A study conducted by anthropologists at the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that chopping wood leads to a significant increase in testosterone levels among men.
Specifically, Tsimane men from the Bolivian Amazon experienced an average testosterone increase of approximately 46.8% after an hour of tree-chopping, surpassing the testosterone spikes observed during competitive activities like soccer, which averaged around 30.1%.
This research underscores the strong link between physical labor and hormonal responses associated with resource production. Testosterone plays a crucial role in activities essential for survival, such as food production and physical exertion. The study suggests that engaging in tasks like tree-chopping has evolutionary significance, reinforcing the connection between physical effort and hormonal regulation.
Additionally, the study observed that these testosterone spikes occurred across a wide age range of participants, from 16 to 80 years old, indicating that the hormonal response to physical labor is consistent regardless of age.
These findings contribute to our understanding of how non-competitive physical activities can influence hormonal levels, highlighting the body’s adaptive mechanisms in response to labor-intensive tasks.