Testosterone is an integral part of the human make up and is produced in men, as well as a lesser amount in women too.
Much can be said for this revitalizing hormone as it is vital for many aspects of your body’s functionality.
Having the right levels of testosterone can:
After the age of around 30, testosterone production generally starts slowing down naturally in your body, leading to a whole host of issues – from constant fatigue to weight gain and lack of strength[3].
Other factors that could cause lowered levels of testosterone levels include stress[4], obesity, certain medications and inflammatory diseases[5] to name a few.
Day-to-day life will always bring its challenges so it’s important to recognize the signs of lowering T so you can stop early deficiency in its tracks and get back to being on top of your gains.
To keep on top of your testosterone levels, there are a few nutrients that are exceptional when it comes to firing up your testosterone production.
D-Aspartic Acid, for example, is an amino acid that is co-responsible for muscle building and libido as it releases the hormone in your brain that ignites testosterone production[6].
Basically, the more you can feature this nutrient in your diet, the more your brain will be reminded to make testosterone. Studies have shown that a consistent supply of D-Aspartic Acid could have a huge impact on testosterone levels, with some candidates seeing a 60% increase after only 90 days[7].
Vitamin D is also another key player in raising T levels. Known as the sunshine vitamin, this can be produced naturally in your body as a result of sunlight exposure. So, in theory, the more vitamin D levels you’d like in your body, the more time you need to spend soaking up the rays.
Many studies have linked this vitamin to higher testosterone levels, with many individuals seeing a significant increase after spending more time in the sun[8].
As a result, vitamin D has also been proven to be a great mood regulator, reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety[9]. It also looks after your teeth, bones and immune health[10] as well as supporting weight loss with appetite suppressing qualities[11] to stop unhealthy snacking.
Zinc also plays an important part in maintaining healthy levels of testosterone in your body, with several studies showing clear links between a deficiency in zinc and low T levels[12].
As a multi-tasking essential nutrient, zinc looks after many of your body’s processes such as protein synthesis, wound healing and growth[13] which makes it a vital component when you’re bulking up.
It’s also linked to boosting your immune system so you can fight off infection better[14], improves skin health[15] and even looks after your senses of taste and smell[16].
We know it can be hard trying to incorporate new supplements into your diet.
So, here are our TOP 7 FAVORITE TESTOSTERONE BOOSTING FOODS you can easily add to mealtimes that’ll keep your testosterone high for ultimate muscle-building potential!
Incorporating shellfish into your diet might not be your idea of tasty but could seriously improve your testosterone levels – so it’s worth looking into!
Oysters, for example, are packed with zinc, providing you more than your DV in 3 medium oysters[17].
Other zinc-pumped shellfish to put on your shopping list include shrimp, mussels and crab[18].
Along with many other health benefits from the high Omega-3 content, such as mood balancing[19], reducing inflammation and muscle growth[20], the combination of high protein and low calories found in most shellfish means you’ll also be able to smash workouts and build lean muscle mass quicker[21].
Eggs are one of the most nutritious things you can eat – and extremely good for boosting testosterone!
In 1 large egg, there is 5% of your DV in zinc[22], plus the yolks themselves are rich in vitamin D[23] too.
Set aside from that, eggs are good little muscle-builders as they are stacked with protein, choline[24] and amino acids which all contribute towards muscle repair, development and growth[25].
Many bodybuilders swear by certain fruits for healthy testosterone maintenance – including nectarines, cherries and plums. This is mainly due to their high content of d-aspartic acid[26].
Other fruits like watermelon, grapes, bananas[27] and pomegranates have proven to boost T levels too[28].
As well as higher testosterone, ramping up your daily fruit consumption could improve a whole host of aspects due to the massive antioxidant content. Antioxidants help your body fight off free radicals from damaging your cells and decrease your risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cancer[29] – so topping up your fruit could help improve your overall health too!
Beef, along with many other poultry and meats, is rich in all the fundamental nutrients to give your testo-production a kickstart. Packed with vitamin D, zinc and d-aspartic acid[30], incorporating beef into your weekly meal plans could have a significant impact on your T levels.
Beef is also packed with iron which enables oxygen to be transported to your blood and muscles so you can really smash your muscle pumps[31] too. As well as this, the selenium content helps promote muscle repair and formation[32] so you can keep your muscles safe when bulking up.
If you’re looking to spice up your cooking whilst boosting that testosterone, ginger is the way to go! Loaded with nutrients, this spice does more than just fire up your stir-fry, with powerful benefits to both your body and brain[33]!
Not only has ginger been linked to improving testosterone levels[34], it is also great at alleviating muscle soreness[35] too, which could prove useful if you’re training hard.
It’s also good for treating indigestion[36], can fight off a variety of infections[37] and has also been linked to lowering cholesterol[38].
Check out more testosterone boosting herbs to spice up your meals!
Not exactly the healthiest option on our list but definitely worth a mention when it comes to boosting your T levels. 100g of dark chocolate – depending on the cocoa percentage – could provide you with up to 30% DV of zinc[39].
Whilst you do need to be aware of the high calorie content[40], dark chocolate is also jammed with good nutrients for bodybuilding like selenium[41], calcium[42] and manganese[43]too, making it a great sweet injection before pumping iron!
The final T-boosting food we can recommend are beans. From chickpeas, to lentils, black beans and kidney beans, you can find a good amount of zinc in all of them[44].
Legumes also have other benefits to your bodybuilding agenda too, including B vitamins which help focus your mind, improve mood and reduce stress[45] so you can smash workouts.
The fact that they’re soluble fiber also helps reduce hunger cravings and boosts energy levels, which all contribute to better athletic performance and lean muscle building[46].
If you’re a vegan, your breakfast choices can be quite limited. One T-boosting option could be fortified cereal. Fortification simply means the adding of vitamins and minerals that wouldn’t normally be in there. Breakfast cereals are commonly fortified with vitamins like A, B and D, as well as zinc[47], calcium and iron[48].
As we know, zinc and vitamin D contain many T-boosting benefits. Alongside this, added calcium levels could help strengthen bones, whilst promoting heart, muscle and nerve support so you can function properly[49].
B vitamins also enhance energy levels, brain function and cell health, with better muscle tone and cardiovascular health[50] which could all contribute towards improved training gains and stronger workouts.
Read the label on cereals to check they’ve been fortified – and look out for ones containing optimized amounts of T-boosting components like vitamin D and zinc too!
Find ways to incorporate these 7 testosterone boosting foods into your diet and you’ll see a significant improvement in muscle growth, energy and strength, bringing you ever closer to that sculpted physique!
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/effects-on-body#Muscle,-Fat,-and-Bone
[2] https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-testosterone
[3] https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/warning-signs
[4] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23275346/
[5] https://www.healthline.com/health/testosterone-and-zinc
[6] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10744627/
[7] https://www.scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation.aspx?paperID=24016
[8] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20050857/
[9] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2008.02008.x
[10] https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/benefits-vitamin-d
[11] https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/british-journal-of-nutrition/article/calcium-plus-vitamin-d-supplementation-and-fat-mass-loss-in-female-very-lowcalcium-consumers-potential-link-with-a-calciumspecific-appetite-control/623D71E0A965E910C48903089FA7B56C
[12] https://www.healthline.com/health/testosterone-and-zinc
[13] https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/%20Zinc-HealthProfessional/
[14] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702361/
[15] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23914218/
[16] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4042409/
[17] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-foods-high-in-zinc#section2
[18] https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/finfish-and-shellfish-products/4160/2
[19] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3976923/
[20] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25285409/
[21] http://europepmc.org/article/MED/19927027
[22] https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/dairy-and-egg-products/117/2
[23] https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/boosting-food#egg-yolks
[24] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-choline
[25] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24482589/
[26] https://www.livestrong.com/article/518754-foods-high-in-d-aspartic-acid/
[27] https://balancemyhormones.co.uk/10-testosterone-boosting-foods
[28] https://www.endocrine-abstracts.org/ea/0028/ea0028p313
[29] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23675073/
[30] https://www.livestrong.com/article/518754-foods-high-in-d-aspartic-acid/
[31] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24868988/
[32] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792354/
[33] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/11-proven-benefits-of-ginger
[34] http://www.bioline.org.br/pdf?md08046
[35] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21031618/
[36] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3016669/
[37] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3418209/
[38] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18813412/
[39] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-foods-high-in-zinc
[40] https://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/sweets/10638/2
[41] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792354/
[42] https://www.healthline.com/health/8-fast-facts-about-calcium
[43] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/manganese-benefits
[44] https://www.healthline.com/health/testosterone-and-zinc
[45] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-b-complex#benefits
[46] https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/different-types-of-fiber
[47] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20629353/
[48] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK208880/
[49] https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097
[50] https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/vitamin-b-complex#benefits