How to increase testosterone

Sources:

To increase testosterone, suggests a combination of exercise, sleep, and nutrition strategies, supported by potential supplementation. Here are the key points:

  1. Resistance Training:

    • Engage in compound exercises such as squats and deadlifts.
    • Follow a protocol of six sets of 10 repetitions with two minutes rest between sets. This strategy significantly boosts testosterone levels, but exceeding this can increase cortisol and reduce testosterone 1.

  2. Endurance Exercise:

    • Perform weight training before cardio to optimize testosterone levels.
    • High-intensity interval training can also increase testosterone, whereas endurance exercise beyond 75 minutes can decrease it due to elevated cortisol levels 2.

  3. Sleep:

    • Aim for an additional 30 to 60 minutes of sleep per night. Even a 20-minute increase in REM sleep can significantly boost testosterone levels 3.

      Resistance Training Protocols

      Andrew discusses the ideal resistance training protocols for increasing testosterone release and how recovery is crucial for seeing improvement from session to session. Six sets of 10 repetitions with compound movements cause a distinctly different result in terms of hormone output than 10 sets of 10 of the exact same movement. Recovery dictates whether or not you can come back and do more work of a different kind.
      Huberman Lab
      Science of Muscle Growth, Increasing Strength & Muscular Recovery | Huberman Lab Podcast #22
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  4. Nutrition:

    • Ensure a balanced diet that supports overall health and hormone production. Avoid overtraining and focus on both resistance and cardiovascular training.

  5. Supplements:

    • Consider supplements like Tongkat Ali and boron for increasing testosterone. Tongkat Ali may influence luteinizing hormone, which is upstream of testosterone, while boron can help free up testosterone in the blood 3 4.

  6. Cold Exposure:

    • Deliberate cold exposure, such as cold showers or cold water immersion, may increase testosterone levels by boosting dopamine and blood flow, although direct studies are limited 5.

By combining these methods, you can optimally increase your testosterone levels while maintaining overall health.

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