Mar 6, 2011 | By Jamie Simpson 
Balanced testosterone levels in women help in more places than just the bedroom. It is the muscle- and bone-building hormone commonly associated only with men, but it's important for women too, especially as they get older. Testosterone can help reverse common postmenopausal effects of reduced muscle size and weaker bones, often leading to osteoporosis. Increasing testosterone levels naturally in women needs only a few lifestyle and diet changes.
Step 1
Consume more quality protein in your diet. Eat a small protein source at every meal, such as lean red meat, poultry, cold water fish, tofu, legumes and/or nuts.
Step 2
Add the herbal supplement ginseng to your diet; it comes in tea, powder or capsule forms. It is also sometimes used in energy drinks or nutritional juice supplements. According to VitaminStuff.com, ginseng behaves as an adaptogen by naturally balancing out sex hormones in the body through stimulation of the hypothalamus gland. Alternative medicine practitioners recommend 250 to 500 milligrams of ginseng daily as a supplement.
Step 3
Increase your intake of "good" fats. Fat itself is not the enemy---it's simply the type you choose that affects your health. Stick to flax, olive and peanut oils. Eat avocados and fatty fish, and add a flax or fish oil supplement to your diet. NowLoss.com states that the body requires these types of fat to stimulate the production of testosterone, so make sure 20 to 30 percent of your caloric needs are met with these types of fats.
Step 4
Limit your intake of alcohol. Alcohol disturbs many of the body's natural hormonal processes. Women should drink no more than one glass of wine (particularly red wine) or one strong drink per day.
Step 5
Have sex once a week to maintain your natural testosterone levels. This is not a myth, and works for both men and women. Your naturally occurring testosterone levels drop off after a week of sexual inactivity.
Step 6
Add zinc, magnesium and vitamin B6 supplements to your diet. These three powerful vitamins and minerals promote testosterone production and increase your immune system response, muscle building capacity and mental alertness.
Step 7
Add a Vitamin C supplement to your diet. About 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams of vitamin C is enough for the average adult, unless you feel as if you might be getting sick. Vitamin C helps reduce the enzyme naturally produced by your body that converts testosterone into estrogen.
Things You'll Need
- Quality protein sources
- Ginseng
- "Good" fats
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
