How to increase testosterone naturally: what the evidence says

This page ranks the usual advice by how strong the evidence is, says what the studies actually found (and how small some of them were), and tells you when it's a job for your GP rather than your habits. Teak sells coaching. We don't sell testosterone, supplements or tests, and we take no commission from labs or prescribers.

What actually increases testosterone naturally?

Losing excess body fat has the strongest evidence, followed by getting enough sleep and drinking less. Exercise, stress and supplements have weaker or mixed evidence. Here's how they stack up.

Change	Strength of evidence	What studies found	Matters most for
Losing excess body fat	Strongest: a meta-analysis plus large long-term studies	In men with obesity, low-calorie diets were linked to an average rise in total testosterone of 2.87 nmol/L, and more weight lost meant a bigger rise1. In a small Sydney study, each kilogram lost went with about 0.6% higher total testosterone over 36 months2.	Men carrying extra weight, especially around the waist
Sleep	Moderate: a small controlled study plus GP guidance	Eight nights of five hours in bed left daytime testosterone 10 to 15% lower than after well-rested nights, in ten healthy young men3. Sleep restriction is listed as reducing testosterone5.	Men regularly getting less than seven hours
Alcohol	Moderate: a small trial plus GP guidance	Four standard drinks a day for three weeks lowered testosterone by 6.8% in middle-aged men4. Chronic excess drinking is listed as a factor in low testosterone5.	Men drinking above their country's guidelines
Exercise	Mixed	In men over 60, resistance training didn't significantly change resting testosterone, while aerobic and interval training showed small rises6. Very heavy training, or hard training on too little food, can lower it7.	Everyone, mainly through weight, fitness and general health
Stress and mood	Low: mostly associations	Significant stress is listed as a factor in low testosterone5, and testosterone fell over five years in Australian men whose depression persisted8.	Men under sustained pressure or with low mood
Sleep apnoea care	Low for testosterone	Across 12 studies, CPAP treatment didn't significantly change total testosterone9. Untreated sleep apnoea can raise the risk of other health problems10, so it's still worth checking.	Loud snorers, men with pauses in breathing at night, daytime sleepiness
Medicines review	Well-established link	Opioids, high-dose corticosteroids and several other medicines are linked to lower testosterone5, 11.	Anyone on regular prescribed medicines
"Booster" supplements	Weak	Most of the 27 ingredients tested across 52 studies failed to raise total testosterone compared with placebo12.	Few men: most ingredients failed in trials

The evidence ratings are our editorial judgement, based on the type and size of the studies cited (see our editorial policy). The numbers are averages from groups of men in studies, not a forecast for you. Where you start, what's behind your result and how much you actually change all shape what a retest shows.

Does losing weight increase testosterone?

On average, yes: in studies of men carrying excess weight, testosterone tended to rise as the weight came off, and bigger losses went with bigger average rises. It's the most consistent finding in this area.

• A 2013 meta-analysis of 24 studies in men with obesity found low-calorie diets were linked to an average rise of 2.87 nmol/L in total testosterone, and bariatric surgery to 8.73 nmol/L. The amount of weight lost was the best predictor of the rise¹.
• A 2024 study from the Garvan Institute in Sydney followed 61 adults with obesity for three years. In the 17 men, most of whom had weight-loss surgery, each kilogram lost went with about 0.6% higher total testosterone. It was small and not randomised, so read it as a signal, not a rule².
• The European Male Ageing Study tracked 2,395 men aged 40 to 79 for about four years. Weight loss went with a proportional rise in total testosterone, but free testosterone only changed significantly in men whose weight moved by 15% or more¹³.
• In a University of Adelaide study of 1,382 Australian men, developing a waist of 100 cm or more was linked to testosterone falling by 0.25 nmol/L a year⁸.

So measure your waist, not just your weight. Aim for a loss you can keep up: eating far too little, especially alongside hard training, is linked to lower testosterone in its own right⁷.

How much does sleep affect testosterone?

In controlled studies, cutting sleep short has lowered testosterone, at least in the short term. In the best-known one, ten healthy men with an average age of 24 spent three nights with ten hours in bed, then eight nights limited to five hours. Compared with the rested nights, their daytime testosterone was about 10 to 15% lower (16.5 against 18.4 nmol/L on average), and their self-rated vigour dropped as the week went on³. It was a small lab study of young, lean men, so it tells us the direction more than the size.

Healthify lists at least seven hours a night among the changes that help maintain a healthy testosterone level¹⁴, and healthdirect says most adults need about 7 to 9 hours¹⁵. bpac lists sleep deprivation as a lifestyle factor linked to low testosterone, and notes that sleep restriction reduces it⁵.

What about snoring and sleep apnoea?

Loud snoring, pauses in breathing that someone else notices, and feeling unrefreshed after sleep are signs of obstructive sleep apnoea, and healthdirect advises seeing your doctor if you or someone close to you is concerned¹⁰. Get it checked for your health and energy, not as a testosterone fix: a review of 12 studies found CPAP didn't significantly change total testosterone⁹. Losing weight, if you're overweight, is one of the self-care steps healthdirect lists¹⁰.

Does alcohol lower testosterone?

Long-term heavy drinking is linked to low testosterone, and steady daily drinking nudged it down in a controlled trial. Ten healthy middle-aged men drank beer with dinner giving 40 g of alcohol a day (four standard drinks) for three weeks, and alcohol-free beer for another three. Their testosterone was 6.8% lower after the alcohol period⁴. Four a day, every day, adds up to 28 standard drinks a week, well over the weekly limit in both countries. bpac lists chronic excess drinking as a factor in low testosterone, and notes that recent drinking can cause a temporary drop on a blood test⁵.

Country	Drinking guideline for healthy adult men
Australia	No more than 10 standard drinks a week and no more than 4 on any one day16
New Zealand	No more than 3 standard drinks a day and 15 a week, at least 2 alcohol-free days a week, and no more than 5 on any single occasion17

In both countries a standard drink is 10 g of alcohol, and a drink poured at a bar is often more than one^{16, 17}. If cutting back is harder than you expected, tell your GP. That's a medical conversation, not a coaching one.

What exercise is best for testosterone?

No single type has strong evidence for raising resting testosterone on its own, and the direct effect of exercise looks small⁶. It earns its place here through what it does for your weight, fitness and health.

• A review of 22 studies in men aged 60 and over found short-term resistance training didn't significantly change resting testosterone, while aerobic and interval training gave small rises⁶.
• In 41 overweight or obese Japanese men on a 12-week diet and aerobic exercise programme, testosterone rose overall. Split by how much their daily steps went up, it rose significantly only in the more active half, although both halves lost similar weight. There was no control group¹⁸.
• In the European Male Ageing Study, changes in physical activity over four years weren't linked to significant changes in testosterone¹³.
• Too much can work against you. High-volume endurance training reduces testosterone⁵. Training hard on too little food can suppress it, usually temporarily, and a longer-lasting drop has been described in some men after years of heavy endurance training⁷.

The national advice is a sensible target either way. healthdirect advises Australian adults to aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity on most days, plus muscle strengthening on at least 2 days a week¹⁹. Health New Zealand recommends at least 2.5 hours of moderate activity a week, plus muscle strengthening on at least 2 days²⁰. Lift for strength, walk more, and eat enough to recover.

Can stress and low mood lower testosterone?

They're linked, but this is the lever with the weakest direct evidence. bpac lists significant stress among the lifestyle factors associated with low testosterone, and points out that depression shares many of the same symptoms⁵. In the Australian five-year study, testosterone fell in men whose depression persisted⁸. What a coach can work on is the part of stress that shows up in the other levers: the late nights, the extra drinks, the skipped sessions. Low mood that hangs around is for your GP. Any thought of harming yourself comes before everything else: call Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, or call or text 1737 in New Zealand, and 000 or 111 in an emergency^{24, 25}. See when we send you to a doctor.

Can medicines lower testosterone?

Yes, several are linked to lower testosterone. bpac lists opioids, high-dose corticosteroids, anabolic steroids, some antipsychotics and anticonvulsants, 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and chemotherapy among the treatments associated with low testosterone⁵. The Endocrine Society of Australia notes that the effect of glucocorticoids (a type of corticosteroid) and opioids may be reversible, and that review by an endocrinologist may be warranted when these medicines have to continue¹¹. After anabolic steroid misuse, the body's own production can take many months to restart²¹.

Never stop or change a prescribed medicine yourself. Ask your GP or prescriber whether anything you take could be playing a part.

Does quitting smoking raise testosterone?

Not in the studies we found, but quit anyway. Smoking raises SHBG, the protein that carries testosterone in the blood⁵, and in both the Australian and European studies total testosterone fell slightly after men quit^{8, 13}. bpac still advises doctors to recommend quitting as part of lifestyle change⁵, for reasons much bigger than this one number.

Do testosterone boosters work?

Mostly, no. A 2024 systematic review covered 52 studies of 27 ingredients sold as testosterone boosters and found most failed to raise total testosterone compared with placebo. Vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, tribulus and D-aspartic acid were all studied, and none of them made the short list rated effective or possibly effective. The few that did applied to specific groups, such as athletes, and several were rated only "possibly effective"¹². bpac says the evidence for most over-the-counter herbal boosters is weak, and warns that products from unregulated sources may be contaminated or contain prescription medicines, including testosterone⁵.

Teak doesn't sell supplements and gets nothing from anyone who does. If a blood test shows a low vitamin or mineral level, what to do about it is a conversation for your GP.

Can you increase testosterone naturally after 40 or 50?

The same levers apply, and age on its own may explain less than you'd think. bpac describes a gradual decline from around age 35 that speeds up from about 65⁵. Two Australian studies suggest general health matters more than age alone:

• In a University of Adelaide study, 1,382 men aged 35 and over were tested five years apart. The average fall was 0.13 nmol/L a year. The authors concluded the decline is not inevitable and is largely explained by smoking and changes in health, particularly obesity and depression⁸.
• In the Healthy Man Study, 325 Australian men over 40 who rated their health as very good or excellent showed no fall in testosterone with age. Each extra point of BMI went with 0.35 nmol/L lower testosterone²².

Healthy Male makes the same point: healthy older men of normal weight usually don't see a significant drop²¹. It's also worth asking your GP about other things linked to low testosterone, such as type 2 diabetes, sleep apnoea and some regular medicines¹⁴. More in testosterone levels by age, male menopause and blood tests for men over 40.

How do you know if it's working?

Retest the same way you tested the first time, and treat one result as one data point. bpac advises testing between 7 and 11 am, ideally after an overnight fast, and notes that illness, a recent meal or recent drinking can cause a temporary drop. Shift workers should test two to three hours after waking⁵. In the Healthy Man Study, an overnight fast raised morning levels of testosterone and related hormones by 9 to 16% compared with not fasting, and made them less variable²².

Hormone levels also move around on their own. In a US study of 132 men, about half the time two measurements of the same hormone differed by more than 18 to 28%, depending on the hormone, and the authors concluded one sample is generally not enough²³. So use the same lab if you can, the same time of morning, fasted, and not while you're unwell or after a big night. If a result is below the range, bpac's guidance for GPs is to repeat the test, preferably about four weeks later, adding LH, FSH and prolactin⁵.

Our blood test checklist covers what to ask for, the free testosterone and SHBG guide explains the numbers behind the headline result, and the unit converter turns ng/dL into nmol/L. What a retest costs in each country is on our test cost page.

When isn't lifestyle change enough?

When the cause is medical, habits are the wrong tool and a GP is the next step. The Endocrine Society of Australia separates low testosterone caused by disease of the testes, pituitary or hypothalamus, which is a medical diagnosis, from the lower levels linked with obesity, type 2 diabetes and chronic illness¹¹. bpac says a diagnosis needs at least two early-morning results below the accepted threshold, plus multiple features consistent with low testosterone⁵.

Teak tells you plainly and straight away to see a doctor, and stops coaching on it until you've been seen, if any of these apply:

• pain, a lump or swelling in a testicle
• breast tissue that has grown recently
• headaches with changes to your vision
• chest pain, breathlessness on exertion, or erection problems that came on suddenly
• a total testosterone result below your lab's reference range on a repeat morning test
• low testosterone with high, low or normal LH
• a pituitary, testicular or liver condition, or cancer treatment
• thoughts of harming yourself

With a low result, once a doctor has looked at it, we can coach the lifestyle side alongside them. The full list, with who to see for each item, is on our safety page, and who this isn't for covers men already on testosterone, hCG or clomiphene. Whether anyone needs testosterone treatment is a doctor's decision. Our coaching vs TRT page explains where each one fits.

How do you turn this into a 12-week plan?

Pick the one or two levers that apply to you, work on them steadily, and retest under the same conditions. A simple version:

1. Get a proper baseline test through your GP or a private lab, early morning and fasted, using the checklist.
2. Rank the levers against your own results and habits. Be honest about sleep and drinks.
3. Track a few things each week: hours slept, standard drinks, waist, training sessions.
4. Retest at about week 12 under the same conditions and compare line by line.
5. Send anything that looks medical to your GP, whenever it comes up.

That's the process the Teak 12-week programme follows, with a coach alongside you: your panel read in plain English, your habits ranked, a written plan, weekly check-ins on WhatsApp and your week-12 retest read in full. If you'd rather start with the read and a four-week plan, there's the Baseline. Blood tests are ordered and paid for separately through your GP or a private lab. We can't promise what your retest will show. We can promise the process. See how it works, or browse more guides and the research we rely on.