Many men feel that their low testosterone makes it impossible to perform well at the gym. That’s because testosterone is a crucial factor in muscle development. But does working out increase testosterone? Exercise will boost your testosterone, although it has a relatively short-term effect.
It may seem ironic that working out will increase your T levels, even if your low T makes it difficult to exercise in the first place. However, it makes sense when you consider how your body knows to produce testosterone.
One of testosterone’s purposes is to encourage tissue growth. So as you work out, your body will send signals to increase testosterone output to nurture the activated muscles.
To feel the full effects of boosted testosterone, you’ll need to know what exercises are best for increasing your T levels.
How Exercise Affects Testosterone Levels
Physical activity has many benefits that help you live a healthier life, like:
- Strengthening your bones.
- Managing your weight.
- Lowering your blood cholesterol.
- Decreasing the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
- Reducing your risk of a heart attack and other problems.
- Improving your balance.
And on top of these benefits, exercise boosts serum testosterone levels because
Testosterone Boosting Workouts
Just like every physical body isn’t the same, neither is every workout. While moving your body in any manner is generally good for your health, some workouts can significantly increase testosterone levels. Testosterone levels depend heavily on your weight, age, and general fitness level. Those who are overweight might see their testosterone levels rise by working out and consistently shedding pounds.
Those who work out regularly but are aging might suffer from low testosterone levels, which can be reversed by modifying the length of time spent exercising. A 2007 study found that men who engage in weight training three to four times a week experienced increased testosterone levels following a workout.
Since testosterone levels can increase following a workout, creating a fitness routine that not only addresses your goals but also includes exercises to naturally increase testosterone the most is key.
- High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): HIIT training is a cardio session comprised of short bursts of intense exercise with one to two minutes of rest in between. As an example, you may run at full speed for 90 seconds on a treadmill and then take a 90-second break. One study of two groups, middle-aged and young men, found that five sessions of two-minute cycling exercises increased T levels in both.
- Weight Lifting: Lifting weights and other forms of resistance training can help increase short and long-term T levels in most men. It’s best to target as many large muscle groups as possible, like quadriceps, back, chest, and hamstrings. Also, be sure to target the smaller muscles, like biceps and shoulders, to strengthen your entire body.
An optimal workout plan consists of 30-45 minute weight lifting sessions three times a week. On the days you aren’t lifting weights, do some HIIT workouts. Be sure to leave at least one day of no exercise for muscle recovery.
Testosterone Reducing Workouts
Chronic endurance workouts, like long-distance running, cycling, and swimming, can actually decrease testosterone. That’s because these exercises increase the level of cortisol in your body, a stress hormone that effectively blocks testosterone’s effects and limits its production. So the more endurance training you do, the more your testosterone levels may drop, which will not allow for proper muscle recovery after workouts.
Other Factors
Of course, there are other factors at play when it comes to raising testosterone levels. You could hit the gym just as often and just as hard as a friend but still run into low T issues while they might not. Testosterone levels vary throughout the day, meaning when you work out makes a difference. For those that are older, working out to increase testosterone might not be as effective as it once was, but that doesn’t make it any less beneficial for your overall health.
Four other factors can influence how much of a testosterone boost you’ll gain from working out: your weight, your age, your fitness level, and when you exercise.
- Your weight: Excess fat is a testosterone killer. Obese men are significantly more likely to have low T when compared to men at a healthy weight. Fortunately, your testosterone can quickly improve after you’ve shed those extra pounds.
- Your age: Older men get less of a testosterone boost from working out. Regardless, regular exercise can still result in a minor increase and bring other health benefits like increased energy and better bone and muscle strength.
- Your fitness level: If you’re not already in great shape, you will actually see a greater boost in testosterone from your workouts. But after a few weeks of regular exercise, your body will get used to the workouts and you’ll see a lower hormonal response.
- When you exercise: Testosterone levels start off highest in the morning and are at their lowest in the afternoon. In order to use this natural boost to your advantage, working out in the morning or the late evening can bring impressive results. Research has shown that weight training in the evening has a greater impact on T levels than during other times of the day.
If one of your main goals is to increase T levels, then the question you might ask isn’t what exercise increases testosterone most, but rather what time of day provides the greatest potential?
How Testosterone Affects the Body
Testosterone helps regulate a man’s body to function properly. However, there’s a stark contrast between the long-term effects of healthy T levels and the effect of short bursts from supplements.
Effects of Long-Term Healthy T Levels
Testosterone in males is critical for maintaining a healthy and balanced body. A consistently healthy level of testosterone helps with male development, influencing functions like:
- Sperm production
- Libido
- Behavior and attitude
- Facial and body hair growth
- Muscle mass
- Fat metabolism
- Bone density
- Heart health
Effects of Short Bursts
Many men with low T will take supplements so they have enough energy to work out. Otherwise, the amount of testosterone they get from exercising alone won’t be enough to keep them from getting too tired, making it harder for them to want to work out. Without the help of a T supplement, they may cut the habit entirely.
While the risks are low, men may experience certain side effects when taking these supplements. These risks are more common when supplements are used to treat low T levels caused by age rather than a hormone deficiency:
- Increased acne
- Sleep apnea
- Breast swelling
- Ankle swelling
If not carefully monitored, these side effects can turn into more severe health issues, such as cardiovascular problems and developing prostate cancer cells.
Naturally Increase Your Testosterone
Exercising is just one lifestyle change you can make to improve your testosterone levels. Another thing you can add to your routine is Andro400.
Our supplements use Eurycoma longifolia, a plant that has been used to increase testosterone levels in Southeast Asia for centuries. Our all-natural supplements are shown to increase and support a healthy testosterone level.
To learn more about how Andro400 can improve your life, contact us on our website today.