Short answer: Working out raises testosterone for a short time after a hard session, especially heavy lifting with big muscle groups, but in healthy men it usually does not raise resting levels much on its own. The clearest long-term gains show up in men who start out sedentary or overweight, and much of that benefit seems tied to losing body fat. At the other extreme, years of very high-volume endurance training are linked to lower resting testosterone. If you have symptoms of low testosterone, see a doctor for a proper blood test before changing anything.
Key Takeaways
- Heavy resistance exercise causes a short testosterone rise that often returns to baseline within about 30 minutes; large muscle groups matter most.[1]
- Several training studies (for example 16 weeks of progressive resistance training) found no change in resting testosterone in healthy men.[1]
- Increases in resting levels were reported mostly in obese or sedentary men, usually alongside fat loss, so weight loss may be doing much of the work.[1][4]
- Long histories of near-daily, high-volume endurance training are associated with resting testosterone roughly 30 to 35% lower than in sedentary men, often still within the normal range.[2]
- Low desire, fewer morning erections and fatigue can signal low testosterone, but they have many other causes. A clinician should check two morning blood tests.[4][5]
What Happens to Testosterone When You Work Out
Testosterone responds to exercise on two different time scales, and mixing them up causes most of the confusion online.
The acute response (minutes to hours)
Right after a demanding session, blood testosterone goes up. A 2020 review in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology describes weightlifters whose levels went from 16.2 to 21.4 nmol/L five minutes after training, then returned to baseline or slightly below within about 30 minutes.[1] The same review reports that well-trained runners also showed a rise after short, very hard running (from 18.2 to 24.1 nmol/L after five minutes at 90% of maximal oxygen uptake).[1]
This spike is real, but it is brief. There is no strong evidence that chasing a bigger post-workout spike changes your health, your muscle gains or your sex drive in a meaningful way.
The chronic response (weeks to years)
What most men actually want to know is whether resting testosterone, the number on a morning blood test, goes up with regular training. Here the evidence is mixed. In healthy men, 16 weeks of progressive resistance training did not change resting levels, and endurance programs of 14 weeks, or doubling running mileage, did not change them either.[1] Increases were reported in some groups, mainly men who were obese or sedentary at the start, which brings us to body fat.
Exercise Types Compared: What the Evidence Shows
The table below summarizes what the sources we reviewed actually found. “Resting level” means the baseline testosterone measured on a lab test, not the short spike after a workout.
| Exercise type | Short-term effect | Effect on resting testosterone | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavy resistance training (squats, deadlifts, presses) | Rises right after training, back to baseline within about 30 minutes | Usually no change in healthy men; increases reported in some obese men | Large muscle groups needed; free-weight squats produced a larger rise than leg press[1] |
| Higher-volume lifting with short rest | Largest post-exercise rise in the reviewed protocols | Not clearly established | Moderate load, more sets, shorter rest[1] |
| High-intensity interval training (HIIT) | Limited data | No change in one study of inactive overweight men | Still useful for fitness and fat loss[1] |
| Moderate aerobic training | Rise after hard efforts | Small increases reported in some obese men (often with fat loss); no change in others | Supports weight control and heart health[1][3] |
| Very high-volume endurance training for many years | Rise after hard efforts | Lower than sedentary men, about 30 to 35% in one large runner study | Called the “exercise-hypogonadal male condition”; still a working hypothesis[2] |
| Combined training in older men | Smaller rise than in young men | Increase seen in previously sedentary older men, not in lifelong exercisers | No change in men aged 70 to 80 after 16 weeks in one study[1] |
Weight Loss May Be the Biggest Lever
Cleveland Clinic notes that obesity and type 2 diabetes are strongly linked to low testosterone, and that most men with symptoms have no problem in the testicles or pituitary gland but instead have issues related to obesity or diabetes.[4] It lists healthy eating and regular physical activity as first-line treatment.[4] Mayo Clinic similarly says that when no medical condition is driving low testosterone, a doctor may suggest losing weight and building muscle through resistance exercise.[5]
The research review backs this up from another angle. Resting testosterone increased in some studies of obese men, for example from 23.9 to 28.4 nmol/L after 12 weeks of resistance training, and from 15.1 to 16.6 nmol/L after 16 weeks of aerobic training, but many of these gains came together with fat loss, so the authors could not separate the effect of exercise from the effect of losing weight.[1] A later study did not replicate the 12-week resistance result.[1]
Practical meaning: if you carry extra weight around the waist, a training plan that helps you lose fat, combined with better eating and sleep, is the most evidence-based way exercise can help your hormones. For a broader plan, see our guide on how to increase testosterone naturally.
Can Too Much Exercise Lower Testosterone?
Yes, in specific situations. Exercise physiologist Anthony Hackney has described the “exercise-hypogonadal male condition” in men with many years of nearly daily, high-volume endurance training such as running, triathlon, cycling, cross-country skiing and race walking.[2] In a study of 196 endurance runners aged 18 to 57, testosterone was lower than in matched sedentary men, the gap grew with years of training, and it appeared to level off at about 30 to 35%.[2] Most of these men were still within the normal reference range.[2]
Hackney separates this long-term pattern from the temporary drop in testosterone that can come with overtraining or with eating too little for the amount of training (low energy availability). Those short-term drops can resolve with the right changes, such as more rest and more food.[2] He also calls the long-term condition a working hypothesis based on limited evidence, so it should not be overstated.
Warning signs you may be overdoing it
- Performance stalls or drops despite more training.
- Persistent fatigue, poor sleep or irritability.
- Loss of interest in sex that lines up with a big jump in training load or a calorie deficit.
- Frequent illness or nagging injuries.
If these appear, scale back volume, eat enough, and talk to a doctor if they do not improve.
Does Exercise Increase Libido?
Desire depends on far more than one hormone. Cleveland Clinic lists reduced libido, fewer morning or spontaneous erections and difficulty with erections among the sexual symptoms of low testosterone, along with low mood, more body fat and reduced strength and endurance.[4] Mayo Clinic adds reduced motivation and confidence, and notes that medication side effects, sleep apnea, thyroid problems, diabetes and depression can cause similar symptoms.[5]
Regular exercise addresses several of those factors at once: it helps with body fat, strength, endurance, sleep and mood. That is a reasonable explanation for why many men feel more interested in sex when they get fitter, even when their lab testosterone barely moves. It is not a guarantee, and a sudden or lasting drop in desire deserves a medical check rather than more workouts. Our article on how to increase stamina for men covers the fitness side in more detail.
How Much and What Kind of Exercise to Do
The CDC recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity a week (or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or a mix), plus 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity that works all major muscle groups.[3] That baseline is a sensible target for hormone health too.
- Strength: 2 or more sessions a week built around large-muscle compound lifts (squats, deadlifts, rows, presses, push-ups). No gym? Start with our bodyweight workouts for men.
- Cardio: brisk walking, cycling or swimming to reach the weekly minutes, with optional short interval sessions for fitness.
- Recovery: at least one or two easy or rest days a week, and enough food to match your training.
- Sleep: Cleveland Clinic suggests about seven hours a night and treating sleep apnea as part of keeping testosterone levels normal.[4]
When to See a Doctor First
Exercise is not a substitute for a diagnosis. If you have low desire, erection changes, unusual fatigue, loss of muscle or low mood, ask your doctor about testing. Cleveland Clinic explains that total testosterone is measured with two separate morning blood samples, and that levels below 300 ng/dL are considered low in adults.[4] Mayo Clinic notes that testosterone falls by about 1% a year after age 30 or 40 and that doctors need to separate normal aging from hypogonadism, a medical condition.[5] Learn the common signs of low testosterone so you can describe your symptoms clearly.
Cleveland Clinic also advises against relying on over-the-counter supplements for bothersome symptoms and recommends talking to a provider about treatment.[4] That is good advice for any man with symptoms.
Where Ultra Bann Fits
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does lifting weights increase testosterone?
Heavy lifting raises testosterone for a short time after the session, usually back to baseline within about 30 minutes. Long-term studies in healthy men often show no change in resting levels, while some studies in obese or sedentary men show increases, often alongside fat loss.
Is cardio bad for testosterone?
Normal amounts of cardio are not. Lower resting testosterone has been linked mainly to many years of near-daily, high-volume endurance training, and to short periods of overtraining or under-eating. Moderate cardio helps with fat loss and heart health.
What is the best exercise for testosterone?
There is no single best exercise. The strongest acute rises come from large-muscle resistance work like squats, and the most consistent long-term benefit appears in men who lose excess body fat. A mix of strength training and cardio that you can sustain is the practical choice.
How long does it take for exercise to affect testosterone?
The short spike happens within minutes of a hard session. Changes in resting levels, when they occur, were reported in studies lasting about 6 to 16 weeks, mostly in previously sedentary or overweight men.
Can exercise replace testosterone therapy?
No. Lifestyle changes are first-line for many men, but true hypogonadism is a medical condition. Cleveland Clinic notes other treatment may be considered if lifestyle changes do not help after six to 12 months or if symptoms are severe. Decisions about therapy belong with your doctor.
References
- Riachy R, McKinney K, Tuvdendorj DR. Various Factors May Modulate the Effect of Exercise on Testosterone Levels in Men. Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology. 2020;5(4):81. mdpi.com
- Hackney AC. Hypogonadism in Exercising Males: Dysfunction or Adaptive-Regulatory Adjustment? Frontiers in Endocrinology. 2020;11. frontiersin.org
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Adult Activity: An Overview. cdc.gov
- Cleveland Clinic. Low Testosterone (Male Hypogonadism). clevelandclinic.org
- Mayo Clinic. Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age. mayoclinic.org
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. This article is for information only and is not medical advice.
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