Exercise Researcher Debunks the Biggest Testosterone-Boosting Myths – and Reveals What Actually Works

One online search for how to optimise testosterone can quickly send you down a rabbit hole. From testosterone-boosting supplements to cold plunges, semen retention and biohacks, there's no shortage of advice promising to raise your levels. Unfortunately, not all of it is backed by evidence.

Thankfully, exercise researcher Menno Henselmans has helped cut through the noise, outlining the strategies that may actually support healthy testosterone levels, as well as the myths that probably aren't worth your time.

'A new review highlighted the following strategies and misconceptions to maximise the testosterone level of athletes,' he explains in an Instagram post.

'All in all, good overall health and high testosterone levels rely on almost exactly the same inputs,' says Henselmans. 'Many people look for biohacking magic, but the real magic is found in consistently implementing the unsexy fundamentals.'

View full post on Instagram

Testosterone Boosters

If you're thinking of trying a testosterone-boosting supplement, Henselmans says they shouldn't be your first resort.

'No, testosterone-boosting supplements should not be your first resort. Most of them have both questionable efficacy and questionable safety. Many T boosters are contaminated with doping agents or other substances.'

In other words, the basics are likely to be a better place to start than a quick fix.

Lifestyle Fundamentals

'Get enough sleep,' says Henselmans. 'Manage stress levels. Maintain a healthy body fat level (i.e. not overweight but also not shredded with ab veins year-round). Lift weights. Boring, excellent advice.'

It may not sound like biohacking, but sleep, stress management, strength training and a sustainable body composition remain the foundations of good hormonal health.

Smoking and Alcohol

According to Henselmans, smoking, alcohol and cannabis 'don't seem to reduce testosterone levels in moderation', despite popular belief.

That doesn't make them healthy habits, of course. The point isn't that they're good for you, but rather that their impact on testosterone may be more nuanced than many people assume.

Sexual Abstinence

The idea that abstinence can boost testosterone or improve gym performance is another claim Henselmans pushes back against.

He explains: ''Semen retention' does not meaningfully boost T or athletic performance, not even directly pre-workout, as long as you can muster the motivation to still go train afterwards.'

Macros

'Consume a high-protein diet (>1.6g/kg/day) that's not too low in fats (>20% of kcal minimum generally),' advises Henselmans. 'Avoid excessive energy deficits: crash dieting is not worth it for lean athletes.'

If you're already training hard, fuelling properly may be a better testosterone strategy than chasing ever-lower body-fat levels.

Food

Henselmans recommends including foods rich in polyphenols, such as fruit and vegetables, which may help support a better testosterone-to-oestrogen ratio. He also advises getting enough vitamin D, zinc, magnesium and boron.

At the same time, he notes that organic food is not consistently linked to higher testosterone levels. The bigger win is likely a nutrient-rich diet that you can stick to long term.

Cold Plunges and Saunas

Cold plunges and saunas may offer other benefits, but boosting testosterone doesn't appear to be one of them. As Henselmans puts it: 'Cold plunges or saunas do not increase T.'

Mobile Phones

One less obvious area to watch may be phone exposure. Henselmans says 'having your phone on you the whole day, especially in your pocket near the genitals, might decrease T'.

He adds that 'high exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic radiation has been associated with lower T levels', although he notes that 'most data are in animals'.

While it's far from settled science, he describes it as 'a concerning area of research in need of more data'.

Painkillers

Henselmans says painkillers 'can decrease T', although it is 'mostly opioids that tank T'.

That means the occasional paracetamol or NSAID when you're ill is unlikely to be a problem. The bigger concern is regular or heavy opioid use rather than short-term pain relief.

Kate Neudecker

Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.