With age, levels of the sex hormone testosterone decrease in both men and women, which researchers suspect is one reason why older adults tend to have a lower sex drive and report more sexual problems. A 2010 study in the journal American Family Physician notes that low testosterone levels are likely responsible for lowered libido and erectile dysfunction (ED) in some men. In a 2007 study, Italian researchers reviewed population research and found that diminished levels of testosterone have a negative impact on desire and sexual responsiveness for midlife and older women as well. (Women produce testosterone in their ovaries, and levels decline—along with estrogen—during menopause.) On the other hand, menopausal women with higher testosterone levels reported significantly greater sexual desire, according to a 2010 study in the Journal of Women’s Health.
Some studies have investigated whether supplementing with testosterone can restore sexual function and libido in men, with moderately positive results. Other research shows that when women with surgically induced menopause (whose levels of testosterone drop dramatically after removal of their ovaries) are treated with testosterone, they experience significant increases in sexual satisfaction and activity. However, more studies need to be done on the long-term safety of testosterone therapy in men and women, especially since early evidence suggests there’s an increased risk of prostate cancer for men. Supplemental testosterone is not recommended for men with marginally low testosterone levels unless they show clinical symptoms of a deficiency. Currently, women in the United States can only get testosterone preparations by having a doctor prescribe them off-label (that is, not for their intended, Food and Drug Administration [FDA]–approved, purpose).
But there are natural ways to increase testosterone, including exercise. Interestingly, waning testosterone levels seem to be partly responsible for reduced muscle strength in older adults. Exercise can reverse that trend. Obesity is also associated with reduced testosterone levels, and further compounding the problem, declining testosterone signals your body to store more fat around your middle. That suggests that another one of exercise’s benefits on testosterone may have to do with helping you stay at a healthy weight. Strength training, in particular, can stimulate the release of testosterone—and thereby restore dwindling desire as you get older.
If you needed more motivation to make resistance exercises a nonnegotiable part of your routine, here it is: The most significant testosterone increases seem to occur in people who strength train consistently. Both men and women who strength trained regularly increased their testosterone levels after a single weight-lifting session, found a 2009 study by University of Connecticut researchers. A similar pair of studies in the Canadian Journal of Applied Physiology and the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness found that resistance exercises increased testosterone levels in men, and the effect was greater in those who had lifted weights on a regular basis over the previous several years.
Studies have tested several different workout variations for their effects on hormone levels, and some evidence shows that working large muscle groups at a moderate to high intensity with short periods of rest tends to produce the highest increase in testosterone. Incorporate these guidelines into twenty to thirty minutes of strength training two or three times a week, working all your major muscle groups, and giving your muscles a day to rest in between sessions.
To continue increasing your testosterone levels, you need to keep pushing yourself, suggests a 2008 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. Your muscles adapt to a routine within about four weeks, so it’s important to switch up your moves, the intensity (the amount of weight you use), or the number of repetitions you do to continue challenging yourself and seeing strength (and testosterone!) gains. Fitness magazines and exercise videos are a great source for new ideas and routines.
Don’t feel like lifting weights today? You can take a day off every now and then: In addition to exercise, cuddling can increase testosterone levels in women, according to a 2007 study in the journal Hormones and Behavior.