For men, testosterone is the main sex hormone. In the testes, Leydig cells make it. It has a big impact on sex drive, bone mass, body composition, muscle mass and strength, voice tone, and sperm output.

 

When it comes to testosterone, some foods can raise or lower them. A study done in 2021 watched 3,283 Taiwanese men for six years and found that those who ate a bad diet had lower testosterone levels and testicles that didn’t work as well.

It was better for men’s testicles and testosterone levels when they ate a lot of leafy greens, legumes, and cheese.2What was meant by “poor diet” was:

Eat a lot of processed meats and fish, deep-fried foods, organ meats, and flour goods that are cooked in oil.2

 

A good diet with a few foods that are known to raise testosterone levels can help you get your levels back up on their own. Here are some things that you should add.

 

 

Fatty Fish and Fish Oil

 

A 2020 study that looked at overweight men and women found that men who took fish oil with omega-3 fatty acids had higher testosterone levels than women who did not. DHA, a fatty acid that can be found in fish, was found to be very helpful.3

 

Another study from 2013 found that fish oil and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) raised the production of testosterone. This suggests that they may help athletes do better in both endurance and strength training.4

 

Milk and Dairy Products

 

The study of Taiwanese men from 2021 that was already stated found that eating milk and other dairy products kept testosterone levels from dropping. The same thing was found in a 2019 study of middle-aged and older guys in Taiwan.

Vitamin D, which is needed to make testosterone, can be found in large amounts in fortified milk.5It is very important for hormone health that vitamin D levels stay within normal ranges. This can be done through food, sunshine, or supplements. But more study is needed before we can say for sure how dairy products affect the production of testosterone.

 

Legumes

 

Beans, peas, and peanuts are all legumes, and a study from Taiwan found that eating them can help protect against low testosterone levels and bad sperm function.

This might be because beans have a lot of zinc and magnesium, two nutrients that are linked to extra testosterone.

 

Dark, Leafy Greens

 

Dark leafy greens are full of vitamins that are good for your health and are high in fiber.

Also, the Taiwanese study found that men who ate more dark leafy greens had more testosterone than men who didn’t eat as much of them. The same thing happened in a study done in 2018.6

 

Honey

 

Natural medicine experts often talk about honey’s many uses, such as its ability to kill germs and soothe a child’s sore throat.

An analysis of the research published in 2019 also found that honey can raise testosterone levels in men by making more luteinizing hormone, protecting Leydig cells from damage, and stopping aromatase activity in the testes.

But more studies on people are still needed to be sure of what effect honey has on testosterone.7

 

Onions

 

A study from 2019 found that onions may help men’s testosterone levels by making more luteinizing hormone, improving the testes’ antioxidant defense system, and protecting against inflammation and insulin resistance.

But more clinical studies are needed to find out how onions can raise testosterone levels in people.8

 

Eggs

 

There is cholesterol in whole eggs, and your body needs it to make testosterone. Twelve weeks of weight training in 2021 was used to follow young men. Those men who ate eggs every day had higher testosterone levels.

Different groups were made. One group ate three whole eggs every day, and the other group ate six egg whites. Researchers found that the testosterone level went up more in the group that ate the whole eggs.

 

Foods with Flavonoids

 

Studies have shown that eating a lot of fruits and veggies that are high in flavonoids is good for your health and helps your body make testosterone.

Some studies show that flavonoids can stop or slow down hypogonadism in men as they age, which means that their gonads work less well.

 

These foods are high in flavonoids:

 

Onions
Hot peppers
Kale
Broccoli
Rutabagas
Spinach

 

 

 

oysters

 

Zinc is an important chemical for making testosterone, and oysters are full of it. Getting more zinc than you need might help you avoid zinc deficiency, but it won’t do much to boost your testosterone level.

 

 

Some Herbs

A lot of herbs on the market say they can increase testosterone, but there isn’t much evidence to support those claims.

A 2021 meta-analysis, on the other hand, found that these four herbs show promise, though more study is needed:

Extract of fenugreek seed
Ashwagandha (extract from roots and leaves)
The root extract of Asian red ginseng Forskohlii