Relationships Can Affect Testosterone Levels, Doctors Say

5 Ways Your Relationship May Affect Your Testosterone Levels

On the flip side, low testosterone might cause issues with your partner, too.

By Erica Sweeney

Published: Feb 20, 2023

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Men’s Health

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Key Points

‧ Being in a loving relationship can be good for optimizing hormone levels.

‧ Signs of decreased testosterone levels may include a decline in muscle mass, increased anxiety, and sleep issues.

‧ Seeking out a medical professional is a good idea if there’s a suspicion of low T.

BEING IN A LOVING, committed relationship is good for your health. It can lower stress, give you a sense of purpose, and even strengthen your immune system and help you live longer. There also may be a connection between relationships and your testosterone levels.

While research is mixed on the direct link between testosterone levels and relationships, there’s some evidence that certain aspects of having a partner, like sex and emotional connection, can influence your levels of the hormone. Other not-so-pleasant parts of being in a relationship, such as stress and fighting, might play a role, too.

When your testosterone—the key male sex hormone produced by the testicles—is low, it brings with it symptoms like fatigue, a depressed mood, erectile dysfunction, and low libido—all things that can affect relationships.

“We see that things like mood and stress impact our hormonal axis,” says Ryan Smith, M.D., associate urology professor and urologic microsurgeon specializing in men’s health at the University of Virginia Health. “So, there’s some data to suggest that when you’re in a healthy relationship, you may have lower stress levels and that may play a role.”

You’re likely happier and have an overall sense of well-being, when you’re in a healthy relationship, he adds. “But, how that translates to serum levels [or the measure of testosterone in your blood] is more challenging to interpret.”

Here’s a look at the relationship-testosterone link, specifically how being in a relationship could affect your levels and how low testosterone might affect your relationship. And, what to do if you suspect your testosterone levels are low.

How Relationships Affect Your Testosterone Levels

Overall, studies have shown that men in relationships tend to have lower testosterone. But, there are lots of variables. And, certain elements of relationships can have different effects on your levels, including:

The Length of the Relationship

The excitement and warm, fuzzy feeling of a new relationship may give your testosterone a boost. A 2015 study found that single men and men in new relationships had higher testosterone levels than men in long-term relationships. Researchers concluded that the findings showed that testosterone might play a role in motivating men to seek new mates.

It appears that the longer you’re in a relationship, the bigger impact on your hormonal levels. Research suggests that men who are in committed, romantic relationships (married or unmarried) have about 20 percent lower testosterone than men not in relationships.

How Happy You Are

It’s believed that the lower testosterone among men in long-term partnerships helps them to be more nurturing, which fosters loving, supportive relationships.

A 2016 study published in Hormones and Behavior found that older men with the most emotional support (four or more sources from romantic and social relationships) had lower testosterone than individuals with just one source of support. Lower testosterone helps facilitate supportive relationships, researchers said.

Other research found that the quality of a relationship, including satisfaction, commitment, and investment, lowered testosterone for both men and women, and that couples were more satisfied when one person had lower testosterone.

The Stress Level of Your Relationship

Fighting and conflict happen in every relationship from time to time. How often you have conflict and the stress that comes along with it might cause your testosterone to fluctuate.

In a 2018 study, 50 male-female newlywed couples were asked to discuss four marital problems and how much oppositional behavior they felt from their partner during the discussions. Saliva tests measured their testosterone. Men, but not women, showed “heightened testosterone reactivity” to opposition from their partners.

Some studies have shown that psychological, physical, and actual stress can lower testosterone levels, though.

How Affectionate You Are

Increased testosterone—or even testosterone replacement therapy—is often linked to rage and aggression, but that’s generally a myth, says Brian Black, D.O., an osteopathic board-certified physician in family medicine. “There are many other factors that contribute to aggressive behavior, such as genetics, environment, and upbringing.”

A study with animal subjects published in 2022 showed that testosterone increased nonsexual and prosocial behaviors in male rodents. When the subjects received a testosterone injection while with their partners, they showed “positive social responses,” like cuddling. Testosterone influences the activity of oxytocin cells, also known as the love hormone. So, that’s great news if you and your partner are regular cuddlers and generally affectionate.

How Much Sex You Have

Testosterone is responsible for sexual functioning, including getting erections and a healthy libido. Research is mixed on whether having sex regularly influences testosterone levels, although the testosterone-sex link is often seen when men start testosterone therapy. “Many see improvements in certain aspects of sexual health,” Dr. Smith says.

How Low Testosterone Might Impact Your Relationship

Testosterone plays a crucial role in many bodily functions. When your levels are low, you might experience a range of symptoms that could impact your relationship.

Not everyone with low testosterone, or hypogonadism, experiences symptoms, Dr. Black says. Those who do might have “decreased libido, erectile dysfunction, and decreased muscle mass.”

Decreased sex drive and erectile dysfunction could affect your sex life. This might increase stress, affect your sleep and cognitive function, and cause a disconnection with your partner.

“All those things could translate to having impacts on a relationship,” Dr. Smith says. “If a man undergoes treatment, if libido and potentially erectile function improve, maybe we could see that translating to improvement in their relationship.”

Low testosterone has also been linked to fatigue, depression, and a change in mood, Dr. Black says. There’s a connection between depression and relationship problems. When you’re generally not feeling well or like yourself, it can be difficult to connect with others, including your partner.

If you find that you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor, Dr. Black emphasizes. They may recommend getting your testosterone levels checked and potentially prescribe testosterone replacement therapy.

 

 

 

 

 

Can Low Testosterone Cause Anxiety and Depression?

October 6, 2022 / Men’s Health

Low testosterone levels can mimic symptoms of depression and cause anxiety over time

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Cleveland Clinic healthessentials.

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Our takes:

‧ Low testosterone will manifest itself via several symptoms.

‧ Depression can be a symptom but can also be a contributing factor to developing low T.

‧ Having too high levels of T may result in irritability/becoming easily angered.

If you’re experiencing low sex drive, diminishing energy and overall fatigue, you may feel like it’s just another part of getting older. But if you’re a man or a person assigned male at birth (AMAB) and you’re experiencing a host of physical symptoms, coupled with a consistent depressive mood, you could actually be dealing with hypogonadism (low testosterone) or undiagnosed depression.

But figuring out whether you’re dealing with depression or low testosterone is tricky and requires further examination from a healthcare provider. Urologist Lawrence Hakim, MD, explains more about the connection between low testosterone and your mood, and how these conditions may be related.

How low testosterone impacts your mood

Androgens, including testosterone, are the hormones that give people their “male” and “female” characteristics. They also play a critical role in puberty, the development of your sexual reproductive system and your ability to reproduce.

You can think of all hormones, including androgens, like switches on a circuit board: When the production of these hormones are turned on or off, different things happen. You can experience physical, mental and emotional changes whenever production of these hormones increase, decrease or stop completely. The severity of these changes can vary widely from one hormone to the next, and these changes don’t happen in a vacuum. When the levels of one hormone changes, others may change in response. An increase in one hormone might mean a decrease in others. And when you have these hormonal imbalances, it can cause a variety of conditions to develop.

Testosterone levels tend to decrease normally as you get older, but they can also fluctuate for many reasons. Studies show these changes in testosterone can impact your mood in different ways. And these changes can occur in response to many different factors, including stress, lack of sleep, changes in your diet, aging and increasing or decreasing your physical activity.

If your testosterone levels are too high, for example, you may feel irritable or quick to anger. In comparison, low testosterone can make you feel extremely tired, depressed, weak or low in energy.

“People with hypogonadism, or low testosterone, will often say they have no energy, no desire for sexual activity and that they noticed a decrease in muscle mass,” says Dr. Hakim.

“In fact, hypogonadism is often associated with increased fat mass and reduced muscle mass, which can lead to obesity and other health risks, including cardiovascular disease. Those are all common signs and symptoms that may be associated with low testosterone.”

Signs and symptoms of low testosterone and depression

Low testosterone and depression share a lot of the same symptoms, including:

‧ Irritability.
‧ Mood swings.
‧ Decreased libido.
‧ Fatigue.
‧ Lack of motivation.
‧ Social withdrawal.
‧ Anxiety.
‧ Difficulty focusing.
‧ Interrupted sleep and restlessness.

“When we say people are depressed, what are we describing? We’re often describing someone as having low energy and no desire to partake in activities that normally bring them pleasure — these are common things we see with low testosterone, too,” notes Dr. Hakim. “Sometimes, people are actually misdiagnosed with clinical depression and they might instead have low testosterone or hypogonadism. It is therefore important to rule-out a physical cause of the condition, such as hypogonadism, prior to treatment.”

Various physical symptoms may be associated with either depression or low testosterone. People who have depression might complain of back pain or neck pain, but might not experience other symptoms typically associated with low testosterone that include:

‧ Decrease in muscle mass.
‧ Increase in breast tissue.
‧ Loss of strength.
‧ Sudden weight gain.
‧ Erectile dysfunction

And if you also have depression or even an anxiety disorder, your symptoms may worsen over time if low testosterone levels are leading to a further decline in sexual performance and libido.

“If you come in to see your doctor with any of these symptoms, especially if you have some form of sexual dysfunction, it is important to evaluate your total and free testosterone levels, since hypogonadism may be the underlying cause,” advises Dr. Hakim. “You don’t want to ignore low testosterone. You want to address it as well as look for any other underlying diagnosis that needs to be addressed.”

When to see a doctor

If you’re experiencing physical symptoms like sudden weight gain or decrease in your sex drive or sexual performance and other mental and emotional symptoms, you should talk to a doctor about testing your testosterone levels. There are many effective treatment options to restore your testosterone levels to the normal range, if your testosterone levels are abnormally low. But even if you discover you don’t have low testosterone levels, understanding those test results will often provide some reassurance and help your healthcare provider better understand and manage your symptoms.

“Many of these symptoms, especially as men get older, can be due to other factors such as stress, anxiety, pressure, work, aging, relationship issues and even other medications,” says Dr. Hakim. “Ultimately, a multispecialty approach is important to assure the best outcomes and patient satisfaction.”

Collagen For Men: How To Decide If You Should Take It & Benefits

Collagen For Men: How To Decide If You Should Take It & Benefits

mbg Beauty Director- By Alexandra Engler

Expert review by Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN

September 21, 2021

This article is a repost which originally appeared on mbghealth

Edited for content.

Despite being on the market for some time now, collagen supplements still seem to garner many questions. How long does it take until you see results? (Answer: It depends!) How much should you take? (There’s no recommended dosage at this time, but we have some pretty good research to support a range of 10 to 20 grams a day.) Are collagen supplements vegan? (Hard no! You can find collagen-supporting supplements made from vegan ingredients but not collagen itself.) 

While those questions are pretty general, others come down to personal factors, such as age, sex, weight, activity level, and lifestyle habits—which brings us to the question at hand: What should men know about taking collagen supplements? Now, we bring this up because sex and hormones can influence what supplements you decide to take. For example, someone going through menopause will likely have a different routine than a 20-something cis male.

So is such the case for collagen? Here’s what we know. 

Should men take collagen supplements?

Most adults could benefit from collagen supplements—no matter their age or sex—as it’s very well tolerated, comes with minimal cautions, and boasts a host of universal benefits.* And did we mention: Hello, protein. So should men take it specifically? Well, if you’re a man and want to take it: By all means!

Really the only difference you may find for supplementation is protein dosage. Allow me to explain. Collagen is a type of protein (it’s an incomplete protein, but more on that in a second). For healthy adults, you need at least 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for muscle mass maintenance. From there, protein needs increase based on activity levels: For highly active adults, you should consume 1 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. And collagen supplementation can help you achieve your daily protein intake, as it can act as a complementary source of amino acids. In fact, a 2019 study found that as much as 36% of daily protein could come from collagen peptides while simultaneously achieving daily essential amino acid requirements.*

And since, on average, men weigh more than women (and typically have more connective tissues, where collagen resides)—men may need a higher collagen dose. However, this is neither definitive nor true in every case; it should be evaluated on a person-by-person basis.

As mbg’s director of scientific affairs Ashley Jordan Ferira, Ph.D., RDN, explains, “Every supplement ritual should be individualized, but some supplements get unfairly labeled as only relevant to women or men. That’s unfortunate since nutrition and bioactives are rarely binary. Saying collagen is only for women is like saying calcium is only for women. In reality, men have connective tissues—skin, bones, joints, muscles, tendons, vessels, etc.—that collagen is literally critical for, just like men have bones and require calcium.”*

5 benefits of collagen supplements for men.

Collagen benefits are systemic and universal.* When you ingest peptides, your body absorbs and distributes the amino acids where they are needed. So here are all the ways adding a supplement to your routine can help you: 

1. Skin

I think we can all move past the stereotype that men don’t care about their appearance and skin as they age. Collagen supplements can support the skin in a variety of ways, from firmness to hydration.* For example, one study found that they are able to support skin elasticity and dermal collagen density.* Another double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial found that participants’ moisture levels in the skin were seven times higher than those who did not take collagen supplements.* 

2. Hair

Hair thinning is a very common situation for most men, and one way you can help healthy hair naturally is by providing the body with all the needed building blocks for keratin, the protein that makes up hair. What are those building blocks? Amino acids, many of which are found in collagen peptides.* In fact, the main amino acid in keratin is proline—which is readily found in many collagen supplements.

3. Gut health

While this is a newer area of study for collagen supplements, research has found that levels of certain types of collagen are lower in individuals with digestive challenges.* And much of the benefits are due to collagen peptides’ specific amino acid makeup. For example, research has found that one of the main amino acids in collagen, L-glutamate, supports the intestine by neutralizing oxidative stress and acts as a major fuel source for the cells in the intestine.* The cells of our gut lining also use proline and glycine for energy, and these are two additional amino acids found in collagen.*

4. Muscle mass

Collagen is not technically a complete protein—meaning it does not contain all nine of the essential amino acids (it has eight of them)—but it still delivers plenty of amino acids that can contribute to muscle mass, when taken as part of a robust diet.* This is especially true when combined with the right fitness routines. In one small clinical study, men who took 15 grams of collagen daily while participating in an exercise program gained more muscle mass than those who only completed the exercise program.*

Ferira adds, “Men, muscles, and collagen is an emerging area of research I see gaining momentum. For example, in this compelling clinical trial, 15 grams of collagen peptides combined with resistance exercise training in young healthy men netted significant gains in lean mass (muscle) and muscle strength, more than just resistance training by itself. Not only that, but the researchers discovered that the men’s muscle protein was upregulated (i.e., those genes were cranked up), particularly the contractile fibers, which make your muscles work well and with speed.”*

5. Joints

Collagen type II is a common structural component of our joints. One randomized clinical trial found that people who took a type II collagen supplement for 180 days experienced improvements in their physical function and helped improve joint mobility and comfort.* 

Are there any side effects men should be worried about?

Anytime you start a new supplement, one of the first questions you should look into is if there are any cautions or side effects. Luckily for collagen, it’s a safe and widely tolerated protein: Collagen peptides are safe for consumption, and few side effects, complaints, or cautions are reported. They fall into the “benign” bucket. However, everyone is different, and everyone’s body reacts to products in unique ways. This is why some side effects are reported anecdotally. 

You can learn more about the common collagen side effects here, but as a brief overview:

  • Some brands can taste unpleasant due to the collagen itself or less-than-appetizing filler ingredients.  
  • Anecdotally, some individuals report bloating, stomach upset, and fullness.
  • We all have different sensitivities, so be careful to check where the ingredient is sourced and all other added ingredients in case you personally have an allergen. 
  • Vegans should avoid collagen, as collagen peptides are derived from animals (cows, fish, and chicken most often).

Conclusion

Not every supplement is right for every body or every need. But collagen tends to be a pretty safe bet for most, no matter your sex. Additionally, it has robust universal benefits!

*If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or taking medications, consult with your doctor before starting a supplement routine. It is always optimal to consult with a health care provider when considering what supplements are right for you.

Can Specific Foods or Diets Boost Your Testosterone Levels?

Can Specific Foods or Diets Boost Your Testosterone Levels?

What you eat or drink may affect levels of the male sex hormone, but whether a diet can increase libido or energy depends on many things.

By Randi Hutter Epstein, M.D.

Published Nov. 2, 2021Updated Nov. 3, 2021

This article is a repost which originally appeared on The New York Times

Edited for content.

Can I increase my testosterone levels through the foods I eat? And if so, which foods or diets work best?

Many men, particularly as they age, are concerned about their levels of testosterone, the male sex hormone touted to build muscle, sex drive and vigor. But individual foods are unlikely to have an impact on testosterone levels — though drinking excessive amounts of alcohol might. If you are overweight, altering your diet to lose weight may help, since carrying excess pounds is a common cause of low testosterone. But in terms of specific foods or diets, any uptick you achieve may not have a noticeable impact on libido, energy or muscle mass.

“If someone was not overweight, I wouldn’t put them on a specific diet to raise testosterone based on the data we have now,” said Alexander Pastuszak, an assistant professor of urology and surgery at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, who co-authored a review on alternatives to testosterone therapy.

In men, normal testosterone levels range from 300 to 1,000 nanograms per deciliter of blood. Ups and downs within that normal range are unlikely to have any impact on sex drive or vitality. Only when levels consistently drop below 300 points — as confirmed in two blood tests by an accredited laboratory — are symptoms like low libido, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, low mood or loss of muscle mass likely to appear, a medical condition known as hypogonadism.

Starting at around age 40, men’s testosterone levels start to decline by about 1 percent per year. But the drop can vary tremendously, with some older men maintaining levels similar to healthy young men. The trajectory of falling testosterone is steeper among men who gain a lot of weight, said Dr. Shalender Bhasin, professor of medicine at Harvard and the director of the Research Program in Men’s Health: Aging and Metabolism at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Studies on foods or diets and testosterone levels have generally been small and the findings far from conclusive. A recent British review that pooled data from 206 volunteers, for example, found that men on high-fat diets had testosterone levels that were about 60 points higher, on average, than men on low-fat diets. Men who followed a vegetarian diet tended to have the lowest levels of testosterone, about 150 points lower, on average, than those following a high-fat, meat-based diet. Still, Joseph Whittaker, the lead investigator and a nutritionist at the University of Worcester in Britain, said he would not recommend a man increase the fats in his diet unless he had low testosterone levels and symptoms of low T and was already restricting fats.

Another study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research tested two styles of diets in 25 fit men between the ages of 18 and 30. Calories consumed were the same, but one group ate a high-fat, very-low-carb, ketogenic-style diet, consisting of 75 percent of calories from fats, 5 percent from carbohydrates and 20 percent from protein. Men in the other group ate a more traditional Western style, low-fat diet, containing 25 percent of calories from fats, 55 percent from carbohydrates and 20 percent from protein. After 10 weeks of eating the high-fat diet, testosterone increased by 118 points, on average, while after the low-fat diet, levels declined by about 36 points.

Similarly, a study of 3,000 men found that those who reported eating a low-fat diet had slightly lower testosterone levels — about 30 points lower — than men who ate higher-fat diets. But none of the men had low testosterone.

“The moral is that healthy men who are of normal weight with no significant comorbidities are unlikely to benefit from restrictive diets,” said Dr. Richard J. Fantus, one of the study’s authors and a urologist at NorthShore University HealthSystem in Evanston, Ill.

Diet studies are complicated, because changing one component of the diet, such as fat intake, alters so many other things, such as the amount of carbohydrates, protein and micronutrients consumed. It’s unclear which component of the diet may have prompted the hormonal changes, Dr. Bhasin said. Furthermore, testosterone levels may also be shaped by how much a person sleeps, or whether they are jet-lagged, or if they are eating most of their calories at night or in small meals throughout the day.

Dr. Faysal Yafi, chief of the division of Men’s Health and Reconstructive Urology at the University of California, Irvine, says his patients who opt to follow specific diets tend to start exercising more and drinking less alcohol, all of which can raise testosterone levels. He suspects any links between diet and testosterone may be the result of an overall healthier lifestyle.

Some men worry that eating lots of soy foods may cause their testosterone levels to fall, because soy is rich in isoflavones, which mimic the structure of estrogen. But the evidence doesn’t support their concerns, even if men eat foods like miso, tofu or soy milk at every meal. (Doctors did report one anecdotal case in which a 19-year-old man with Type 1 diabetes who followed a vegan diet containing 360 milligrams of soy isoflavones daily — nine times higher than a typical Japanese diet, and 100 times higher than the typical American diet — developed low testosterone levels along with low libido and fatigue. His symptoms improved when he stopped eating the soy-heavy, vegan diet.)

Long-term alcohol abuse lowers testosterone by damaging cells in both the testes, which make testosterone, and the liver, which alters testosterone metabolism. But binge drinking every now and then does not appear to have much of an impact — it lowers testosterone for only about 30 minutes, according to one study, after which levels bounce back to baseline.

Obese men who have low levels of testosterone can increase levels by cutting calories and losing weight — the type of diet does not matter, studies suggest. On the opposite extreme, Dr. Bhasin said he is seeing an increasing number of men at his clinic who have body dysmorphic issues and are suffering from low libido and fatigue. Strict calorie restriction, exercising intensely and being chronically stressed can all cause testosterone levels to plummet and are likely to blame, he said.

The bottom line is that for otherwise healthy men who are following a reasonably healthy lifestyle, fiddling with specific foods or the composition of the diet is not likely to make much of a difference on the testosterone score card. As Dr. Fantus of NorthShore University put it: “I don’t think there is a way to game the system to get really large increases by changing the diet.”

Correction: 

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that men who ate low-fat diets tended to have higher testosterone levels. Men who ate high-fat diets tended to have the higher T levels.

The article also referred to a 19-year-old man with low testosterone levels who was eating a diet containing 360 milligrams of soy daily; his diet actually contained 360 milligrams of soy isoflavones.