Most men will get to the end of the World Cup feeling a bit worse for wear. That's to be expected after five weeks of late nights and drinking.

A few decent nights' sleep, getting back to the gym and cutting back on the drinking will be enough to get most back on track.

But for some men, it will be difficult to bounce back, particularly if they were already experiencing similar symptoms before the tournament began.

Read on to learn how several weeks of poor sleep, additional alcohol and less exercise can contribute to lower testosterone levels and what you can do about it.

The perfect storm for low testosterone

The World Cup can't cause low testosterone, but its associated behaviours can contribute to lower testosterone levels and make existing problems more noticeable.

For men who were already sitting at the lower end of normal testosterone levels before the tournament started, it is often enough to tip the balance. 

Symptoms that were quietly there in the background suddenly become hard to ignore and many of these men had no idea that testosterone was already an issue.

Sleep and testosterone production

Sleep can be where many of the problems begin and few men realise how important sleep is for testosterone production.

Testosterone isn't produced evenly throughout the day, in fact much of it is released during the deeper stages of sleep and the REM cycles that occur later in the night. 

When sleep becomes fragmented or consistently shortened, testosterone production falls.

Research published in JAMA has shown that just one week of sleeping around five hours a night can reduce testosterone levels in healthy young men by 10% to 15%.

That’s a big impact and one that can often be easily remedied with some early nights and an improved routine.

The current heatwave may make this worse, as warmer overnight temperatures can reduce sleep quality and make it harder to achieve the deeper stages of sleep where much of testosterone production occurs.

Alcohol, cortisol and testosterone

Alcohol doesn't just disrupt sleep, it also affects testosterone. 

It raises cortisol, the body's primary stress hormone, interferes with testosterone production and makes restorative sleep harder to achieve.

Chronically elevated cortisol can suppress testosterone, which is why poor sleep, alcohol and stress can be such a damaging combination. 

And the World Cup creates the perfect conditions for a testosterone hit, thanks to late kick offs, disrupted routines and increased alcohol intake. 

The effect on energy, motivation, recovery and sex drive can be significant.

Weight gain and testosterone levels

Weight is the piece that often gets overlooked.

More snacking, more alcohol and less movement means weight gain, often around the abdomen, and that's where it matters most. 

Fat tissue around the abdomen contains aromatase, an enzyme that converts testosterone into oestrogen. 

As abdominal fat increases, more testosterone is converted rather than remaining available to do its job. 

That's why increasing waist size and worsening testosterone symptoms often go hand in hand.

Many men start noticing fatigue, low mood, reduced sex drive and poorer recovery before their testosterone level has even fallen outside the normal range. 

Age adds to this. From the mid-30s onwards, testosterone gradually declines by around 1% to 2% per year.

In addition, the body tolerates poor sleep less well and recovery takes longer. 

The result? The same six weeks that felt manageable at 28 can feel very different at 48.

What are the typical symptoms of low testosterone?

The symptoms of low testosterone can be quite subtle at first but can include the following:

• Persistent fatigue
• Low energy
• Reduced sex drive
• Poorer recovery from exercise
• Low mood
• Reduced motivation
• Difficulty concentrating

Some men also notice increasing abdominal weight gain, a decline in gym performance or simply feeling less like themselves than they used to.

None of these symptoms automatically mean low testosterone, but if several are present and don't improve once normal routines return, it's worth getting checked.

What is TRT and is it suitable for everyone?

Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT) replaces testosterone that the body is no longer producing at adequate levels. 

It's a medical treatment for a medical problem, not a lifestyle upgrade, and it's not suitable for everyone. 

The right candidate is someone with confirmed low testosterone on blood tests alongside symptoms that are affecting their quality of life. 

When it's the right diagnosis, the results can be significant - improvements in energy, mood, motivation, sex drive and body composition. 

TRT works best when properly prescribed and monitored over time.

When should you get your testosterone checked?

Most men will feel back to normal within a couple of weeks of returning to their usual routine. If you're still struggling several weeks after the tournament ends - feeling persistently tired, low in motivation, experiencing reduced libido, poor recovery or simply not feeling like yourself - it's worth speaking to your GP or a men's health clinician.

Most men assume it's stress, work or age and while those explanations are often right, sometimes the real issue is low testosterone - and often it's been there for longer than they realise.

Learn more about low testosterone and testosterone replacement therapy.