Meta AnalysisHumann = 252 men across 18 studies2021
Effect of partial and total sleep deprivation on serum testosterone in healthy males: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Plain-language summary
This meta-analysis set out to clarify how sleep deprivation affects testosterone levels in healthy men. It pooled data from 18 studies involving 252 men, comparing testosterone levels after partial sleep deprivation (less than a full night's sleep) versus total sleep deprivation (no sleep for 24 hours or more). The analysis found that short-term partial sleep deprivation did not significantly lower testosterone, but total sleep deprivation (24 hours or more without sleep) did reduce testosterone levels. The effect was consistent whether men went without sleep for 24 hours or for 40-48 hours.
Key findings
- Short-term partial sleep deprivation had no significant effect on testosterone levels.
- Total sleep deprivation (24 hours or more) reduced testosterone levels.
- The testosterone-lowering effect was seen both after 24 hours and 40-48 hours of total sleep deprivation.
How to analyze the study yourself
- Study type
- Meta-analyses pool data from multiple studies to detect patterns that might be missed in smaller individual studies, but they rely on the quality and consistency of the original studies included.
- Population
- Healthy adult males
- Funding
- Not reported
- Takeaway
- This study found that missing a full night of sleep, 24 hours or more, lowers testosterone, while shorter partial sleep loss did not show a significant drop. If you want to keep testosterone steady, it may be worth avoiding all-nighters and protecting a core block of sleep every night.