Running vs. Testosterone
Yes, running can lower your T levels. But how much running? And how much of a testosterone drop are we talking about? Answers here.
The human body is a miraculous adaptive system. Its primary goal is survival. When stimulated in a specific way, it adapts over time. That's essentially how strength training works. By lifting weights, you "tell" your body that it needs bigger, stronger muscles. Your body says, "Okay, I get it. Feed me what I need to do the job, and I'll give you what you're asking for."
Unfortunately, the adaptive response can also work against you. Diet too hard for too long, and your body adapts and survives by getting the amino acids it needs from muscle tissue (catabolism).
Endurance athletes face a unique adaptive challenge. Their hobby or sport forces an adaptation to make them better runners, but this same adaptation tanks their testosterone levels. It's part of what's called selective anthropometric adaptation.
How much of a testosterone decline? How much endurance exercise causes it? Is there anything they can do about it? Let's dig in.
The Runner's Dilemma
We looked at five independent studies on high-volume runners involving testosterone testing. Here's a general summary:
- Most of these male runners averaged 35-70+ miles per week. The average lifter running a few miles for general health benefits doesn't need to worry about lowering his T levels.
- Depending on their distances, frequencies, and diets, their testosterone levels were 20-40% lower than sedentary men. The normal reference range is 300-1000 ng/dL. The runners' T levels were 300-600 ng/dL. We'd consider 300 pretty low, but technically, you're not considered low-T until you drop below that. On average, however, endurance athletes' testosterone levels were a couple hundred ng/dL less than non-runners of the same age.
What Causes This?
In some cases, they're not eating enough. High-volume running creates significant energy expenditure. Prolonged energy deficits without adequate calories suppress the HPG axis, reducing testosterone production. The body prioritizes energy allocation to essential functions over reproductive hormone synthesis.
In other cases, it's a cortisol issue. Elevated cortisol inhibits GnRH secretion, which reduces luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), both critical for testosterone production.
Then we come to selective anthropometric adaptation. That means the body reshapes itself to optimize performance for endurance activities. "Bulky" muscles are less useful for running long distances, so the body prioritizes traits for improved running. A high testosterone level isn't one of those traits.
What To Do About It
Professional endurance athletes may not want to do anything about their reduced T levels. In most cases, they aren't hypogonadal, just "low-normal." More T might cause them to retain more muscle mass, which can work against them.
However, recreational runners would probably rather have normal T levels and not risk the mental, sexual, and physical health problems that accompany reduced testosterone. Those guys can do two things without abandoning their sport of choice:
1. Fuel Your Runs
Consume a pre- and intra-workout drink designed to improve performance and maintain muscle.
The ingredients in Surge (Buy at Amazon) were shown in studies to increase VO2 max time to exhaustion by 70% and increase endurance to fatigue by 27%. But it also helps control excess cortisol linked to testosterone suppression. The leucine component also prevents muscle protein breakdown.
2. Take an Effective T Booster
Longjack synthesizes testosterone by blocking its aromatization into estrogen and stimulating testosterone production in testicle Leydig cells. In the right form (LJ100) with the right delivery system (Labrasol) Longjack supplementation effectively bumps T levels from "low-normal" to "high-normal."
Omega-Man High Absorption Longjack (Buy at Amazon) contains 300 mg of LJ100 Longjack (50% more than clinical dosing) and Labrasol.
References
- PMID 12665985
- PMID 12784093
- PMID 1899423
- PMID 3158553
- PMID 8817130
