Can You Boost Low Testosterone Naturally?

By Eric Metcalf, MPH WebMD Feature

If you're looking for ways to boost your testosterone level, you might start by looking at your lifestyle. Some changes that are good for the rest of you could also benefit your testosterone level, if it's low.

"I never prescribe testosterone alone without talking to men about their lifestyle," says Martin Miner, MD, co-director of the Men's Health Center at the Miriam Hospital in Providence, R.I.

Here are six things that can affect your testosterone level:

Poor sleep can have consequences for your testosterone level.

George Yu, MD, a urology professorat the George Washington University Medical Center in Washington, D.C., sayspoor sleep is the most important factor that contributes to low testosterone in many men. A lack of sleep affects a variety of hormones and chemicals in your bloodstream. This, in turn, can have a harmful impact on your testosterone.

Make sleep a priority, aiming for seven to eight hours per night, even if it means rearranging your schedule or dropping your habit of late-night TV. Prize your sleep, just like you'd prize a healthy diet and active lifestyle. It's that important.

If you're having problems getting good sleep on a regular basis,talk to your doctor.

Men who are overweight or obese often have low testosterone levels, says Alvin M. Matsumoto, MD, of the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.

For those men,losing the extra weight can help bring testosterone back up, he says. Likewise, for men who are underweight, getting your weight up to a healthy level can also have a positive effect on the hormone.

Excerpt from:
Can You Boost Low Testosterone Naturally?

Word Count: 277