Importance of total testosterone in subjects who perform exercises that require great physical effort

Abstract

Introduction: physical activity, especially high-impact activity, generates an increase in total testosterone levels in the athletes' bodies, this increase provides a gain in strength and muscle growth in a short period of time. Methods: a narrative review was carried out with different search strategies in PubMed, Elsevier, Academic Google, Scielo, 22 research articles and reviews published in Spanish and English were included, from 2019 to 2023. Results: of the studies reviewed, the majority provided key information on the association between elevated levels of total testosterone and physical growth in athletes. Conclusion: sport is essential to improve the quality of life of the individual, however, the obsession with developing spectacular muscles and increasing their strength has led athletes to consume anabolic androgenic steroids that dangerously raise testosterone levels, consequently, causing the damage to organs and systems, which could become a public health problem; therefore, consumption must be controlled medically. Low testosterone levels in men are associated with erectile dysfunction, in women with infections and vaginal dryness. Testosterone levels in trans women, despite wanting to suppress them through hormone therapy, remain high, giving them an additional advantage over the rest of the female gender