Cortisol is a hormone that works against your testosterone. Sleep is essential for your good health, and it affects your testosterone. Research has found heavy drinking over a long period of time can cause your body to make less testosterone. The question of whether protein increases testosterone is a bit murkier. In this article/post, we’ll cover five research-backed strategies to naturally increase testosterone and introduce a top-rated supplement to support your journey. But there are natural, effective ways to raise testosterone safely—without turning to synthetic hormone therapy. However, healthy habits that boost testosterone, like getting good sleep and exercising, certainly won't hurt. Zinc deficiency suppresses testosterone within weeks and supplementation in deficient men can raise testosterone by 100 percent or more. My standard recommendation for testosterone-optimized nutrition is 30 to 40 percent of total calories from fat, with emphasis on monounsaturated and saturated sources. Saturated fat from animal sources supports testosterone synthesis as a cholesterol precursor. Monounsaturated fats from olive oil, avocados, and nuts have the strongest association with higher testosterone. Benefits include practical tips to keep you healthy and vibrant, up-to-date health news explained simply and clearly, and special promo codes to use for our online courses, special reports, and more. It's taken for many conditions, including anxiety and insomnia, and to improve male fertility. Researchers have looked into whether it helps with menopause symptoms, erectile dysfunction, and mental and physical signs of aging, but results have been mixed. Levels naturally decline as you get older. It can also lead to precocious (early) puberty, which is when puberty begins before the age of eight. Your provider will always reference your laboratory’s normal ranges when interpreting your results. (LH more often stimulates the production of estrogen and progesterone in ovaries.)