Long-Distance Running

[TLawyer]

Does anyone know of any studies or other authority on how many miles one can run each week (or each workout) without negatively impacting (and hopefully increasing) T levels? I know that the recommendation is to perform HIIT for a big T boost, but I'm talking about running/jogging maybe 4 miles 3-4 times per week (so anywhere from 12-20 miles per week).

 

[Golfboy307]

I am a long distance runner so I can only offer my own story (study of n=1). When I was in my late 30's and early 40's I was running a lot of marathons (2-3 per year). After a few years my T levels dropped into the 300's. My mileage was in the 30-40 range per week. Coincidence? Normal aging? Never know for sure. I ended up going on TRT in my late 40's and never looked back. However, I now run 15-20 miles per week, no more marathons. I feel healthier overall.

There are studies out there that show ultra athletes (think 50+ miles per week) have worse cardiac outcomes than runners with lower mileage.

 

[TLawyer]

I am a long distance runner so I can only offer my own story (study of n=1). When I was in my late 30's and early 40's I was running a lot of marathons (2-3 per year). After a few years my T levels dropped into the 300's. My mileage was in the 30-40 range per week. Coincidence? Normal aging? Never know for sure. I ended up going on TRT in my late 40's and never looked back. However, I now run 15-20 miles per week, no more marathons. I feel healthier overall.

There are studies out there that show ultra athletes (think 50+ miles per week) have worse cardiac outcomes than runners with lower mileage.

Thanks for the feedback. Yeah, my issue is that all I can find are the "extremes" - if you don't do anything, that's bad, but if you run more than 50+ miles a week, that's bad too. No one seems to weigh in on the middle ground.

 

[Ekayaimi]

I’ve noticed improvements in my mood and fitness levels without any negative side effects. I’m new to this forum, so I’m really interested to hear what others think too!

 

[ralphmeyer]

From my own experience, running around 4 miles a few times a week has made me feel more energetic and healthy. While I'm not an expert, I did chat with a running coach San Francisco who mentioned that moderate running, like your 12-20 miles per week, generally shouldn’t negatively affect T levels. In fact, they said that this amount of running can help improve overall health, which might support hormone balance. The key is not overdoing it and making sure you’re also doing some strength training to complement your running.