Exercise and resting testosterone

What the research found

A 2021 systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research pooled 11 randomized trials. They included 421 insufficiently active but apparently healthy men aged 19 to 75. Participants did aerobic, resistance, or combined training, for a median of 12 weeks.

• Overall, exercise training had a negligible effect on resting total testosterone (standardized mean difference 0.00, with a confidence interval from -0.20 to 0.20).
• The result did not differ meaningfully by training type, age, body mass status, or which testosterone measure was used.

A separate 2018 meta-analysis focused on older men found something similar for resistance training: no significant effect on basal testosterone, and results that varied depending on which testosterone measure was used.

What about the post-workout bump?

Testosterone can rise briefly after a hard session. That short-lived bump is different from a lasting change in your resting level, which is what the studies above measure.

Limits to keep in mind

• The trials were fairly short, with a median of 12 weeks, and mostly enrolled men with normal testosterone.
• Training may help indirectly. It supports fat loss and muscle retention, and weight loss is linked to higher testosterone in men with obesity.

What to do with this

• Keep training. It has strong benefits for strength, bone, mood, and metabolic health.
• Do not buy into claims that a specific workout will fix low testosterone.
• If you suspect low testosterone, ask a clinician about testing. See how diagnosis works.