How to Raise Hormone Levels

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1Raising Testosterone Levels

2Raising Estrogen Levels

3Raising Cortisol Levels

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Hormones play a vital role in the different processes of the body, such as growth and development, reproduction, metabolism and sexual function. The pituitary, pineal, thymus, thyroid, adrenal glands, and pancreas produce the most of hormones in our body, but the testes (in males) and the ovaries (in females) produce the hormones in charge of sexual and reproductive function. Most hormone levels are not checked routinely since hormone levels tend to decline as you age, but if your hormone levels are low (such as testosterone, estrogen, or cortisol), there are numerous actions you can take to boost your levels and feel much better.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Raising Testosterone Levels

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   Find out if you have low testosterone levels. If you are experiencing decreased sex drive, erectile dysfunction, depression, or poor concentration/memory, talk to your doctor. These symptoms may be due to low testosterone levels. Your doctor can confirm low testosterone levels using a blood test.

   • It is best to go for this test in the morning because this will provide the most accurate result.
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   Speak to your doctor about hormone therapy. The condition of having low testosterone levels is known as hypogonadism. If you are diagnosed with hypogonadism, your doctor may recommend replacement therapy. This involves taking a synthetic form of testosterone to meet your testosterone needs.

   • Never try to take testosterone products yourself, as your hormone levels will need to be strictly monitored during treatment. Having too much testosterone can be just as harmful as having too little.
   • If hormone replacement therapy isn't for you, you can try some natural methods of boosting your testosterone levels.
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   Lose weight. Testosterone is a steroid hormone, which means it is fat-soluble. If you are overweight, most of your testosterone will be stored in the fat. This portion will not participate in hormone activities. That means, although you have normal amount of total testosterone, you are not benefiting from all of it. You can boost your testosterone levels naturally, by losing a bit of weight.

   • Processed sugar is primary culprits for obesity. Avoid soda, processed foods, and sweets.
   • Refined carbohydrates include bagels, waffles, crackers, pretzels, cookies, cakes, and muffins. Highly processed foods that are difficult for your body to digest and have little nutritional value include ketchup, chips, cereal, and "easy" to make foods. Limit your intake of these foods and switch to whole grains and other more natural options.
   • Eat plenty of vegetables. They slow down sugar absorption from the intestine and scavenge bad fats from the diet. Try to eat five servings of veggies per day.
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   Perform high intensity exercise. When it comes to boosting your testosterone levels, intense exercise for a short period is more beneficial than moderate exercise for prolonged periods. This high-intensity activity works to increase the function of testosterone receptors in the body. This helps to produce desired levels of testosterone in your body, without giving extra work to your testosterone producing cells.

   • Warm up for about three minutes. Then exercise as intense and as fast as you can for 30 seconds. Swimming, cycling, sprinting or running on a treadmill are good examples. Then gradually slow down over 90 seconds.
   • Repeat the exercise and recovery cycle seven or eight times. The total duration of exercise should be 20 minutes.
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   Take zinc. Zinc is a mineral that is essential for sperm production and testosterone synthesis. It increases libido and helps to maintain normal reproductive function. Meat, fish, raw milk, raw cheese, beans, and yogurt are good natural sources of zinc. You may also consider taking a zinc supplement.
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   Maintain adequate vitamin D levels. Vitamin D helps to maintain semen quality and sperm count. It also increases testosterone level, which may boost libido. Vitamin D is synthesized from cholesterol in the skin under the influence of UV light.

   • Sun exposure is the best way to increase vitamin D levels. Spend 20 to 30 minutes under the sun exposing some body parts like arms, legs, back etc.
   • Small fish and fish oil are also good sources of vitamin D.
   • Mushrooms are also an excellent source of vitamin D.
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   Reduce Stress. When you are under a lot of stress, your body produces excess amounts of cortisol, a hormone to cope with that stress. Cortisol prepares your body for an emergency, triggering your survival instinct and essentially neutralizing the effects of testosterone. To allow testosterone to exert its effects, you need to keep stress-levels low.

   • Get a massage.
   • Attend a yoga class.
   • Try meditation.
   • Perform a progressive muscle relaxation.
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   Make sure you get adequate sleep. Not getting enough sleep can reduce testosterone levels in men, so it is important to get plenty of sleep if you are trying to boost these levels. Aim for eight hours of sleep every night. To get this amount, you might need to go to bed a bit earlier than you have been, or sleep a little later if that is possible for you.
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   Review your medications. Some medications counteract or compete with testosterone and reduce its activity. Speak to your doctor about trying different medications or dosages.

   • Examples are opioid drugs (Fentanyl, MS Contin, and Oxycontin), corticosteroids (prednisolone), and anabolic steroids (nandrolone).
   • Always speak to you doctor before making any changes to your medication regimen. Do not experiment with dosages on your own.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Raising Estrogen Levels

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   Find out if you have low estrogen. Low estrogen is commonly caused by the onset of menopause, however several other behavioral or physical problems can be the cause. These include: decreased function of the ovaries, eating disorders and/or excessive exercise that result in low body fat, childbirth and breastfeeding, and certain fertility drugs. Symptoms of estrogen deficiency include hot flashes (feelings of intense heat and sweating with rapid heartbeat), menstrual irregularity and amenorrhea (absence of menstruation), dry vagina, loss of sex drive, low mood, reduced bone density (which can cause fractures with only minor trauma). Visit your doctor if you are experiencing these symptoms.

   • Normal estrogen levels in women prior to menopause range between 50 pg/mL to 400 pg/mL.
   • As estrogen levels fluctuate greatly in a normal person, several other tests are necessary to detect an actual problem. These include testing the levels of other hormones such as progesterone, FSH, LH etc.
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   Speak to your doctor about hormone therapy. If you have been diagnosed with low estrogen (particularly if menopause is the cause), your doctor may recommend hormone therapy. There are two main types of estrogen hormone therapy: systemic hormone therapy and low-dose vaginal products. There are risks and benefits to each. Discuss these with your doctor and decide if hormone therapy is right for you.
3. 
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   Go easy with exercise. Low estrogen has been linked with excessive exercise. Working out 30 minutes per day can help prevent obesity, heart disease, and other problems, but more than 30 minutes per day is not necessary. Try modifying and/or limiting your exercise regime to help raise your estrogen levels.

   • Intense exercise burns fat in the body. As a result, estrogen cannot find a place to be stored. This explains why athletes sometimes experience irregular menstruation.
   • You should perform mild-to-moderate exercise to maintain a satisfactory level of estrogen in the body. Avoid excessive strenuous exercise.
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   Eat a balanced diet. Eating a healthy diet can help to balance the estrogen in your body. Specifically, avoid refined carbohydrates and sugars, such as cereals, bagels, waffles, pretzels, and most other processed foods. Instead eat foods high in protein and fiber.

   • Simple carbohydrates rapidly break down into glucose and other readily absorbable sugars. They increase insulin resistance and impair the proper function of natural estrogen.
   • Foods low in fat and high in fiber can increase your estrogen levels. Keep a sufficient amount of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet, especially those that contain a lot of fiber.
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   Enjoy phytoestrogen-rich foods. Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring substances that mimic the effects of estrogen. Phytoestrogens in food can act almost like estrogen-replacements. Most plant products contain phytoestrogens to some extent, and some foods contain particularly high levels of phytoestrogens, these include:

   • Soybeans, chickpeas, bran, peas, pinto beans, lima beans, flax seeds, vegetables, legumes, and fruits. Aim for two to four servings of these foods per day.
   • Don’t go overboard with these foods. In excess, phytoestrogens can actually suppress the natural estrogen produced by the body, as they compete with estrogen receptors.
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   Quit smoking. The contents of cigarette smoke significantly affect the production and metabolism of estrogen in the body. Increase your estrogen production, and glean numerous other health benefits, by giving up tobacco right away.

   • Decide why you want to quit.
   • Make a plan.
   • Execute your plan.
   • Consider seeking therapy for help.
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   Drink coffee. Caffeine is a natural stimulant for many hormones, including estrogen. Try drinking two to three cups of coffee per day to boost your estrogen levels. Try to drink your coffee black, or with some milk, and avoid sugars and sweeteners.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Raising Cortisol Levels

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   Determine whether you have low cortisol. Cortisol is the hormone that helps us to manage stress. This hormone level should increase in situations where you are under physical or emotional stress, such as strenuous activity, infection, or injury. Have a doctor test the amount of the hormone in your blood to reveal your level. Cortisol can also be detected in your saliva, so your doctor might want to perform a series of saliva tests at different intervals.

   • Symptoms of low cortisol levels are chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood pressure leading to dizziness and fainting, hypoglycemia, increase in anxiety, severe PMS, and inability to cope with stress.
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   Speak to your doctor about hormone therapy. If you are diagnosed with low cortisol (in severe cases, called "adrenal fatigue"), your doctor may recommend cortisol hormone therapy. This involved taking prescription "bioidentical" cortisol. This hormone can be very beneficial for individuals suffering from adrenal fatigue, however taking bioidentical cortisol may further interfere with your body's nature cortisol production. Discuss these details with your doctor, and decide if prescription hormone therapy is right for you.
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   Reduce Stress. Cortisol production dramatically increases during stressful situations. Repeated bursts of cortisol may cause your adrenal glands to become fatigued. A stress-free body will allow cortisol to gradually increase in your system, instead of being produced all at once in high-pressure situations.

   • Try things like blog writing, journal writing, yoga, or meditation to reduce your stress.
   • Spend more time with family and friends instead of being alone.
   • Whenever you feel your stress-level rising, stop and take a few deep breaths.
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   Get enough sleep. Cortisol production is highest during deep sleep. As a result, you need to be getting between six to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep per night to naturally maintain adequate cortisol levels.

   • Try to go to bed at the same time every night. If your sleep cycle is regular, your adrenal glands will adapt to secrete the hormone at a particular time. Irregular sleep will make it difficult for the adrenal glands to sense when to secrete the hormone.
   • A quiet and peaceful environment during sleep is necessary for the adrenal glands to work efficiently, so make sure to block out any noise or light.
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   Try licorice supplements. Licorice contains glycyrrhizic acid, which inhibits the breakdown of circulating cortisol in the liver. As a result, consume licorice supplements may help cortisol levels to gradually increase.

   • Licorice supplements are available in tablet or capsule form.
   • Take one or two tablets in the mornings, as this is when cortisol levels tend to rise.
   • Use caution with licorice and avoid excessive use. If taken at too high of a dosage by people with high blood pressure, licorice can increase high blood pressure. It can also cause high blood pressure in people who do not have high blood pressure if you take too much of it.
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   Keep thyroid hormones within normal range. Thyroid hormones are necessary for cortisol to exert its effect within the body. These hormones act synergistically, which means that one hormone is necessary for the other to act.

   • Low levels of thyroid hormones can produce symptoms of low cortisol, even if the actual level of cortisol remains normal.
   • Visit your doctor to have your thyroid levels tested if you experience any symptoms of low cortisol. Having your TSH levels tested will indicate whether you have any thyroid abnormalities.
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   Follow a healthy diet. Foods high in trans fat and cholesterol will abruptly raise cortisol levels. Avoid trans fats (red meat, butter, shortening) to maintain a healthy level of cortisol. Instead, eat plenty of whole grains, fruits and vegetables. In particular, citrus fruits (such as grapefruit) break down enzymes that inhibit cortisol production, so you should add grapefruit to your diet to boost cortisol production.
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