Learn more about everyday changes that you can make to increase testosterone levels without intense exercise. Compare 8 of the best online testosterone therapy services available in 2025. If you qualify, your provider will help you determine the best treatment for balancing your hormone levels. Some of these effects may decline as testosterone levels might decrease in the later decades of adult life. In males, these are usual late pubertal effects, and occur in women after prolonged periods of heightened levels of free testosterone in the blood. Too much cholesterol puts you at risk for heart disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in the United States. But having too much cholesterol in your blood raises your risk of coronary artery disease. Total levels of testosterone in the body have been reported as 264 to 916 ng/dL (nanograms per deciliter) in non-obese European and American men age 19 to 39 years, while mean testosterone levels in adult men have been reported as 630 ng/dL. When testosterone levels are low, gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is released by the hypothalamus, which in turn stimulates the pituitary gland to release FSH and LH. This combination often results in lower cholesterol levels, better blood sugar control, and improved heart health. Age, health status, and underlying medical conditions can change how testosterone influences cholesterol levels. The current evidence suggests that testosterone therapy does not significantly increase the risk of heart disease in most men when prescribed appropriately and monitored carefully. When patients ask if testosterone therapy "increases LDL," they are really asking whether TRT makes the blood more likely to cause cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, improvements in body fat, blood sugar control, and inflammation from testosterone therapy may reduce risks in other ways. Even small shifts in cholesterol caused by testosterone therapy may affect long-term heart health. Some men may also receive it for age-related decline in testosterone or for certain medical conditions when a doctor believes it can improve quality of life. In parallel, ongoing work is required to further elucidate the mechanisms by which T may influence CVD risk, including its effects on HDL and other plasma lipids. Thus, despite numerous research efforts to date, the role of hypogonadism in the pathogenesis of CVD remains unclear, as does the cardiovascular risk profile of TRT. Continued research is critical to better elucidate both the effects of T on HDL composition and function and the utility of various HDL metrics in CVD risk prediction. Focus has shifted from measuring HDL cholesterol content alone to assessing HDL particle function, which may prove a better predictor of CVD risk.
