Nicotine and Testosterone: Mixed Evidence, Mostly Smokers
Nicotine and Testosterone: Mixed Evidence, Mostly Smokers
Nicotine's effect on testosterone is unsettled. In human observational studies, male smokers and snus users usually test slightly higher, not lower, for testosterone. Rat studies point the opposite way. Almost all the human data comes from cigarette smokers and Swedish snus users, and no published study has measured testosterone in people using ZYN-style nicotine pouches. Higher on a lab report is not the same as healthier.
What Human Studies Found
Male smokers tend to have modestly higher testosterone than non-smokers. A 2016 meta-analysis by Zhao et al. pooled 22 observational studies covering 13,317 men (study mean ages ranged from 18 to 61) and found that smokers had a mean total testosterone about 1.53 nmol/L higher than non-smokers (95% CI 1.11 to 1.96). In six studies of 6,089 women, smoking showed no clear association with testosterone (0.11 nmol/L, 95% CI −0.08 to 0.30).
A separate cross-sectional study by Liu et al. (2021) analyzed 5,965 Chinese men aged 40 to 79 from six provinces. Total testosterone was higher in smokers than non-smokers in every age group except the 70 to 79 bracket. SHBG (sex hormone-binding globulin), which binds testosterone in the blood, was also higher in current smokers across most age groups.
Every one of these results is observational. They show an association between smoking and measured hormone levels, not a causal effect of nicotine on testosterone production.
What About Snus and Smokeless Nicotine?
Snus is the closest available proxy for pouches, because it delivers nicotine without combustion. Still, snus contains tobacco leaf; modern nicotine pouches do not.
A 2022 study by Kimblad et al. examined 613 Swedish men from the general population. Among the 109 who used oral snuff, testosterone was 14% higher (P < 0.001) and total sperm count was 24% lower (P = 0.03) compared to non-users, after adjusting for cigarette smoking.
A 2026 population-based study by Byhamre et al. drew from the Northern Sweden MONICA cohort: 6,158 never-smoking men and women examined between 1990 and 2014. Male snus users had higher calculated free testosterone (exp(β) 1.04, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.07), roughly a 4% increase. The authors tied their biomarker findings, including lower vitamin D and lower CRP, to previously observed higher mortality among snus users.
| Study | n | Population | Nicotine source | Comparator | Testosterone result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zhao 2016 (meta-analysis) | 13,317 men | 22 studies, mean ages 18 to 61 | Cigarettes | Non-smokers | ~1.53 nmol/L higher in smokers |
| Liu 2021 | 5,965 men | Chinese, ages 40 to 79 | Cigarettes | Non-smokers | Higher in all age groups except 70 to 79 |
| Kimblad 2022 | 613 men (109 snuff users) | Swedish general population | Oral snuff (snus) | Non-users, adjusted for smoking | 14% higher |
| Byhamre 2026 | 6,158 never-smokers | Northern Sweden MONICA | Snus | Non-users | ~4% higher free testosterone |
| Oyeyipo 2015 | Male Wistar rats | Animal model | 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg nicotine | Control | Lower (P < 0.05) |
Source: PubMed and publisher records, checked Oct 2026.
Why Rat Studies Point the Other Way
In a 2015 study by Oyeyipo et al., male Wistar rats received 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg nicotine by mouth once daily for 30 days. Testosterone fell at both doses in rats (P < 0.05). This finding is widely cited on health blogs, sometimes without the word "rats" attached.
Animal doses and routes do not translate directly to human nicotine-pouch use. Rodent metabolism, hormonal regulation, and nicotine clearance differ enough that you cannot extrapolate a rat result to a man using ZYN. The human observational data, limited as it is, mostly points the opposite direction.
Why Would Nicotine Users Test Higher?
The Zhao meta-analysis authors proposed that cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, may slow the enzymatic breakdown of testosterone. That is a hypothesis from the abstract, not a confirmed mechanism.
Liu et al. found that SHBG was higher in current smokers across most age groups. SHBG binds circulating testosterone, which can elevate total testosterone on a blood draw without necessarily raising the free (bioactive) fraction. In other words, a higher number on the lab report may partly reflect more protein binding, not more usable hormone.
Neither explanation is settled. Both need interventional confirmation, and neither has been studied in nicotine-pouch users.
Higher Testosterone Is Not the Same as Better Health
The same studies that report higher testosterone in nicotine users also report outcomes that are clearly not beneficial. Kimblad's snuff users had a 24% lower total sperm count; the authors extrapolated that this could mean roughly a 10% lower chance of fathering a child. Liu's smokers scored worse on both sexual and somatic symptoms on the Aging Males' Symptoms (AMS) scale, despite having higher total testosterone. And Byhamre's snus users, while showing higher free testosterone, also showed biomarker patterns that the researchers linked to previously observed higher mortality.
A slightly higher number on a blood test does not mean nicotine is doing your endocrine system a favor. The FDA states that nicotine is highly addictive and can change the way the brain works, creating cravings for more of it.
What This Means for ZYN and Other Nicotine Pouches
No published study has measured testosterone in nicotine-pouch users. A PubMed search for "(nicotine pouch*) AND testosterone" returned zero results as of Oct 31, 2026.
Nicotine pouches deliver nicotine without tobacco leaf or combustion, so data from smokers may not apply. Snus is a closer match because it is oral and smokeless, but snus still contains processed tobacco, and the snus studies above are cross-sectional. Zhao's authors specifically asked whether products that raise cotinine levels without combustion, such as e-cigarettes or nicotine replacement, also raise testosterone. That question remains unanswered.
Anyone claiming that ZYN or another pouch brand raises or lowers testosterone is running ahead of the evidence. The honest answer is that nobody has checked.
When to Talk to a Doctor About Testosterone
If you have symptoms like persistent low libido, unexplained fatigue, or loss of muscle mass, a morning blood test ordered by your doctor is the right starting point. Do not change your nicotine use, start testosterone therapy, or add supplements based on the observational data discussed here.
Nicotine is addictive. If you want to quit, free coaching is available through the CDC Quitline at 1-800-QUIT-NOW.
The Honest Read on Nicotine and Your Hormones
The human data leans toward slightly higher measured testosterone in male nicotine users, but every study is observational, the populations are smokers or snus users, and the same users show worse reproductive and symptomatic outcomes. Rat data shows the reverse. No study covers modern nicotine pouches. Treat social-media claims in either direction with skepticism, and talk to a clinician if your testosterone levels are a real concern.
Related from Roon
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ZYN lower testosterone?
No study has measured testosterone in ZYN or any nicotine-pouch users. The human data that does exist, from smokers and snus users, generally shows slightly higher testosterone, not lower. Rat studies show the opposite. Until researchers run a trial on pouch-only users, the question does not have a direct answer.
Does quitting nicotine raise testosterone?
None of the studies cited above measured testosterone before and after quitting. Without that longitudinal design, there is no evidence that stopping nicotine raises or lowers testosterone. Claims that quitting "restores" testosterone are not supported by published data.
Does nicotine affect sperm?
Kimblad et al. (2022) found that Swedish snuff users had a 24% lower total sperm count than non-users, adjusted for smoking. The authors estimated roughly a 10% lower chance of fathering a child. This is observational and specific to oral tobacco (snus), not nicotine pouches.
Is snus the same as a nicotine pouch?
No. Snus is a moist, ground tobacco product placed under the lip, common in Sweden. Modern nicotine pouches like ZYN contain nicotine but no tobacco leaf. Because snus includes tobacco, its health profile and chemical exposure differ from tobacco-free pouches.
Does nicotine affect testosterone in women?
The Zhao 2016 meta-analysis included six studies of 6,089 women and found no clear association between smoking and testosterone (mean difference 0.11 nmol/L, 95% CI −0.08 to 0.30). There is even less data on women using smokeless nicotine products.
A Nicotine-Free Pouch for the Workday
This article covers nicotine. Roon contains none. It is a caffeine pouch, placed under the lip, built around a different goal: steady workday alertness from caffeine, with no nicotine in the tin.
Each pouch delivers 80 mg caffeine paired with 25 mg methylliberine (Dynamine), which slows caffeine clearance. In a randomized, double-blind crossover PK study (n = 12), methylliberine co-administered with caffeine extended caffeine's half-life from 7.2 to 15 hours and cut oral clearance from 41.9 to 17.1 L/hr, with no increase in peak concentration (study). That study used 100 mg methylliberine and 150 mg caffeine, roughly 4x and 1.9x what a single Roon pouch contains, so the direction applies but the magnitude may differ. A 15-hour half-life is not 15 hours of felt energy; most people notice one pouch for roughly 6 to 8 hours of the workday. Allow at least 8 hours between your last pouch and bedtime.
Roon makes no claims about testosterone, fertility, or hormones. If you use nicotine pouches during your workday and want to step away from nicotine while keeping the pouch format, Roon is from $9.16 per tin.
Sources
- Zhao J et al. "Cigarette smoking and testosterone in men and women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies." Prev Med. 2016;85:1-10. PubMed
- Kimblad A et al. "Decreased sperm counts in Swedish users of oral tobacco." Andrology. 2022;10(6):1181-1188. PMC
- Byhamre ML et al. "Associations between snus use and concentrations of CRP, 25(OH)D and testosterone: a population-based study." Scand J Clin Lab Invest. 2026;86(3):253-262. University of Lübeck research portal
- Liu Q et al. "Associations between smoking, sex hormone levels and late-onset hypogonadism in men differ depending on age." Aging. 2021;13(4):5226-5237. PMC
- Oyeyipo IP et al. "NG-nitro-L-arginine Methyl Ester Protects Against Hormonal Imbalances Associated with Nicotine Administration in Male Rats." N Am J Med Sci. 2015;7(2):59-64. PMC
- FDA. "Nicotine Is Why Tobacco Products Are Addictive." fda.gov
- CDC. "Call the quitline: 1-800-QUIT-NOW." cdc.gov
- PubMed search: (nicotine pouch*) AND testosterone (0 results, checked Oct 31, 2026)
Written by Roon Team
