11 Foods & 18 Herbs that Increase Testosterone; and 30 foods that Lower Testosterone

The following list of 11 foods that increase Testosterone was compiled from 6 online sources (listed below), and then I edited it. I removed 9 sources due to either controversy, or cause.

Next, I did the same with herbs that boost testosterone. I got several sources, then I compiled the list.

Below that, I have sources of lists of foods that lower testosterone, and I compiled those into one list.

1. Eggs are considered the best protein. Other proteins are measured by the egg standard, in the bodybuilding & supplement world.
2. Beef — organic. (Lean is not necessary, fat often cooks off, or you can cut it out)
3. Butter contains omega 3’s.
4. Beans (high in molybdenum, helps copper work better)
5. Pomegranates –(lower cortisol) Sixty healthy participants drank pure pomegranate juice for 14 days, and researchers tested the levels of testosterone in their saliva three times a day. At the end of the study period, both male and female participants displayed an average 24 percent increase in salivary testosterone levels.
6. Acai Juice (like a blueberry) also contains omega 3’s.
7. Leafy green vegetables (high in magnesium) a study from 2011 found that taking magnesium supplements for 4 weeks prompted an increase in testosterone levels…. However, I note that while greens contain minerals, their net effect might be demineralizing, because they are chelators and diuretics. Greens are good. Greens also detox. They contain magnesium. But might not provide much magnesium. Magnesium is what the study was based on, not greens.
8. Extra-virgin olive oil. Results of a small-scale study indicate that the oil may boost serum testosterone levels in healthy adult men.
9. Lemons (lower cortisol)
10. Bananas
11. Cruciferous Vegetables

Food Spices:
–. Ginger — taking a daily ginger supplement for 3 months increased testosterone levels by 17.7 percent in a group of 75 adult male participants with fertility issues
–. Garlic
–. Onions

Vitamins and Minerals:
–Zinc
–Copper
–Iodine
–Selenium
–Boron
–Magnesium
–B vitamins
–Vitamin C

Herbs that boost Testosterone:

Arginine (L-arginine)
Ashwagandha
Basella alba, also known as Indian spinach
Chrysin, a bioflavonoid from Passiflora, plus black pepper, can reduce conversion of testosterone to estrogen.
Fenugreek
Garlic
Ginger
Ginko biloba
Ginseng
Horny Goat Weed
Longjack root, Tongkat Ali. 100 mg. 400 mg. –most promising.
Maca Root
Moringa
Pine bark extract
Rhodiola Rosea (golden root)
Saw palmetto
Tribulus Terrestris
Yohimbe

Note, some articles note that scientific studies are inconclusive, or show that the herbs do not work. The trouble with science and the human body is that science loves to try to isolate one thing. But good things often work in synergy and have a multiplicative effect. And bad things have a toxic synergy, too. Sometimes “science” will try even up to 5 herbs at once, and notice nothing. Part of the problem is that 99% of Americans are poisoned with fluoride, which lowers testosterone. How can you raise T with T raising herbs if you don’t first eliminate the fluoride? It would be like trying to test a new running shoe to see if it helps you run faster, without taking of the shackle that prevents you from taking more than one step. What if Herbs were studied, even in tandem, but then people are allowed to eat all sorts of T killing foods with no controls on that? It would be like studing an engine gasoline additive, while some of the test subjects have no gas in the car. And there is another problem. Studies are often very short term, and done on college students with maximum T levels. What about men in their 50’s or older who have lower T levels, and are more likely to be suffering from nutritional deficiencies and toxic buildup over the years? Fluoride can take years and years to detoxify from. A 6 week study is hardly appropriate when the nutritional solution can take years.

FOODS THAT LOWER TESTOSTERONE — AVOID THESE FOODS!

Alcohol (like sugar, depletes minerals, destroys metabolism, increases fat, shrinks muscles)
All-Purpose Flour (zinc depleted)
Beets (boost estrogen)
Berries (from high pesticide content) (organic berries boost T)
Bottled Water (BPA from plastic bottles)
Breakfast Pastries (sugar and trans fats)
Bread, pastries, desserts
Canned soup (from high sodium) (and maybe fluoride) canned food increased “problems” by 400%
Cannibis snacks
Cheese (from synthetic hormones)
Chocolate
Coffee (if you drink enough to get jittery)
Cornflakes
Dairy. (From synthetic hormones, and soy feed)
Deli Meat, (from plastic PVC)
Diet soda
Flax Seeds
Fried foods.
Licorice
Microwave popcorn
Mint (also causes bleeding)
Nuts, walnuts (increases sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and has polyunsaturated fats.
Omega 6 fats. (Omega 3’s increase T)
Processed Foods (high sodium and sugar and trans fats)
Shrimp
Soy protein powder, Soy, and soy products (tofu, soy milk, soy sauce) (soy is a goitrogen, it blocks iodine)
Salt — I actually don’t avoid salt, I add it to my coffee. It’s a part of the high iodine program, and iodine really boosts testosterone. Sea salt is a vital nutrient. I think salt tends to get slandered. Greens, which I eat, tend to decrease all minerals, including salt.
Sugar drinks (75 grams of sugar reduces T by 25%) (one can of coke is 39g sugar)
Trans fats (hydrogenated vegetable oil, such as margarine)
Vegetable oil (canola, soybean, corn and cottonseed oil, are loaded with polyunsaturated fatty acids.)

To this list, I would add the following, because fluoride blocks iodine, lowers testosterone, and is a horrible poison:
Chicken, because chicken feed has up to 130 times more fluoride than drinking water, and the levels of fluoride in drinking water are a problem.
Dried Fruits, because they are sprayed with a fluoride based anti fungal to prevent mold. Particulary raisins, grapes, wine.
Black Tea and Green Tea, also have high levels of fluoride.
Pre cooked meals with rice, which could have been cooked in tap water.
Many bottled waters have fluoride added, so be careful.
Other surprising sources of fluoride: tap water used to make coffee at gas stations or in soda fountains.
Other surprising sources of fluoride:
Dental Floss.
Non stick teflon frying pans.
Goretex waterproof clothing.

Other things to do that boosts Testosterone.
–. Diet down
–. Less beer.
–. Avoid plastic, use glass. Plastic is an endocrine disruptor.
–. Lift heavy weights. But not to overtraining.
–. Sprinting is the best testosterone boosting exercise. You can actually feel this.
–. Sleep (zinc helps sleep)

Foods listed as “T Boosters” removed due to contoversy or cause.:

–Milk is controversial, due to pasturization, homogenization, and hormones used on the cows. Milk is great if grass fed organic goat, raw milk.

–Tuna, due to high mercury content.
–Cereal is high carb and generally bad, you don’t eat cereal for the fortivied vitamins; that’s a poor source of vitamins.
–Shellfish (zinc) not only not kosher, but also high in toxins, which is bad. Shrimp is also listed as a Testosterone lowering food!
–Oysters (zinc) not only not kosher, but also high in toxins, which is bad. These are bottom feeders.
–Vitamin D The dosage in this study was 3,332 international units (IU) of the vitamin per day. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154195/ Similar study, 20,000 IU Vitamin D/week showed no change https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28938446/ Vitamin D is also controversial, it was originally a rat poison. It calcifies the soft tissues as a method of toxicity. There is also a huge difference between food sources, and the sun. It is also a hormone. Generally, if you take a hormone, your body makes less of that hormone, which is counter productive.
–Honey, (boron) (Boron is a great supplement, 20mg is the minimum effective dose, but honey is a horrible source of boron, greens and apples are the hightest boron foods.
–Almonds (zinc?) (almonds are also high in pesticides?) and nuts are a poor source of zinc and minerals, you need like 1 cup for 1 mg.
–Porridge Oats (B vitamins). Probably not worth the high carb content, and also a poor source of B vitamins.
–Brazil Nuts (selenium, zinc, natural cholesterol). Removed due to being an inconsistent source of selenium, content varies ten fold, and you can only eat like 5 at once.

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Everything below are the sources.

Sources for the lists above:

https://www.healthline.com/health/low-testosterone/boosting-food

1. Tuna (high in Vitamin D)
2. Low fat milk with D
3. Egg Yolks (rich in D)
4. Fortified cerial (with D)
5. Oysters (zinc)
6. Shellfish (zinc)
7. Beef
8. Beans

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323759#top-8-testosterone-boosting-foods

1. Ginger — taking a daily ginger supplement for 3 months increased testosterone levels by 17.7 percent in a group of 75 adult male participants with fertility issues
2. Oysters
3. Pomegranates — Sixty healthy participants drank pure pomegranate juice for 14 days, and researchers tested the levels of testosterone in their saliva three times a day. At the end of the study period, both male and female participants displayed an average 24 percent increase in salivary testosterone levels.
4. Vitamin D The dosage in this study was 3,332 international units (IU) of the vitamin per day. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21154195/ Similar study, 20,000 IU Vitamin D/week showed no change https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28938446/
5. Leafy green vegetables (high in magnesium) a study from 2011 found that taking magnesium supplements for 4 weeks prompted an increase in testosterone levels of sedentary participants and those who were athletes
6. Fatty fish and fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids)
7. Extra-virgin olive oil Results of a small-scale study indicate that the oil may boost serum testosterone levels in healthy adult men.
8. Onions

https://www.webmd.com/men/ss/slideshow-low-testosterone-natural-boost

1. Onions and garlic.
2. Beef, Eggs
3. Fish
4. Magnesium, greens
5. Oysters, zinc
6. Pomegranate (lowers cortisol)
7. Diet down
8. Less beer.
9. Avoid plastic, use glass
10. Lift weights. But not too much.
11. Sleep

10 Testosterone Boosting Foods

1. Honey, (boron)
2. Garlic
3. Eggs
4. Almonds (zinc) (almonds are also high in pesticides?)
5. Oysters (zinc)
6. Spinach (magnesium)
7. Porridge Oats (B vitamins)
8. Lemons (lower cortisol)
9. Salmon (magnesium, B’s, omega 3’s)
10. Tuna (vitamin D)
11. Bananas

11 Testosterone-Boosting Foods

1. Low Fat milk
2. Cruciferous Vegetables
3. Egg Yolks
4. Fortified Cereals
5. Pomegranates
6. Beans
7. Tuna
8. Oysters
9. Spinach
10. Shellfish
11. Beef

https://prostatecancer911.com/6-foods-to-boost-testosterone-naturally/
Cruciferous Vegetables (anti estrogen)
Eggs (Vitamin D, cholesterol)
Brazil Nuts (selenium, zinc, natural cholesterol)
Honey (boron, and nitric oxide)
Tuna (Vitamin D)
Garlic (allicin reduces cortisol)

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Herbs that increase Testosterone:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/best-testosterone-booster-supplements
Tribulus Terrestris
Fenugreek
Ginger
Ashwagandha

https://www.healthline.com/health/herbs-vitamins-supplements-testosterone-levels-balance
ginseng
Tribulus terrestris
Ashwagandha
Yohimbe
Pine bark extract
Arginine (L-arginine)
Garlic
Basella alba, also known as Indian spinach
Chrysin (Passiflora incarnate)
Saw palmetto

https://www.netmeds.com/health-library/post/5-astonishing-herbs-to-promote-testosterone-level
Tribulus Terrestris
Horny Goat Weed
Ashwagandha
Yohimbe Bark
Pine Bark extract

https://www.longdom.org/open-access/increasing-circulating-testosterone-impact-of-herbal-dietary-supplements.2329-9029.1000130.pdf

Longjack root, Tongkat Ali. 100 mg. 400 mg. –most promising.
Chrysin, a bioflavonoid from Passiflora, plus black pepper, can reduce conversion of testosterone to estrogen.
Fenugreek
Ginko biloba
Tribulus Terrestris

https://crazybulk.com/blog/testosterone-boosting-herbs
Tribulus Terrestris
Ashwagandha
Tongkat Ali
Yohimbe
Horny Goat Weed
Passiflora incarnate
Maca Root
Pine bark extract
Rhodiola Rosea (golden root)
Garlic
Saw palmetto
Moringa

https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/5-amazingly-unknown-testosterone-boosting-herbs
Tongkat Ali (Long Jack)
Horny Goat Weed
Tribulus Terrestris
Rhodiola Rosea (Golden Root)
Moringa

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FOODS THAT LOWER TESTOSTERONE
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-that-lower-testosterone

1. Soy, and soy products (tofu, soy milk, soy sauce)
2. Mint
3. Licorice Root
4. Vegetable oil (canola, soybean, corn and cottonseed oil, are loaded with polyunsaturated fatty acids.)
5. Flaxseed
6. Processed Foods (high sodium and sugar and trans fats)
7. Alcohol
8. Nuts, walnuts (increases sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), and has polyunsaturated fats.

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325186

1. Soy
2. Dairy. (From synthetic hormones, and soy feed)
3. Alcohol.
4. Mint
5. Bread, pastries, desserts
6. Licorice root
7. Omega 6 fats. (Omega 3’s increase T)

https://www.foxnews.com/health/5-foods-that-are-killing-your-sex-drive

1. Alcohol
2. All-Purpose Flour (zinc depleted)
3. Beets (boost estrogen)
4. Berries (from high pesticide content) (organic berries boost T)
5. Bottled Water (BPA from plastic bottles)
6. Canned soup (from high sodium (and maybe fluoride)
7. Cheese (from synthetic hormones)
8. Chocolate
9. Coffee (if you drink enough to get jittery)
10. Cornflakes
11. Deli Meat, (from plastic PVC)
12. Diet soda
13. Flax Seeds
14. Fried foods.
15. Licorice
16. Cannibis snacks
17. Microwave popcorn
18. Mint
19. Shrimp
20. Soy protein powder

https://www.gq.com/gallery/five-diet-libido-killers

1. Salt
2. Soy
3. Canned food (Lots of canned food incrreased “problems” by 400%
4. Trans fats
5. Sugar

https://www.menshealth.com/uk/nutrition/a757460/5-foods-that-destroy-testosterone/

1. Alcohol
2. Soy
3. Sugar drinks (75 grams of sugar reduces T by 25%. (one can of coke is 39g sugar)
4. Breakfast Pastries (sugar and trans fats)
5. Flaxseeds

See also, one of my prior studies on this topic:

Increase Sex Drive, Stamina, and Sexual Enjoyment: with Minerals, Herbs, and Sprinting Exercise