Influencers linked to the online “manosphere” are persuading healthy young men that normal variations in energy, mood or libido signal low testosterone, according to a study published in Social Science and Medicine.
Researchers analysed popular posts on TikTok and Instagram, finding that testosterone testing and treatment were often promoted as essential to masculinity, despite routine screening being medically unwarranted for most young men. Normal experiences were frequently framed as health problems, driving demand for tests, supplements and hormone therapies.
The study’s lead author, Emma Grundtvig Gram from the University of Copenhagen, said this trend contributes to a “medicalisation of masculinity” and reinforces narrow ideas of male identity. Medical experts warned that unnecessary testing can lead to overtreatment and health risks, while offering little clinical benefit.
