Natural Testosterone Boosters for Men over 40: What Works and What Doesn’t

Men, are you losing more hair than before, watching your energy fade away, and noticing that gut grow? Especially after turning 40? Low testosterone may be to blame. Despite testosterone peaking in your late teens, decline picks up around age 40 at 1-2% per year. 

Testosterone is the male sex hormone responsible for sexual development, reproduction, and physical performance. Common physical signs of lower testosterone may include decreased muscle mass and strength, increased body fat, decreased bone density, reduced energy levels, and decreased hair growth. Many people are looking to  natural ways to increase testosterone to avoid more medications, ongoing injections, and long-term risks.

Why Does Testosterone Decline After Age 40?

After you turn 40, your testosterone may drop due to the natural aging process as well as outside factors. As you age, your hormones naturally shift. The

testes will make less testosterone over time, signals from the brain to make testosterone will weaken, and an increase in SHGB (sex hormone binding globulin) increases with age, making testosterone less available for use in the body.

On the other hand, there are some ways you may be able to prevent testosterone dropping.  Low testosterone may be triggered by sleep, diet, stress, and activity levels. The good news is that these are all factors that you can improve with simple lifestyle changes.

Evidence-Based Natural Testosterone Boosters

Our bodies require certain vitamins and minerals to function properly. Some of these vitamins and minerals help produce testosterone. You may be able to boost your testosterone naturally through a balanced diet.

Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that helps make testosterone. Meat, fish and seafood provide the highest concentration of zinc. However, many other foods provide zinc.  Zinc can also be supplemented, most commonly in a multivitamin. 

Healthy Fats and Cholesterol for Natural Production

Natural testosterone production relies heavily on healthy fats and dietary cholesterol. To be clear, we’re talking about the good cholesterol and the good fats that are required in a balanced diet. Good cholesterol comes from sources like eggs and fatty fish (tuna, salmon, and mackerel). The good fats come from fish, nuts (almonds, walnuts, and brazil nuts), olive oil, and avocados. Not only are these great sources of fats and cholesterol, but other vitamins and minerals needed.

Limit Processed Foods and Alcohol

Processed foods can interrupt hormone balance, which can slow down the

production of testosterone. Processed foods have added chemicals to lengthen shelf life. Excessive alcohol consumption can harm testosterone production, too. It can interrupt hormone production directly and indirectly. Excessive alcohol can impair liver function, leading to hormonal imbalances.

Exercise and Physical Activity

Exercise and physical activity play an important role in testosterone production. Exercise is essential for overall health and plays a key role in leading a long, healthy life. It can help reduce the risk of chronic diseases, boost mood and mental well-being, increase energy levels, and promote better sleep quality.

Resistance Training

Testosterone helps repair and strengthen muscle. Resistance training, like weight lifting, causes microscopic tears in your muscle fibers. When muscle is damaged, a hormonal response is triggered in the body. 

The key to increasing testosterone through resistance training lies in maintaining a consistent routine over time. While short-term boosts in testosterone may occur after individual workouts, these effects are temporary and do not lead to lasting increases without ongoing effort.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)

HIIT works in a similar fashion to resistance training by triggering a hormonal

response. With HIIT, the luteinizing hormone is stimulated and released into the blood, signaling the release of testosterone. Studies have shown that HIIT can increase testosterone levels by 20-40%. Older men can even benefit from HIIT despite the natural decline in testosterone.

Sleep and Stress Management

Poor sleep habits can affect the natural production of testosterone. During sleep, particularly deep sleep or the REM cycle, the body gets to rest and heal, and it also produces important hormones like testosterone. When your sleep is broken or too short, you miss out on deep sleep, and that can cause your testosterone levels to drop. Studies have shown that just 1 week of poor sleep habits can lead to a decrease in testosterone levels.

Strategies for Better Sleep

Consistency with your sleep schedule may improve testosterone production. This means going to bed at the same time each night, even on the weekends. This will help with your natural sleep–wake cycle. Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night is optimal. 

Developing a relaxing routine prior to bedtime can help you drift off to sleep more easily. This may include listening to relaxing music, reading a book, or

taking a warm bath/shower. Avoiding  blue light, such as the television or scrolling on your phone, prior to bedtime has been shown to decrease melatonin production, which can lead to sleep issues. Avoiding stimulants before bedtime, like caffeine, smoking, and heavy meals, will help achieve better quality sleep. There are many other strategies for improved sleep hygiene, but these are at the top.

Herbal and Natural Supplementation

While tried and true prescriptions from medical professionals will add testosterone into your body, some herbal and natural supplements may help your body make testosterone. 

Ashwagandha

The Ashwagandha plant has been used in traditional Indian medicine for many different things. In several studies, it has been shown to increase testosterone levels, as well as increase sperm count and motility. It has also been shown to decrease stress. This, in turn, will help keep cortisol levels normal. When cortisol levels are elevated, it can lower  testosterone levels.

Fenugreek

Another plant is Fenugreek. It is native to the Mediterranean, Europe, and Asia. It can be used in both cooking and traditional medicine. Fenugreek has been shown to have an indirect effect on testosterone by slowing the breakdown of testosterone. In turn, testosterone levels would ideally increase.

Using traditional herbal supplements does not come without side effects, especially if you are prescribed other medications.  It is important to contact your medical provider for guidance, as some herbal supplements may have significant impacts on the effectiveness of prescribed medication.

Myths and Misinformation

Unfortunately, there are over-the-counter supplements sold that claim to be natural testosterone boosters. Some of these products or proprietary blends will likely have ingredients in them that are proven to aid in testosterone production. However, a lot of these products are underdosed and overpriced. 

Other things to watch out for are supplements with no published clinical trials. Many of these supplements will have before and after testimonials only with no scientific evidence to back it up. 

Vitamin D

While vitamin D is important for overall health and hormone regulation, current scientific evidence does not strongly support its ability to significantly boost testosterone levels in healthy men. Despite this, a quick web search reveals many articles and supplement claims promoting vitamin D as a natural testosterone enhancer, highlighting a gap between popular online information and what research shows.

SARMs

Finally, always read the ingredients.  Some supplements may have selective androgen receptor modulators, or SARMs, in them. SARMs target some of the same receptors in your body that anabolic steroids do. However, they are more selective in doing so, hence the name. They work similarly to testosterone, but are not approved by the Federal Drug Administration. In addition, there is no long-term data with regard to safety.

Conclusion

When it comes to  natural testosterone boosters, lifestyle changes are your most powerful tool. They will not only provide a natural testosterone boost, but will benefit you in other areas of life, both physically and mentally. Small, consistent changes completed over time can and will lead to positive changes. The importance of long-term health and continued positive lifestyle changes will benefit you for years to come over the quick fixes. And above all else, have a discussion with your medical provider about your concerns, and before starting anything new.  

References

American Urological Association. (2018). Guideline: Evaluation and management of testosterone deficiency. https://www.auanet.org/guidelines/testosterone-deficiency-guideline

Fazio, A., & Palmieri, L. (2020). Effect of fenugreek extract supplementation on testosterone levels: A meta-analysis of clinical trials. Phytotherapy Research, 34(6), 1319–1328. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.6615

Lerchbaum, E., & Obermayer-Pietsch, B. (2019). Vitamin D and testosterone: A systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of Endocrinology, 180(5), 325–337. https://doi.org/10.1530/EJE-18-0731

Lopresti, A. L., & Smith, S. J. (2019). A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining the hormonal and vitality effects of ashwagandha in overweight aging males. American Journal of Men's Health, 13(6), 1557988319892745. https://doi.org/10.1177/1557988319892745

Wessells, R. J., & King, K. M. (2023). Zinc and testosterone in men: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Nutrients, 15(1), 121. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15010121