Nicotine is not a proven testosterone booster. A 2016 systematic review of 22 studies involving 13,317 men found that smokers had testosterone levels about 1.53 nmol/L, or roughly 44 ng/dL, higher on average than nonsmokers. The studies examined smoking rather than isolated nicotine, so they show an association, not proof that nicotine caused the difference.

Question What the evidence shows Practical meaning
Does nicotine itself raise testosterone? Human evidence is limited and inconsistent Do not use nicotine to increase testosterone
Do smokers sometimes have higher testosterone? Some observational studies report higher total testosterone Smoking is not a safe or reliable way to raise testosterone
Does nicotine replacement therapy raise testosterone? A clinical trial found no significant change in salivary testosterone after smoking-status changes Nicotine gum is not a testosterone treatment
Can nicotine affect reproductive hormones? Nicotine can affect luteinizing hormone, and animal research suggests it may inhibit testosterone production Nicotine may disrupt hormonal function rather than improve it

Why Do Some Smokers Have Higher Testosterone?

Some smokers have higher testosterone in observational studies, but smoking exposes them to far more than nicotine.

The 2016 review could not show that nicotine caused the difference. It also found that the evidence was not clear enough to determine whether nicotine replacement products or e-cigarettes have the same association.

Other studies have reported different results. One large international study linked current smoking with higher total testosterone. Another found no significant relationship between cigarette smoking and total, free or bioavailable testosterone.

The difference may relate to body weight, age, alcohol use, sex-hormone-binding globulin, health status and other smoking-related behaviours. Cigarette smoke also contains thousands of chemicals, so results from cigarette users cannot be attributed to nicotine alone.

Nicotine has no clear testosterone-raising effect in humans.

In one study, a nicotine patch temporarily inhibited pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion in nonsmoking men. Luteinizing hormone helps stimulate testosterone production in the testes.

A clinical trial involving 221 middle-aged men found no significant change in salivary testosterone after participants quit smoking, whether or not they used nicotine gum. The result does not support nicotine gum as a way to increase testosterone.

Animal and laboratory studies also do not support nicotine as a dependable testosterone enhancer. In isolated rat testicular cells, nicotine and cotinine inhibited several steps involved in testosterone production. Animal findings cannot be applied directly to humans, but they raise no basis for treating nicotine as a testosterone supplement.

Does Vaping Increase Testosterone?

There is no reliable human evidence that vaping increases testosterone. Some observational studies report higher testosterone in cigarette smokers, but that finding cannot automatically be applied to vaping or nicotine-only products.

A review of e-cigarette research found that evidence on nicotine exposure, e-cigarettes and male reproductive hormones remains insufficient.

Vaping also exposes users to nicotine and other potentially harmful substances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that nicotine is highly addictive and that e-cigarette aerosol can contain harmful chemicals and particles.

Should You Use Nicotine to Raise Testosterone?

No. The evidence does not establish a testosterone benefit, and the health risks outweigh any theoretical gain.

Nicotine is addictive and can raise blood pressure. Cigarette smoking substantially increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease and stroke.

Better-supported ways to protect normal testosterone include:

  • Maintaining a healthy body weight
  • Getting consistent, sufficient sleep
  • Exercising regularly, including resistance training
  • Limiting excessive alcohol use
  • Avoiding tobacco and nicotine dependence
  • Treating conditions such as sleep apnea, obesity and diabetes

How Should Low Testosterone Be Diagnosed?

Low testosterone requires compatible symptoms and consistently low test results, not symptoms or one blood test alone.

The Endocrine Society recommends evaluating men who have symptoms associated with low testosterone and consistently low levels. Diagnosis generally requires two early-morning blood tests, usually taken between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. If the levels are low, further testing can help identify the cause.

Bottom line

Do not start smoking, vaping or using nicotine products to improve testosterone. The evidence does not show that nicotine provides a reliable benefit.