Does Relationships Affect Your Testosterone Levels? Study 2023

Testosterone is the key hormone in men that plays a vital role in sexual function, muscle building, bone strength, and more. This potent “male” hormone circulates through the body, influencing libido, mood, thinking, and other processes. But Testosterone levels are also sensitive to outside factors, including the quality of a man’s close relationships.

Elements like affection, stress, conflict, and support within a relationship may affect your testosterone levels. The impacts also go both ways, as low testosterone could strain your relations. Let’s explore how your close bonds may affect your testosterone levels and vice versa.

Does the Length of the Relationship Affect Your Testosterone Levels?

The duration of your relationship appears linked to testosterone levels:

• New relationships may give testosterone a boost. A 2015 study found single men and men in new relationships had higher testosterone than men in long-term relationships. This suggests testosterone motivates mate-seeking.
• Long-term relationships are associated with lower testosterone overall. Men in committed relationships were found to have 20% lower testosterone than single men.

The table below summarizes the research on the relationship between duration and testosterone:

Relationship Stage	Testosterone Impact
New relationship	Higher Testosterone
Long-term relationship	Lower Testosterone

Do Support and Happiness Affect Your Testosterone Levels?

How content you are in your relationship also correlates with testosterone. Older men with more emotional support were found to have lower testosterone. This facilitates caring relationships. Higher relationship satisfaction is linked with lower testosterone in both sexes. Partners tend to be more satisfied when one has a lower T.

So, feeling happy and supported by your significant other may reduce your testosterone levels. But that may foster a nurturing relationship.

Does Stress and Conflict Affect Your Testosterone Levels?

Fighting and discord are inevitable in any partnership. But frequent conflict may affect Testosterone levels:

In a study, men displayed heightened testosterone reactivity to oppositional behaviour from partners during marital discussions.

Overall, psychological and physical stress is associated with reduced testosterone. Yet other research found testosterone fluctuates more in response to relational strife.

So regular fighting could cause your testosterone to yo-yo, while anxiety and stress may lower it.

Does Affection and Intimacy affect your Testosterone levels?

Testosterone is linked to aggression, but it also drives prosocial bonding. An animal study found testosterone increased cuddling and social responsiveness between paired subjects. Testosterone activates oxytocin. More frequent nonsexual affection may elevate testosterone. So, all that cuddling and hand-holding could boost your Testosterone levels.

Does Testosterone Influence Your Sexual Activity?

Testosterone strongly influences libido and sexual function:

• Research is mixed on whether more partner sex raises testosterone.
• Men do report increased libido from testosterone therapy. This suggests a link.
• Erectile dysfunction and low desire strain relations.

Though evidence is unclear, active sex life with your partner may sustain healthy testosterone. Issues like ED conversely impact intimacy and T.

How Does Low Testosterone Impact Your Relationship?

Low testosterone, or hypogonadism, may negatively affect your relationship:

• Symptoms like low libido, erectile dysfunction, and mood changes can strain bonds.
• Fatigue and depression also make it hard to connect with your partner.

So, if low Testosterone is tanking your mojo and energy, it also takes a toll on your relationship. Seeking treatment may help.

How To Raise Low Testosterone?

If you’re experiencing hypogonadism symptoms, consult your doctor. They may recommend checking your testosterone levels via a blood test. Testosterone replacement therapy can elevate libido, energy, mood, and more, improving relations. Testosterone boosters may also help boost testosterone naturally. Lifestyle changes like better sleep, diet, and exercise can support healthy testosterone levels. Don’t treat relationship problems as inevitable without ruling out low testosterone as a possible factor.

Conclusion

Research provides evidence that relationships influence testosterone levels in various ways. Nurturing, stable relationships are linked to lower testosterone overall. But affection, intimacy, and sex may give it a boost. Stress and conflict cause fluctuations. Low testosterone also negatively impacts relations. So, cultivating a fulfilling, supportive, and steamy relationship may help keep your testosterone levels at a healthy sweet spot! Of course, many factors affect testosterone. But a healthy home life plays a surprisingly big part.