Testosterone and ADHD in Men: Is There a Link?

The principal male sex hormone, testosterone is synonymous with strength, virility, and aggression. But the scientific truth about testosterone’s profile and role over the lifespan for males (and females, who also have testosterone) is more nuanced and complicated.

Research exploring testosterone’s impacts on mood, cognition, and behavior has resulted in contradictory, often inconclusive, findings; research investigating testosterone’s impact on ADHD is extremely scant.Amid this dearth of research, men* are becoming increasingly interested in testosterone’s suspected benefits on strength, energy, and mood.

Testosterone replacement therapy, approved to treat hypogonadism (testosterone deficiency), has become more common among men with typical hormone levels.

In the last five years, testosterone replacement prescriptions have risen dramatically, from 7.3 million to more than 11 million, and a third of these recipients have not been diagnosed with testosterone deficiency, according to the American Urological Association.Besides being potentially ineffective at achieving desired outcomes, testosterone supplementation without a medical indication can be harmful for men, and may lead to side effects such as fertility problems, acne, sleep apnea, breast swelling, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and high red blood cell counts, which could increase the risk of blood clotsAs these very real risks emerge from a murky landscape, here is a summary of what’s known — and not yet known — about the impact of testosterone on the bodies and brains of men, both with and without ADHD.Is there an association between an individual’s testosterone level and their likelihood of developing ADHD.