Exercise guide
Exercise raises testosterone, but only for minutes: a hard session pushes it up, and it is back to normal within about half an hour. Months of lifting or running don't change resting testosterone in healthy men, and the short rises don't build muscle. So there is no testosterone workout, and you don't need one to get stronger.
If you carry excess weight, losing it is the change most clearly linked with higher testosterone. If you are tired or have a low sex drive or erection problems, see your GP: these symptoms have many causes, and low testosterone can only be confirmed with blood tests.
This guide sets out what the studies show about weights, cardio and high-intensity interval training (HIIT), when training can lower testosterone, what helps, and when to see a GP.
Briefly. Across 48 studies, moderate and hard exercise raised testosterone, which was back to normal within about 30 minutes, and gentle exercise didn't raise it. Over weeks and months, training doesn't change resting levels in healthy men.
No. In trials, the size of the rise after a workout didn't predict gains in muscle or strength. Muscle comes from the training itself, enough weekly sets and enough protein.
Losing excess weight, if you carry it: testosterone rose with weight loss in men with obesity, more with more weight lost. In ageing men, changes in weight tracked testosterone, but changes in activity didn't.
Only at the extremes. Eating too little for the training you do lowers testosterone, and some men with years of very high-volume endurance training have lower levels. A year of more than 6 hours a week of aerobic exercise didn't change testosterone in men aged 40 to 75.
Poor morning erections, a low sex drive and erection problems are the symptoms most linked with low testosterone, but stress, depression, poor sleep and alcohol can cause the same symptoms. If you have them, see your GP rather than guessing.
Most testosterone booster supplements lack evidence for their claims, and some contain more of some vitamins and minerals than is safe. Anabolic steroids can shrink the testicles, cause infertility and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Testosterone is the main male sex hormone. Over 95% of a man's testosterone is made in the testes, about 4 to 9 mg a day, and typical levels in the blood are 10 to 35 nmol/L (nanomoles per litre). Most of it is carried bound to proteins; only about 1.5 to 2% is free.
The NHS describes a steady fall of about 1% a year, starting from around age 30 to 40, which is unlikely to cause problems on its own. Weight matters a lot: in a European study of 3,200 men aged 40 to 79, men with obesity had about 5 nmol/L less total testosterone than men of a healthy weight. Over 4.4 years, testosterone fell on average by only 0.1 nmol/L a year.
The NHS calls the term unhelpful: there is no sudden drop in middle age, and in many cases the symptoms blamed on it have nothing to do with hormones. A testosterone deficiency that develops later in life, called late-onset hypogonadism, is uncommon and more likely in men who are obese or have type 2 diabetes.
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Low testosterone is diagnosed only when symptoms go with consistently low levels: a blood test taken in the morning, fasting, and repeated to confirm it. In a European study of 3,369 men, the symptoms that tracked low levels were three sexual ones: poor morning erections, low sex drive and erection problems.
A review of 48 studies with 569 men found that moderate and hard exercise raised testosterone straight after exercise and for up to 30 minutes, but not beyond, and that gentle exercise didn't raise it. Studies of testosterone in saliva are weaker, and their results depend on how and when samples were taken.
In 11 randomised trials with 421 inactive, healthy men aged 19 to 75, training for a median of 12 weeks had no effect on resting testosterone. That held for aerobic, strength and combined training, and whatever the men's age or weight. In a year-long trial, 102 men aged 40 to 75 did about 6 hours a week of aerobic exercise, and their testosterone didn't change.
In men aged 60 and over, strength training didn't change resting testosterone. Endurance and interval training produced small rises, but in few studies, many of them without a comparison group. In one 6-week study of 17 masters athletes, interval training didn't significantly change total testosterone.
In 7 small studies of people with obesity or type 2 diabetes, aerobic training moderately raised testosterone in the 62 men taking part. The larger review of randomised trials found no difference by body weight, so this is uncertain.
Researchers tested this directly. In 12 young men, each trained one arm on its own and the other arm just before a hard leg session that raised testosterone and growth hormone. After 15 weeks, both arms had grown about the same: 12% and 10%. In 56 young men and in 49 trained men, the size of the rise didn't predict gains in muscle or strength, and in a lab study it didn't boost muscle building. A 2024 review found no good evidence for planning training around these hormones.
Large, lasting changes do matter. In a trial, healthy men given very high doses of testosterone, far above the normal range, gained 6.1 kg of lean mass in 10 weeks with weight training. In another trial, lean mass rose with the dose. A persistent fall in testosterone is linked with less muscle and function, which is why genuinely low testosterone is worth diagnosing.
Women have about 10 to 20 times less testosterone than men, yet from the same training they gain a similar amount of muscle relative to their starting size. Men gain more in absolute terms, mainly in the upper body. The short hormone rises after exercise aren't what drives the gains.
When you don't eat enough to cover the energy your training uses, the body cuts back, and testosterone can fall. The International Olympic Committee calls this relative energy deficiency in sport (REDs) and recognises it in men as well as women. In a small study, distance runners with low testosterone had less energy left for the body after their training than inactive men had. This kind of low testosterone appears to be temporary, and recovers with more food, less training and medical care where needed.
Overtraining syndrome comes from too much hard training with too little recovery, and shows as falling performance, fatigue and mood changes. In 38 studies, resting hormone levels were mostly normal in overtrained athletes, so no single blood test diagnoses it.
Some men with many years of near-daily, high-volume endurance training, such as running, cycling or triathlon, have resting testosterone 25 to 50% lower than expected for their age. In one small study, endurance-trained men had about 31% lower testosterone than untrained men, and at an Ironman world championship, 4 of 22 men had levels suggesting a deficiency. Researchers still debate whether this harms health or is an adaptation, and the studies are small.
In an online survey of 1,077 men, those doing the most intense and longest endurance training were more likely to report a low sex drive. A survey can't show cause and effect.
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Normal amounts of cardio, including the 150 minutes a week the guidelines ask for, don't lower testosterone. If you train very hard, eat enough to match it and take easier weeks. If you feel run down, lose interest in sex or your performance falls for weeks, ease off, and see a GP if it doesn't lift (our suggestion).
If you have symptoms, see your GP. They'll ask about your work and personal life to see if your symptoms may be caused by a mental health issue, such as stress or anxiety. They may also order a blood test to measure your testosterone and, if it is low, refer you to an endocrinologist, a specialist in hormones.
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Weight loss raises testosterone in men with obesity. Across 24 studies, both low-calorie diets and weight-loss surgery raised it, surgery about three times as much, and the more weight men lost, the bigger the rise. In ageing men, free testosterone changed only when weight changed by 15% or more. Our weight loss guide covers how exercise and eating work together.
Aim for the guidelines: at least 150 minutes of moderate activity a week and strength work on 2 days. Exercise helps mainly through weight and general health; in a few small studies of men with obesity or type 2 diabetes, aerobic training also raised testosterone moderately.
If muscle is the goal, the levers are the same for everyone. Do strength training on 2 to 3 days a week, building to about 10 or more hard sets per muscle a week and stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure. Eat enough protein: in trials, the benefit levelled off at about 1.6 g per kg of body weight a day. Our plans for men set this out.
The NHS lists stress, depression, anxiety, lack of sleep, a poor diet, lack of exercise, drinking too much alcohol, smoking and low self-esteem among the causes of the same symptoms. They are worth raising with your GP.
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Squats and deadlifts don't raise testosterone in any way that builds muscle, but they do build strength. Start with 3 sets of 8 to 12 on the dumbbell moves, or 3 sets of 5 on the barbell lifts as in our barbell workout, stopping 2 to 3 reps short of failure.
3D demoDumbbell goblet squatIntermediate · A dumbbell
3D demoBarbell back squatAdvanced · A barbell
3D demoTrap bar (hex bar) deadliftIntermediate · Other / check instructions
3D demoBarbell bench pressIntermediate · A barbell + A bench or box
3D demoSupported single-arm dumbbell rowIntermediate · A dumbbell + A bench or box
3D demoPull-upAdvanced · Pull-up bar
3D demoStanding overhead pressIntermediate · A barbell + A dumbbellBrisk walking, cycling and rowing count towards the 150 minutes a week the guidelines ask for and help with weight. If 30 minutes is too much at first, start with 20 and add about 5 minutes a session.
These plans train every muscle about twice a week with enough hard sets. None is a testosterone plan, because none is needed.
A 4-day gym workout routine for men: upper and lower days, each muscle trained twice a week, with sets, reps, progression and the evidence.
4 training days50 minIntermediate3 days a weekA 3-day strength plan for men over 40 with power and bone work, two cardio days and mobility, built on research on ageing muscle.
3 training days45 minBeginner3 days a weekA beginner gym plan: three full-body sessions a week, alternating workouts A and B, with sets, reps, rest and an 8-week progression.
3 training days45 minBeginnerA full-body strength session or the barbell session twice a week, and the easy cardio session on two or three days.
A beginner full-body gym workout: goblet squats, dumbbell bench press, lat pulldowns, Romanian deadlifts and dead bugs, with sets, reps and rest.
45 minBeginner12 movesCardio machine, A bandA classic barbell strength session: back squat, bench press, rows, overhead press and deadlift.
50 minIntermediate8 movesA band, A barbellA steady 30 to 45 minute cardio session at talk-but-not-sing pace: walk, cycle, row or cross-train, counting toward weekly activity guidelines.
40 minBeginner3 movesCardio machine, A wallThe NHS lists mood swings and irritability, loss of muscle and a reduced ability to exercise, and changes in where fat is stored, such as around the belly or chest. It also lists lack of energy, poor sleep or tiredness, poor concentration and memory, a low sex drive and erection problems. In a European study, the three sexual symptoms were the ones most tied to low testosterone.
In a review of 50 testosterone booster supplements, 90% claimed to boost testosterone, but only about a quarter had evidence to support that. About 1 in 10 contained ingredients with evidence of lowering it, and 13 products exceeded safe daily limits for zinc, vitamin B3 or magnesium. For the top-selling boosters online, about half of the human studies of their main ingredients found no effect on testosterone. Some supplements sold to athletes have contained banned substances.
Anabolic steroids are prescription-only medicines that copy the effects of testosterone. The NHS warns they can cause a reduced sperm count, infertility, shrunken testicles, erection problems, hair loss, breast development and severe acne. They also raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, can cause liver and kidney problems and mood changes, and are addictive. See a GP if you think you're addicted.
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If a specialist confirms a deficiency, the NHS says you may be offered testosterone replacement, given as an injection or a gel. It is a medical treatment with risks as well as benefits. In a large trial of men with confirmed low levels, it didn't increase heart attacks or strokes, but an irregular heart rhythm, kidney injury and blood clots in the lungs were more common. It isn't a way to build muscle when your levels are normal.
If you train hard and your performance falls for weeks, or you feel run down, low or lose interest in sex, ease off, eat enough to match your training and rest. See a GP if it doesn't lift within a few weeks (our suggestion).
Stop and call 999 if:
They raise it for less than half an hour, as any hard exercise does. Months of training don't change resting levels, and the short rise doesn't add muscle. Do squats because they build your legs.
The idea is that the hormone surge from leg training grows other muscles. Tested directly: arms trained just before a hard leg session, which raised testosterone and growth hormone, grew 10% in 15 weeks; arms trained without it grew 12%. There was no difference.
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Hard intervals raise testosterone briefly, like any hard effort. Small studies in older men found slight rises in resting levels after interval training, but they were few and often had no comparison group. Do intervals for fitness.
Normal amounts don't: a year of more than 6 hours a week of aerobic exercise left testosterone unchanged in men aged 40 to 75. Lower levels turn up in some men after years of very high-volume endurance training, or when they eat too little for their training.
Often it isn't: the NHS says many of these symptoms have nothing to do with hormones, and stress, depression, poor sleep and alcohol are common causes. Low testosterone is diagnosed from symptoms plus repeated morning blood tests, so see your GP rather than guessing.
Most don't have the evidence. For the top-selling boosters online, about half of the human studies of their main ingredients found no effect on testosterone. When unreliable customer reviews were filtered out, reports of a better sex drive and more strength fell by about 90%.
Yes, but only for a short time. Moderate and hard exercise raise testosterone, and it is back to normal within about 30 minutes; gentle exercise doesn't raise it. Over months, training doesn't change resting levels in healthy men.
No. In trials of inactive men aged 19 to 75, weeks to months of training didn't change resting testosterone, whatever the type of training. In men over 60, strength training didn't change it either.
There isn't one: no exercise raises resting testosterone in healthy men. If you carry excess weight, the exercise that helps you lose it is your best bet, because weight loss raises low testosterone. Otherwise, train for muscle and fitness.
Hard intervals raise testosterone briefly, like any hard exercise. Small studies in older men found slight rises in resting levels after interval training, but they were few and often had no comparison group. Do intervals for fitness, not hormones.
Normal amounts don't: a year of more than 6 hours a week of aerobic exercise left testosterone unchanged in men aged 40 to 75. Some men with years of very high-volume endurance training have lower levels, and eating too little for your training lowers it too. If that's you and you feel run down, see a GP.
It can, especially if you also eat too little for your training. The signs are falling performance despite training, persistent fatigue, low mood and a low sex drive. Resting hormone levels are often normal in overtraining, so rest, eat enough, and see a GP if it doesn't lift.
Not much. Strength training didn't change resting testosterone in men over 60, and endurance and interval training produced only small rises in a few weak studies. Losing excess weight helps more, and training still matters for keeping muscle, strength and power as you age.
No. In trials, the size of the rise after a workout didn't predict muscle or strength gains, and arms trained with a hormone-raising leg session grew no more than arms trained without it. What builds muscle is the training itself, enough weekly sets and enough protein.
If you carry excess weight, losing it raises testosterone, and the more weight lost, the bigger the rise. Exercise is part of that. The NHS also points to stress, poor sleep, a poor diet, alcohol and inactivity as causes of the same symptoms, so if they persist, see your GP rather than buying boosters.
The symptoms most linked to low testosterone are poor morning erections, a low sex drive and erection problems. The NHS also lists mood swings, loss of muscle, low energy, poor sleep and poor concentration. If you have any of these, see your GP: they'll look for other causes and may order a blood test, taken in the morning and repeated to confirm.
Mostly not as claimed. In a review of 50 products, only about a quarter had evidence that they raise testosterone, and about 1 in 10 had ingredients linked with lowering it. Some exceeded safe limits for zinc, vitamin B3 or magnesium. If you're worried your testosterone is low, see your GP.
Only if blood tests confirm a deficiency and a specialist advises it, after talking through the benefits and risks. Testosterone falls slowly with age, which is unlikely to cause problems on its own, and low testosterone is diagnosed only when symptoms go with consistently low morning blood tests. Testosterone isn't a way to build muscle if your levels are normal.
Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan, and clinical review of these guides is pending. Stop and get advice for chest pain, unusual breathlessness, dizziness or fainting, or new pain, and check with your doctor or midwife first if they have told you to limit activity. Health disclaimer.
