Exercise is widely known for supporting heart health, stimulating mood and strengthening confidence. But what happens so too much – in particular endurance training such as running or marathon bike – interfere with your libido?
Surprisingly, recent research shows that A chronic and high volume endurance exercise can reduce libido in men. All the growing evidence, led by researchers like Dr Anthony Hackney, suggests that Chronic high volume training is a risk factor for hypogonadism induced by exercise.
This article breaks down science, what it means for athletes and how to practice intelligently without compromising your sexual health.
Testosterone: the key link between endurance and libido
What is testosterone?
Testosterone is a primary androgen hormone produced in testicles (men), ovaries (women) and adrenal glands.
Testosterone functions include:
- Regulate libido and sexual function
- Stimulate the synthesis of muscle proteins
- Support bone mineral density
- Influence mood, energy and cognitive function
- Governing spermatogenesis (production of sperm)
Rest testosterone:
“Testosterone at rest” refers to the hormonal level measured in a calm and not stimulated state. It is generally drawn early in the morning (7: 00 to 10:00 am) After more than 8 hours of fasting, without exercise, alcohol or recent sexual activity. It is when the levels naturally reach a peak due to daytime rhythms.
Clinical testosterone beaches (men)
| Age group | Total testosterone range |
|---|---|
| 19–39 years old | 300–1000 NG / DL (10.4–34.7 Nmol / L) |
| Over 40 years | A decrease of approximately 1% per year is common |
How the endurance exercise affects male libido
Dr. Anthony Hackney and his colleagues carried out one of the first large -scale studies to study how Endurance exercise training affects male libido.
Study summary:
- Participants: 1,077 men in good health and physically active
- Method: Online survey evaluating training habits, duration of exercise, intensity and sexual libido
Key conclusions
- Men with higher training intensity and longer weekly duration were much more likely to report low libido.
- Those with Low to moderate training intensity had 2.8 to 6.9 times More likely to report a healthy libido compared to those with the most intense routines.
- Likewise, shorter and moderate duration athletes have reported Best Libido scores that those who train for the longest periods.
Conclusion: “Exposure at higher levels of intense and higher chronic duration of endurance training on a regular basis is significantly associated with a decrease in libido scores in men.” – Hackney et al., 2017
Testosterone trends in long -term endurance athletes
To understand the extent of the deletion of testosterone, the researchers evaluated the data of 196 male runners formed in endurance And Controls not exercised paired. Key study parameters included:
- Competitive execution of ≥ 10 km.
- Training ≥ 7 + hours per week for at least 1 year.
- Commands paired by Age, BMI and ethnic origin.
- Total testosterone at the rest measured in the morning after fasting and rest.
Testosterone levels have been reported as a percentage compared to the control subjectthen laminate by duration of the training:: 1, 2, 5, 10 and 15 years and over.
Results: the longer the training, the lower the testosterone
It turns out that there is a significant drop in testosterone as years of endurance training are increasing:
| Training years | Testosterone vs control |
|---|---|
| 1 year | Slightly reduced |
| 2 years | Moderately reduced |
| Over 5 years | ~ 30% reduction (p <0.01) |
| 10–15 + years | ~ 30% tray |
This suggests a threshold After 5 years, where testosterone stabilizes at a chronically low level, whatever its new exhibition to endurance.
Endurance training and low libido: why does it happen?
1. Deletion of testosterone from the overtraining
Training in intense and prolonged endurance is known to remove the production of testosterone. Chronic exercise stress triggers a hormonal shift– Cortisol increasing (a stress hormone) while reducing reproductive hormones such as testosterone.
The consequences include:
- Decrease in libido and sexual performance
- Erectile dysfunction
- Mood disorders, irritability and depressive symptoms
- Altered recovery and muscle loss
2. Energy and Red-S–S
Endurance athletes often enter into a state called Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S)– where the The energy requirements of training exceed food consumption.
Among male athletes, reds can cause:
- Low testosterone and low LH / GNRH levels
- Decrease in semen production and libido
- Acceleration of fatigue and alteration of adaptation to training
- Higher risk of injury (for example, stress fractures, immune removal)
RED -S is not only a question of caloric intake – it is a question of not having enough fuel after the exercise to support normal bodily functions, including sexual function.
Not all exercises are bad for libido
It is important to clarify: Moderate exercise supports healthy libido.
The advantages of balanced physical activity include:
- Improvement of blood flow (essential for erectile function)
- Reduction of stress and anxiety
- Higher confidence and body image
- Healthy testosterone regulation
It is Chronic overtraining– especially in endurance athletes – which poses the risk.
How to train more intelligently and protect sexual health
1. Homemade your training cycle
Avoid training at a maximum intensity and volume each week. Implement Dello weeks Every 4 to 6 weeks to reduce the total training load by 40 to 60%.
- To use polarized training: 80% to moderate, 20% with high intensity
- Integrate recovery microcycles To reduce sympathetic stress
2. Prayer sleep and circadian hygiene
Poor sleep decreases the secretion of testosterone and disrupts the HPG axis. Aim:
- 7 to 9 am per night
- Coherent sleeping time
- Reduction of blue light before bed
Sleep deprivation can reduce testosterone by 10 to 15% in a single week (Leproult & Van Cauter, 2011).
3. Eat enough for training and fuel recovery
Use tools like:
- Energy availability equation (EA) = (Energy supply – energy expenditure exercise) / FFM
- Maintain EA ≥ 45 kcal / kg FFM / Day for hormonal balance
- Include enough carbohydrates and fats for hormonal production
4. Listen to the warning signs
Current or red or red-health indicators impacting sexual health include:
- Loss of spontaneous or morning erections
- Sudden drop in libido or libido
- Persistent fatigue or irritability
- Difficulty sleeping or recovering
- Decline in strength or endurance despite training
Step of action: If the symptoms persist, look for a sports endocrinologist or a familiar supplier with Red-S.
To take away: performance exercise, not to the detriment of libido
Moderate endurance training improves sexual health, but Too much intensity and duration can harm him. As the research shows, men with the most demanding endurance routines were the most likely to feel a low libido.
The key is the balance – hit yourself hard, restore well, eat enough and keep an eye on the reaction of your body (and your libido). If you are an endurance athlete noticing changes in the sexual function, it could be time to Revaluate your training charge and your recovery practices.
Sources and complementary reading
- Hackney, AC, Lane, AR, Register-Mihalik, J., and O’Leary, CB (2017). Training at Endurance exercise and male sexual libido. Med SCI SPORTS EXERCISE, 49 (2): 317–323.
- Hackney, AC The male reproductive system and endurance exercise. Med SCI SPORTS EXERCISE, 40 (8), 1385–1389.
- Hackney, AC and Lane, AR (2018). Low testosterone in distance runners formed by male endurance: Impact of training years. Hormones, 17 (1), 137–139. Pubmed ID: 29858867 DOI: 10.1007 / S42000-018-0010-Z. Look for Google Scholar
