A positive relationship between body height and the testosterone response to physical exercise

Abstract Human male height is one of the most conspicuous sexually dimorphic, phenotypic characteristics that affect how men are perceived both by men and women, impacting mate selection and intra-sexual competition. Testosterone is a key hormone linked to morphological masculinity and advantage in intra-sexual competition. To date, there have been limited studies linking height with testosterone levels. Here, we examined the change in circulating testosterone levels after physical exercise in 97 healthy and physically active men. Our results show that there was a significant relationship between male stature and the change in testosterone levels, whereas there was no such link between body height and circulating testosterone levels. Therefore, our findings provide evidence that height may indicate male’s adaptive capabilities to physiologically mobilize their bodies when it is needed and/or beneficial.