Can fitness boost testosterone levels?

 

Testosterone is often associated with aggression and all things male (wrongly), but it actually plays a lot of important roles in the bodies of men and women besides those things—like maintaining bone density and cognitive ability. Low testosterone is associated with a host of problems, ranging from insomnia to depression, but luckily there may be an easy fix: exercise.

There are many studies linking exercise to testosterone increases, but especially in cases of exercise for weight loss. For example, in a 2009 study of 32 men with low testosterone, 52 weeks of diet and exercise improved testosterone levels in all men—both those who were and those who weren’t undergoing testosterone replacement therapy.

In terms of exercise, resistance training is especially associated with boosts in testosterone levels. In one study, 23- and 63-year-old men underwent a progressive 12-week resistance strength-training program. Both groups showed significantly increased testosterone levels by the end (although it was more prevalent in the young men). Further, a 2003 study found that, in 18 untrained males, after three bouts of resistance exercise, their testosterone significantly increased after each round.

There’s always a catch

Exercise too much, or go at too high an intensity, and you could end up lowering your testosterone by accident. Like in one study, which found that running a marathon nearly halves testosterone levels. So it’s best to exercise in moderation—and to consult your doctor first.

If you’re having sexual performance issues and don’t know if testosterone is to blame, a recent study discovered that getting regular exercise could help. For every additional 30 minutes a day the men in the study spent in moderate exercise, their odds of developing erectile dysfunction dropped 43 percent. But in either case, whether it’s low testosterone or erectile dysfunction, supplementing testosterone has not been shown to help.

—–

Feature Image: Thinkstock