# Testosterone **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 18, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607 "2003-04-18T18:21:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![SwimmingwithChickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SwimmingwithChickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingwithChickens)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/1 "2003-04-18T18:21:37Z")
What foods can I eat to naturally increase my body’s ability to create testosterone? ---
**Author:** ![Wyld\_Stallyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8dc957/32.png) [@Wyld\_Stallyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wyld_Stallyn)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/2 "2003-04-18T19:12:23Z")
Anabolic steroids, but you have to eat it through a syringe that you push into a vein. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingwithChickens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@SwimmingwithChickens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingwithChickens)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/3 "2003-04-18T19:34:21Z")
Well while that certainly is the prefered way of many baseball players, I’m looking for foods that marginally impact testosterone production. A friend of mine mentioned that the body can create more testosterone naturally and without the “uneven” affects of steroids. So my question is- was my buddy full of crap? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/4 "2003-04-18T19:46:16Z")
There is folklore that suggests swallowing semen, but it’s probably bogus. One’s testosterone levels vary widely from day to day in a single individual (yes, women have it, too,) so testing for cause and effect is tough. ---
**Author:** ![Fuel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df705f/32.png) [@Fuel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuel)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/5 "2003-04-18T19:50:30Z")
A balanced diet will do the best. You must get enough fat. The amount is arbitrary, but on average about 50 grams a day should suffice. Meat will provide a good source of zinc and B’s and be sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. There are is no way to really boost your test unless you were unhealthy to begin with. The best you can hope for is to provide your body with what it needs to do it’s job in producing the test. This includes some cardio and stress management. A nice brutal, vein-popping, animalistic squat workout is the next best thing to shooting gear. If you want to up the test. levels, this is the thing to do. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/6 "2003-04-18T19:55:32Z")
Unless you’re malnourished, your body ought to do just fine on its own making testosterone. There’s no good evidence that ingesting certain foods will make your body produce more. Nor is there good evidence that its actually good for you to make more than your body normally would. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/7 "2003-04-18T21:11:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fuel \* > \*\*A nice brutal, vein-popping, animalistic squat workout is the next best thing to shooting gear. If you want to up the test. levels, this is the thing to do. \*\* This is the way to go. ---
**Author:** ![Netbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71e660/32.png) [@Netbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Netbrian)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/8 "2003-04-19T18:36:26Z")
On a marginally related note, any (I’m being serious here) ways to DECREASE production? ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/9 "2003-04-19T19:12:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Netbrian \* > \*\*On a marginally related note, any (I’m being serious here) ways to DECREASE production? \*\* It’s easy to cut production by 50% - just lop off one testicle. Otherwise, no, there’s really nothing you can eat to have a meaningful effect on your testosterone production. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/10 "2003-04-19T20:55:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gotpasswords \* > \*\*It’s easy to cut production by 50% - just lop off one testicle. > \*\* Sorry, that’s incorrect. The remaining testicle is fully capable of ratcheting up production to compensate. Heck, with some men, even if they lose both testicles, the adrenal glands can sometimes fill in the slack. Usually testosterone injections or patches are needed for those cases, tho. QtM ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2003, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/11 "2003-04-19T21:08:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Netbrian \* > \*\*On a marginally related note, any (I’m being serious here) ways to DECREASE production? \*\* If you (or the OP) believe you have some kind of hormone imbalance then get thee to an endocrinologist. If there is a real medical problem then you can probably be treated easily with prescription medication. Otherwise, messing around with your hormone levels is a bad idea. A very, very bad idea. As in “could damage your health, perhaps permanently, and maybe even kill you”. I’d give my right eye to have a normal, healthy endocrine system myself, and I hate to see people who have been luckier in that regard than I throw it all away. ---
**Author:** ![Purplefloyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7cd45c/32.png) [@Purplefloyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Purplefloyd)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/testosterone/169607/12 "2003-04-20T00:58:36Z")
Zinc is vital to testosterone production, and a lack of zinc will decrease testosterone. Alchoholics sometimes have testosterone problems because alcohol leaches the zinc from your body. cauliflower (sp?) is a good source of zinc, if i remember correctly. From what i have read, there is no good(or healthy) way to increase testosterone production. A temporary boost of testosterone can be achieved through certain drugs, but the body has a way of counter-balancing so you will quickly reduce testosterone to the previous levels.