Testosterone is a sex hormone found in varying degrees in both men and women. It affects your libido, hair growth and mood. Low levels of testosterone have been linked to depression, while high levels of testosterone might cause aggression. DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, is the precursor to both testosterone and estrogen. Increasing your DHEA levels can lead to the production of more testosterone. Changes in diet, exercise and lifestyle choices can also increase your testosterone levels, which naturally begin to decline in your 30s.
Step 1
Take a DHEA supplement; technically this isn't a steroid and doesn't have the side-effects associated with steroids. DHEA supplements are synthesized from chemicals found in soy and wild yams, but eating these foods will not increase your DHEA because your body can't make DHEA from these chemicals. To boost hormone production, you'll probably need between 25 and 50 mg of DHEA daily.
Step 2
Maintain a healthy body weight. If you have enough DHEA to make sex hormones, you may have an imbalance between estrogen and testosterone. It's possible you already have enough testosterone in your body, but you may have too much estrogen. Estrogen is made in your fat cells -- if you are overweight, you may be producing too much estrogen. Lifting weights will help decrease the number of fat cells you have and build lean muscle mass -- both of which will correct the imbalance between testosterone and estrogen. Men should have between 40 and 60 times more testosterone than women.
Step 3
Eat foods high in zinc. Zinc prevents the conversion of testosterone into estrogen and can actually turn estrogen into testosterone. Zinc might also increase your sperm count and help to produce healthier sperm. Although you can take a zinc supplement, eating oysters, liver, sesame seeds, poultry and seafood will naturally increase your zinc levels.
Step 4
Get a good night's sleep. Testosterone production peaks overnight while you sleep. A disruption in your sleep can also interfere with hormone production. Waking with a morning erection can be a good indicator for men of a sufficient testosterone level. Sexual stimulation and erections increase testosterone production, so it's a positive hormonal cycle.
Tips and Warnings
- Try and relax -- the stress hormone cortisol interferes with testosterone production.
- Excess testosterone may be linked to prostate enlargement and breast swelling, notes Harvard Medical School.
