Testosterone and blood pressure

If you are asking whether low testosterone can cause high blood pressure, the short answer is that research has not shown that low testosterone itself causes hypertension. The relationship is complicated, and blood pressure should be assessed on its own. If you use testosterone therapy, however, some studies have found a small rise in blood pressure, and current evidence does not rule out an effect. That makes regular monitoring and a conversation with your prescriber more useful than guessing from symptoms.

Warning signs that need prompt care

Get urgent help for sudden chest pain, severe shortness of breath, coughing blood, fainting, or one-sided leg swelling and pain. These can signal a serious problem, including a pulmonary embolism, which occurred more often in the testosterone group in TRAVERSE. Call emergency services for sudden weakness on one side, trouble speaking, or sudden vision changes. New or worsening symptoms deserve medical care. (Lincoff et al., 2023)

Can low testosterone cause high blood pressure?

Low testosterone and high blood pressure can occur in the same person, but that does not establish that one caused the other. Age, weight, sleep, activity, alcohol, diabetes, kidney health and medications can overlap in ways that affect both. A blood pressure reading, not fatigue, lower libido or a testosterone result, is what identifies elevated pressure.

Testosterone deficiency is assessed from compatible symptoms together with repeated early-morning blood tests. A single result or a symptom checklist cannot confirm it. If you are concerned about either issue, ask your clinician to evaluate them separately. You can read more about low testosterone symptoms in men over 50, what causes low testosterone, and how a testosterone blood test is evaluated. For the treatment conversation, see testosterone replacement therapy explained.

High blood pressure often has no noticeable symptoms. Feeling well does not tell you that your pressure is normal, and nonspecific symptoms such as a headache do not identify the cause. Use a properly sized cuff and follow the device or clinic instructions; if readings are repeatedly above the range your clinician has set for you, arrange a review rather than trying to diagnose yourself.

Does testosterone raise blood pressure?

It can, though the evidence varies by product and study. In a 16-week, single-arm study of 246 men with hypogonadism using testosterone gel, the average 24-hour systolic pressure increased by 1.9 mm Hg. The study could not rule out an effect because its confidence interval crossed the prespecified limit, and the result was less reassuring in participants with hypertension or diabetes. Since there was no untreated comparison group, the study cannot prove that testosterone alone caused the change. The authors described the average increase as small, while noting the uncertainty. (Weber et al., 2025)

A separate 16-week study of a testosterone skin patch also could not rule out a meaningful effect on 24-hour systolic pressure. Among the smaller group with usable week-16 monitoring, the average change was 3.5 mm Hg. These studies involved different formulations and designs, so their numbers should not be treated as a prediction for an individual man. (Efros et al., 2024)

There is also a different result in a long-term observational registry of men receiving testosterone undecanoate: investigators reported falling average systolic and diastolic pressure over follow-up, including among men using blood pressure medicines. Because this was not a randomized comparison, other changes over time may help explain the pattern. It does not cancel the blood-pressure signal in the gel and patch studies. (Hackett et al., 2024)

Taken together, the research does not support a simple claim that every testosterone treatment raises pressure, nor a claim that treatment is blood-pressure neutral for everyone. Formulation, individual health, starting pressure and the limits of each study matter. Do not start, stop or change a prescription on the basis of this article. Ask the prescribing clinician what monitoring is appropriate for your specific treatment.

Question	What the evidence supports
Does low testosterone itself cause hypertension?	The studies cited here do not establish that it does. Check blood pressure directly.
Can prescribed testosterone raise blood pressure?	Some short-term studies found increases or could not rule one out; another observational study found reductions with a different formulation.
Does that mean testosterone causes heart attacks?	Blood pressure and major cardiovascular events are related questions, but they are not interchangeable.

In TRAVERSE, a randomized trial of 5,246 men with confirmed hypogonadism and existing or elevated cardiovascular risk, testosterone gel was not inferior to placebo for the trial’s combined outcome of cardiovascular death, nonfatal heart attack or nonfatal stroke over a mean follow-up of 33 months. Pulmonary embolism was more frequent in the testosterone group, as were atrial fibrillation and acute kidney injury. The trial did not answer every question about blood pressure, other formulations or longer use. (Lincoff et al., 2023)

Can testosterone cause blood clots?

A blood clot is not the same thing as high blood pressure. In TRAVERSE, pulmonary embolism, a clot in the lungs, occurred more often among men assigned testosterone gel than among those assigned placebo. That result is a reason to discuss personal clot history and new symptoms with a clinician; it does not show that every man taking testosterone will develop a clot. (Lincoff et al., 2023)

Seek urgent medical care for sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing blood, fainting, or one-sided leg swelling and pain, especially if symptoms are new. Call emergency services for severe or sudden symptoms. Chest pain, severe breathlessness, weakness on one side, trouble speaking, or sudden vision changes also call for emergency help. Do not wait for a routine appointment to ask whether these symptoms are related to testosterone.

Habits that help you understand and manage blood pressure

These steps support sound blood-pressure care; they do not replace an evaluation or a clinician’s treatment plan.

Measure consistently. Keep a simple log with date, time, and readings, and bring it to your appointment. Take measurements under similar conditions and use the method your clinician recommends. A log can show whether a result was isolated or repeated; it cannot determine why pressure is high.

Build regular activity gradually. Choose movement you can sustain, such as brisk walking, cycling or a class suited to your ability. A review of trials in adults aged 60 and older found that both interval and continuous moderate aerobic training improved systolic and diastolic blood-pressure measures on average, with broadly similar changes between approaches. If you have chest symptoms, major health limitations or have been inactive, ask a clinician how to begin safely. (Oliveira et al., 2024)

Review sleep, alcohol and food patterns. Tell your clinician if you snore heavily, wake unrefreshed, drink regularly, or have gained weight; these are useful parts of a blood-pressure conversation. Aim for a balanced eating pattern and check with your care team about sodium goals that fit your health. The studies discussed in this article do not test a specific diet or alcohol plan, so treat these as topics to personalize rather than guaranteed ways to lower a reading.

Bring the full medication and supplement list. Include prescriptions, over-the-counter products, testosterone, and supplements. Ask whether any item could affect pressure or interact with another treatment. Do not adjust a blood pressure medicine or testosterone prescription without the prescriber who knows your history.

What about supplements?

No supplement in the evidence discussed here has been shown to manage testosterone-related blood pressure or prevent blood clots. A “testosterone booster” is not a substitute for measuring blood pressure or reviewing prescribed therapy. Our scores are strict and reflect label transparency and how well ingredient amounts match human research, not a promise of health results. If you are still comparing products, see the male vitality supplement comparison and our ErecPrime review. The review discusses the label and its ingredient evidence; it is not a blood-pressure treatment recommendation.

When to contact a doctor

Arrange a prompt medical review for repeated high readings, a new or worsening headache with other symptoms, chest discomfort with activity, or new breathlessness. Seek emergency care for the sudden symptoms described above. Tell your clinician if testosterone treatment is being considered or is already prescribed, especially if you have hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease or a prior clot. Results vary, and your own health history changes the discussion. Talk to your doctor, especially with medications. New or worsening symptoms deserve medical care.

Frequently asked questions

Can low testosterone cause high blood pressure?

The evidence cited here does not show that low testosterone itself causes high blood pressure. Both can occur together, so have each checked rather than assuming one explains the other.

Does testosterone raise blood pressure in every man?

No. Some short-term studies found modest average increases or could not rule out an effect, while a registry study of another formulation reported decreases. Individual response and study limitations matter.

Should I stop testosterone if my reading is high?

Do not stop or alter a prescription on your own. Contact the clinician who prescribed it, share your readings and ask what monitoring or next steps are appropriate.

Can testosterone cause blood clots?

In TRAVERSE, pulmonary embolism was more frequent in the testosterone group. The finding warrants a personal risk discussion with a clinician, but it does not mean a clot is inevitable.

What blood pressure symptoms mean emergency care?

Sudden chest pain, severe shortness of breath, one-sided weakness, trouble speaking, fainting or sudden vision changes warrant emergency assessment. New or worsening symptoms deserve medical care.

Next step

If you are weighing testosterone treatment or a booster, first bring your blood-pressure readings and full medication list to your clinician. For a plain-language overview of the supplement labels we reviewed, go to the male vitality supplement comparison.