Strategies for optimising testosterone levels in athletes 📈
Invest in these areas for hormonal health.
Testosterone-Optimizing Strategies in Athletes
Study Details
This new review paper outlined the current evidence on legal strategies to optimise testosterone levels in athletes 🔍
Here are the key findings ⬇️
Key Findings
ENERGY AVAILABILITY & CALORIE INTAKE
🍽️ Maintain energy balance
⚠️ Avoid low energy availability and REDs
📉 Chronic calorie restriction lowers testosterone
MACRONUTRIENTS
🍞 Adequate carbohydrate intake to support training load
🥑 Avoid very low-fat diets
⚖️ Excessively high protein (>3.4 g/kg/day) with low carbs may suppress testosterone
MICRONUTRIENTS
🧪 Ensure sufficiency of vitamin D, zinc, magnesium, and boron
🔗 Deficiencies are linked with lower testosterone
🩸 Blood testing preferred over blind high-dose supplementation
TESTOSTERONE BOOSTER SUPPLEMENTS
❓ Limited evidence overall
🌿 Best evidence for eurycoma longifolia (tongkat ali) - but even this is poor
🚫 High contamination risk and potential anti-doping violations
SLEEP
😴 Testosterone secretion is closely linked to REM sleep
⏰ Short or poor-quality sleep can reduce testosterone by ~10–15%
✈️ Address sleep disorders and travel-related jet lag
RESISTANCE TRAINING
🏋️ Moderate-to-high intensity resistance training most effective
🦵 Large muscle groups, free weights, higher volume, short rest periods
📈 Acute testosterone increases may support long-term adaptations
ENDURANCE TRAINING
🏃 Acute endurance exercise can increase testosterone
🔋 Chronic high volumes without adequate fueling may reduce testosterone
RECOVERY STRATEGIES
❄️ Cold-water immersion may blunt post-exercise testosterone response
🔥 Sauna bathing appears largely neutral for testosterone levels
RECREATIONAL & MEDICAL SUBSTANCES
🍺 Chronic alcohol misuse lowers testosterone
💊 NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and opioids may suppress testosterone production
⚠️ Use cautiously and avoid routine reliance
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURES
🧴 Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (plastics, pesticides) linked to lower testosterone
📱 Prolonged close exposure to phones and Wi-Fi devices may be detrimental
FEMALE ATHLETES
🩸 Hormonal contraceptives reduce total and free testosterone
🩺 Copper IUD has minimal hormonal impact
📊 Important consideration for performance and recovery
Conclusion
Overall, testosterone optimisation in athletes is driven primarily by energy availability, sleep, training quality and recovery, not supplements or quick fixes ✅
Most “testosterone boosters” lack strong evidence and carry health and anti-doping risks, while foundational behaviours consistently show the strongest effects 💪
Reference
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41630126/
Performance Nutrition Digest is powered by Healthspan Elite ⚡️
Healthspan Elite is a science-led sports nutrition range developed in collaboration with leading experts to support athletic performance, recovery, and health.
Use code: TCDIGEST25 for 25% off at https://www.healthspanelite.co.uk/ 💪