A remarkable hormone that is essential to the human body is testosterone. Although it is frequently referred to as the “male” hormone, both men and women generate it. Throughout a man’s life cycle, testosterone is responsible for a variety of bodily functions in the male body. It aids in the growth of a male fetus’s interior and exterior organs. Growth spurts, a deeper voice, and the development of pubic, facial, and underarm hair during puberty are all attributed to testosterone. Additionally, testosterone influences traits including aggression and sexual arousal. However, as people age, their levels of testosterone might decrease, resulting in a number of symptoms like diminished libido, exhaustion, and muscle weakness.
Additionally, testosterone is significant in women. It adds to a woman’s sex drive and is produced in the ovaries and adrenal glands. Additionally, it aids in the secretion of hormones vital to a woman’s menstrual cycle. Although the body uses cholesterol to make testosterone, having high cholesterol does not guarantee that you will have high levels of the hormone. The brain regulates testosterone levels far too tightly for it to happen.
Men’s testosterone levels are at their peak during adolescence and the first few years of adulthood, but beyond the age of 30 or 40, they start to steadily fall by roughly 1% annually.
Naturally declining testosterone levels in older men can cause a variety of physiologic and psychological problems.
Many men will only have half as much testosterone at age 70 as they did when they were younger. ‘Late-onset hypogonadism’ or ‘andropause‘ are terms that are frequently used to describe this progressive decline.
Most adolescent men produce their most testosterone at around age 17, and levels stay high for the following two to three decades.
KEY References
Stanworth, R., & Jones, T. H. (2008, March 1). Testosterone for the aging male; current evidence and recommended practice. Clinical Interventions in Aging; Dove Medical Press. https://doi.org/10.2147/cia.s190
Testosterone, aging, and the mind. (2008, January 1). Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/testosterone_aging_and_the_mind
Testosterone: What it is and how it affects your health. (2023, June 22). Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/testosterone–what-it-does-and-doesnt-do
Research, C. F. D. E. A. (2015, March 3). Testosterone Information. U.S. Food And Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/postmarket-drug-safety-information-patients-and-providers/testosterone-information
Testosterone therapy: Potential benefits and risks as you age. (2022, April 20). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/sexual-health/in-depth/testosterone-therapy/art-20045728
