Watching your testosterone levels is important for your overall health.

This hormone most associated with male development is responsible for more than just the reproductive system. It’s necessary for other functions like controlling traits, regulating bone and muscle mass, distributing fat, producing red blood cells and sperm, and even having an effect on brain function.

As you can see, having healthy testosterone levels, also known as T levels, will contribute to your good health in many ways. What happens when your T levels are lower than they should be? You could take supplements, sure, but they might not work and can have some side effects that are potentially dangerous, like an increase in risk for heart attacks. Thankfully, there are a few ways to boost your testosterone levels naturally.

1. Eat well

The first step to good overall health is to have a diet full of healthy foods full of essential nutrients. Testosterone production requires vitamin A, vitamin D, zinc, cholesterol, magnesium, and healthy fats, so filling your plate with foods that contain these will be hugely beneficial. Leafy greens, legumes, and whole grains are rich with magnesium. Meat is a significant source of zinc, specifically red meat and tuna fish, but also can be found in beef, lamb, pork, and other kinds of fish. There are certain foods that can lower your testosterone levels naturally too, including consuming large amounts of protein, so be aware of those as well.

There are plenty more foods that are written about in Andro Fuel’s natural testosterone boosters guide for more in-depth information. It can be overwhelming to change a big part of your lifestyle, so remember to make small, gradual changes if your long-term goal is to completely overhaul how you eat. Taking small steps will help you stick to your new diet, mitigate cravings, and avoid the relapse that could come from depriving yourself of everything you love at once. Big changes don’t happen overnight, so keep that in mind if you sneak in some junk food and try to get back on track for your next meal.

2. Exercise

Any amount of exercise is better than none, but it’s important to get in the recommended amount to improve and maintain your overall health. Exercising regularly also is proven to increase your testosterone levels naturally, which is another convincing reason to get moving.

The most effective ways to boost your T levels with exercise is with weight lifting and sprinting. Lifting heavy weights, either with high reps and low weights or vice versa, has been proven to significantly boost testosterone levels. Short but intense sprints have also been shown to increase testosterone production, so tack on a couple of sprints into your workouts.

3. Get some sun

You can up your vitamin D intake with supplements and vitamin D-rich foods, but the best way to absorb this essential nutrient is with sunshine with sunshine. Your body needs vitamin D to produce testosterone, so getting out in the sun every day can help boost your T levels and benefit many other health problems. Going for a short walk around the block twice a day can combat depression and stress levels, which both impede your body’s testosterone production.