Testosterone production starts with a conversation. A small gland at the base of the brain, called the pituitary, sends a messenger hormone (LH) through the bloodstream, and the testicles answer by turning cholesterol into testosterone.
Like any conversation, it works best when nothing gets in the way. Too little of the right fuel, a rush of sugar, a compound hiding in a common candy, skipped meals or too much strain can all quiet the message or slow the reply.
The seven ways below each support a different part of that conversation, and a few of them come from places most men would never think to look.
1. Keep Some Healthy Fat on Your Plate
Testosterone is built from cholesterol, a type of fat, so the body's hormone-making system relies on a steady supply of fat from food. When a diet cuts fat too far, testosterone tends to follow. A review of six studies found that men on low-fat diets saw their testosterone drop by 10 to 15 percent on average, and by as much as 26 percent on low-fat vegetarian diets. Eggs, olive oil, nuts, avocados and fish all provide the kinds of fat the body can use. [1]
2. Go Easy on Sugary Drinks
A sweet drink sends a large amount of sugar into the bloodstream at once, because there is no fiber or protein to slow it down. The body answers with a quick rush of insulin, and researchers believe that sudden rise in sugar and insulin briefly slows testosterone production. In a study of 74 men ages 19 to 74, a single sugary drink lowered testosterone by about 25 percent, and it stayed lower for the full two hours it was measured. [2]
3. Watch How Much Black Licorice You Eat
Real black licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a compound that interferes with one of the steps the testicles use to turn other hormones into testosterone. In a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, healthy men who took licorice every day saw their testosterone fall by about 40 percent within four days. Their levels returned to normal four days after they stopped. Red and many flavored licorice candies contain little or no real licorice root, so this mainly applies to true black licorice. [3]
4. Add Fish to Your Week
Fatty fish like salmon, sardines and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fats, which the body builds into the walls of its cells, including the cells in the testicles. In a study of nearly 1,700 young men, those who took fish oil had larger testicles, the organs that make most of a man's testosterone. Their testicles also appeared to respond more efficiently, producing more testosterone for the amount of signal coming from the brain. [4]
5. Take Brisk Walks a Few Times a Week
Regular movement helps muscles pull sugar out of the blood more easily, which keeps insulin from running high for long stretches. In a 12-week study, overweight men who started walking or jogging for 40 to 60 minutes, one to three days a week, saw their testosterone rise significantly. The researchers found the increase was tied to the extra activity itself, not just to weight loss. [5]
6. Eat Enough to Fuel Your Day
The body treats testosterone production as something it can scale back when energy runs short. When food intake falls well below what the body is using, through strict dieting, skipped meals or a long, active day, the brain reads it as a shortage and turns down the signal it sends to the testicles. Researchers who study active men describe this energy shortfall as one of the main reasons testosterone can dip, and note that levels usually recover once eating catches up. [6]
7. Balance Hard Exercise With Rest
Moderate exercise supports testosterone, but long, intense sessions without enough recovery can have the opposite effect. Heavy training puts stress on the body, and when that stress builds faster than the body can recover, it shifts its resources toward getting through the day and away from making hormones like testosterone. Roughly 15 to 25 percent of men who do regular endurance training have low resting testosterone. [7]
Conclusion
Testosterone depends on a chain that runs from the brain to the testicles, and nearly every link responds to daily habits. The fat on your plate, the sugar in your glass, black licorice, fish in your week, regular walks, enough food and enough rest all affect how smoothly that chain runs.
Some of these effects show up within hours or days, while others build over weeks and months. Together, they shape how well the body keeps testosterone steady as the years go on.
