Testosterone in Sports: Everything You Need to Know About This Essential Hormone
Testosterone is one of the most talked-about hormones in the world of sports and fitness. Often seen as the ultimate key to performance, muscle growth, and competitiveness, it fuels locker-room debates and social media advice—many of which are misleading or outright false.
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| Everything You Need to Know About This Essential Hormone |
Is low performance always a sign of low testosterone? Can you boost it naturally through training or supplements? And does more testosterone automatically mean more muscle?
To separate facts from myths, this article draws on expert medical insight from an endocrinologist specializing in hormonal disorders in athletes.
The goal is simple: help you understand how testosterone really works in the body, what influences it, and how to protect your health while pursuing athletic performance.
What Is Testosterone and What Is Its Role?
Testosterone is a steroid hormone with a specific chemical structure, naturally produced by the human body. According to endocrinologist Jacques Young, it is primarily secreted in much larger amounts by men, although women also produce small quantities.
During childhood, testosterone levels are very low in everyone, regardless of sex. Differences emerge later:
During fetal development, testosterone influences the formation of male sexual organs
During puberty and adulthood, it contributes to traits such as body hair, deeper voice, and increased muscle mass
On average, adult men produce more than ten times as much testosterone as women. That said, certain medical conditions (such as hormonal disorders or polycystic ovary syndrome) can affect testosterone levels in women as well.
Testosterone and Muscle: What Is the Real Connection?
The natural difference in testosterone production largely explains why men and women do not develop muscle mass in the same way. However, this reality is often exaggerated.
Testosterone does play a role in muscle development because muscle fibers contain androgen receptors. When testosterone binds to these receptors, it promotes muscle growth and strength, both in size and quality.
That said, testosterone is not the only factor:
Physical activity itself is essential
Training intensity, volume, nutrition, and recovery matter greatly
For example, a physically active woman can develop stronger legs than a sedentary man, despite producing far less testosterone. At equal levels of physical activity, however, individuals with higher testosterone generally develop more muscle mass.
Excess or Deficiency: How to Identify Testosterone Imbalance
One common misconception in gyms is that regular exercise permanently increases testosterone levels. In reality, testosterone levels are relatively stable over long periods.
According to medical experts:
Training does not significantly raise baseline testosterone
Testosterone levels mainly decline naturally with age, especially after 30
Temporary fluctuations can occur due to:
Time of day (highest in the morning)
Intense physical activity (short-term increase)
Stress
Body fat levels
Nutritional intake
Menstrual cycle in women
Endurance Sports and Testosterone
Endurance athletes who restrict calories or fail to compensate energy intake may actually see a decrease in testosterone. Extremely low body fat can impair hormonal signaling between the brain and the testes, leading to reduced testosterone production.
Potential consequences include:
Loss of libido
Chronic fatigue
Mood disorders or depression
Ironically, athletes trying to improve performance through extreme leanness may end up harming both health and results.
Can You Increase Testosterone Levels?
Natural Methods: Myth vs Reality
Popular beliefs—such as eating raw eggs or lifting heavy weights to boost testosterone—are mostly myths. Training does not permanently raise testosterone levels.
One exception exists:
Overweight or obese individuals may experience a modest testosterone increase with weight loss, although levels typically remain within the normal range.
Supplements and Hormone Boosters
Creatine may improve athletic performance, but it does not increase testosterone. This myth is often used for marketing purposes.
For individuals with a balanced diet, supplements have no proven effect on testosterone levels. Worse, some supplements may be contaminated with banned or harmful substances, including anabolic steroids.
Reports from anti-doping agencies show that a significant percentage of positive doping tests are linked to contaminated supplements. Health authorities also warn that many supplements lack proven benefits while posing real health risks.
The safest approach: always consult a healthcare professional before using supplements.
Which Sports and Exercises Help Build Muscle?
If your goal is muscle development and performance:
Focus on structured resistance training
Choose programs aligned with your goals
Maintain proper nutrition and recovery
Testosterone alone does not determine progress—consistent training and healthy habits do.
Who Should You Talk to About Testosterone?
There should be no shame in discussing testosterone with a doctor. If symptoms suggest hormonal imbalance, a general practitioner can recommend blood tests and refer you to an endocrinologist if needed.
Self-medication, hormone injections, or unverified supplements can lead to serious risks, including:
Cardiovascular events
Hormonal dependency
Severe side effects and withdrawal syndromes
Conclusion
Testosterone continues to fascinate athletes, but oversimplified beliefs can be dangerous. While testosterone plays a role in muscle development and performance, it is not a magic lever that can be safely manipulated through training or supplements.
Sustainable athletic performance comes from:
Balanced nutrition
Adequate energy intake
Smart training
Stress management
Reliable, medically validated information
As experts emphasize, protecting your health should always come before chasing hormonal shortcuts. In sport—as in life—there are no safe substitutes for consistency, balance, and informed choices.
