Can vary based on age, genetics, and pre-existing health conditions. While the connection between physical activity and muscle growth is widely recognized, the hormonal cascade triggered by exercise extends far beyond aesthetics. Your provider is there to support you in all aspects of your health. Testosterone replacement therapy may be an option for you.
Inflammation can also increase cortisol levels, which can suppress testosterone. Your doctor can prescribe testosterone therapy as part of gender-affirming treatment. However, healthy habits that boost testosterone, like getting good sleep and exercising, certainly won't hurt. It's important for your sex drive, bone and muscle health, energy, and mood. Your body makes the hormone while you sleep, and your levels are usually highest first thing in the morning.
A recent study found that it may increase levels of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Some lifestyle changes and healthy habits can also boost your testosterone. More than 33% of men over 45 may have lower than normal testosterone levels.
As of 2025, it’s not yet approved for males who naturally experience a decline in testosterone as they age. Testosterone levels in males naturally decline with age. This is called androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) and occurs when someone is genetically male but is insensitive to androgens (male sex hormones). The symptoms of low testosterone vary based on your age. Excess testosterone in male children can lead to precocious (early) puberty, which is when puberty begins before the age of nine.
There are times when low testosterone is not such a bad thing. Affected women may experience low libido, reduced bone strength, poor concentration or depression. The testes produces less testosterone, there are fewer signals from the pituitary telling the testes to make testosterone. Among women, perhaps the most common cause of a high testosterone level is polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
The complex interplay of hormones means that altering one can affect others. Choose healthier fats like olive oil, avocado oil, and coconut oil for cooking. The best way to reduce omega 6 intake is to limit processed foods, refined vegetable oils (soybean, corn, sunflower), and fried foods. Focusing on reducing omega 6 intake and increasing omega 3 intake is generally more beneficial. However, it’s an important step in reducing overall inflammation and improving the omega 6 to omega 3 ratio, which can create a more favorable hormonal environment.
Does everyone benefit from cutting saturated fat in their diet? Some may also interact with any medications you may be taking and cause unintended side effects. Be sure to talk to your doctor, if you’re concerned about low testosterone. Treatment is not necessary if your levels fall within the normal range. Testosterone treatment is not advised for men with prostate or breast cancer. Research suggests that this treatment may also be an effective anti-depressant treatment. For men who don’t have hypogonadism, increasing your testosterone may not benefit your libido.
In female adults, high levels of testosterone may be a sign of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). High levels of testosterone in female infants may lead to enlargement of their clitoris that can look almost like a penis. It’s unlikely — and difficult to tell — that a male adult has higher-than-normal levels of testosterone. If any of these organs — your hypothalamus, pituitary gland or gonads — aren’t working normally, that can cause abnormal testosterone levels. However, the majority of testosterone produced in the ovaries is converted to the primary female sex hormone, estradiol.