When we think about people with low testosterone levels, many of us automatically assume that this only occurs in “older” men — more than 45 years of age. However, men in their 30s can also experience low testosterone, as levels tend to peak in men during adolescence and early adulthood. What goes up must come down, and these peaked levels of testosterone typically decline 1% each year, starting at the age of — you guessed it, 30 years old.

Testosterone is a naturally-occurring hormone found in both men and women, although it’s generally more necessary for building the male physique and maintaining the male reproductive system. Low or abnormally high levels of testosterone can seriously impact on a man’s physical and mental health. A low level of testosterone over a long period of time can result in erectile dysfunction, loss of muscle mass, fat gain, balding, and even depression.

But fear not — men of all ages can combat low testosterone levels without synthetic hormone treatments and other unnatural remedies. Want to make sure you stay feeling fit and masculine throughout your thirties, forties, and beyond? Here are five simple and natural ways to increase your testosterone levels.

1. High intensity exercise

Simple put, there is no replacement for a hard workout, and exercise can unquestionably boost testosterone levels. All types of exercise stimulate the release and production of testosterone, but specific full body exercises, like squats, bench presses, and high intensity interval training should be incorporated into your workouts at least two to three days a week in order to really stimulate testosterone production in the body. This will send your testosterone soaring and you will look and feel like a new man!

2. Be careful with sugar

Limiting or even eliminating sugar from your diet is a surefire way to lessen to risk of lower testosterone levels. Sugar leads to high levels of insulin levels, which actually force testosterone levels to decrease. Cutting out refined carbohydrates like cereals, white bread, and other processed foods is great place to start when aiming to manage your insulin levels. Sugar is everywhere and is snuck into foods we may not even realize, so cutting out sugar from your diet may be a huge challenge. Start small with sugar-free Sundays and you will start to see how easily you can get into the sugar-free swing of things before increasing your days without this sweet addiction.

3. Supplements

Natural testosterone supplements are a great way to kick up or maintain testosterone levels. The majority of these supplements aim to directly increase your testosterone and other related hormones, but some types prevent testosterone from being converted into estrogen, which your body also needs. Stick with testosterone booster supplements that have been backed by research. On this site you will learn how research studies of zinc, ginger, and ashwagandha have all been found to have a noticeable improvement in individuals with fertility issues or low testosterone levels.

4. The big D

Vitamin D is quickly becoming a popular vitamin supplement and it’s easy to see why. Vitamin D supports a number of biological factors including its role as a natural testosterone booster. Produced in the skin, vitamin D is created by a reaction which involves sunlight and cholesterol, and a lack of vitamin D can negatively impact testosterone levels. If you slightly tweak your dietary intake to include fatty fish, mushrooms, and vitamin D supplements, then your testosterone levels will certainly enjoy a boost.

5. Get some sleep

Having a good night’s sleep is just as important as increasing your exercise and improving your diet. This could involve simple things like getting a new mattress, or maybe tackling more complex problems like stress and anxiety. Regardless, no more than five hours of sleep a night for just one week can cut your testosterone levels by as much as 15%. A good rule of thumb for quality sleep is 7 to 8 hours; this can help your body rest, repair, and recover – with, or with out a sophisticated mattress or sleep system. If you have a good exercise regime in place, sleep will be easier to come by, so remember to hit the sack, get some shut eye, and boost your testosterone levels while you’re at it.