Testosterone plays a crucial role in various aspects of your health, from enhancing sexual function to mitigating disease risk. Discover how activities such as weightlifting can naturally amplify your testosterone levels.
Continue reading to delve deeper into the relationship between exercise and testosterone levels, the types of workouts that can raise (or not affect) your testosterone levels, and ways to enhance your testosterone levels naturally.
Understanding Testosterone Production
Testosterone is commonly known as the male sex hormone, although it exists in all bodies, albeit in varying quantities. The adrenal glands produce a small amount of testosterone. However, depending on your sex, different regions of the body produce different quantities. For men, the testicles are the primary site of testosterone production. Testosterone is one of the crucial hormones involved in the transformative changes during adolescence. These changes encompass:
- muscle development
- growth of facial and pubic hair
- voice deepeningMaintaining healthy testosterone levels is vital for everyone throughout life. It becomes particularly essential as you age to maintain your overall health and to lessen your risk for certain conditions, such as:
- obesity
- type 2 diabetes
- heart disease
How Exercise Affects Testosterone Levels
Testosterone levels surge after exercise, particularly after intense, high-strength training. This elevated level may persist for as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour. Men often experience a larger and longer increase in testosterone when they strength train in the evening rather than in the morning. Newcomers to exercise also get a substantial boost, although their hormone levels will adapt over time. While research is ongoing, this increase is likely insufficient to cause a noticeable change in individuals suffering from low testosterone levels.
Does Weight Lifting Increase Testosterone?
Indeed, exercising can boost testosterone levels. However, not all types of exercise are equally effective. In addition to exercise, integrating other testosterone-boosting activities into your routine can be beneficial.
Best Exercises to Increase Testosterone
As previously discussed, not all exercises impact testosterone levels equally. Here are some exercises that can significantly enhance testosterone levels:
Resistance Training For Men
Research confirms that resistance training can effectively increase testosterone levels in both the short and long run. Weightlifting, a form of resistance training, is particularly effective for enhancing testosterone levels over both short and long periods. It has proven to be especially beneficial for men.
Research from 2007 found that men who performed strength/resistance training three days a week for four weeks experienced a rise in testosterone levels immediately after a workout and over time.
Another previous study found testosterone levels rose in both younger and older men after three sets of 8 to 10 weightlifting reps. However, other sex hormones like GH were more likely to spike in younger men than older men.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) For Men
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) for Men HIIT is another scientifically-proven method to boost testosterone, but only in men. One study in men found that interval training consisting of 90 seconds of intense treadmill running interspersed with 90-second recovery periods boosted free testosterone levels more significantly than simply running for 45 minutes straight.
Exercises That Won’t Increase Testosterone
Cardio For Men
There’s no evidence that cardio exercise significantly impacts testosterone levels, regardless of sex. In fact, excessive cardio may reduce your testosterone levels. However, weight loss in general can help maintain balanced testosterone levels and other factors contributing to overall hormonal health.
Other Tips For Naturally Increasing Testosterone
Here are additional tips for enhancing testosterone levels, apart from (or in addition to) exercising:
- Consume a diet rich in protein, fat, and carbs.
- Manage stress and cortisol levels.
- Get ample sunlight or take vitamin D supplements.
- Consider other vitamin supplements, such as zinc and vitamin B.
- Aim for 7 to 10 hours of sleep every night.
- Use natural herbs, such as ashwagandha, horny goat weed, and ginger.
- Avoid exposure to chemicals that can increase natural estrogen, like BPA.
The Takeaway
Balance in exercise is key. Exercise is a form of stress on the body, and too much can negatively impact your testosterone levels. Some endurance athletes, like distance runners, experience lower testosterone levels and higher cortisol levels – cortisol being a stress hormone.
If you often feel sore, struggle to recover from workouts, or notice a decline in your athletic performance, you may be overexerting yourself. Symptoms such as sleep disruption, low libido, depressed mood, or a decrease in muscle mass may suggest low testosterone levels. If you observe any of these symptoms, contact one of our clinics or use our online booking tool to schedule your appointment.
Testosterone responses to intensive interval versus steady-state endurance exercise
