• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Daily Vitamina

Daily Vitamina

Bilingual Health News

  • Health Conditions
  • Healthy Living
  • Food
  • Weight Loss
  • Fitness
Home / / Drug-Free Ways To Improve Your Testosterone Level

Drug-Free Ways To Improve Your Testosterone Level

A man talking on the phone while sitting on his sofaTestosterone is the main male sex hormone. It supports normal male traits such as muscle growth, facial hair, and deep voice.

In men, testosterone also plays a key role in the development of male reproductive tissues such as the testis and prostate, as well as promoting secondary sexual characteristics such as increased bone mass. In addition, testosterone is essential for health and well-being, as well as the prevention of osteoporosis.

Testosterone levels can fluctuate depending on factors such as age, activities, even environment.

Here are some things you can do to maintain healthier levels:

1. Get Enough Sleep.

Poor sleep can have consequences for your testosterone level.

George Yu, MD, a urology professor at the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., says poor sleep is the most important factor that contributes to low testosterone in many men. A lack of sleep affects a variety of hormones and chemicals in your bloodstream. This, in turn, can have a harmful impact on your testosterone.

Make sleep a priority, aiming for seven to eight hours per night, even if it means rearranging your schedule or dropping your habit of late-night TV. Prize your sleep, just like you’d prize a healthy diet and active lifestyle. It’s that important.

If you’re having problems getting good sleep on a regular basis, talk to your doctor.

2. Keep a Healthy Weight.

Men who are overweight or obese often have low testosterone levels, says Alvin M. Matsumoto, MD, of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

For those men, losing the extra weight can help bring testosterone back up, he says. Likewise, for men who are underweight, getting your weight up to a healthy level can also have a positive effect on the hormone.

3. Stay Active.

Testosterone adapts to your body’s needs, Yu says. If you spend most of your time lying on the couch, your brain gets the message that you don’t need as much to bolster your muscles and bones.

But when you are physically active, your brain sends out the signal for more of the hormone, he says.

Building strength with several sessions of weights or elastic bands each week. Work with a trainer to learn proper form so you don’t injure yourself.
Don’t go overboard. Extreme amounts of endurance exercise, at the level of elite athletes, can actually lower your testosterone.

4. Control of Your Stress.

If you’re under constant stress, your body will be churning out a steady stream of the stress hormone cortisol. It will be less able to create testosterone. As a result, controlling your stress is important for keeping up your testosterone, he says.

Miner’s advice to the over-stressed men he sees in his office is to:

Cut back on long work hours. If you’re logging lots of overtime, try to whittle your workday down to 10 hours or less.
Spend two hours a day on activities that you enjoy that aren’t work- or exercise-related, such as reading or playing music.

5. Review Your Medications.

Some medicines can cause a drop in your testosterone level, Matsumoto says. These include:

  • Opioid drugs such as fentanyl, MS Contin, and OxyContin
  • Glucocorticoid drugs such as prednisone
  • Anabolic steroids used for building muscles and improving athletic performance

You shouldn’t stop taking any of your medication. If you’re concerned about your testosterone level, you and your doctor can go over your medications to make sure that’s not the problem and make adjustments to your treatment.

6. Forget the Supplements.

Finally, although you’re likely to encounter online ads for testosterone-boosting supplements, you aren’t likely to find any that will do much good.

Your body naturally makes a hormone called DHEA that it can convert to testosterone. DHEA is also available in supplement form. But neither Miner nor Matsumoto advise using DHEA supplements, since they will do little to actually raise your testosterone, they say.

For the complete article, click here.

February 14, 2013 by Edgar Villanueva, Staff Writer

Read Next Article

The Latest In

¿Siempre se lava las manos luego de saludar a alguien?

¿Se cambia de ropa 10 veces al día antes de salir de paseo o a trabajar? ¿Después de saludar a alguien, siempre se lava las manos durante cinco minutos o más? ¿Consulta al médico todas las semanas para un chequeo? [Read More...] about ¿Siempre se lava las manos luego de saludar a alguien?

10 Quick Tips for Boosting Your Metabolism

My friend Caroline struggled with her weight and energy levels for some time, even with a healthy diet and exercise routine. She went to the doctor, who discovered she had a slow or low metabolism. The doctor recommended Caroline try [Read More...] about 10 Quick Tips for Boosting Your Metabolism

6 consejos para deshacerse de la celulitis para siempre

Cuando Claudia cumplió 40 años, tenía demasiado sobrepeso. Al someterse a dietas estrictas, logró eliminar los kilos o libras de más, pero también perdió su vitalidad. Siempre estaba agotada, y sus amistades, al verla extenuada, se mostraban preocupadas por su [Read More...] about 6 consejos para deshacerse de la celulitis para siempre

What to Do to Feel Better when Cold Affect You

My cousin Nicholas loves winter, cold, and snow, so he moved from Florida to Alaska 25 years ago. Nicholas is a man who is never sick. He says the cold air helps keep his immune system strong. In addition, he [Read More...] about What to Do to Feel Better when Cold Affect You

10 cosas que debe saber sobre el trasplante de cabello

La vejez no es fácil: la pérdida del cabello es muy frustrante para muchas personas, ya que está asociada con una sensación de juventud perdida. Mi amigo José siempre se había sentido inseguro con su pelo. A causa de su [Read More...] about 10 cosas que debe saber sobre el trasplante de cabello

5 Foods That Make You Smarter

Once upon a time, a wise older man named Mr. Paul was known for his remarkable intelligence. He was a person who could solve intricate problems and come up with innovative solutions. Everyone in town consulted him when they needed [Read More...] about 5 Foods That Make You Smarter

Primary Sidebar

Popular Posts

  • AHA News: Silent Heart Attacks All Too Common, and Often OverlookedAHA News: Silent Heart Attacks All Too Common, and…
  • Migraines? Get Moving: Exercise Can Help Curb AttacksMigraines? Get Moving: Exercise Can Help Curb Attacks
  • An Insider’s Guide To Cut Costs on Prescription DrugsAn Insider’s Guide To Cut Costs on Prescription Drugs
  • Bedroom Light at Night Might Boost Women's WeightBedroom Light at Night Might Boost Women’s Weight
  • Often Feel Bloated? One Ingredient May Be To BlameOften Feel Bloated? One Ingredient May Be To Blame

Copyright © 2023, BlackDoctor, Inc. All rights reserved.