Influencers linked to the online “manosphere” are convincing healthy young men that normal changes in mood, energy or libido mean they have low testosterone, according to a new study. Researchers analysing popular posts on TikTok and Instagram found routine testosterone testing was being promoted as essential to being a “real man”, despite it being medically unnecessary for most young men.
The study, published in Social Science and Medicine, said influencers often frame everyday experiences as medical problems, driving demand for tests, supplements and hormone treatments. Lead author Emma Grundtvig Gram from the University of Copenhagen described this as a growing “medicalisation of masculinity”.
Medical experts warned that unnecessary testing or treatment can carry risks, including infertility and heart problems, and stressed that testosterone levels vary naturally and should only be assessed by healthcare professionals when clear symptoms are present.
