Long-lasting Aerobic Training and Testosterone Levels in Men

Long-lasting Aerobic Training and Testosterone Levels in Men

Aerobic Training and Testosterone

One of the physiological systems of the body, which is extremely sensitive to the stress associated with systematically performing physical exercises is the endocrine system. An increasing number of scientific studies indicate that frequent and long-lasting endurance efforts can contribute to a significant adverse effect on the male hormonal balance.

Does aerobic training affect your testosterone levels?

In particular, men regularly performing this type of physical exercise usually have a long-lasting reduced basic resting free and total serum concentrations of testosterone without a concurrent increase in the level of luteinizing hormone (LH).

Low testosterone levels, usually 50 – 75% of the normative level of a healthy man who prefers a mainly sedentary lifestyle, do not seem to be a temporary phenomenon associated with acute stress resulting from the high intensity of physical exercise.

Some people like to kick start their diet by adding testo boosters such as testofuel to increase the speed of their weight loss.

Exercise-Hypogonadal Male Condition

Physically active men with such symptoms suffer from a disorder referred to in professional literature as Exercise-Hypogonadal Male Condition (EHMC).

Long-lasting Aerobic Training and Testosterone Levels in MenThe precise physiological mechanism responsible for the reduction of testosterone levels is currently unclear, but it is supposed to be a disorder in the functioning of the hypothalamus-pituitary – testicular axis, which may be related to the availability of energy, which is also visible in women with triads of sportsmen.

The type of physical exercise most often taken in these men are long-lasting, endurance exercises, such as long-distance running, cycling, walking, or triathlon training. Based on previously published scientific papers addressing this aspect, it also seems that hypogonadism depends on the exercises and develops mainly in men who are well trained and have at least a few if not more than ten years of intense endurance exercises.

In addition, there are also speculations that a reduced testosterone concentration both of total and free serum in men with hypogonadism depending on exercise leads to disturbance of some of the body’s anabolic physiological processes, such as the synthesis of muscle proteins.

Previous Research On Testosterone Levels

It is worth mentioning that last year the results were published of an interesting study involving 9 long-distance runners with diagnosed hypogonadism depending on the exercise, which aimed to assess the concentration of the most important parameters and symptoms associated with the functioning of the hypothalamic axis – pituitary gonads, and how to verify this state can affect the nutrition of the studied men.

Nine physically active long-distance runners were used to compare with 8 healthy men who had not run in the last year and were in this case a control group. The authors of the study observed a clearly lower testosterone concentration in the group of men with EHMC than in the control group (9.2 vs. 16.2 nmol), and in the case of 8 men with EHMC in 9 subjects, the testosterone concentration was below the value considered adequate, i.e. <12 nmol.

Men with EHMC also had higher scores on the quality of life scale, including the aging AMS male questionnaire, which indicates that they had more severe symptoms associated with low testosterone levels.

There were no significant differences in the concentrations of cortisol, LH, FSH, and bone mineral density between groups, although 3 cases of osteopenia were found in the group of men with EHMC.

Importantly, no differences in energy consumption between groups were observed, while the amount of available energy supplied, i.e. energy supplied less energy expenditure related to physical activity, was clearly lower in the group of men with EHMC, and it is possible that inadequate energy consumption contributes until this disorder appears.

Importantly, no differences in energy consumption between groups were observed, while the amount of available energy supplied, i.e. energy supplied less energy expenditure related to physical activity, was clearly lower in the group of men with EHMC, and it is possible that inadequate energy consumption contributes until this disorder appears.

So, actually – long lasting training with low intensity (often called “cardio training”) could be a good idea to perform.

Wrap-Up

In conclusion, the results of the quoted study clearly indicate that the phenomenon of hypogonadism dependent on exercise in the tested long-distance runners was associated with an inappropriate supply of energy in relation to the actual needs of the body.

As it turned out, physically active men consumed the same amount of energy as colleagues from the control group who were characterized by a significantly lower total daily energy requirement due to lack of physical activity.

Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to the amount of energy available with diet, which is a very important nutritional factor also having a significant impact on male reproductive functions.

Undoubtedly, it is worth adding that additional research is needed in this field because appropriate testosterone level is a major factor in proper bone fertility and bone health in physically active men.

On the other hand – if you actually struggle with the low-testosterone level issue you can try to use some of the substances, which can counteract the negative effects of endurance training. Remember though – there are many of those, which just don’t work.

But don’t worry! We prepared a special list of the most recommended formulations in proper testosterone level prophylaxis. Just click here to get to it!

Literature:

  1. Hackney AC, Moore AW, Brownlee KK Testosterone and endurance exercise development of the exercise-hypogonadal male condition. Acta Physiol Hung. 2005; 92 (2) 121-37.
  2. Hackney AC Effects of endurance exercise on the reproductive system of men exercise-hypogonadal male condition. J Endocrinol Invest. Oct 2008; 31 (10) 932-8.
  3. Zekarias K., Shrestha RT Role of Relative Malnutrition in Exercise-Hypogonadal Male Condition. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2018 Sep 12.
  4. Hackney AC, Aggon E. Chronic Low Testosterone Levels in Endurance Trained Men The Exercise- Hypogonadal Male Condition. J. Biochem Physiol. 2018; 1 (1). PII 103. Epub 2018 Feb 28.
  5. Hooper DR, Kraemer WJ, Saenz C., et al. The presence of symptoms of testosterone deficiency in the exercise-hypogonadal male condition and the role of nutrition. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2017 Jul; 117 (7) 1349-1357.
Long-lasting Aerobic Training and Testosterone Levels in Men