How Do You Fix Low Testosterone? 6 Proven Ways to Increase Testosterone

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It’s reported that as many as 20% of men (2 million) across the UK over the age of 50 may be suffering from low testosterone. However, only 1% have been diagnosed and are being treated.

Low testosterone can be caused by a number of things and affect a wide range of areas of your life negatively. If you are suffering from low testosterone, you likely want to know how to fix it and get your body back on track.

You’ll first need to identify what is causing the drop in testosterone. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know from the signs and symptoms to the causes and available treatments to fix testosterone.

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Symptoms of Low Testosterone

One of the most important steps in fixing low testosterone is knowing the symptoms. When you are aware of the symptoms, you can correctly identify if you have low testosterone.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of low testosterone:

• Fatigue
• Depression
• Loss of bone density
• Loss of muscle mass and muscle strength
• Weight gain and increased belly fat
• Trouble focusing or brain fog
• Decreased sex drive or low libido
• Erectile dysfunction
• Delayed puberty (in young males)

Causes of Low Testosterone

The next step is to understand the various potential causes of low testosterone, which will help you address your condition and manage the symptoms.

Here are some of the most common causes of low T levels:

Health Conditions

Several medical issues can disrupt the body’s functions, including the production of adequate testosterone levels. If you have any of these medical conditions, they may be contributing to your low testosterone levels.

Hypogonadism

This is perhaps the most common health problem known to affect testosterone levels.

Male hypogonadism refers to the condition in which the parts responsible for creating testosterone are not able to keep up with the demand. Its divided into two main types: primary hypogonadism (caused by testicular problems like testicular cancer) and secondary hypogonadism (caused by problems with the pituitary gland such as pituitary tumor).

Hypogonadism is generally not cured but made up for by injecting more testosterone into the body consistently. Hypogonadism can be onset by lifestyle factors like obesity or excessive exercise, which can be cured.

Cancer Treatments

With 1 in 2 people developing cancer at some point in their lives (NHS 2022), it is becoming more and more common for men to experience low testosterone because of cancer treatments.

Cancer treatments, while they are sometimes effective, do a lot of damage to the body in the process. One of the casualties of cancer treatment on the body can be testosterone production.

Many times, once the treatment is stopped and the cancer is beaten, testosterone production will return to healthy levels.

Other Health Issues and Chronic Illnesses

There are several health issues out there that can cause testosterone deficiency syndrome.

This includes conditions like diabetes, HIV, heart conditions, chronic kidney or liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, thyroid dysfunction, certain genetic conditions and more.

Lifestyle Conditions

Your testosterone levels can also be impacted by lifestyle conditions–choices–that you make. Here are some of the most common reasons for low testosterone caused by lifestyle choices.

Stress

Without the ability to properly handle stress or the insistence of taking on too much stress, you can easily put your body under hardship. One bodily function that could be affected by holding too much stress is testosterone production.

Under stress, your body produces more stress hormone cortisol. High cortisol can lead to low T.

Physical Condition

Your physical condition certainly matters when it comes to testosterone. Studies show that many obese men have low testosterone compared to men with healthy body weight.

Hence, by losing weight and keeping your body in relatively good condition, you can have a better chance of maintaining proper levels of testosterone.

Diet

Diet is another factor that could certainly affect your testosterone levels. Diets high in processed foods, sugar and unhealthy fats can cause insulin resistance and increase in weight, both of which contribute to low T.

Drugs & Alcohol

Using drugs (like opioids and anabolic steroids) and alcohol is undoubtedly something that can contribute to lowered testosterone levels over time. These substances disturb many bodily processes, including testosterone production by testicles.

Treatments for Low Testosterone: 6 Ways to Increase Testosterone

Luckily, there are a few different ways that you can treat low testosterone and overcome low testosterone symptoms. These methods include:

1.     Testosterone Replacement Therapy

Testosterone replacement therapy is a very common hormone replacement therapy used for low testosterone. It is generally used in men who are experiencing testosterone production decline before they are meant to. Some of its benefits include improvement in sexual function, more energy and increased muscle mass.

TRT is used to administer bio-identical testosterone into the body to help the body function as normal. For TRT, many delivery methods are available providing patients with multiple options to choose from. These methods include:

Testosterone injections

Testosterone injections are available in multiple formulations and doses. Popular examples include testosterone Sustanon, testosterone enanthate, testosterone cypionate and testosterone undecanoate.

Testosterone gel/cream

These are directly applied to the skin once a day on certain body areas. Topical testosterone gels and creams are considered quite convenient as you can apply them on your own.

Testosterone pellets

These are small rice grain sized implants that are inserted under the skin. Pellets provide a consistent supply of testosterone for a few months after which the used pellet is replaced with new one.

Testosterone patches

These patches look like band aids and are applied to the skin once a day. They slowly release testosterone for the next 24 hours after which a new patch is applied.

Testosterone pills

Testosterone is also available in pills form for people who prefer oral options. Read our latest article on Kyzatrex pills (oral testosterone) for further explanation.

TRT has potential side effects that you must be aware of before starting it. Some of these side effects include reduced sperm production, reduced testicular function, testicular atrophy, skin irritation at the application site, acne, etc.

TRT is also not a suitable treatment for men with an increased risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, blood clot and high red blood cell.

Our doctors are some of the leading medical professionals in the world on the subject of hormones and in particular testosterone deficiencies, contact us if you are interested in TRT.

2.     Exercise

Exercise is an effective approach to improving sex hormone testosterone levels. But the type of exercise you do and its frequency and intensity may impact your hormone levels differently.

Studies that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be very effective in boosting testosterone compared to other forms of exercises. On the other hand, excessive and prolonged exercise without proper rest can have the opposite effect on total testosterone.

3.     A balanced, healthy diet

Consume a well-rounded diet consisting of healthy fats, proteins, carbs, and other micronutrients so you can provide your body all the essential elements it needs to operate and produce testosterone.

4.     Quality sleep

Impaired sleep may disturb your hormone balance. So, get high quality sleep at night for around 8 hours to maintain hormonal health.

5.     Manage pressure and anxiety

Long-term stress and anxiety can increase your cortisol hormone levels. Cortisol and testosterone have a reverse relationship. If one goes up the other automatically goes down.

6.     Take vitamin D

A few studies show that increasing vitamin D intake may help men increase testosterone levels and improve erectile dysfunction. So, try getting more sun exposure or take vitamin D supplements after consulting with a healthcare professional.

Diagnosing Low Testosterone

Low T diagnose is done via a physical exam by doctor and testosterone blood test. Testosterone test is conducted in the morning and tells what your serum testosterone levels are. In addition to getting it done at a lab, you can also do this test at home with the help of a finger-prick testosterone test kit.

If test results show you are testosterone deficient, the doctor may conduct more tests such as luteinizing hormone or follicle stimulating hormone tests to identify the cause of this problem.

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FAQs about Treatments for Low Testosterone

Can low testosterone be cured?

Low blood testosterone is treatable if it has a reversible cause, such as obesity, poor diet, the intake of certain medications, disease treatment, etc. But if it is caused by aging or the permanent damage to the testicles or the pituitary gland, it may not be fully curable.

How long does it take to fix low testosterone?

Low T men see improvement in their testosterone levels as soon as they start testosterone therapy. However, low T symptoms can take from weeks to months to recover.

Does training legs increase testosterone?

Data suggests that training legs or lower body can cause a short-term increase in testosterone. Although this spike is real, it does not lead to a long-term increase in baseline resting testosterone levels.

What happens if low testosterone goes untreated?

Men with very low testosterone levels can experience some unwanted symptoms that impact their lives in different ways. Some of these symptoms include loss of muscle mass, increase in body fat, reduced libido, loss of bone mineral density, etc.

A Final Thought

Low testosterone can negatively affect many areas of life, but identifying the underlying causes is crucial for effective treatment. Whether it’s due to health conditions, lifestyle choices, or other factors, understanding and addressing the root causes can help restore balance and improve overall well-being.

Whatever you decide to do about your low testosterone, you should certainly get tested for testosterone levels. These tests can help to identify the amount of testosterone in your blood and determine if there is indeed a shortage.

Speaking to a specialist is a great idea that can prevent any confusion or safety risks when trying to address low testosterone.

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References

Snyder, P.J., 2025. Testosterone Treatment of Late-Onset Hypogonadism: Benefits and Risks. Leydig Cells: Formation, Regulation and Function in Health and Disease, pp.739-747.

Nassar, G.N. and Leslie, S.W., 2023. Physiology, testosterone.

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