Written by Gatis Strods, founder of TestoHit

TL;DR: You can increase testosterone by optimizing sleep, consistently lifting weights, and preventing micronutrient deficiencies. Science confirms that Vitamin D, zinc, shilajit, and fenugreek significantly contribute to men's hormonal health.

How to Increase Testosterone: A Real Strategy, Not Fairy Tales

When I founded TestoHit, I was tired of hearing "biohacker" nonsense about magic powders that supposedly solve all problems overnight. I am Gatis Strods, and here in Riga, I built a system because I wanted to feel like a man myself, not an exhausted couch cushion. Testosterone isn't just about muscles. It's about your ability to focus, your ambition, and how quickly you jump out of bed in the morning. If you're looking for a magic pill, this article isn't for you. But if you want to know how to increase testosterone using data and biology, read on.

Sleep: The Foundation of Your Hormone Factory

How to increase testosterone with the help of sleep? You need at least 7-8 hours of quality sleep, because it is during the night that your body produces most of its testosterone. A study by Harman et al., published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (2001), found that after the age of 30, a man's testosterone levels naturally decline by 1-2% per year. However, this decline becomes a freefall if you sacrifice sleep.

Many men think five hours is "enough." It's not. If you don't sleep, your cortisol — the stress hormone — screams, while testosterone remains silent. I've seen men who train like crazy but look like wrecks just because their sleep hygiene is garbage. Turn off screens an hour before bed. Make your bedroom a cold and dark cave. This isn't a suggestion; it's a mandatory requirement if you want to see results in your blood tests.

Strength Training: Why Running Won't Save You

How to increase testosterone in the gym? You need to do heavy, compound movements — squats, deadlifts, and bench presses — that make your body understand it needs strength and endurance. Endurance sports, such as marathons, can even lower testosterone levels due to chronic stress. But short, intense strength training 3-4 times a week is the gold standard.

You don't have to become a bodybuilder. You have to become stronger. Every time you add an extra kilogram to the bar, you send a signal to your testicles that it's time to work. It's a simple adaptation mechanism. Your body is efficient — it won't waste resources on hormones if there's no reason to use them. Give it a reason.

Vitamin D: The Sun Hormone in Your Testicles

Does Vitamin D really help increase testosterone? Yes, because Leydig cells, located in the testicles and responsible for producing testosterone, have Vitamin D receptors, meaning it acts directly on the "production line." A study by Pilz et al. (European Journal of Endocrinology, 2011) showed that men who took Vitamin D for a year experienced an increase in testosterone levels of approximately 25.2%.

In Latvia, where the sun is a rarer guest than an honest politician, we all have a deficiency. If your Vitamin D level is below 30 ng/ml, you're not living, you're existing. I included substantial doses in my coffee and capsules because I know that without this foundation, nothing else will work. Check your levels in a lab and don't be surprised if they're tragic.

Zinc: The Biosynthesis Fuel

How to increase testosterone through nutrition? You need to ensure sufficient zinc intake, as zinc is a direct cofactor in the testosterone production process. Prasad et al. (Nutrition, 1996) conducted an experiment where men's zinc intake was restricted. The result? Their testosterone levels dramatically dropped from 39.9 nmol/L to 10.6 nmol/L in just a few months.

Zinc is what keeps masculinity alive. If you sweat during workouts, you lose zinc. If you have high stress levels, you consume zinc. Most modern food is depleted, so supplemental intake is critical. We use zinc gluconate because it's absorbed, not just passing through your system uselessly.

Stress and Cortisol: The Testosterone Killer

How to increase testosterone when life is pushing you down? You need to learn to manage stress, because cortisol and testosterone are on opposite sides of the scale. When cortisol goes up, testosterone automatically drops. It's evolution – if a bear is chasing you, you don't need libido or muscle recovery, you need to survive.

Modern "bears" are emails, loans, and traffic jams. If you're constantly in "fight or flight" mode, your hormonal system gets burned out. I personally use adaptogens, like rhodiola and ginseng, which help the body cope with this pressure. Less stress means more freedom for your testosterone to express itself.

Excess Weight: The Estrogen Factory

How to increase testosterone if you have a "beer belly"? You need to lose fat, because fat tissue contains the enzyme aromatase, which converts your precious testosterone into the female hormone estrogen. The more fat, the more estrogen, and the less testosterone. It's a vicious cycle – low testosterone facilitates fat accumulation, but fat lowers testosterone even further.

Break this cycle. You don't have to be completely fat-free, but maintaining body fat percentage between 12% and 15% is ideal for a man's hormonal profile. When I started working on my physique, I realized that it wasn't age making me slower, but the extra pounds that were literally eating away at my masculinity.

Shilajit and Fenugreek: Nature's Secret Weapons

How to increase testosterone with herbal extracts? Look for shilajit and fenugreek, as they are among the few with serious clinical evidence. A study by Biswas et al. (Andrologia, 2016) confirmed that purified shilajit increased total testosterone by 20.45% in 90 days. That's not insignificant.

Meanwhile, Wankhede et al. (Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2016) demonstrated that fenugreek extract not only increases testosterone but also helps reduce body fat percentage without losing muscle mass. These ingredients are not some mystical powders – they are tools that I have included in TestoHit products because they simply work. I didn't reinvent the wheel; I simply took what science had already confirmed and put it into one cup of coffee.

Frequently Asked Questions

How quickly can testosterone be increased?

Hormonal changes don't happen overnight; usually, the first results can be felt after 3-4 weeks, but stable results require at least 3 months of consistent work on diet and lifestyle.

Can supplements replace the gym?

No, they are a complement that helps achieve maximum potential, but without a mechanical stimulus (training), your body will not fully utilize the available resources.

Does coffee affect testosterone?

Caffeine itself can temporarily increase testosterone before a workout, but in the case of TestoHit, the main factor is not caffeine, but the added active ingredients that work synergistically.

Does a cold shower increase testosterone?

A cold shower improves circulation and discipline, but there is no direct scientific evidence that it significantly changes testosterone levels in the long term, although it can help with recovery.

How to know if testosterone has increased?

You will notice better sleep, a greater desire to act, clearer thinking, and, of course, an increase in libido. Blood tests are the only way to know precisely.

Should zinc be taken every day?

Yes, because zinc is a water-soluble mineral that the body does not store in large reserves, so regular intake is necessary to maintain optimal levels.

To get all of this in one cup of coffee, SUPERCHARGED contains creatine, shilajit, fenugreek, zinc, magnesium, and vitamins. The capsule variant - MAXX.