Testosterone. What increases levels? What decreases levels?
I’m 53 and have done an IM each year for the last six years. I also have lifted weights all my life. I notice that every year as I ramp up my IM training, as the bike rides and runs get longer, my strength, as measured by how much I can lift, greatly decreases. Yesterday while searching the web, I came across this:
Yes, moderate exercise can raise testosterone levels somewhat, but if exercise is extreme, testosterone levels can actually drop. It’s also true that low testosterone makes it harder to exercise, which can lead to a vicious cycle of inactivity and reduced hormone levels.
Nothing new, I knew this, but what other than drugs and training less can I do to raise testosterone levels, if anything?
Supplement makers will make all sorts of crazy claims about their product boosting T and all of that, but it’s marketing. Eat well, recover better, and accept that unless you have an underlying medical conditions, your hormone levels are simply going to be what they are.
There’s a fine balance between the two. For what it’s worth, I found my T levels were significantly higher with time in the gym. So you are already doing one thing right!
I think it has more to do with overall muscle fatigue and muscle loss due to the heavy cardio load. After your races and you cut back on the training does the strength return to your lifts?
Without going on HRT the only thing that comes close and is more natural is D-Aspartic Acid with an AI inhibitor. I’ve been dealing with this issue for a few years and the DAA brought my T levels up from the 280 range to around 400. You need to take an AI though since some can turn into estrogen.
I researched this a year ago as I experienced symptoms of overtraining two years in a row. I was 54 at the time. Had my T and Free T measured, and was at 205/26 (need to double-check the 26). Both are very low. Saw an endocrinologist, but there was nothing abnormal. From talking to him and from googling, my understanding is that above some level (varies by person), endurance training reduces testosterone, and the level needed to do this decreases with age. Other life stresses and lack of sleep also reduce testosterone.
Things you can do to raise testosterone level are reduce external stresses, get more sleep, and *some *strength training. This last I came across at a number of sites, including peer-reviewed papers that unfortunately I didn’t bother to bookmark. The most effective strength training protocols to raise testosterone are few reps/heavy weights as opposed to high reps. And best are so-called ‘big’ lifts that engage the largest or most muscles. Squats and deadlifts especially. I also do bench press, vertical press, barbell rows and pull-ups. Would like to try some Olympic lifts, but would want a coach to start to make sure I’m doing them correctly as you can do some damage with poor technique. Isolation-type stuff like curls were said to be ineffective.
I can’t do a good strength training session the evening of a hard bike ride, but I find I can generally do a quality workout right after evening Masters swim workouts, even if the lunchtime run was hard. I try for 3 times a week; once in a while I’ll start and know right away that it’s not going to be a good workout, so I skip it, but I usually will get in at least 2 in a week.
I think it has more to do with overall muscle fatigue and muscle loss due to the heavy cardio load. After your races and you cut back on the training does the strength return to your lifts?
this is likely the cause, but if you eat enough fat (saturated, omega3, omega 9) you should be fine to keep levels high. Cortisol is catabolic to muscle, and released during stress, which endurance exercise also does, and once again those anti inflammatory fats should minimize that. Test shouldnt have much to do with strength, that is the central nervous system where B vitamins come into play. So proper diet and rest are important.
You mean with estrogen you can grow boobs? Man-boobs?
Without going on HRT the only thing that comes close and is more natural is D-Aspartic Acid with an AI inhibitor. I’ve been dealing with this issue for a few years and the DAA brought my T levels up from the 280 range to around 400. You need to take an AI though since some can turn into estrogen.
When I cut back on my training after races, my strength does come back. Then again, I continued to exercise which according to what I read increases testosterone levels. Obviously, at 53 I am not as strong as I was a decade ago. But ramping up for an IM really affects my lifting strength.
I think it has more to do with overall muscle fatigue and muscle loss due to the heavy cardio load. After your races and you cut back on the training does the strength return to your lifts?
Yes! A few years ago I saw guy on Tamoxiphen (estrogen-receptor modulator, used in female breast cancer). I thought it must be a mistake, but he was taking it to treat the gynecomastia caused by the T he was on. Most patients on T don’t get full disclosure from what I see, because if they did there would be few takers… Incidentally, I have patients on T and get paid for it. It’s not all good or all bad.
When I cut back on my training after races, my strength does come back. Then again, I continued to exercise which according to what I read increases testosterone levels. Obviously, at 53 I am not as strong as I was a decade ago. But ramping up for an IM really affects my lifting strength.
I think it has more to do with overall muscle fatigue and muscle loss due to the heavy cardio load. After your races and you cut back on the training does the strength return to your lifts?
IMsparticus,
“Fitness” is the ability to do a task. Health is something different. Ironman is a fitness goal that may or may not improve your health. Do you have a health goal or a fitness goal? At 54, preserving muscle mass, strength and joint mobility will do more for your health than Ironman. Muscle is just going to get harder and harder to build and maintain as you get older and heavy Ironman training is not going to help. On the other hand, dropping the muscle is probably helping you run faster. It sure did for me. For a young guy this choice is not so important. At 54 it becomes much more important.
Yes, I realized that what I (we) do in training for long distance events is well beyond what is necessary for optimum health, and less would likely be healthier. But like most, I want it all.
Over the years, I have clearly observed that when I am running faster, I am weaker, and when I am slower, I am stronger (for distance events anyway). I was at my strongest at age 41, when I couldn’t run for an extended time because of plantar fasciitis. Lifting was all I had (I only swim for tris). When the PF resolved itself, I came back with a vengeance and I had lifetime PR’s at all distances above 10K, but my strength really suffered. I have to believe that the longer distance stuff reduces my T levels, and that is why I get weaker. I suspect that when I cut back on the long distance stuff, my T levels increase and I get stronger. I have never been tested. I asked my doctor about it once, but he assured me I did not need to be tested since I am pretty muscular and lean, which is apparently not consistent with low T.
And BTW, I’m 53, not 54. Let’s not rush it.
When I cut back on my training after races, my strength does come back. Then again, I continued to exercise which according to what I read increases testosterone levels. Obviously, at 53 I am not as strong as I was a decade ago. But ramping up for an IM really affects my lifting strength.
I think it has more to do with overall muscle fatigue and muscle loss due to the heavy cardio load. After your races and you cut back on the training does the strength return to your lifts?
IMsparticus,
“Fitness” is the ability to do a task. Health is something different. Ironman is a fitness goal that may or may not improve your health. Do you have a health goal or a fitness goal? At 54, preserving muscle mass, strength and joint mobility will do more for your health than Ironman. Muscle is just going to get harder and harder to build and maintain as you get older and heavy Ironman training is not going to help. On the other hand, dropping the muscle is probably helping you run faster. It sure did for me. For a young guy this choice is not so important. At 54 it becomes much more important.
I researched this a year ago as I experienced symptoms of overtraining two years in a row. I was 54 at the time. Had my T and Free T measured, and was at 205/26 (need to double-check the 26). Both are very low. Saw an endocrinologist, but there was nothing abnormal. From talking to him and from googling, my understanding is that above some level (varies by person), endurance training reduces testosterone, and the level needed to do this decreases with age. Other life stresses and lack of sleep also reduce testosterone.
Things you can do to raise testosterone level are reduce external stresses, get more sleep, and *some *strength training. This last I came across at a number of sites, including peer-reviewed papers that unfortunately I didn’t bother to bookmark. The most effective strength training protocols to raise testosterone are few reps/heavy weights as opposed to high reps. And best are so-called ‘big’ lifts that engage the largest or most muscles. Squats and deadlifts especially. I also do bench press, vertical press, barbell rows and pull-ups. Would like to try some Olympic lifts, but would want a coach to start to make sure I’m doing them correctly as you can do some damage with poor technique. Isolation-type stuff like curls were said to be ineffective.
I can’t do a good strength training session the evening of a hard bike ride, but I find I can generally do a quality workout right after evening Masters swim workouts, even if the lunchtime run was hard. I try for 3 times a week; once in a while I’ll start and know right away that it’s not going to be a good workout, so I skip it, but I usually will get in at least 2 in a week.
Brian
The research evidence indicates that for optimal increases in strength the resistance exercise work outs should not immediately follow prolonged endurance work outs. It’s unclear whether this timing has to do with muscle fatigue or the testosterone-lowering effect associated with endurance work outs.
To OP: there is a wide range of “normal” serum T to cover the hormonal bases even if your level falls with training. Be concerned only if your libido also droops.
There is no way I could lift worth a darn after a 100 mile ride or long run.
Brian
The research evidence indicates that for optimal increases in strength the resistance exercise work outs should not immediately follow prolonged endurance work outs. It’s unclear whether this timing has to do with muscle fatigue or the testosterone-lowering effect associated with endurance work outs.
To OP: there is a wide range of “normal” serum T to cover the hormonal bases even if your level falls with training. Be concerned only if your libido also droops.