Food that will make a man tick

Today's rates of male infertility and sexual dysfunction suggest that low testosterone is rapidly becoming a big problem.

Johns Hopkins School of Medicine epidemiologists estimate that 18.4 percent of all American men over the age of 20, totaling 18 million, have reported experiencing erectile dysfunction.

Here are the best foods for increasing testosterone.

Oysters, red meat and pumpkin seeds: All of these are rich sources of zinc, which Cooper notes has a direct link to higher testosterone levels. Too much zinc can cause its absorption to diminish.

Men need 11 milligrams (mg) of zinc a day. Oysters are considered a food of love for a reason: One shelled oyster contains 12.8 mg of zinc. Pumpkin seeds are zinc powerhouses with 7 mg in 3.5 ounces. By comparison, 3 ounces of beef liver or dark chicken meat deliver 4.3 mg and 2.4 mg, respectively.

Lean, grass-fed beef, tuna and nuts: These are high-quality sources of omega-3 fatty acids. "Without obtaining at least 20 percent of our daily calories from fat (no less than 15 percent) we can't function at optimum capacity, as hormones are produced through the components of dietary fats, including the sex hormones like testosterone," a nutrition and dietetics specialist says.

 "A diet high in carbohydrates and too much dietary fat—more than 35 percent—will cause a gain in body fat, which can decrease testosterone levels. Balance is the key."

Broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage: Cruciferous vegetables are rich sources of indole-3-carbinol, which helps both balance testosterone and estrogen, and neutralize excess estrogen in men and women, says Occhiogrosso. Yes, men have estrogen, too, just less than women, and too much blocks testosterone production.

Red grapes: This whole food is a good source of resveratrol and proanythocyanidin, which block harmful estrogen production, says White. Excess estrogen production spurred by eating foods like soy and flax and the growth hormones contained in big agriculture's meat and dairy products lowers testosterone production in men.

Strawberries: Due to their cortisol-lowering vitamin C, all berries help reduce stress, including when hormones are released during a heavy workout that can hamper testosterone production.