The Study
Acute suppression of circulating testosterone levels by cortisol in men.
This study saw that when stress hormones went up in mice or rats, their sex hormones went down. But it didn't prove that one caused the other—it just saw them happen together. So we can't say stress definitely lowers testosterone.
Analysis score
Maximum 44 for a cross-sectional study.
Where the score came from
When the body makes a lot of cortisol (a stress hormone), it can directly tell the testes to make less testosterone.
Where does this study sit?
Reviews of RCTs (Meta-analyses)
Max 100Randomized Trials
Max 90Reviews of Cohort Studies
Max 85Cohort Studies
Max 72Reviews of Case-Control Studies
Max 63Case-Control Studies
Max 58Cross-Sectional & Case Series
Max 50Expert Opinion
Max 56 / 100
Quality score
Snapshots of a population at a single point in time, or descriptions of small groups. Can identify correlations and prevalence, but cannot determine cause and effect.
Key takeaways
Summary
Based on the study abstract and findings.
- 1This could mean stress quickly reduces testosterone without affecting brain signals, possibly impacting fertility or energy under stress.
- 2Cortisol went up, testosterone went down — but LH and prolactin stayed the same.
Score breakdown, methodology, conflicts of interest, evidence analysis & raw study data
Publication
Journal
The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism
Year
1983
Authors
D. Cumming, M. Quigley, S. Yen
Related Content
Claims (4)
Higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol cause the pituitary gland to release less luteinizing hormone, which results in lower testosterone production by the testes.
When cortisol levels rise quickly in male animals due to low blood sugar or hydrocortisone injection, serum testosterone levels drop rapidly without changes in luteinizing hormone or prolactin.
In male animals, high levels of the stress hormone cortisol directly reduce testosterone production in the testes without affecting other hormones like luteinizing hormone or prolactin, showing that stress can directly influence reproductive hormone levels.
When cortisol levels rise quickly in male animals, testosterone levels decrease without changes in luteinizing hormone or prolactin, affecting reproductive function during stress.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.