have zinc, a mineral that helps control how much testosterone the body makes. If someone doesn’t get enough zinc, their testosterone levels might go down. [3]
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These healthy fats, found in eggs, help produce a hormone called luteinizing hormone, which tells the body to make more testosterone. [1]
Proteins and Amino Acids: Eggs are a great source of high-quality proteins and important amino acids like leucine. These nutrients help build and repair muscles, which can indirectly support higher testosterone levels by encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle.

It is better to eat whole eggs, including the yolks, rather than just the egg whites. The yolks contain most of the nutrients like cholesterol, vitamin D, and omega-3s, which are important for testosterone production.

9. Onions

Onions are rich in a compound called quercetin, known to boost luteinizing hormone (LH) levels. LH is a hormone that helps the body produce testosterone, especially in males. Research shows that eating raw onions or onion extract can increase LH levels.

Among 28 different vegetables studied, onions have the most quercetin, making them especially effective. [11]

Onions also help the body use insulin better and increase nitric oxide production, both of which are good for making testosterone. Additionally, they affect an enzyme called 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase, which helps keep cells’ energy balanced, further supporting testosterone levels. [11]

In a notable study, men who drank fresh onion juice regularly had higher free testosterone levels than those who did not. This suggests that adding onions to your diet could naturally help boost testosterone.

10. Olive Oil

Switching from onions to another food that can help boost testosterone, extra-virgin olive oil is a great choice. This type of olive oil is full of healthy fats called monounsaturated fatty acids.

These fats are good for you because they help your body work well and support the endocrine system, which is responsible for producing hormones like testosterone.

Studies have found that using olive oil instead of butter can increase testosterone levels in men by 17.4%. On the other hand, eating a diet low in fat can reduce testosterone levels by up to 15%.

Olive oil also has antioxidants, such as vitamin E. Antioxidants protect the cells that produce testosterone from damage. Additionally, olive oil contains a compound called oleuropein. In animal studies, oleuropein has been shown to increase testosterone levels in the testicles, adding more evidence that olive oil is beneficial.

Other Things You Can Do To Raise Your Testosterone Levels

To boost your testosterone levels, it’s important to make changes in your daily habits, such as what you eat and how you exercise. Research shows that certain actions can help balance your hormones.

First, eating enough healthy fats is very important. Foods like avocados, nuts, and olive oil are good sources of these fats. Healthy fats help your body make testosterone.

It’s also helpful to eat fewer sugary foods and drinks. High levels of sugar can cause insulin resistance, which can lower your testosterone.

Another way to raise your testosterone is through exercise. High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is very effective. HIIT involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by short rest periods. This type of workout can increase your testosterone more than moderate exercise, like jogging.

Managing stress is also key. When you’re stressed for a long time, your body makes more cortisol, a hormone that can lower your testosterone. Activities like mindfulness, yoga, or meditation can help you relax and reduce stress.

Bottom Line

Incorporating testosterone-boosting foods, such as grass-fed beef, pomegranate juice, and fenugreek, into your diet can significantly impact your hormone levels.

Nutrient-rich options like tuna, garlic, onions, and olive oil offer essential vitamins and minerals that support testosterone production.

Additionally, combining these foods with positive lifestyle changes can further enhance their effects. By making informed dietary choices, you can take proactive steps toward optimizing your testosterone levels and overall health.

Is Your Testosterone Level Low? Take This Quiz

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