The Truth About Testosterone: What Every Man (And Woman) Needs to Know About Hormones, Health, and Strength
last Friday we talked about Cortisol and it’s role on stress, fat loss and overall health. If you missed it you can read here.
Today let’s talk about something most guys (it also affects ladies too) don’t talk about nearly enough — testosterone.
Not just because it’s the “man hormone.” But because low testosterone can impact almost everything that makes you feel strong, capable, and energized as a man.
Your mood. Your muscle. Your metabolism. Your drive. Your focus. Your confidence.
All of it.
And the tough reality is this: testosterone levels are dropping, decade by decade.
Studies show that men today have significantly lower testosterone than men of the same age did just 30 years ago.
So if you’ve been feeling off — low energy, less motivation, brain fog, struggling to build muscle or lose fat — it might not just be stress or age.
It might be your hormones.
Let’s break down exactly what testosterone is, how it affects your body, and most importantly — how to naturally support healthy testosterone levels at every stage of life.
What Does Testosterone Actually Do?
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone, but it’s not just about libido or reproduction.
It plays a huge role in:
- Building and maintaining muscle mass
- Burning fat
- Supporting energy and mood
- Driving motivation and confidence
- Maintaining bone density
- Supporting heart health and cognition
- Regulating sex drive and performance
It’s not just a gym thing. It’s a life thing.
And when your T levels drop, you feel it — physically and mentally.
Signs of Low Testosterone
You don’t have to feel terrible to have low T — many guys are just feeling “meh” and writing it off as normal aging.
Some common symptoms:
- Low energy or chronic fatigue
- Decreased strength and muscle
- Increased body fat (especially belly fat)
- Low libido or erectile dysfunction
- Mood swings, irritability, or depression
- Poor focus or brain fog
- Trouble recovering from workouts
- Lack of motivation or drive
If that sounds familiar, it’s worth looking deeper.
What Affects Testosterone Levels?
There are a lot of moving parts, but here are the biggest ones:
- Age – testosterone naturally declines after age 30, about 1% per year
- Body fat – especially belly fat, which converts testosterone to estrogen
- Sleep – even one bad night of sleep can drop T levels by 10-15%
- Stress – high cortisol suppresses testosterone production
- Diet – under-eating, poor nutrition, low protein, or micronutrient deficiencies
- Alcohol – especially binge drinking or heavy nightly use
- Lack of resistance training – your body produces more testosterone when lifting weights
- Environmental toxins – BPA, phthalates, and other endocrine disruptors found in plastics and household products
How to Increase Testosterone Naturally
Here’s the good news: you can make a big difference with the right habits. No shortcuts or sketchy pills — just simple, proven, effective strategies that support hormonal health.
1. Strength Train Regularly
Nothing boosts testosterone like lifting weights. Focus on compound movements like squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and rows — exercises that move heavy weight and use multiple joints.
Train 3–4x per week, with progressive overload, proper form, and enough recovery.
Avoid extreme overtraining or chronic cardio — that can actually lower testosterone by driving up cortisol.
2. Prioritize Sleep
This might be the #1 testosterone booster — and it’s free.
Most testosterone production happens during deep sleep. If you’re constantly shortchanging sleep, your hormone levels will tank.
Shoot for:
- 7–9 hours per night
- A consistent sleep-wake cycle
- No screens in bed
- Cool, dark bedroom environment
Even one week of better sleep can noticeably impact your mood, libido, and energy.
3. Fix Your Nutrition
Your body needs the right fuel to produce hormones. That means:
- Plenty of protein – aim for 0.8–1g per pound of bodyweight
- Healthy fats – testosterone is synthesized from cholesterol, so include eggs, avocados, olive oil, fatty fish, and nuts
- Zinc and magnesium – two critical minerals for testosterone (found in red meat, oysters, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and dark chocolate)
- Avoid chronic under-eating – low-calorie diets can crash your hormones
- Limit sugar and ultra-processed foods – they spike insulin and inflammation
Think whole foods, not fads.
4. Lose Excess Body Fat
The more fat you carry — especially visceral fat around the belly — the more likely your body is converting testosterone to estrogen via an enzyme called aromatase.
Losing fat through strength training, walking, and proper nutrition helps reverse this process and boosts T production naturally.
5. Reduce Chronic Stress
Stress raises cortisol. Cortisol suppresses testosterone. See the problem?
Walking, lifting, breathing, laughing, sleep — all the things that lower cortisol will support higher testosterone too.
6. Cut Back on Alcohol and Endocrine Disruptors
Heavy alcohol intake reduces testosterone production and impairs liver function, which affects hormone metabolism.
Also, minimize plastic containers, personal care products with synthetic fragrances, and processed foods that contain BPA and other endocrine disruptors.
7. Consider Natural Supplements (With Doctor Approval)
There are no magic pills. But some supplements can help support your body’s natural testosterone production — especially if you’re already doing the foundational things.
Two of the most commonly recommended by researchers like Dr. Andrew Huberman:
- Tongkat Ali (Eurycoma longifolia):
May support increased free testosterone and reduce cortisol when taken daily. Often used at 200–400mg doses.
Check with your doctor before starting, especially if you’re on medication. - Boron Citrate:
May help increase free testosterone and reduce SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), which makes testosterone more bioavailable.
Often taken at 3–10mg per day.
Again — these aren’t substitutes for training, eating, and sleeping well. But they may support your body’s natural hormonal rhythms, especially if paired with the right lifestyle habits.
8. Get Your Bloodwork Checked
You can’t guess your way to hormonal health.
If you’re dealing with symptoms of low T — or just want to stay on top of your health — get your bloodwork done.
Ask for:
- Total testosterone
- Free testosterone
- Estradiol
- SHBG
- LH and FSH
- DHEA
- Cortisol
- Thyroid panel
- Vitamin D, zinc, magnesium
Numbers matter — but so do symptoms and quality of life. Work with a knowledgeable doctor who understands both.
The Bottom Line
You can’t control your age. But you can control how your body responds to it.
Testosterone is about more than muscle. It’s about how you feel, how you show up, and how you move through life as a strong, capable man — whether you’re in your 20s, 40s, or 60s.
Start with the simple stuff:
Lift weights. Sleep deeply. Eat well. Walk often. Stay connected.
Then, if needed, consider bloodwork and supplements with a doctor’s guidance.
I just got detailed bloodwork done myself last month and it’s been super helpful because our hormones are not set in stone. You can change the game — and it starts today.
If you’re trying to get stronger, leaner, and healthier without adding more stress to your life — let us help.
