Are Testosterone and Bodybuilding Related?

Do you know the relationship between testosterone and bodybuilding?
Are Testosterone and Bodybuilding Related?

Last update: 06 April, 2020

Testosterone and bodybuilding are related because training stimulates a series of hormones. As a result, the quality of life improves as well as enhancing a person’s performance in sports.

These hormones perform different physiological functions to help the body function correctly. In the case of males, these hormones decrease with the passage of time, especially testosterone. This affects the quality of life. Continue reading about the importance of bodybuilding and testosterone, a topic that’s created doubt in recent years.

What is testosterone?

Testosterone is the most important male hormone and the principal androgen for men. Androgens are in charge of the development of male sex characteristics. At the same time, they stimulate muscle growth and sexual urge. This is where the relationship between testosterone and bodybuilding begins.

As we’ve previously mentioned, the concentration of testosterone decreases with age. Experts discovered during a study that the concentration of this hormone diminishes by 20 percent at age 60 and 30 percent at age 70. It’s even 50 percent less at age 80.

What do we owe to testosterone with respect to bodybuilding?

In the relationship between testosterone and bodybuilding, we find a very important set of implications for the body. These may be the following:

  • This hormone produces a decrease in accumulated body fat. The body will use this supply of fat for energy. In bodybuilding, strength training is fundamental for muscular growth. So the hormone helps to define and promote weight loss without sacrificing muscle.
  • Testosterone keeps us active and alert. Naturally, this is fundamental for any training that requires focus.
  • Thanks to its action in the muscles, testosterone stimulates the muscle fibers to become llB type. These are stronger fibers that are less resistant. Of course, this is very important to bodybuilders because that’s exactly what they look for when training.
A male body builder with his shirt off
  • It stimulates the growth hormone that’ll be important for muscle repair after training. In addition, it allows for muscle growth.
  • Lastly, testosterone increases bone density, just as it does with bone growth. Apart from having strong muscles, bodybuilders need an equally strong bone structure.

What’s the relationship between testosterone and bodybuilding during training?

When physically preparing, it’s shown that intense exercise increases testosterone levels very quickly. In preparation for bodybuilding, working with weights is very important.  With high-intensity workouts, the androgen receptors increase. So these are very important so that the testosterone causes the maximum effect.

The scientific evidence shows us that the anabolic response allows for the strengthening and growth of the muscles. This means that it’ll be proportional to the size of the musculature when we lift weights.

Accordingly, for a major activation of this hormone, we ought to include multi-joint exercises in preparation for bodybuilding, Then, we want to include strenuous activities within our routine. These include squats, dead weights, or the bench press.

Be careful with overtraining

As with any sport, and especially in the case of bodybuilding, you should be careful not to overdo it. This means you may decrease the levels of testosterone.

For this reason and so that bodybuilders can reach their objectives, they should control their training. They need to prevent an undesired surge in their testosterone levels, among other consequences.

Because of that, it’s essential to manage cycles of volume and intensity. At the same time rest and avoid peaks of stress that can cause overtraining.

A man lifting weights

Is there a difference between men and women when it comes to testosterone and bodybuilding?

The difference with women is that they possess very little testosterone. The levels that men have can be between 10 and 20 times more than women. This allows men to have higher levels of muscle mass and strength.

As mentioned previously, testosterone is stimulated with heavyweights and training. It’s also the main cause of hypertrophia. Because of this, muscle augmentation is much slower and complicated in women than in men. This isn’t to say that women can’t have hypertrophia. However, it just takes much longer.

Now you know the importance of the relationship between testosterone and bodybuilding. So review your routines and begin to apply what you’ve learned. Strengthen your training results in the correct way!

 


All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.


  • Harman, S. M., Metter, E. J., Tobin, J. D., Pearson, J., & Blackman, M. R. (2001). Longitudinal effects of aging on serum total and free testosterone levels in healthy men. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, 86(2), 724-731.
  • Cardinale M, Stone MH. (2006). Is testosterone influencing explosive performance?. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 20: 103-107.
  • Larsen S, Danielsen JH, et al. (2014). The effect of high intensity training on mitochondrial fat oxidation in skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2014 May 21.

This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.