Testosterone is one of the most important hormones present in both women and men, and mainly affects their sex drive. Of course, testosterone has other effects as well.
Some of the ways that it benefits the body is by maintaining healthy body composition and adequate bone density, along with reducing symptoms of depression.
Without a doubt, it is an essential hormone for both men and women. However, as men women grow older, levels of testosterone begin to greatly reduce, especially in their middle ages. Luckily, a plethora of treatment options is available to make up for the lack of testosterone.
Among these many treatments over the years, many give credence to the possibility that exercise is also a great way to increase testosterone. But that raises the question – does it really?
How the Body Produces Testosterone
Before we can see how exercise might be able to increase levels of testosterone production, we will first have to see how the body produces testosterone.
The testes are responsible for producing testosterone in a man’s body. On the other hand, the ovaries are responsible for the production of testosterone in women, albeit in much lower quantity.
While the body produces testosterone through male and female reproductive organs, the Pituitary gland and the hypothalamus are responsible for tightly controlling it. They ensure that there is neither too little nor too much testosterone in the blood. However, it is important to know that testosterone levels are especially high in the morning and fall accordingly.
How Quickly Does Testosterone Drop?
Testosterone develops considerably during puberty and continues to do so in order to properly develop sex characteristics. This development slows down after the age of 30 and actively reduces by at least 1% every year thereafter.
Can Exercise Really Increase Testosterone?
Yes. However, it is not as simple as randomly exercising. There are very specific workout routines that are able to increase testosterone in men and women.
A study in 1983 found that men experienced a significant rise in their testosterone levels after lifting weight. Another 2004 study found that regular exercise increased growth hormones and testosterone levels.
The keyword here is regular exercise. Exercise once every few days will not have the same effect. Moreover, the consistency and type of exercise also have an effect on testosterone levels. A good example of this is cardio exercise.
Cardio exercise is one of the best types of exercise for your heart and lungs. However, prolonged cardio exercises, or cardio marathons, are not very good for your testosterone. In fact, these exercises can actively decrease levels of testosterone in the body.
Therefore, you will need a proper routine in order to maintain and increase the testosterone levels in your body. Having a workout routine is a great way to naturally increase testosterone, according to this study in 2012.
Exercises You Can Adopt To Improve Testosterone Levels
Since we have already gone over how exercise can definitely improve your testosterone levels, you should start making a habit of exercising regularly. Of course, most of these exercises that we will mention are not for older individuals.
For people that are over the age of 40 or 50, light but constant physical activity is more than enough to effectively regulate testosterone levels.
Regardless, here are a few exercises that you should practice on a daily basis to improve testosterone levels.
Weightlifting
One of the best exercises to help improve testosterone levels is weightlifting. These exercises can include deadlifts, squats, and Olympic weightlifts. Or you can train with weight training equipment at your local gym until you feel comfortable enough to transition to simpler lifts.
Unlike most of the exercises that we will mention in this list, you do not have to perform weight lifts every day. Proper rest is also essential, especially when you will be working your body to its limit.
But weightlifting is a great way to increase your body’s muscle mass, which itself increases the production of testosterone.
HIIT: High-Intensity Interval Training
If you are not looking to bulk up excessively through weightlifting, High-intensity interval training might be just the thing for you. HIIT follows a series of very short yet intense workouts with small breaks in between.
A study shows that short yet intense six-second sprints were able to greatly increase the overall testosterone levels among men.
The significant difference between HIIT and regular exercise is that the testosterone boost stays long after exercise. Therefore, it is a great way to keep your testosterone levels up in both the long and short run.
Resistance Training
Resistance training or rather an endurance training, is also a great way that you can build up your testosterone over the long run. While many believe that resistance training only includes weightlifting and deadlifts, it is quite far from the truth. In reality, anything as simple as repeated pushups can be an excellent form of resistance training.
The important thing about resistance training is that you should not push your body too far. Remember that your body has to heal as well. Therefore, exercising even just three or four days a week is more than enough to improve testosterone levels.
Health Tips That Work Well With Exercise
If there is one thing that every health professional, fitness instructor, or nutritionist can agree on, is that you need a proper diet and rest to make your workout mean something. So to add to your exercise routine, here are a few health tips to keep in mind.
Longer Rest Periods during Reps
Rest is not just necessary after exercise, but it is also essential in between repetitions. Not only will it allow you to get more reps in, but it can actively work wonders for your testosterone levels. A study suggests that 120-second intervals between reps allowed them to build more testosterone, along with other hormones.
However, do not rest too long that your muscles begin to relax. Once they relax, you will not be able to perform at the same level as before. So be sure to get back to your repetitions after your short break.
Try Forced Reps
It is important to know when to stop and call it a day at the gym. But exercising on your own doesn’t allow you to accomplish your full potential. Later, repetitions become much harder to do on your own, which is why you should take some help from a fellow gym member to help spot you.
Gym goers are often very friendly and are willing to help you out. Spotting is especially necessary when you are lifting weights, seeing how your arms can give in at any minute.
Avoid Chronic Cardio
Earlier, we talked about how intense cardio can actually be very bad for your health. Ultra-long marathon type physical activities such as intense cardio and cycling can reduce testosterone in the body.
A 2003 study showed that cyclists had significantly lower testosterone than similar age groups of weightlifters and even untrained groups.
Chronic cardio can also decrease muscle mass, which is another reason why testosterone drops after a significant cardio marathon.
Recover Properly Before Exercising Again
Make sure that you recover and rest properly before you set out to exercise again. Having too much of anything is a bad thing, and this applies even to exercise.
If you do not rest properly, your muscles will not be able to recover, and if they do not recover, you will do more harm than good by exercising.
Get as much sleep as you can, as that is the fastest and best way that your body can recover from the exercise. And only then should you make your way back to the gym.
What Happens If You Have Too Little Testosterone?
Too little testosterone in your body can be a worrying sign that something is wrong, and can lead to many health issues. Reduced testosterone can lead to reduced muscle mass, wrinkled skin, and loss of body hair.
Dangerously low levels of testosterone can also lead to major mood swings and disturbances, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, increased body fat, as well as poor sexual performance.
It is important that you keep your Testosterone levels high in order to ensure that you stay healthy. Of course, there are various other alternatives to keep your testosterone up, but they are not as natural as exercise.
Conclusion
Declining testosterone levels is a very serious problem in men, as these levels drop after a certain age. And while it is inevitable for them to drop, you can certainly slow it down. Through exercise, men and women of all ages can naturally increase their testosterone levels.
One of the greatest advantages that come with exercising to increase testosterone is that various forms of exercise can increase it in both the long run and the short run.
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