Low testosterone · Telehealth for men · Canada & USA
How to raise testosterone naturally: what actually works
The changes with the best evidence are losing extra body fat, sleeping enough and staying active. In a meta-analysis of 24 studies, low-calorie diets raised total testosterone by 2.87 nmol/L on average (about 83 ng/dL) and bariatric surgery by 8.73 nmol/L. A week of five-hour nights cut young men’s daytime testosterone by 10 to 15 percent. Cutting back heavy drinking, managing stress and reviewing medications such as opioids and steroids matter too. Vitamin D and zinc help mainly when you are low, and most “testosterone booster” ingredients have little or no human evidence. We help men 35 and over in Canada and the USA find which levers apply to them, test at the right time and build a plan they can keep.
Part of our low testosterone and andropause guide for men in Canada and the USA.
What actually raises testosterone without TRT?
Guidelines on both sides of the border start in the same place. The American Urological Association (2018) says every man with low testosterone should be counselled on lifestyle, because losing weight and moving more can raise total testosterone. The Canadian Urological Association (2021) says fixable causes should be managed before testosterone therapy: obesity, opioids and glucocorticoids, extreme dieting or exercise, and sleep apnea. The Endocrine Society (2018) calls these functional causes. Here is how the levers compare. For the bigger decision, see TRT, or fix the causes first?
| Lever | What the research shows | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Losing body fat | 24 studies: low-calorie diets +2.87 nmol/L, bariatric surgery +8.73 nmol/L on average | The biggest lever if you carry extra weight |
| Sleep | A week of five-hour nights: daytime T 10 to 15 percent lower | Protects what you make; fixes a common drain |
| Exercise | Small rises with endurance and interval training in men 60+; lifting builds muscle | A modest rise, more muscle, easier weight control |
| Alcohol | About 40 g a day for three weeks: T 6.8 percent lower; heavy drinking lowers production | Cutting back removes a drag |
| Stress and fuel | Big energy deficits, broken sleep and uncontrolled stress turn down the brain’s signal | Levels come back with food, sleep and recovery |
| Medications | Opioids and glucocorticoids suppress T; anabolic steroids shut down your own production | Worth a careful medication review |
| Vitamin D, zinc | Rises seen in men who started deficient, not in men with enough | Test first, top up only if low |
| Booster supplements | Most ingredients have no human data on testosterone | Usually money better spent elsewhere |
Sleep: protect the hours your body makes testosterone
Most of the day’s testosterone release happens during sleep. In the best-known test, Leproult and Van Cauter at the University of Chicago (JAMA, 2011) gave 10 healthy men averaging 24 years old three nights of 10-hour bedtimes, then eight nights of five-hour bedtimes. Daytime testosterone fell from 18.4 to 16.5 nmol/L, a drop the authors put at 10 to 15 percent,. For scale, they noted that normal ageing lowers testosterone by 1 to 2 percent a year. The Canadian Urological Association says a structured sleep program may offset the loss. Loud snoring, gasping at night and daytime sleepiness point to sleep apnea, covered below. The full picture is in low testosterone and sleep.
Losing body fat: the biggest lever for most men
Extra body fat dampens the brain’s LH signal to the testes and converts more testosterone to estradiol, the Canadian Urological Association explains. The good news runs the other way. In a meta-analysis of 24 studies (Corona and colleagues, 2013), total testosterone rose by 2.87 nmol/L on average after low-calorie diets (about 83 ng/dL) and by 8.73 nmol/L after bariatric surgery (about 250 ng/dL). The more weight men lost, the bigger the rise, and gains were larger in younger men without diabetes. In the European Male Ageing Study, which followed 2,736 men aged 40 to 79 for about four years, weight loss went with a proportional rise in testosterone and weight gain with a proportional fall. If your weight sits mostly around the middle, start here: see is low T age or weight? and, if you use semaglutide or tirzepatide, weight-loss drugs and testosterone.
Exercise: lift for muscle, move for testosterone
Exercise helps, but less than the internet suggests: the Canadian Urological Association calls the rises relatively modest. A 2019 meta-analysis of 22 studies in men 60 and older (Hayes and Elliott) found small, significant rises in resting testosterone with endurance and interval training, and no significant change with resistance training. Lifting still earns its place: it builds the muscle low T erodes and helps keep lost fat off. In a Japanese program of 41 men with overweight or obesity (Kumagai and colleagues, 2016), testosterone rose over twelve weeks of aerobic training and calorie cuts, and the men who added the most daily steps gained the most. One caution: very hard training on too little food works against you.
Alcohol: how much is too much for testosterone?
In a diet-controlled Dutch trial, 10 healthy middle-aged men drank beer with dinner (about 40 g of alcohol a day) for three weeks and alcohol-free beer for three weeks; testosterone was 6.8 percent lower after the beer period (Sierksma and colleagues, 2004). A 2023 review (Smith and colleagues) found that small amounts can briefly raise testosterone, but heavy drinking, especially over the long term, lowers its production. The Endocrine Society and the Canadian Urological Association both list alcohol abuse among the causes of low testosterone, and a late drink costs you sleep too.
Stress, cortisol and under-eating
Stress lowers testosterone mainly through the brain. A 2026 review (Friedl and colleagues) of military, athlete and competition studies found that severe energy deficits, broken sleep and stress you cannot control turn down the brain’s GnRH and LH signals and often raise SHBG, which cuts free testosterone even more. Heavy lifting did not lower resting testosterone when men ate enough, and levels came back with food, sleep and recovery. Cortisol is not the whole story: in the JAMA sleep study, testosterone fell without any rise in cortisol. What helps: eat enough to fuel your training, protect sleep, and build in recovery.
Medications, steroids and sleep apnea
Some of the most fixable causes sit in the medicine cabinet. The Endocrine Society notes that opioids at doses equivalent to 30 mg of methadone suppress testosterone, and longer-acting opioids more so; a meta-analysis of 17 studies found testosterone was lower in men who use opioids regularly, whatever the type, methadone included (Bawor and colleagues, 2015). Glucocorticoids such as prednisone, anabolic steroids (during use and after stopping) and marijuana are on the Canadian list too. We help you list everything you take so any change is planned safely with whoever manages each medication. Sleep apnea is common with obesity and linked with low testosterone, but in a meta-analysis of 12 studies and 388 men, CPAP on its own did not significantly change total testosterone (Cignarelli and colleagues, 2019). Treat apnea for sleep and energy; weight loss is what moves testosterone.
Vitamin D and zinc: only if you are low
Vitamin D: in an Austrian trial of 54 men on a weight-loss program whose vitamin D started in the deficient range, a year of 3,332 IU a day raised total testosterone from 10.7 to 13.4 nmol/L, with no change on placebo (Pilz, 2011). Two later trials, in men with normal and with low testosterone, found no effect (Lerchbaum, 2017 and 2019), and a 2026 meta-analysis found no clear effect. Zinc: severe and moderate zinc deficiency goes with low testosterone. In nine older men who were marginally deficient, six months of zinc raised testosterone from 8.3 to 16.0 nmol/L (Prasad, 1996), while a zinc and magnesium (ZMA) supplement did nothing in men already eating enough zinc (Koehler, 2009). The US NIH sets men’s zinc needs at 11 mg a day and the upper limit at 40 mg; long-term excess can lower copper. Test, then top up only what is low.
Do testosterone boosters work?
Mostly not as advertised. A University of Southern California team (Clemesha and colleagues, 2020) analysed 50 “T booster” products: 90 percent claimed to raise testosterone, yet of their 109 ingredients, 67 had no published data on testosterone at all, 27 had some data showing a rise (15 of those with conflicting data too) and 11 had data showing a fall. Thirteen products went over US upper limits for zinc, vitamin B3 or magnesium. Across 37 human studies of the top online boosters’ main ingredients, 30 percent saw a rise and 46 percent no effect (Balasubramanian, 2019). The Canadian Urological Association says boosters cannot be recommended and warns that some have contained banned substances, including steroids. A 2026 meta-analysis of 23 ashwagandha trials found lower cortisol and an average rise in men of about 57 ng/dL, and called for more standardized trials. Health Canada licenses natural health products; the US FDA does not approve supplements for safety or effectiveness before sale. Our supplement plans start from your labs, not a label.
How much change to expect
Natural changes move testosterone by a few nmol/L, not tens. Averages: low-calorie diets +2.87 nmol/L (about 83 ng/dL); bariatric surgery +8.73 nmol/L (about 250 ng/dL); one week of five-hour nights about −1.9 nmol/L (our arithmetic, 18.4 to 16.5); vitamin D across randomized trials +0.47 nmol/L, which was not a clear effect. For scale, the American Urological Association uses a total testosterone of 300 ng/dL (about 10.4 nmol/L) on two early-morning tests, with symptoms, as its line for low testosterone. A man just under that line who carries extra weight and sleeps badly has room to move; a lean man who sleeps well has less. That is why we test before and after.
When lifestyle isn’t enough
Lifestyle is the first step, not the only one. The Endocrine Society recommends confirming low testosterone with repeat morning tests and looking for the cause, because organic causes (pituitary or testicular disease, genetic conditions) will not respond to habits alone. A TRT conversation makes sense when your levels stay low on repeat morning tests after a fair try at the fixable causes and your symptoms persist, or when the numbers point to a problem in the pituitary or testes; LH and FSH help tell which. Our guide TRT, or fix the causes first? walks through the trade-offs, and labs to ask for lists the markers worth checking.
How Odin helps you raise testosterone naturally
Odin Health Labs is an andropause and low-T telehealth service for men in Canada and the USA. On a free call we go through your symptoms, sleep, weight, training, drinking, stress, medications and supplements, plus any labs you already have. We help you plan which tests to get and when, read the results with you in plain language, and build a written plan around the levers that apply to you. Our health coaching keeps it going week to week with check-ins you can track, functional health looks at the whole picture, and repeat labs show whether the plan is working. If your levels stay low, we help you prepare for a clear TRT conversation.
Assessment
A telehealth review of your symptoms, habits, medications and history, anywhere in Canada or the USA.
Labs
The right tests at the right time, before and after, so you can see what changed.
Coaching
Weekly support on sleep, fat loss, training and stress, with numbers you can track.
A written plan
Your levers in order of impact, with clear next steps if your levels stay low.
From low energy to a plan
Here is how we work with you, start to finish.
- Step 1
Talk it through
On a free call we go through your energy, drive, sleep, weight, training, drinking and stress.
- Step 2
Get a baseline
Two morning testosterone tests and the markers that matter, so there is a number to beat.
- Step 3
Work the levers
A written sleep, fat-loss, training and stress plan, with coaching to keep it going.
- Step 4
Recheck and decide
Repeat labs show what moved; if levels stay low, we map out your TRT options.
Sources (checked October 16, 2026)
- Bhasin S, Brito JP, Cunningham GR, et al. Testosterone Therapy in Men With Hypogonadism: An Endocrine Society Clinical Practice Guideline. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2018;103(5):1715–1744. doi.org/10.1210/jc.2018-00229
- Mulhall JP, Trost LW, Brannigan RE, et al. Evaluation and Management of Testosterone Deficiency: AUA Guideline. J Urol 2018;200(2):423–432 (statement 21, lifestyle). doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2018.03.115
- Grober ED, Krakowsky Y, Khera M, et al. Canadian Urological Association guideline on testosterone deficiency in men: Evidence-based Q&A. Can Urol Assoc J 2021;15(5):E234–E243. doi.org/10.5489/cuaj.7252
- Corona G, Rastrelli G, Monami M, et al. Body weight loss reverts obesity-associated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Eur J Endocrinol 2013;168(6):829–843. doi.org/10.1530/EJE-12-0955
- Camacho EM, Huhtaniemi IT, O’Neill TW, et al. Age-associated changes in hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular function in middle-aged and older men are modified by weight change and lifestyle factors: longitudinal results from the European Male Ageing Study. Eur J Endocrinol 2013;168(3):445–455. doi.org/10.1530/EJE-12-0890
- Leproult R, Van Cauter E. Research letter on a week of sleep restriction and testosterone levels in young healthy men. JAMA 2011;305(21):2173–2174. doi.org/10.1001/jama.2011.710
- Cignarelli A, Castellana M, Castellana G, et al. Effects of CPAP on Testosterone Levels in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Meta-Analysis Study. Front Endocrinol 2019;10:551. doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2019.00551
- Hayes LD, Elliott BT. Short-Term Exercise Training Inconsistently Influences Basal Testosterone in Older Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Front Physiol 2019;9:1878. doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2018.01878
- Kumagai H, Zempo-Miyaki A, Yoshikawa T, et al. Increased physical activity has a greater effect than reduced energy intake on lifestyle modification-induced increases in testosterone. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2016;58(1):84–89. doi.org/10.3164/jcbn.15-48
- Friedl KE, Nindl BC, Potter AW. Stress-associated testosterone suppression: central adaptation or hypogonadism? J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2026;111(8):e1951–e1960. doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgag181
- Sierksma A, Sarkola T, Eriksson CJ, et al. Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, testosterone, and estradiol levels in middle-aged men and postmenopausal women: a diet-controlled intervention study. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2004;28(5):780–785. doi.org/10.1097/01.alc.0000125356.70824.81
- Smith SJ, Lopresti AL, Fairchild TJ. The effects of alcohol on testosterone synthesis in men: a review. Expert Rev Endocrinol Metab 2023;18(2):155–166. doi.org/10.1080/17446651.2023.2184797
- Bawor M, Bami H, Dennis BB, et al. Testosterone suppression in opioid users: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Drug Alcohol Depend 2015;149:1–9. doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.01.038
- Pilz S, Frisch S, Koertke H, et al. Effect of vitamin D supplementation on testosterone levels in men. Horm Metab Res 2011;43(3):223–225. doi.org/10.1055/s-0030-1269854
- Lerchbaum E, Pilz S, Trummer C, et al. Vitamin D and Testosterone in Healthy Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2017;102(11):4292–4302. doi.org/10.1210/jc.2017-01428
- Lerchbaum E, Trummer C, Theiler-Schwetz V, et al. Effects of vitamin D supplementation on androgens in men with low testosterone levels: a randomized controlled trial. Eur J Nutr 2019;58(8):3135–3146. doi.org/10.1007/s00394-018-1858-z
- Paez-Allendes L, Valenzuela-Fuenzalida JJ, Moya MP, et al. Vitamin D Supplementation, Total Testosterone, and Androgen Bioavailability Markers in Adult Men: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Nutrients 2026;18(13):2090. doi.org/10.3390/nu18132090
- Prasad AS, Mantzoros CS, Beck FW, et al. Zinc status and serum testosterone levels of healthy adults. Nutrition 1996;12(5):344–348. doi.org/10.1016/s0899-9007(96)80058-x
- Koehler K, Parr MK, Geyer H, et al. Serum testosterone and urinary excretion of steroid hormone metabolites after administration of a high-dose zinc supplement. Eur J Clin Nutr 2009;63(1):65–70. doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602899
- NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Zinc: Fact Sheet for Consumers (updated October 4, 2022). ods.od.nih.gov zinc fact sheet
- Clemesha CG, Thaker H, Samplaski MK. ‘Testosterone Boosting’ Supplements Composition and Claims Are not Supported by the Academic Literature. World J Mens Health 2020;38(1):115–122. doi.org/10.5534/wjmh.190043
- Balasubramanian A, Thirumavalavan N, Srivatsav A, et al. Testosterone Imposters: An Analysis of Popular Online Testosterone Boosting Supplements. J Sex Med 2019;16(2):203–212. doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.12.008
- Fornalik M, Malkiewicz A, Adamczak D, et al. Hormonal Modulation with Withania somnifera: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized-controlled Trials. Planta Med 2026;92(8):790–805. doi.org/10.1055/a-2802-8363
- US Food and Drug Administration. Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements (content current as of October 21, 2022). fda.gov dietary supplements
- Health Canada. Natural health product regulation in Canada: Overview. canada.ca natural health products
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to raise testosterone naturally?
There is no overnight fix, but three levers have the best evidence: losing extra body fat, sleeping enough and staying active. In a meta-analysis of 24 studies, low-calorie diets raised total testosterone by 2.87 nmol/L on average (about 83 ng/dL), and in a JAMA study a week of five-hour nights lowered young men’s daytime testosterone by 10 to 15 percent. Cutting back heavy drinking and reviewing medications such as opioids also help.
Do testosterone booster supplements work?
Mostly not as advertised. A 2020 analysis of 50 “T booster” products found that 90 percent claimed to raise testosterone, yet 67 of their 109 ingredients had no published data on testosterone at all and 11 had data showing a fall. The Canadian Urological Association says boosters cannot be recommended and warns that some have contained banned substances, including steroids.
Can vitamin D or zinc raise testosterone?
Mainly if you are deficient. In men with low vitamin D on a weight-loss program, a year of vitamin D raised total testosterone from 10.7 to 13.4 nmol/L, but later randomized trials found no effect, and a 2026 meta-analysis found no clear effect overall. Zinc raised testosterone in older men who were marginally deficient, while a zinc and magnesium supplement did nothing in men already eating enough zinc. Adult men need 11 mg of zinc a day and the upper limit is 40 mg, so test first and top up only what is low.
How much can lifestyle changes raise testosterone?
Usually by a few nmol/L, not tens. Averages from the research: low-calorie diets about 2.9 nmol/L (about 83 ng/dL), bariatric surgery about 8.7 nmol/L (about 250 ng/dL), and the more weight lost, the bigger the rise. Sleep and alcohol work mostly by removing a drag: one week of five-hour nights cost about 10 to 15 percent of daytime testosterone. We test before and after so you can see your own change.
When is it time to think about TRT instead?
When testosterone stays low on repeat morning tests after a fair try at the fixable causes and your symptoms persist, or when labs point to a problem in the pituitary or testes. The American Urological Association uses a total testosterone below 300 ng/dL on two early-morning tests, together with symptoms, as its definition of low testosterone.
How does Odin Health Labs work with my doctor?
Odin Health Labs is an andropause and low testosterone telehealth service for men in Canada and the USA. We work alongside your own doctor: we go through your symptoms, history, medications and lab results with you, help you decide which tests to ask your doctor for, flag medications worth reviewing with whoever prescribes them, and build your sleep, weight, training, stress and nutrition plan. If TRT comes up, we help you prepare clear questions for your doctor. We can share your plan and results with your doctor if you choose. See our low testosterone overview and our Privacy Policy.
Want a plan to raise your testosterone naturally?
A free call is the first step: we go through your symptoms, habits and any labs, find the levers that apply to you and set up a plan with check-ins.