T Nation

Is Cardio Destroying My T Levels?

Bigger Stronger Leaner
#1

Ok guys sorry if this is the wrong place to post this thread but i really need your expert opinions!

I am having a problem. I honestly feel like i have low testosterone levels at the moment and i don’t know what to do. Ever since i started playing soccer again (training with a club) i have noticed that i feel more fatigued, less libido, more erratic, slightly more depressed, less sperm production (all signs of low test).

Now i go to the gym 3x a week (monday, tuesday and wednesday) And i have soccer training on tuesday and thursday nights. Because its pre season we do a lot of intense running and long distance running (not HIIT type of training more endurane e.g running laps). We run for about an hour to 90 minutes. I have read that:

“After 45 minutes of intense physical activity, the body releases hormones that breakdown muscle tissue (as it is the most ready, nutrient heavy source available)”

and

“Extended amounts of cardio as can decrease not only your testosterone levels (especially during the activity), but also lower your muscle mass.”

Prior to soccer training i was going to the gym 4x a week and doing some HIIT 1-2x (about 30 minutes of cardio) a week and overall felt a lot better (e.g had high libido, felt more energetic etc).

My questions are
a) Do you think i am possibly over training?
b) Will my test levels go back to normal once i adjust to the hard endurance training i do at soccer?
c) should i give up soccer to preserve T levels?
d) Is there any supplements/specific foods that will get me back to how i felt before starting soccer again
e) What should i do?

thank you for reading

#2

How is your appetite? Sleep patterns? Best way to find out your T levels is to just get a test.

#3

[quote]TestLevels wrote:
Ok guys sorry if this is the wrong place to post this thread but i really need your expert opinions!

I am having a problem. I honestly feel like i have low testosterone levels at the moment and i don’t know what to do. Ever since i started playing soccer again (training with a club) i have noticed that i feel more fatigued, less libido, more erratic, slightly more depressed, less sperm production (all signs of low test).

Now i go to the gym 3x a week (monday, tuesday and wednesday) And i have soccer training on tuesday and thursday nights. Because its pre season we do a lot of intense running and long distance running (not HIIT type of training more endurane e.g running laps). We run for about an hour to 90 minutes. I have read that:

“After 45 minutes of intense physical activity, the body releases hormones that breakdown muscle tissue (as it is the most ready, nutrient heavy source available)”

and

“Extended amounts of cardio as can decrease not only your testosterone levels (especially during the activity), but also lower your muscle mass.”

Prior to soccer training i was going to the gym 4x a week and doing some HIIT 1-2x (about 30 minutes of cardio) a week and overall felt a lot better (e.g had high libido, felt more energetic etc).

My questions are
a) Do you think i am possibly over training?
b) Will my test levels go back to normal once i adjust to the hard endurance training i do at soccer?
c) should i give up soccer to preserve T levels?
d) Is there any supplements/specific foods that will get me back to how i felt before starting soccer again
e) What should i do?

thank you for reading [/quote]

a) It is very hard to overtrain. It’s possible you’re just under-recovering. Make recovery and nutrition a priority.
b) c) it’s guesswork at best without blood test results to look at
d) e) get a blood test, tell your doc about your concerns and go from there. Don’t rush into anything.

Which country are you in?

#4

[quote]TestLevels wrote:
Prior to soccer training i was going to the gym 4x a week and doing some HIIT 1-2x (about 30 minutes of cardio) a week and overall felt a lot better (e.g had high libido, felt more energetic etc).[/quote]

Anecdotal proof that soccer causes low T.

Good luck OP.

#5

It’s more probable that you don’t eat well and have a few beers after practice, and thus feel deprived in a catabolic state.

The reason they talk about muscle breakdown is due to a catabolic hormone called cortisol which will break down glycogen, fat-storages and protein in order to provide glucose/energy to the muscles.

But you should be fine if you fixed your nutrition, unless there’s some underlying problem.

#6

How old are you?
-If you are under 30, I would get low-T out of your head.
You go to the gym Mon,Tues,Wed
-I would change it to Mon-Wed-Fri. No additional cardio outside of what you are doing for soccer. Changing the gym days to mon,wed,fri should really help the way you are filling and recovery

#7

If soccer lowers T levels then my friends who play for their university team must all be on drugs.

#8

I missed the part where it said “expert” opinions.

#9

huh?