What’s the average testosterone level in your region? 

Here’s an interesting fact. Your grandfather’s testosterone levels were likely much higher than yours.  

Research shows that testosterone levels have been gradually declining in recent years. But it’s not entirely clear why. Some of it may come down to environmental toxins, known as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), which can be found in plastics, detergents, toys, cosmetics, and pesticides. But there could be other factors affecting your testosterone levels, such as where you live and even what time of year you test your testosterone levels.  

We’ve taken a closer look at our customers’ testosterone results to see if there were any patterns according to the region of the UK they lived in and when they took their sample.  

Turns out there are.  

Testosterone levels by region 

We analysed over 20,000 testosterone results across the UK. The difference between regions was small but noticeable.

On average, men in London had the highest levels of testosterone (17.2 nmol/L), with men in the North East having the lowest levels (15.9 nmol/L). 

Why is this? 

1. Age of the population 

Perhaps one of the most likely reasons that London has higher testosterone levels is due to the population demographic. The estimated average age of a Londoner was 35.8 years in 2020, which makes it one of the youngest areas in the UK [1]. To put things into perspective, the average age of someone in the UK was 40.4 in 2020 [2].  

Because testosterone levels decline with age, this might explain why London has higher testosterone levels on average.  

However, the South West, which had one of the oldest populations in 2020 (44.1) [1], had the second- highest levels of testosterone in our cohort. So, there are likely to be other factors at play.    

Other factors that influence testosterone 

Your body tries hard to keep hormones in balance, but there are some lifestyle and environmental factors that can throw it off-kilter or alter your levels. 

Testosterone levels are affected by:  

• Alcohol consumption 
• Temperature 
• Vitamin D levels 
• Diet 
• Weight 
• Anabolic steroid use 
• Testosterone replacement therapy 
• Exposure to disease 
• Stress levels 

Some of these may explain the differences in average testosterone levels across the UK.  

Testosterone levels by season 

Intrigued by the findings above, we delved a little deeper and looked at whether the testosterone levels were influenced by the time of year the sample was taken.  

We took the average from three years’ worth of results and found that testosterone levels peaked in early spring and early autumn, with a dip in summer.  

Previous studies have investigated the seasonal variation of testosterone. Most have found changes throughout the year, but the findings have been inconsistent [3]. It’s not clear what causes these fluctuations, but many hormones, including testosterone, can be influenced by factors such as:  

• Light-dark cycles 
• Sleep-wake patterns 
• Vitamin D levels 

Not to mention, your diet, levels of physical activity, and stress levels are likely to change depending on the time of year.  

Why is all of this important? 

Our data showed that around a quarter of men in the UK had testosterone levels of less than 12 nmol/L. If your levels are less than 12 nmol/L and you have symptoms of testosterone deficiency, you may benefit from testosterone replacement therapy.  

Some of the most common symptoms you might experience are:  

• Erectile dysfunction 
• Low libido 
• Fatigue 
• Low mood 

There is no need to test or obsess over testosterone if you have no symptoms. However, some people like to keep an eye on their levels over time — you can do so at home with our Testosterone Blood Test. 

So, would moving to London increase my testosterone levels? 

The short answer is no. Though our data showed that London had the highest testosterone levels on average, this may come down to the age of the population, and the differences according to the regions were small.  

But also, your childhood environment likely plays a bigger role than your adulthood environment when it comes to testosterone levels. One study found that Bangladeshi men who migrated to the UK before puberty had higher testosterone levels than Bangladeshi men who migrated as adults or stayed in Bangladesh [4]. 

The researchers suggest this is due to greater exposure to infectious diseases in Bangladesh — the body, therefore, diverts more resources on fighting disease and coping with poorer nutrition rather than producing testosterone.    

Boosting testosterone levels 

If you are concerned about low levels of testosterone, rather than moving across the country, you’re better off making lifestyle changes: 

• Exercise  
• Losing weight if you need to   
• Getting a better night’s sleep   
• Reducing stress  
• Eating a healthy, balanced diet  

Read more about ways to boost your testosterone levels naturally. 

Takeaway 

Your testosterone levels aren’t the be-all and end-all and are not something to obsess over.   

Having healthy testosterone levels is great for overall health but boosting them unnecessarily with drugs or medication can do the opposite.   

If you are worried about your testosterone levels, talk to your GP. Alternatively, you can test yourself first from the comfort of your own home with our Testosterone Blood Test. You’ll receive your results within a few days as well as our doctor’s comments and recommendations.  

References

1. Statista. 2022. UK median age 2020, by region | Statista. [online] Available at: <https://www.statista.com/statistics/367796/uk-median-age-by-region/> [Accessed 26 July 2022].
2. Statista. 2022. UK population median age 2020 | Statista. [online] Available at: <https://www.statista.com/statistics/281288/median-age-of-the-population-of-the-uk/> [Accessed 26 July 2022].
3. Svartberg, J., Jorde, R., Sundsfjord, J., Bønaa, K. and Barrett-Connor, E., 2003. Seasonal Variation of Testosterone and Waist to Hip Ratio in Men: The Tromsø Study. The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &amp; Metabolism, 88(7), pp.3099-3104.
4. Magid, K., Chatterton, R., Ahamed, F. and Bentley, G., 2018. Childhood ecology influences salivary testosterone, pubertal age and stature of Bangladeshi UK migrant men. Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution, 2(7), pp.1146-1154.