Declining male testosterone levels in the West are taking their toll on a lot of modern men. Many males aged 20 to 50 simply don’t feel the same as generations past. There’s more apathy, depression, and psychological disturbance than before.

However, the drop in testosterone levels across the board since the 1960s isn’t just leading to mental health issues. It is also changing how men perform in the gym.

Testosterone is essential for muscle growth and anabolism. Men that don’t have enough due to environmental factors can’t create the internal conditions needed in their bodies for hypertrophy.

The good news is that there are ways that ordinary men can boost their testosterone levels through lifestyle and supplementation. These methods are often incredibly simple and don’t require a huge number of lifestyle changes. This is particularly true among bodybuilders who already live Spartan lifestyles.

Why Testosterone Levels Are Declining

Testosterone levels are declining for several reasons, and researchers aren’t quite sure which are the most dominant. Right now, we have several hypotheses, but no definitive answer on what’s really driving the decline.

Researchers are focusing more on factors like poor diet and stress. What men are eating is quite different from fifty years ago, with less emphasis on whole plant foods, and more on processed or industrial products.

However, growing evidence also suggests that environmental toxins are playing a role. These are accumulating in men’s bodies, particularly the testicles, and preventing testosterone production and release.

Since the 1980s, researchers believe these factors have led to a 1% decline in testosterone per year. Overall, that means that current levels are around 50% of what they were in the recent past, a generation before.

Natural Solutions To Boost Testosterone

The good news is that men aren’t helpless in the fight against declining testosterone levels. It turns out that there are plenty of things that they can do to reduce the burden of this trend on their lives and, hopefully, get better results in the gym.

On the nutrition side, the focus right now is on providing the precursors that will allow it to make testosterone naturally. A lot of researchers focus on things like healthy fats and foods rich in zinc and vitamin D. According to these experts, men need to consume more nuts and seeds than they do right now, especially sunflower and pumpkin seeds, since these tend to have the best nutrition.

However, the value of avoiding processed foods is hard to overstate. Many of these products contain dozens of ingredients that interact with the body unfavorably, leading to declines in testosterone production.

The problem for many bodybuilders and strength athletes is that they don’t always know which foods count as “processed” and “industrial.” Even regular-looking grocery items can be deceptive and have various additives, preservatives, or other ingredients that cause metabolic damage.

The age-old advice on this topic is to shop around the edge of the store. Health experts advise men who are interested in preserving testosterone levels to go to the produce and butchery sections, and nowhere else.

Aside from nutrition, supplements may also play a role. Testosterone Breakthrough best testosterone booster that’s been tested so far is a good example of this in practice. The idea behind these supplements is to address many of the issues of low testosterone directly.

“Testosterone Breakthrough has multiple effects on the body, including increasing drive and boosting muscle size, which is critical for anyone looking for gains in the gym,” explains Beyond Alpha, a supplement company. “These products are often made from natural ingredients and promote healthy function across the board, making them suitable for men who aren’t looking for substantial gains in the gym.”

Speaking of which, exercise is also a natural way for many men to boost testosterone. Studies show that high-intensity training can be as effective at raising testosterone in healthy, young men, at least transiently during the period post-exercise.

According to fitness instructors, the best approach is to go to the gym expecting to work hard. Men who can train intensely for 20 minutes often see a significant spike in testosterone levels that stay with them throughout the rest of the day and the evening.

What about stress and stress management? What role does that play?

Researchers are now coming to realize that poor sleep and chronic stress levels increase cortisol, which naturally suppresses testosterone. Many men who work modern jobs often find it challenging to find the motivation to do the other things they know they need to do in their lives, like exercise regularly and be present in their relationships.

The best workaround for this appears to be a combination of sleep and meditation. The idea is to go deep and access new pathways in the brain that reduce the amount of traffic between the stress centers and the conscious parts of the brain.

Finally, many men are exploring other lifestyle tweaks to enhance testosterone levels naturally. For example, a lot of health-conscious individuals are looking for ways to reduce exposure to plastics and parabens (a type of chemical in a lot of cosmetic products). They are following experts online who now provide detailed advice on ways to reduce exposure to these harmful elements and, hopefully, prevent them from building up in the male body.

Insights And Cautions

Of course, self-diagnosis of “low testosterone” is not advisable. Ideally, individual men should take a blood test to check their circulating levels first before deciding to take action. Feeling sluggish or lacking libido can also have other causes that have nothing to do with testosterone.

Furthermore, men exploring ways to increase testosterone through diet or exercise should still perform their due diligence. While the methods identified by researchers are safe and healthy, they should only be undertaken in the broader context of the body’s condition.

Overall, sleep, diet, exercise and lifestyle changes are what matter most. What’s more, men who make small alterations to their environments can often experience significant improvements in overall function and well-being, sometimes in a matter of days.

M&F and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.