Many people say, “I just can’t seem to focus like I used to. “No matter how much I sleep, the fatigue never really goes away,” or “Even when I hit the gym, my body just doesn’t feel like it’s keeping up. “It’s normal because of age. But will you be surprised if I say that the reason behind this is a silent disaster in your body? “Yes,” it happens because of the gradual decrease in the testosterone hormone. And here comes the most important question – does exercise increase testosterone?
Research has shown that men lose about 1% of their testosterone every year after the age of 30. Low levels of this hormone can lead to fatigue, muscle cramps, fat deposition, loss of sexual desire, and a confidence crisis. But is it the same for all men? Not at all.
The good news is that another study found that in people who exercise regularly, this hormone decreases very slowly. In many cases, testosterone is maintained at a good level even up to the age of 40.
This proves that no matter how old you get, you can keep your body young if you do the right exercises.
And that’s where this article will help you. Here you will find out which exercises are proven to increase your testosterone levels naturally, how to add them to your routine, and how these exercises help to improve your inner function to function more effectively.
Let’s start this journey of regaining your strength, confidence, and masculinity through the extraordinary power of some simple exercises.
What Is Testosterone, and How Can Exercise Increase It?
Testosterone is a major androgen hormone that is produced naturally in the male body. Adult males typically have a blood concentration between 300 and 1000 ng / dL, while young men between the ages of 20-30 have a peak value of around 600-700 ng / dL. As we age, it naturally decreases.
Testosterone plays an important role in our body,
- Focus and Enthusiasm
- Muscle building
- Bone health
- Skin health
- Sex drive
In short, testosterone has a major effect on our physical abilities, mental health, and overall quality of life.
How Much Can Exercise Increase Testosterone in the Body?
Short-Term Boost
- Weight lifting: Research has found that when you lift heavy weights, your testosterone levels can rise slightly. Testosterone levels can rise by 31%, especially after one heavy weight session of bigger muscle groups like legs, chest back.
- HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training): One study found that even just one HIIT session had a noticeable effect on testosterone.
In a controlled trial, the value of the effect was d = 0.92, which is a large effect.
And compared to the pre-post, d = 0.52, showing a moderate effect.
But, keep in mind that this boost does not last long. The body usually returns to its previous state within 30 minutes or an hour.
However, by doing HIIT regularly, you’ll see a gradual positive change in the hormonal balance of your body.
Long-Term Benefit
An 8–12 week resistance training or HIIT program can raise the body’s basic testosterone levels by up to 10-15% in the long run. A study published in 2020 found that 12 weeks of resistance training increased testosterone levels in obese men from 23.9 to 28.4 nmol / L. That’s an increase of more than 18%.
Also, with the increase of stable muscle mass, the body becomes more efficient in the production and use of hormones, thereby naturally increasing the production of testosterone itself.
Which Exercises Can Naturally Increase Testosterone Levels?
Exercise is a biological trigger. When you physically challenge the body, it releases the hormone testosterone to rebuild and strengthen itself. But it’s not the same for all types of exercise. There are certain types of exercises, during which the body understands now it needs to increase its power, recovery, and stamina.
At the same time, your body naturally produces more testosterone.
Now let’s explore what those exercises are that effectively stimulate this normal testosterone production system in the body.
How Leg Day Exercise Helps Increase Testosterone
A study published in 2018 found that doing just 6 sets of squats can significantly increase the levels of growth hormone (GH) and IGF-1 in the body, which can also affect testosterone production. Also, these hormones stimulate muscle growth and tissue generation.
Many people do not know that the main process of testosterone production happens in the lower part of the body – in men, it occurs mainly in the testis, which is located in the lower body.
Women’s bodies also produce testosterone, but at a relatively low amount, and that too partly in the ovaries, and that part is also located in the lower part.
Now, if you are busy day after day only with the upper body – biceps, chest, shoulder – and neglect the lower body, then you are making a big mistake. Because if the organ around which the hormone is produced is inactive, then the blood circulation, the delivery of nutrients, and even the release of the hormone decrease.
do you know what do you have to lose if you miss the leg day?
Lower body inactivity = less blood flow = less hormone production.
Many of us work or study all day long, sitting on a chair. This causes the lower body to become inactive, which gradually reduces the natural production of testosterone.
The whole body responds when you train your lower body. This increases the release of growth hormone and testosterone, which not only affects the muscles but also the metabolism, energy level, and sexual health.
By avoiding the lower body, the body becomes weak from inside. There is no benefit in increasing the outer muscles if the hormonal balance inside becomes weak.
That’s why it’s called Never Skip Leg Day! It’s not just a gym suggestion, but a hormone-based scientific requirement.
Does Strength Exercise Increase Testosterone?
Strength training isn’t just about building muscle – it’s a biological revolution in your body. Your endocrine system, muscles, and nerves are all under pressure whenever you lift a load. This pressure triggers the response, and the body begins to produce testosterone.
Especially when you do heavy and regular strength training, the body understands that it now has to be more strong. In this process, testosterone levels increase, which not only increases muscle mass but also affects your mood, self-confidence, fat-burning ability, and overall masculinity.
And compound exercises play the most effective role in this strength training. Compound exercises are exercises that work multiple muscles at the same time. They not only increase energy, but also create a normal boosting signal of testosterone release in the body. The body produces more testosterone to deal with stress when multiple muscles work together.
These are some Prime examples of compound exercise,
- Squats – Work multiple muscles from your lower body to the core, and are the most powerful testosterone booster exercise.
- Deadlifts – simultaneously work the back, hamstrings, glutes, and forearms, which spreads energy throughout the body.
- Bench Press – activates the chest, shoulders and triceps together, which creates a great hormonal response to the upper body.
- Overhead Press – Stretches the shoulders, triceps and core – all the muscles together.
- Pull-ups / Chin-ups – Stimulate the release of testosterone naturally by using your body weight on the back, biceps, and core together.
- Rows – Strongly activate the large muscles of the back together, which increases both strength and hormonal response.
Can HIIT Exercise Increase Testosterone Levels?
HIIT is a type of exercise in which you perform a short time of very high-intensity exercise, then do a brief period of rest or low-intensity movement, and finish the full session in a few sessions.
This method both saves time and increases the natural release of important hormones such as metabolism, growth hormone, and testosterone in the body. For those who are short on time, HIIT can be an excellent hidden weapon for increasing testosterone.
HIIT causes intense stress on the body, which forces the body to recover very quickly. At the same time, it improves insulin sensitivity, and on top of that, it also helps reduce body fat. During HIIT, the heart, lungs and muscles of the body work together, due to which the endocrine system of the body becomes more active, which in turn increases the production of hormones.
Some examples of HIIT routines might be:
• 30 seconds sprint, 1 minute walk (8 rounds)
• 20 seconds of bodyweight squats, 10 seconds of rest (10 rounds (Tabata style)
• 40 seconds of burpee + 20 seconds of rest (5 rounds)
How Exercise Triggers Internal Changes to Increase Testosterone
Hormonal Signals Triggered by the Brain
A 2020 research study shows the whole process in detail. But I’m simply describeing you the process.
The production of testosterone begins in the brain, where the first signal goes to the body’s hormonal system. When you exercise, especially something intense or strength-based, your brain senses that the body’s muscles are working harder and it needs more energy and has to be stronger.
This signal triggers the pituitary gland, a part of the brain that generates two key hormones:
• L.H.
• FSH.
In this, LH goes directly to the body’s testes and sends a clear message,
“Now it’s time to make testosterone. “
This whole process is a normal, complex, but wonderful system of the body, which is activated when you exercise. Exercise isn’t just about sweating, it’s a deep connection between your brain and your body that makes you stronger from the inside out.
Increased production of LH and FSH
A 2017 study found that six months of regular exercise increased plasma testosterone by 21 percent and LH hormone by 25 percent. Once the pituitary gland is activated by sending signals from the brain, it then begins to release luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). This stage is the place where your body prepares directly for the production of testosterone.
You can think of these two hormones as someone knocking on the door, “Hey, you need testosterone! “LH and FSH carry this message inside the body. And the funny thing is, when you exercise, especially regular and vigorous exercise, the sound of this’ knock ‘is even louder. The body realizes that it needs more testosterone now, and therefore, the amount of LH and FSH also becomes more than normal.
Stimulation of tests for testosterone secretion
When LH reaches the testis through the bloodstream, it activates the Leydig cells there. These cells produce testosterone.
Once these cells are stimulated, they begin to release the hormone testosterone as the body needs it. This process is the moment when the real effect of exercise appears in your body. It increases your muscle mass, improves strength and vigor, and normalizes the hormonal balance in men. This part clearly refers to the biological connection between exercise and testosterone.
Boosted DHEA Conversion into Testosterone
Testosterone is produced naturally in the body, but one of the main sources of it is a natural hormone called DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone). It is produced mainly in the adrenal gland, a small gland located above the kidneys. DHEA is the raw material that the body converts into testosterone.
A 2021 study found that even though the ability to convert DHEA to testosterone and DHT declined in older men. But only 12 weeks of resistance exercise significantly increased the rate of conversion of that hormone and the effectiveness of the corresponding enzymes. However, the process is not always the same. It depends on the state of the body, stress level, metabolism, and physical activity.
Here’s the magic trick.
Regular exercise – especially those that create little stress on the body affects the body’s hormonal environment in such a way that the conversion from DHEA to testosterone is more efficient.
Exercise smooths the way for it to be properly converted into testosterone.
Reduced Aromatase Activity, Lower Estrogen Levels
This point might be a bit technical, but I will try to explain it in the simplest way possible.
Estrogen, which is known as the female hormone. But it is normal to have a little bit of it in a male body.
A study found that an enzyme called “Aromatase” becomes more active when excess fat accumulates in the body. This enzyme converts testosterone into oestrogen. As a result, men experience a decrease in testosterone and an increase in oestrogen, which can lead to problems such as weakness, muscle loss, and mental instability.
The study also found that if you exercise regularly, lose fat, and keep your body active, the activity of aromatase decreases. This will support your body in preserving testosterone rather than converting it into estrogen. This is how the hormones are stopped.
Lower Cortisol, Less Hormonal Disturbances.
Suppose you’re stressed throughout the day – classes, work, deadlines, anxiety, all of which cause the body to produce too much of a hormone called cortisol. This is our stress hormone.
Now, the problem is, if the level of cortisol is high, it blocks the path of testosterone. It’s as if the tube has been squeezed somewhere, even after the water has been poured thoroughly, testosterone is being produced, but cortisol is coming in and stopping its movement.
One of the best ways to avoid this situation is to exercise regularly. Exercises that improve mood, such as walking, running, or even spending some time in the gym. Exercise reduces cortisol levels, relaxes the body, and restores the balance between hormones. As a result, the body can regain its natural hormonal balance when testosterone is released from the “suppression principle” of cortisol.
Deeper sleep, more nighttime
Night sleep – it is not only necessary for rest, it is the “recovery and reset” time of our body. When we get into the deepest stage of sleep, our bodies perform a magical trick: hormone production starts to ramp up.
Testosterone is most commonly produced during sleep, especially during REM sleep. However, if you have trouble falling or staying asleep on a regular basis, your body will not have an opportunity to produce its own testosterone.
Here is the importance of exercise: regular exercise improves the quality of sleep, shortens the time it takes to fall asleep, and deepens the sleep cycle. This means that more testosterone is produced at night. Getting a good night’s sleep improves both your sleep and your testosterone levels.
Improved Insulin Sensitivity and Fat Reduction
There is an amazing balance between the hormones in the body, which affect and interact with each other. And insulin is crucial for maintaining this balance. Insulin is basically the sugar or glucose in our blood that helps in the production of energy.
But the problem occurs when the body loses sensitivity to insulin, which means insulin can’t work properly. Then, glucose builds up in the blood, which makes body fat go up, especially around the stomach.
But exercise appears as a hero here. Regular exercise helps the body learn to use insulin properly, which increases insulin sensitivity. This reduces the rate of fat accumulation in our body, especially the dangerous visceral fat, which causes hormonal disturbances.
Since excess body fat (especially belly fat) converts testosterone into estrogen, that’s why reducing fat directly helps to preserve testosterone. This is how exercise not only supports insulin function but also eliminates the enemy of testosterone.
Bottom Line: Does Exercise Really Increase Testosterone?
Testosterone is undoubtedly deeply linked to strength, self-confidence, muscle building, sexual health and even mental stability. But there’s an important piece of the puzzle that we often overlook: the exact signal your brain sends depends on your day-to-day decisions. What you eat, how much you sleep, how much stress you take, or how much you move your body. All these things are actually controlled by your hormones.
Another surprising fact is that recent studies have shown that meditation, natural exposure to sunlight, and social connection (such as spending time with friends) these things also help to increase the body’s testosterone level naturally.
So it’s not just exercise or diet, but taking care of your feelings, maintaining good mental health. All work together for your body.
Remember, the more aware you are, the more your body will cooperate.
