How to Boost Testosterone Naturally

G'day mate!

Fresh off the weekend in Pittsburgh—incredible town by the way—putting this one together at the airport. Over the past month there's been a bit of discussion around hormones, in particular testosterone, and claims that I don't feel the need to get into. What I do feel is important is talking about how critical this hormone is for both female and male health, and that there are natural ways to improve it. That full protocol is below.

In this week’s newsletter (4 min read): 
🥩 The foods that directly support testosterone production (and what to pull out)
 😴 How sleep and specific lifestyle habits move the needle more than any supplement
🌿 The natural ingredients worth adding (and the everyday things quietly working against you)

If you've got a mate asking about testosterone, send them THIS link before they go down a rabbit hole.

Why testosterone matters for everyone

Testosterone gets immediately gendered and immediately misunderstood. Men have more of it, but women produce it too. It plays a critical role in energy, mood, bone density, libido, and lean muscle mass for both sexes.

When it's low, everything feels harder. Recovery stalls. Motivation drops. Body composition shifts. Focus goes soft.

The conversation usually goes straight to pharmaceutical solutions before anyone asks what the lifestyle looks like. For most people who aren't dealing with a clinical deficiency, the natural levers are significant.

Sleep alone can move testosterone by 15% in a week.

Here's what matters: testosterone is produced primarily during deep sleep. One week of sleeping under 5 hours drops levels by up to 15%. That's the equivalent of aging 10–15 years hormonally.

The food protocol

Testosterone synthesis requires cholesterol as a precursor. That means dietary fat—particularly saturated and monounsaturated fat—is non-negotiable.

Zinc and magnesium are the two minerals most directly tied to testosterone production. They're also the most commonly deficient in active people.

What to build your plate around:

Quality fats:

• Grass-fed beef and eggs (cholesterol, zinc, saturated fat)

• Fatty fish (omega-3s reduce inflammation)

• Olive oil and avocado (monounsaturated fat)

Minerals:

• Oysters (highest dietary source of zinc)

• Pumpkin seeds and dark leafy greens (magnesium)

Cruciferous vegetables:

• Broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts

• Contain indole-3-carbinol, which helps clear excess estrogen

• Better testosterone-to-estrogen ratio

You can't out-supplement a diet that's chronically low in zinc, magnesium, and quality fat. Fix the plate first.

Sleep and lifestyle—the highest-leverage protocol

If I had to rank the levers:

1. Sleep (first by a significant margin)

2. Resistance training

3. Stress management

4. Food

5. Supplementation

Most people have this inverted.

Sleep protocol:

• Consistent bed and wake time (same time every day, weekends included)

• 7–9 hours in a cool, dark room (18°C / 65°F)

• No screens 60 minutes before bed (my trick: fictional book, changes the game)

Training protocol:

• Resistance training 2-3x per week

• Focus on compound lifts: squats, deadlifts, lunges

• These produce a testosterone spike post-session

But here's the nuance: chronic overtraining without recovery does the opposite. It elevates cortisol, which directly suppresses testosterone. More is not better if you're not recovering.

Stress and sunlight:

• Morning sunlight (regulates cortisol rhythm)

• Manage stress (if you're stressed at work, then home, then gym, cortisol is always elevated)

• Cortisol is testosterone's direct antagonist

The gym session you're already doing is working for you. The recovery you're skipping is working against you.

What to add—and what to cut

Natural ingredients worth adding (backed by actual evidence):

• Ashwagandha: reduces cortisol, increases testosterone by 15–17%

• Vitamin D — functions as a hormone. Most people are deficient. 2,000–4,000 IU daily with food.

• Zinc supplement — if dietary intake is low, 25–45mg daily. Don’t exceed — excess zinc suppresses copper. You can use ALMA to work on how to get this from food

• Magnesium glycinate — 300–400mg before bed. Supports sleep quality and testosterone simultaneously (this is why I take AGZ every night before bed)

Cut or reduce:

• Alcohol (suppresses testosterone for 24+ hours)

• Processed seed oils

• Chronic cardio without fuel

• Plastic containers (endocrine disruptors)

• Sleep debt (no supplement compensates)

Crunchy Breakfast Burrito

Eggs deliver the cholesterol your body needs for testosterone production, avocado brings monounsaturated fats, cheese adds saturated fat. All wrapped up and ready to go.

RECIPE HERE →

cals: 747   •   fat: 30g   •   protein: 30g   •   carbs: 47g

Final Thoughts

Testosterone is not a male issue. It's a human performance issue. And before anyone jumps to a prescription or a $100 supplement stack, the lifestyle inputs are doing more than most people give them credit for.

Sleep more. Lift heavy. Eat quality fat and zinc. Cut the alcohol. Get outside in the morning. That's the protocol. It's not complicated, but it is consistent. And consistency is what actually moves the numbers.

Quick Notes

🍏 New on Alma: you can now upload your blood work directly. Connect it with something like Hone and your nutrition coach gets a whole lot more personal. Know your deficiencies, fix them.

#EatGoodFeelGood

— DC