Stronger at 40+. How to Take Back Control of Your Hormones
I used to think feeling tired, losing muscle, or carrying extra belly fat in my 40s and 50s was just “aging.” That it was out of my control. But the more I dug into the science, the more I realised that hormones aren’t fixed by age. They respond to how you train, eat, sleep, and recover. That was a game-changer. It meant decline wasn’t inevitable. It meant I had tools to reset my body and feel strong again.
Here’s how strength training + recovery can reboot your hormonal engine.
By your 40s and 50s, your hormones start to shift. Testosterone dips, your body doesn’t handle sugar (insulin sensitivity) as well, stress hormones like cortisol run high, and growth hormone drops. Most men shrug and say, “That’s just aging.”
But here’s the truth: how you train, recover, eat, and live has a huge impact on these hormones. Midlife doesn’t have to mean decline.
Let’s break it down in simple terms.
Testosterone: Your Midlife Power Switch
Why it matters: Testosterone drives muscle growth, bone density, mood, energy, and libido. Levels naturally decline 1–2% per year after age 30 [1].
Training impact: Strength training, especially big lifts (squats, deadlifts, bench press, chin-ups, etc...), gives a short-term boost in testosterone [2].
Lifestyle factors:
Sleep: Men restricted to 5 hours of sleep for one week had a 10–15% drop in testosterone [3].
Food: You need protein, healthy fats (cholesterol is the building block of testosterone), and key nutrients like zinc, vitamin D, and magnesium. Crash diets or very low fat diets can tank testosterone.
Stress: Chronic high cortisol lowers testosterone by suppressing the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis [4].
👉 Maverick takeaway: Sleep, lift heavy, eat real food, and manage stress to keep testosterone on your side.
Growth Hormone (GH) & IGF-1: Repair & Recovery
Why it matters: GH and its downstream messenger IGF-1 support tissue repair, muscle building, fat metabolism, and recovery. Levels fall sharply with age (somatopause).
Training effects: Resistance training and high-intensity interval work significantly elevate GH acutely, especially when workouts include large muscle groups and short rest [5].
Lifestyle factors:
👉 Maverick takeaway: To maximise GH: strength train, prioritise deep sleep, and avoid chronic overload.
Cortisol: The Double-Edged Sword
Why it matters: Cortisol is your primary stress hormone. It mobilises energy, regulates inflammation, and helps you respond to acute stress. But chronically elevated cortisol erodes muscle, impairs sleep, and promotes abdominal fat.
Training effects: Intense training spikes cortisol acutely, this is normal and part of adaptation. But too much volume or too little recovery leads to chronically high cortisol, impairing gains [8].
Lifestyle factors:
👉 Maverick takeaway: Stress is unavoidable. But strength training, coupled with active recovery practices (breathwork, walking, sauna), recalibrates cortisol instead of letting it run unchecked.
Insulin: The Metabolic Gatekeeper
Why it matters: Insulin regulates blood sugar. Poor insulin sensitivity = higher diabetes risk, lower testosterone, and more fat storage.
Training effects: Skeletal muscle is the body’s largest glucose sink (~80% of post-meal glucose disposal). Strength training improves insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake [10].
Lifestyle factors:
Diet: High protein, balanced carbs, and limiting refined sugar improve insulin sensitivity.
Sleep: Sleep restriction worsens insulin resistance in as little as 5 nights [11].
Stress & Cortisol: Chronic stress increases blood sugar and insulin resistance.
👉 Maverick takeaway: Lifting builds muscle, muscle improves insulin sensitivity, and insulin balance protects hormones, body composition, and energy.
Other Key Players
Sex Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG): High stress, poor diet, and inactivity can raise SHBG, lowering free testosterone. Strength training helps reduce SHBG and increase free T.
Thyroid Hormones (T3/T4): Crucial for metabolism. Sleep deprivation and overtraining can reduce T3, slowing metabolism [12]. Undereating can also slow down thyroid hormones.
DHEA: A precursor hormone that declines with age, tied to vitality and resilience. Lifestyle habits (exercise, stress reduction) help maintain healthier levels.
The Hormone-Training-Recovery Cycle
Strength training boosts anabolic hormones (T, GH, IGF-1) and improves insulin sensitivity.
Recovery (sleep, nutrition, stress management) keeps cortisol in check and allows hormone balance.
Lifestyle choices (protein, micronutrients, managing stress load) reinforce the hormonal benefits of training.
👉 Skimp on recovery, and the anabolic benefits of training collapse into stress and regression.
Practical Maverick Framework for 2 time per week training
Lift: 2 full-body strength sessions per week (compound lifts, progressive overload).
Recover: 7–8h sleep, plus at least 1–2 full rest days per week.
Fuel: Protein (30-40g per main meal), healthy fats, nutrient-dense whole foods.
Reset Stress: Breathwork, walks, sauna, meditation, daily nervous system “downshifts.”
Track Energy: If you finish training drained instead of recharged, your hormones are telling you something.
Bottom Line
Hormones aren’t fixed by age alone, they’re shaped by how you train, eat, sleep, and recover. Strength training is one of the most effective natural hormone reset options for midlife men. Pair it with recovery and smart lifestyle habits, and you’ll not only boost testosterone and growth hormone, but also keep cortisol and insulin working for you, not against you.
