STICKING TO A REGULAR workout routine is good for your heart, mental health, and other aspects of your body. But, how does hitting the gym affect your testosterone levels? It’s a little complicated.
Some exercises can raise your testosterone, while others can lower it. The effect on your testosterone levels also depends on how intensely you’re working out and for how long, explains Anthony Hackney, Ph.D., D.Sc., a professor of exercise physiology and nutrition at the University of North Carolina, who’s studied exercise and testosterone for decades.
Testosterone, which is the main male sex hormone that’s produced by the testicles, is anabolic and does help you build muscle. (That’s one of its functions, anyway.) But other hormones also contribute to muscle-building and endurance.
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“While testosterone is important, it’s not the only way the body decides to create an anabolic response,” Hackney adds.
Testosterone is vital for other bodily functions, like bone strength, hair growth, sperm production, and libido. And, your T levels fluctuate throughout the day, says Jamin Brahmbhatt, M.D., a urologist at Orlando Health.
“You have two peaks: in the morning and another in the afternoon,” he says. After working out, your levels might rise for about an hour, but then they go back to your normal level.
Doctors recommend regular exercise for overall health and weight management, as obesity is linked to low testosterone and other health problems. Here’s a look at how exercise affects your T levels.
Does Working Out Affect Testosterone Levels?
Exercise does impact testosterone levels, but research suggests that the actual effect depends on several factors.
“Certain types of exercise done at certain volumes and intensity can lead to an elevation in testosterone, but you can also have certain types of exercise, certain volumes of intensity that can reduce testosterone,” Hackney says. “So, there isn’t a universal, ‘Oh, I’m exercising, and I’m always going to see this testosterone response.’”
Many studies have looked at different types of exercises, including cardio, cycling, running, swimming, and weightlifting, and their effects on T levels, and have found different outcomes, explains Ahmed El-Zawahry, M.D., a urologist at the University of Toledo Medical Center.
“If we are going to summarize the results of these studies in one easy statement, exercises do not significantly change testosterone level,” he says.
Still, some exercises, especially weightlifting, can temporarily boost testosterone. But, Dr. El-Zawahry says the surge doesn’t last long.
Body composition and fitness level factor into how exercise affects your testosterone levels, too. A small 2016 study found that obese and overweight men saw a boost in their T levels when they increased their physical activity, more so than when they just restricted calories.
A 2018 study suggested that some male elite athletes had low testosterone concentrations, but the low T may be linked to higher cortisol levels in the blood from working out, and the athletes studied are typically in good physical condition, with a lean body and no symptoms of low testosterone (which doctors say is often more important than your actual levels).
People with higher percentages of body fat and higher body weights are more likely to have low testosterone and experience symptoms, Dr. El-Zawahry adds.
“You should exercise to keep your endurance, lean muscle, and low body fat, which will in turn keep you healthy,” Dr. El-Zawahry says. “This in turn will reduce the risks of metabolic syndrome and reduce health issues associated with it, which in turn keep testosterone at a good level.”
Which Types of Exercises Impact Testosterone Most?
Research suggests that strength exercises and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) can increase testosterone levels. Endurance-based exercises, like cardio, can potentially reduce testosterone.
Even within resistance training, the “greater intensity and greater volume of work” are more likely to elevate testosterone, Hackney says. For instance, if you’re lifting heavy weights with lots of sets over a 45-minute time period, you’ll see a bigger impact.
“If they’re a casual resistance trainer, they’re probably not going to see any substantial mark in testosterone changes,” he adds.
A 2016 study showed that starting resistance training with large muscle groups, like your chest and glutes, and progressing to small muscle groups, such as triceps and shoulders, produced the largest testosterone response. But no exercise is going to drive your T levels through the roof, and it won’t be a prolonged increase.
Mixing endurance and resistance training likely lead to a “zero-sum game,” when it comes to its effect on testosterone, Hackney says.
Don’t worry so much about just focusing on resistance training because you think it raises your T. Dr. El-Zawahry says any exercise is beneficial for your general health and maintaining a healthy body weight and T level.
How Long Does the T Boost Last After Working Out?
The elevated testosterone that you see from working out is usually temporary—maybe an hour or so, Hackney says. Then, your T levels will return to normal.
“However, you may feel a good boost of energy with exercise because of a surge in cortisol level rather than testosterone,” Dr. El-Zawahry says.
Remember, too, that your testosterone levels naturally fluctuate during the day. By exercising, you’ll likely maintain a healthy weight and improve your cardiovascular functioning, which have positive effects on your testosterone.
Working out alone won’t cause a long-term increase in testosterone levels, Dr. El-Zawahry says. But it can help you maintain a healthy weight, and keeping body fat low can help maintain testosterone levels.
Erica Sweeney is a writer who mostly covers health, wellness and careers. She has written for The New York Times, HuffPost, Teen Vogue, Parade, Money, Business Insider and many more.
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