Josh Duhamel is crediting taking testosterone with helping him feel better at 53 than he did 20 years ago.
The actor has previously shared that he began testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) about five years ago. Duhamel went on to co-found Gatlan, a men’s health company that offers physician-guided testosterone replacement therapy, hormone optimization, weight loss and longevity treatments.
During a recent appearance on Dave Asprey’s “The Human Upgrade” podcast, the “Las Vegas” alum opened up about how testosterone therapy has affected his health.
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“I feel better now than I did in my early to mid-30s,” Duhamel said. “I’m not even kidding you. My joints, my back, my knees, everything. I just feel stronger.”
Duhamel explained that he was inspired to launch Gatlan after experiencing what he described as the positive effects of testosterone therapy. He said his former representatives warned him against starting the company and told him that becoming the face of the treatment could hurt his career in Hollywood.
“I won’t tell you the agency that I’m no longer with, but they said, ‘Don’t do it. It’s bad for your image.’ And I was like, ‘Alright, watch,'” Duhamel recalled.
“It took me a while,” he admitted. “I had to get over that for a little bit because I was like, ‘Maybe they’re right. Maybe I’m going to get, you know, made fun of in the town for having this company.'”
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“But my gut was, ‘Why not shine a light on this thing and make it OK?’” Duhamel remembered. “Because nobody’s talking about it. Everybody’s doing it.”
“And there’s so many guys out there who would love this information,” he added.
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Duhamel said he began taking testosterone after tests showed he had low levels.
“I had low T in my early 40s,” Duhamel shared. “And so, I really started looking into it. Did the research, found somebody who I could find it from, you know, probably got some bad batches here and there. Didn’t really have a quality sort of source.”
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“But I found that I was feeling better,” he continued. “I had that oomph that I didn’t have before in my 20s and 30s. And I said, ‘This s— works.’ I got to — I want to learn more about this.”
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved testosterone products to treat men with low testosterone associated with certain medical conditions. The agency also requires testosterone products to carry warnings about increased blood pressure. Patients should consult their doctor about the potential benefits and risks of treatment.
Duhamel said he injects testosterone three times a week, explaining that the schedule helps keep his levels consistent.
The “Transformers” star said taking testosterone has improved his life “tremendously” and given him the energy he needs as a father of three. Duhamel and his wife, Audra Mari, 32, married in September 2022 and welcomed son Shepherd, now 2, in January 2024.
In May 2026, the couple announced the birth of their daughter, Rocca de Leon Duhamel. Duhamel also shares son Axl, 13, with his ex-wife, singer Fergie, 51.
“I wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said. “I have a 3-month-old baby and a 2 ½-year-old boy. And my oldest is about to be 13 tomorrow.”
“So, I’ve got a lot going on at the house,” Duhamel continued. “My poor wife, thank God, she’s such a rock star. She’s such a great mom. But when I’m home, we are on all day. It’s either changing the diaper or we’re potty training him now, too. He wants to go swimming. So, I’m swimming.”
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“We’re just like, ‘You got that. I got this. OK, ready.’ It’s just like — it’s a tiring period of our life. This is about the most tiring it’s going to be,” he added.
Duhamel told Asprey he was encouraged by what he sees as a changing conversation around testosterone and hormone treatment. The “Ransom Canyon” star pointed to what he described as a growing willingness to reconsider long-held beliefs about testosterone therapy.
“I’m glad that we’re here now, and I’m glad that we have information that is contrary to what we thought for so many years,” he said. “And we can actually do something. We can actually stay stronger, younger, longer, and I feel like that’s really why I did this is I just wanted to out of my own curiosity and fascination and my own vanity, probably.”
“But mostly because I have young kids,” he continued. “I want to be able to be a good dad and a physical and vibrant father for them physically for as long as I can. And mentally, for that matter.”
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Duhamel said longevity was a major factor in his decision to pursue testosterone therapy, explaining that his goal is not just to feel better now but also to preserve his health for the years ahead.
“I love it,” he said. “I’m excited about the idea that I’m going to … be as healthy as I can much longer than I would have before.”
“I want to see my grandkids,” Duhamel added. “That’s a big ask.”
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Duhamel said hormone optimization should be part of a broader discussion about aging and that men and women should at least explore their options with doctors.
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“I think that men and women, for that matter, deserve an opportunity to be optimized for much longer than we ever thought we could be,” he said. “You know, especially when the stuff is there, and it’s all medically backed and the science is there.”
“At least take a look at it because there’s no reason to, you know, let the old man in the door if you don’t have to.”
