A study published in Social Science and Medicine warns that “manosphere” influencers are encouraging healthy young men to believe they have low testosterone and need testing or treatment, despite little medical justification.
Researchers analysed popular posts on TikTok and Instagram, finding that normal experiences such as fatigue, stress or changes in libido were often portrayed as signs of illness. The lead author, Emma Grundtvig Gram of the University of Copenhagen, said this promotes a “medicalisation of masculinity” and fuels profitable markets for tests, supplements and hormones.
Medical experts said routine testosterone screening is not recommended for young men without clear symptoms and warned that unnecessary treatment can carry risks, including infertility and heart problems.
