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Have you ever wondered if having sex can give your hormones a boost?
We often hear that testosterone drives libido and sexual performance. But what about the other way around?
Does sex increase testosterone levels?
The short answer: Yes, but only for a little while.
When you’re gearing up for sexual intercourse, your testosterone levels might go up as part of that natural process. But this little jump doesn’t stick around for long. It’s just a temporary thing and won’t change your testosterone production for good.
Read on to learn all about the relationship between sex and testosterone, factors that can affect testosterone production, and how to naturally boost your levels.
Key Takeaways
- Sex does not lead to long-term or sustained increases in testosterone levels.
- It might cause short-lived spikes during sexual arousal and orgasm. But sex hormone levels go back to normal quickly afterward.
- Testosterone plays a key role in men and women.
- In men, it helps with sperm production, muscle and bone health, and libido.
- In women, testosterone helps with sexual desire and feeling good overall.
- Not having sexual intercourse or engaging in sexual behavior doesn’t make your testosterone levels go down. Your hormones stay pretty stable no matter how often you’re having sex.
- Your lifestyle has a much bigger impact on testosterone levels than sex. The things that are key to keeping your T levels healthy are getting enough sleep, exercising regularly, eating healthy foods, managing stress, and avoiding too much alcohol and smoking.
- A healthy sex life supports your overall health. It won’t raise your T levels permanently, but it plays a positive role in your emotional, physical, and hormonal health.
- If sexual dysfunction or erectile dysfunction are concerns, a doctor can help determine if testosterone deficiency is a factor. You can discuss options like testosterone therapy.
What Is Testosterone? And Why Is It Important for Sexual Health?
Let’s start with some basics.
Testosterone is a key sex hormone. It’s mainly produced in the testicles in men and in the ovaries in women.
While both men and women have testosterone, men naturally have much higher levels.
Your adrenal glands also make a tiny bit of testosterone. These glands release a hormone called DHEA (Dehydroepiandrosterone). This then gets converted into testosterone and estrogen.
Here’s a summary of what testosterone does in both men and women:
Testosterone in Men | Testosterone in Women |
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How Does Sex Affect Hormone Levels?
When you have sexual intercourse, it sets off a bunch of changes in your body. But these changes are usually short-term. They’re meant to help your body respond physically and feel more connected emotionally.
During moments of sexual arousal and orgasm, hormones get a temporary boost. These hormones include:
It’s like your body’s way of prepping for action. But these effects are only temporary. They’re part of your body’s natural way of responding to closeness. They don’t act as a big “reset button” for your hormones over time. And they won’t fix testosterone deficiency.
Sex and Testosterone: What Actually Happens in Men and Women?
For men, plasma testosterone levels might go up a little bit during sexual intercourse. But these little jumps are quick and don’t impact long-term sex hormone levels. They also don’t prevent or treat testosterone deficiency.
Studies show that human males saw their serum testosterone levels go up by about 2 ng/mL during or right after ejaculation.
But here’s the thing: it went back to baseline levels within 10 minutes. This temporary testosterone secretion is a well-documented part of human sexual activity.
For women, testosterone levels may also rise slightly during intercourse. This little boost can help you feel more desire and aroused.
A recent study looked at female salivary testosterone concentrations. And it found that women had slightly higher salivary testosterone levels after sex compared to other activities like cuddling or working out.
But their salivary testosterone levels also returned to normal the next morning.
Does Sexual Abstinence Influence Testosterone Levels?
You may have heard of something called 7-Day Peak. Some people believe that testosterone levels shoot up around day 7 of not having sex or masturbating.
Previous studies did suggest a noticeable testosterone level peak around day 7 of abstinence. But this study has since been retracted.
The truth? We need more research and other studies to fully determine whether refraining from sexual activity for 7+ days affects testosterone levels.
And there actually may be small, temporary increases in T after a few days or a week without sexual activity. But a lack of sex does not cause your hormones to drop in the long run.
So, no need to worry about having a testosterone deficiency just because you’re taking a break from sex.
Lifestyle Factors That Affect Testosterone
Here’s the real deal: many everyday things in your life have a significantly greater impact on your testosterone levels than whether or not you’re having sex.
Things like:
- How much you sleep
- How much you exercise
- What you eat
- If you smoke or drink alcohol
- How much stress you have
These can affect testosterone production over time. And they are crucial for managing or preventing testosterone deficiency.
Sleep deprivation
Research shows that going without sleep for 24 hours or more can cause a big drop in testosterone levels for men. However, just getting a little less sleep than usual for a short time doesn’t seem to have a strong effect.
So, if you’re wondering how to boost your testosterone, start by getting enough sleep.
Exercise
Being active is great for your overall health, including your hormones.
Studies show that men who exercise regularly have higher testosterone levels than those who sit around and don’t work out at all.
Additional research found even better news. For men who are overweight or have obesity, regular physical activity has a bigger effect in fighting low testosterone and testosterone deficiency than just losing weight on its own.
Diet and nutrition
What you eat really matters for your health.
Studies looked at human males who eat highly processed foods, consume lots of dessert, opt for refined carbs (like white bread), and dine out often. They found that these men tend to have lower testosterone levels.
To support good hormone balance and overall health, it’s best to eat a balanced diet of whole foods like vegetables, lean meats, and good fats.
Research shows that eating a healthy mix of protein, fats, and carbs is vital for maintaining testosterone levels.
Stress
Stress can affect your body in a seemingly infinite number of ways. One study in particular looked at how short-term and long-term stress affects testosterone levels and cortisol. Here’s what researchers found:
- Short-term stress (acute) makes both cortisol and testosterone levels go up.
- This is your body’s way of getting ready for action, helping you focus and perform better.
But, if you’re under chronic stress, it can also make your T go down over time.
This happens because your body starts to put all its energy into dealing with the stress. Things like reproduction take a back seat.
Smoking and alcohol
When it comes to smoking and drinking, things are a bit mixed.
Smoking might slightly raise testosterone levels. But it’s not good for your hormone health and may actually decrease fertility in the long term. And drinking too much alcohol is linked++ to low testosterone and other negative effects on your body.
More research is needed to really understand how smoking and alcohol affect your long-term testosterone balance. So, for now, it’s best to keep these in check for good health.
Masturbation
You might be wondering, “Does masturbation cause low testosterone levels?”, or “Does ejaculating lower testosterone levels?”
Just like with sexual activity, masturbation can cause small, short-term changes in your T. This is especially true if you haven’t done it in a few days.
But it does not lead to any lasting changes in how much testosterone you have.
Conclusion: Can a Healthy Sex Life Support Testosterone Balance?
So, back to our original question: does sex increase testosterone in a lasting way?
Not as a standalone fix. Sexual activity alone won’t make your baseline levels of testosterone go up permanently. But that doesn’t mean it’s not an important part of living a healthy life.
A strong foundation for your hormones to thrive is built on:
- Healthy sexual activity
- Getting enough sleep
- Eating well
- Exercising regularly
- Managing stress
And sex is a valuable piece of the much bigger picture when it comes to keeping your hormones and your body happy.
FAQs
Sexual activity can cause a temporary bump in testosterone levels. But no amount of sex will make your T go up in a lasting way. The increases we see are usually small and don’t last long.
Engaging in sexual activity often, even every day, is great for many reasons. It can help with emotional closeness, relieve stress, and improve mood.
But when it comes to your testosterone levels, there’s not much strong evidence to say that having sex every day will make them higher in the long run. You might see those little temporary spikes during sex. But your normal testosterone production isn’t changed by sexual activity.
This is a common concern, but no. A lack of sex or sexual activity does not lower testosterone levels over time. Your body is designed to keep your T levels pretty stable, regardless of how often you’re having sex.
Yes. Your testosterone levels often increase after sex, but for a very short time. When you’re excited during sexual intercourse, your testosterone levels may get a temporary boost.
For men, this increase might be noticeable. But studies show that these levels go back to baseline within minutes post-ejaculation or orgasm.
For women, salivary testosterone levels can also be higher right after sex, but they return to normal by the next morning.
Yes, but it’s usually just temporary. One study found that men’s testosterone levels might go up a bit right after ejaculation. But they return to normal within 10 minutes.
Your body responds to sex with a brief boost during sexual activity. However, sex is not a way to increase testosterone levels or testosterone production in the long term.
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